After a hiatus of better than a decade, I decided to get back into motorcycling. So a couple days ago, I purchased a new Honda VLX 600 Shadow. It’s silver and has a lot of chrome on it, which seems to be the style these days. All my previous bikes were a much plainer. For better or worse, motorcycles seem to fall into either racing-style (what we used to call cafe racers) or cruiser-style (all of which look something like Harleys). Not too many other choices.
I took it for the first real ride last night. During the bikeless years, I apparently forgot how physically demanding riding a motorcycle can be. I put on about 100 miles last night and got home exhausted. Today I feel like I took a beating. I also forgot that motorcycling gets COLD after the sun goes down. The last 10 miles or so coming home last night were just miserable.
I have several neighbors who ride. They are all big fat-asses and all ride straight-pipe Harleys. I can now preen myself over both being slimmer than they are and having a bike that is quieter than theirs.
Tonight, I believe I’ll go get myself a helmet and a proper pair of goggles. I road with just wrap-around shades when I was younger with no problems, but I seem to have become more sensitive to wind in middle-age; my eyes were watering at high speed.
Yay me.
I did a bad thing yesterday. I chased down a pair of Kawasakis on the highway in medium traffic, over about 20 miles.
It’s not safe, it’s not right, but it was kinda fun. And I caught 'em.
They weren’t being too extreme, and I was lucky with traffic.
It really does get cold on a motorcycle. Pretty much if it’s under 95 degrees, it will get cold or at least chilly at highway speeds.
I stop at the nearest fish and chip shop, get a feed of chips and stuff them up the front of my jacket 
Though they’re bit cool by the time I’ve got home to eat :smack: I’ve learnt to dress warmer 
What did you do with them?
I used to wear a Levi’s denim jacket when I rode my Enduro in the high desert of Southern California. Sometimes I’d run down to a fast food place. I’d put the bag down the front of my jacket, and the drink in one of the interior pockets. Worked like a charm.
I often hear people who aren’t inclined to ride (or are even hostile to motorcyclists) say things like, 'Oh, yeah? Well how many groceries can you carry on a bike? Quite a lot, actually. A week’s provisions in a backpack. And it’s amazing what you can lash on with a couple of bungees.
Saddlebags work well too. You can stuff a lot of things into leather saddlebags.
This is my ride: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/2285015058_5837350334_b.jpg
