New MotorcycleI put down a deposit on a motorcycle last night. It was an unbelievably rash thing to do. I was nervous as a cat with puppies all yesterday in anticipation of a test ride. Ultimately I wasn't confident enough in my very minimal skills to take it out for a road test (i.e. I was trying to take off in the wrong gear), but the seller put me on the back and showed me what it could do.

What it can do it scare the bejesus out of a passenger. Which was good. First, it showed that I won't be outgrowing this motorcycle for a long time, so that what I spend now will remain a solid investment. Second, it deflated my ego, which was getting pretty oversized with the knowledge that I would be getting a motorcycle. Hopefully that reduced ego will contribute to my safety gear being strictly for looks over the coming year.

I was able to figure out what I did wrong, and I was able to get the bike under motion once I remembered that first gear is a lot easier to take off from than second gear. It was a solid reminder that I'm not experienced enough yet to be out on my own, and the motorcycle safety foundation class I'm taking in September will be money well spent. I'll have to get a friend to ride this home for me, because there's no way I'll be taking this bike down M-57 and through city traffic when I take delivery next week. Even after taking the class I think I'll be a month or two before I ride on anything but country roads. It's going to be a lot of work in parking lots and going around the circle of my subdivision until then.