On our NLMC Web site - http://www.newlondonmotorcycleclub.com - you will find many entertaining and informative articles. I like our Road Captain's last blog. With his permission, I'm running it today. Read and Enjoy.

Ron

Welcome to the riding season for 2008. It has been a mild winter and gas prices seem to go in one direction – up. The state of Connecticut is in the second year of not using sand on the road and the roads are pretty clean. At the end of last year I was getting ready to leave a gas station when a conversation started with a fellow customer also gassing up his pick-up. I used to ride when I was young but it’s to dangerous now. But I just might get a bike because of the cost of gas.

That’s the reason for this blog.

Now, I don’t qualify as kind or gentle. I’m blunt but fair. When asked about all the accidents on motorcycles you hear about on the news I reply in a matter of fact way (because there are too many people riding who shouldn’t). This usually brings a pause and a “what do you mean?” I then say I’m 54 and when I started I was 16, back then motorcycle riding was an adventure, the bikes were mostly unreliable. There were few brands that were considered reliable but most bikes had their own way to start and go. The rider had to learn the bikes ways, and the ways change with the weather and temp. We’re talking kick starting here (important part) so if you don’t know how to start this particular bike, you may be here awhile. I personally know people who would walk a distance so they could park there bike on a hill. I’m sure motorcycles are responsible for half of the mechanics in the 70’s.This mode of transportation attracts a certain type of person. Unreliable bike, basic riding gear, physical strength needed to kick start or push and a friend with a pick-up kept the number of bike riders to the bold and adventurous. Lessons learned cost money, skin and sometimes much more. It was understood that riding was dangerous, the risks were high but acceptable, because riding is…well riding.

In the late 70’s and on to the present the bikes we ride got better, then good and now the bikes are mostly problem free. None are kick started, all are electric start and many are fuel injected. They are made out of good stuff and they are designed to be maintenance free for years. The fastest motorcycle in the world can be started by anybody sitting in a lawn chair along side the bike. It takes no skill or talent; all it takes is lots of money.

Please Consider:

There a big difference between driving a four wheeler and riding a motorcycle. If you make a turn on a street crossing a painted walk zone in a car, you just turn. Make the same turn on a motorcycle, do one thing wrong and you crash and likely hard just because paint is slippery. My main point is something that is nothing to do in car is a costly wreck on a bike.

So, you decided to get a motorcycle to commute and to enjoy.

Great!

The next question is what bike to buy? For all intents and purposes you’re a new rider, so buy a bike you could learn something on. Most people can fit and learn on something 800cc to 1100cc in a cruiser. There are many out there used and reasonable. Remember, this is not your last bike. If you want to learn to survive on the street you need seat time and a bike that lets you work on your skills. Getting a fast as the devil rocket bike or a long chopper isn’t going to teach you anything you don’t already know (how to ride poorly and fall off). You would do well to ride with people who know how, as they will hopefully show you some tricks and help you improve (if these riders tell of events with near misses, quarter drafts and almost getting caught they are not the riders to follow).

If you dent or scrape your car every 6 months and think you’re getting better at this driving thing…don’t get a motorcycle. I

f you think it will be something good to do with the wife or girlfriend you’re right…in about a year or (8,000 miles) Until then you ride solo.

A motorcycle can balance quite nicely at 10 mph even without you at the controls, but it takes you to ride it below 3 mph and most parking lots are slow speed, so practice.

Join a motorcycle club—you can learn a lot if you pick the right one or nothing if you choose poorly. Just like ride partners, rider beware, just like road surface, blind corners and steel grate bridges…rider beware.

By the way, biker is just short for bike rider, and the term motorcyclist is earned and not given to oneself...it’s given to you by others.

Ride well and enjoy.

Tom