A Two-Wheeled Venture

If I could stand before myself just over three weeks ago and say, “Hey. You’re going to be getting your motorcycle license and a brand new bike in the weeks to come”, I wouldn’t have believed it. Now here I am, sitting on the balcony on this rainy day and looking down at my new two-wheeled friend. My only regret is that it is, indeed, supposed to rain for most of today and I won’t get to take him out for a spin. This gentle rain is nice, however.

The motorcycle safety class was fun and informative, and I’m not only saying that. I would sign up to take the course again, if I could. In fact, I’ll likely be looking for some bike bonding courses now that I have a mount to call my own. It would be nice to practice the same maneuvers on my new Yamaha as I did on the little 250cc Suzuki I rode during the course. Will purchased a Kawasaki Vulcan, wanting a more classic style of bike. I was always drawn to the more sportier styles, but I think all the styles beautiful and could easily see myself getting a cruiser of my own in the distant future.

Unfortunately, our schedules didn’t cooperate with one another’s enough to take the three day course together – but both of us achieved a well-rounded education from our instructors during the course, it seems. Our first ride together yesterday was so much fun. It basically consisted of us getting a feel for our new bikes – the throttle, the friction zone, the engine power. Also, learning how to not stall your bike when you’re at a stop sign on a hill is a challenge in itself. When we became more comfortable, we were able to open them up a little more on some slightly bigger roads (I reached 35 mph. Woo!), and I took the opportunity to take a brief night-time jaunt when Will accidentally left his wallet at home. Luckily, the station is right up the street. Can we just talk about how amazing it is riding on a summer night? It’s warm, but the breeze is cool and refreshing. The roads weren’t busy. Once I got over the nervousness of not being able to see as much, I opened it up to 37 on a small side road. It felt amazing.

I’ve taken to calling my bike, “Vaas”, after one of my favorite player characters from our roleplay guild. Strong and loyal, my hope is that Vaas will take me through many scenic miles in wind, rain, and sunshine. All this while mastering the fine art of cornering. I will most definitely be writing more about our bike-related progress and adventures in the future. As for today, hopefully the rain slows enough for Will and I to explore on our bikes and find some fireworks.