So I've had the bike for just over a month now and the weather hasn't exactly been the most cooperative in terms of allowing me to tame this beast. That said, the recent 75 degree days have allowed me a bit more seat time and specifically today's last minute ride to the Blue Ridge Parkway gave me some time to wax all poetic and shit on my current progress...here we go - in no particular order
1) Cold beer is a really nice welcome home after a day of 100+ miles on the zixxer...several cold beers in a row are even nicer.
2) Harley riders are still the most likely to NOT wave at me when I initiate the ever-so-cool "low two-to-three finger wave"...bastages can go kick rocks for all I care
3) Just when I think I'm getting better at riding my motorcycle, I do something stupid and squid-esque. For instance - I'm pretty impressed when I come to a stop and I'm able to do the whole front brake-downshift-rev match thing...and I even make the noises WHILE I'm doing it...it seems to help. That said, just after a totally impressive sequence of gearbox changes, the next time I try the same thing - I'll forget to let off the throttle...and then I'll get my neck snapped back...followed by waaaaay too much fork compression because I've panicked and grabbed too big a handful of front brake. Don't judge me dammit - you've done the same thing, too...
4) I am infatuated with this bike. Seriously. Some mornings I literally can't wait to go to the basement just to look at it. I even talk to the damned thing sometimes...like, really talk to it. I noticed the tiniest rock chip on the gas tank the other day and you'd have thought the world was ending...I'm sure some sort of therapy is in my not too distant future
5) Riding a sportbike is TIRING...I'm far from Mr Olympia but I'm also not in bad shape by any stretch of the imagination - but muscling this bike around AND making sure to (try to) keep 100% aware of my surroundings takes it's toll on this old man. I'm hoping more seat time will remedy this...we'll see
And that's enough for now...today did begin with an impromptu trip to our local mountains, so a few pics are in order, I suppose. I only took pics at one of the overlooks because it's such a PITA to have to take off all the freakin' gear...so just relax, and be thankful
This was my first stop - about 70 miles in, so I was ready to stretch my legs for a few
The A* backpack is pretty handy-dandy for carrying all my assorted crap...and Glocks
This place is absolutely gorgeous during the fall...definitely making the trip back up when the leaves are in their peak season
1) Cold beer is a really nice welcome home after a day of 100+ miles on the zixxer...several cold beers in a row are even nicer.
2) Harley riders are still the most likely to NOT wave at me when I initiate the ever-so-cool "low two-to-three finger wave"...bastages can go kick rocks for all I care
3) Just when I think I'm getting better at riding my motorcycle, I do something stupid and squid-esque. For instance - I'm pretty impressed when I come to a stop and I'm able to do the whole front brake-downshift-rev match thing...and I even make the noises WHILE I'm doing it...it seems to help. That said, just after a totally impressive sequence of gearbox changes, the next time I try the same thing - I'll forget to let off the throttle...and then I'll get my neck snapped back...followed by waaaaay too much fork compression because I've panicked and grabbed too big a handful of front brake. Don't judge me dammit - you've done the same thing, too...
4) I am infatuated with this bike. Seriously. Some mornings I literally can't wait to go to the basement just to look at it. I even talk to the damned thing sometimes...like, really talk to it. I noticed the tiniest rock chip on the gas tank the other day and you'd have thought the world was ending...I'm sure some sort of therapy is in my not too distant future
5) Riding a sportbike is TIRING...I'm far from Mr Olympia but I'm also not in bad shape by any stretch of the imagination - but muscling this bike around AND making sure to (try to) keep 100% aware of my surroundings takes it's toll on this old man. I'm hoping more seat time will remedy this...we'll see
And that's enough for now...today did begin with an impromptu trip to our local mountains, so a few pics are in order, I suppose. I only took pics at one of the overlooks because it's such a PITA to have to take off all the freakin' gear...so just relax, and be thankful
This was my first stop - about 70 miles in, so I was ready to stretch my legs for a few

The A* backpack is pretty handy-dandy for carrying all my assorted crap...and Glocks

This place is absolutely gorgeous during the fall...definitely making the trip back up when the leaves are in their peak season
