Motorcycling

Everyone wants to know what class I was taking all of last weekend: I was taking a basic Rider course (for motorcycles).

I already have my motorcycles license; I got it in 1995 after taking a Basic Rider's course held by the state. i rode for a couple of years and then had a wrist injury, to the throttle wrist, that took me out of riding for one summer. Although the injury heeled, I have scar tissue built up along the tendon that pulls and tweaks at times. This is especially true in summer when I am in the sun a lot (for some reason, sunlight encourages more scar tissue for those of us that scar easily within the muscle). I had one surgery to take care of the problem, but they couldn't do much more, so the only remedy has been to keep exercising and massaging it to keep the scar tissue from latching too much on the tendon.

Last summer, toward the end of the summer, I noticed that I hadn't had a problem with that wrist. Oh sure, maybe once a month I got twinges and pulling, which reminded me to exercise and massage, but not like in the past. It used to be daily - or at least several times a week.

So, I began thinking about taking up motorcycling again. No, I didn't want off the back of WS's bike. I have loads of fun being a passenger and getting to take in all the sights while someone else does all the work and has to pay attention to traffic. I just wanted to be able to go off solo sometimes, and maybe ride into work.

I looked up motorcycle classes on Google and found that not only the state offered them, but that M.O.S.T. was offering training too. No, I didn't have to take a course, but for my own peace of mind, I wanted to do that first. I opted for the MOST training, and took the session last weekend.

Now, as the first time I took the class, I was surprised by the amount of people that already had bikes before taking the class. I, being the only one with a license, was the only one that didn't have a bike and wasn't currently riding. On guy even road his in to class.

Out of the twelve people in the class (12 is the max class size), 6 were women and 6 were men. 5 were from Maine and the rest from NH. We ranged in age from 20 to somewhere in the 60's; most people were somewhere around my age. One family was there; Mother, Father and Son.

We had classroom instruction Friday night, then Satruday morning it was on the bikes. By early Saturday afternoon I could see who would not pass and had questions on a couple of them. One gal was scared to death, it was a big trauma just picking out her bike for the weekend. Another gal (Miss Priss as another student named her) was there for bragging rights and show. Late Saturday afternoon we had more classrome instruction then Saturday evening we took the written test - I got 100, everyone else passed (needed an 80 to pass).

Sunday, in the rain, we had another 6 hours of instruction and practice, then we took the riding portion of the test. I passed,although not perfect - I knew what portion I would blow, and was content that a U-turn in a parking lot was something I could practice later (besides, I figure in a parking lot, most of the time it won't hurt to power-walk the bike thru tight turns). Only two people were perfect on that part anyway. And I only lost partial points for crossing the line twice; others lost all 8 points because they also put their feet down. Miss Priss dang near crashed her bike into the line of students waiting their turn at that portion of the test.

The swerve portion I have always been good at - no issues for me there, nor were there problems with the quick stop. Miss Priss and the gal who was scared to death, completely blew the swerve portion (completely blew means they lost 15 points). At this point, although they did not know it, had lost more than 20 points and would not pass the course.

The double curve, where the rider is supposed to accelerate thru each curve, slowing down just before entering the curve, is something I had trouble with in both classes I took. Not that I slowed down, crossed lines, or anything - it is a timed event and I don't accelerate enough thru the curve. I didn't feel bad as only one person did not lose points for the time.

I got out of the riding test only losing 8 points (5 points for crossing the lines twice on the box of U-turns and 3 points for not making the time on the curves). Only one or two people lost less points, two people lost more than 20 points - 20 points or less was passing (I think one of them lost every point available - somewhere along 48 points total). I felt pretty dang good since as I mentioned earlier, I was the only one that hadn't been riding already (it seems to me that people taking the classes are doing things backwards).

So, I got to practice my rusty skills and the test proved that I can probably manage not to crash into anything in an empty parking lot (and, that I can get up into second gear - woohoo). Now I just need a bike to practice on more before riding in to work or on solo trips. WS's old Wide Glide is a bit big (heavy) for me, so I'm on the lookout for a good deal.

Still got a couple of weeks to go before it quits raining and warms up (we've had the woodstove going all week), but riding weather will get here soon enough.

Comments

[Cop Car]

Congratulations, Sweetie, on acing the written test (did I expect less?) and doing great on the practical test. Well, I guess I should call it a riding test, as you did. A practical test would have one dealing with on-the-road maintenance problems, wouldn't it. Did you, at one time, have a bike? If not, I'm going to have to bang myself up aside the head for bad memory!

[Bogie]

Yes, at one time I had a bike. I road for a couple of years before the wrist injury; one year on a 250 Suzuki; and a year or two on a 1981 Yamaha Virago 750 (much like the one pictured here - but without the extras).

[Wichi Dude]

Refresher courses never hurt. Keeps you tuned up. Keep the wind in your face.

[bogie]

Wind in the face and rubber side down is the way to go!

[Cop Car]

You cyclists are so smarty pants! Root for me to win the Big Dog Motorcycle that our Red Cross chapter is raffling off. I, the non-gambler, bought 3 tickets. It's a beauty.

BTW: The BDM showroom is in the old Chevrolet dealership on East Douglas--just a few blocks from the Red Cross chapter offices. Can you imagine the double-take that I did, having worked for BDM (the engineering and management firm out of McLean Virginia), the first time I saw the huge "BDM" at the top of the tall sign over the dealership?

[Bogie]

What would you do with it if you won? Somehow I can't see my mother on one of those (not traveling down the road anyway - unless it was on a trailer).

[Cop Car]

It would be used for my running-around-town chores. Much better than a car for economy and ecology. Hey! I can wear my jump boots!