Here are a few notes from my first year of being a sportbike rider. A list of things I experienced, learned, and maybe even regretted.
- 7200 miles of seat time between Mid-April and December of 2002
- Several mountain trips
- 3 Track Days with around 60 miles of track riding experience
- A 700 mile weekend trip to the plains of Colorado where I grew-up
- 700 miles on a 600cc sportbike within 3 days isn’t necessarily the best idea
- I have no idea how anyone can pack enough stuff on a 600cc to last a weekend if they are taking enough gear for a variety of weather situations
- Rain gear is a life saver. Be sure to wear it even after it rains or the humidity in the air will have the same effect as a rainstorm. It also doubles as an effective windbreaker to keep you warm on late night summer rides when you still have your lighter 70F+ gear on.
- Rain, sleet, and snow on two-wheels
- Several near-death experiences, only one which was my fault.
- NEVER trust drivers in cars. Pretend they are blind, drunk, and deaf, and you’ll thank yourself later
- Mirror extensions are a must have item for street riding
- The expense of good motorcycle gear, but how much you love having a variety for different riding situations
- 50 seems warm, but its about my cut-off for climbing on the bike
- Mountain air cools very, very quickly. Go home before dusk.
- A 600cc bike is probably ‘just right’ for me. The F4i is an awesome bike and I don’t regret buying it.
- Women that you normally don’t have a chance with actually wave and even talk to you
- A stop for gas always turns into a conversation and oogling from other customers
- People always say “yeah, I’m going to get one someday”, but you never believe them because everyone you talk to says that
- I suck at track riding, but I love it
- The only needed track preparation for a street ridden sportbike is rinsing it off and lubeing it. You don’t even have to worry about brake fade or overheating
- The Zero Gravity Double Bubble windscreen is a must have for anything other than riding around the block
- Stones thrown from trucks hurt. Really hurt.
- Even fast cars feel slow now. My Talon will have to be an 11 second monster for it to feel fast to me.
- Progressive Insurance is way too expensive for a 24 y/o with a clean record and credit history
- Out of 3 Joe Rocket products, all three are coming apart in some way, shape, or form after only a few solid months of riding time
You and I seem very similar:
Until I got my bike the most attention I got from ladies while driving my car would be a glance maybe. On the bike, they ask for rides, walk by slowly while working their curvy bodies and giving me a huge smile. I give em one in return also.
50 is about my limit for hopping on a bike as well.
I cruised through a rain storm coming from the Smokey Mountains. I stopped at a strip mall and bought rain gear which made the ride much much more comfortable.
I’ve met a variety of people ranging from old coots leaning over glancing at the speedometer trying to get an idea of how fast my bike will go to kids giving me the thumbs up and various other conversations.
I agree with your thoughts on cars seeming slow as well. I no longer see cars as being fast anymore.
Finally, I agree with your thought of NEVER trust cars. I’ve been riding a sport bike now for 10 years and I haven’t had a accident yet. Knock on wood my luck will continue.
Long live sport bikes!