That Was Your Mother ... on a Motorcycle

This is a picture of me back in 1995-96. Yes, that's MY motorcycle--a blue Suzuki 650. I called it "Blue Skies." And, Yes, I knew how to ride it. There were a couple of us at the coop that year (Me, Kevin, Kelly--Frank Nick had been riding for years) who wanted to learn to ride--and we did. There is nothing quite like feeling the curves on a motorcycle down country roads on a beautiful day! Feeling the physics-of-motion is fun in itself!

I took the safety course at the tech school, and passed the driver's test. I highly recommend these courses to anyone wanting to ride a motorcycle. It will remove the guess-work of what to do when, give you confidence and practice riding with teacher's in a controlled environment.

I remember when I took the bike in to Motorcycle Performance to have some work done on it (new brakes, new rear tire). When I went to pick it up, the mechanics ran over each other to see this "chick" who bought and rode a 650 cc bike. I think I smiled and waved at them. They didn't get out much, I guess.

Learning to ride that bike was a big deal for me. My bank job had recently been eliminated, and I really needed to do something to make me feel in control of my own destiny then--nothing like learning a new skill for that! It was a little bit scary at first, but I conquered those fears and learned to ride it. I was in charge. I could pick it up when it tipped over (It was a delicate balance, but do-able).

I still have an M on my driver's license, but I sold the bike before I got married. I was concerned about my safety not so much on the open road, as in town. People in cars tend not to see people on motorcycles--I suspect people in SUVs literally can't see them. Even though I had all the safety gear and made myself as visible as possible, I was still concerned for my safety. I gave the bike up.

These days, I get a ride every few years with someone I trust at the handlebars. I don't have my own bike anymore, but I kept my gear just in case the urge took me and I had to go again ...