Impressions from a Honda

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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Some of you may know that recently my husband, son and I took a motorcycle training course. We have now purchased three used Hondas. We have a 1983 V-65 Magna (only 7000 miles on it!), a 1983 V-45 Magna (son’s), and a 1982 Honda CB450 Hawk (mine).

I went for my first long ride last night. I would have liked to have ridden the V-45, but it was in the shop getting new tires.

What an experience! Riding at night is a rush anyway, but riding through George Bush Park was incredible. I’m in Houston, and even at 8:30 pm it’s 85° and muggy. Going through the park the temperature dropped to what felt like 60°! So cool and damp and green-smelling. Getting away from all the concrete was like stepping (or riding) into another world. No hot pavement smells, no exhaust fumes—just green wet growing things. And lots of bugs. It’s absolutely worth it! Fabulous! (I might feel differently if I didn’t have a full face shield on my helmet. Bugs in my teeth – ugh!)

And then my bike started to sputter. Oh no! I knew it had gas, but not how much. Then I remembered – the auxiliary tank switch! I pulled over (as hubby sped off into the night!) and felt for the switch in the dark. Found it! Then I took off again, but it died again. Oh, no! But I had stupidly started off in 2nd gear – I put it in first and off I went, speeding after hubby. Eventually I saw his lone taillight. He HAD slowed down to wait for me. I caught up to him and told him what had happened, and we stopped for gas. (I get funny looks – look at the girl on the motorcycle!) I remembered to switch the valve back, too.

For those familiar with Houston, we drove from Westheimer Parkway in Bush Park, west to Mason, north to I-10, stayed on the feeder going east, south on Fry Rd, and east back on Westheimer Parkway through the park again. Going down Fry, I got slapped with a wonky sprinkler right across the face and chest. Whap! Freaked me out, and I felt like I had entered a wet t-shirt contest. Then my legs got wet from the spray from the front tire. I never realized that would happen. Duh!

So then an uneventful trip home, back through the luscious cool of the park. It was a little chilly, even, considering how damp I had gotten. We got home almost 1-1/2 hours later! The longest I had ridden before was about 30 minutes.

I highly recommend learning to ride. It’s a great stress reliever.

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3 quick impressions from Hondas:

Had to ride a “Hondamatic” at work one time. (worked at a MC dealer) What a horrible machine! It took all the good feeling of riding a motorcycle and somehow corrupted them. It lurched, didn’t feel right when cornering and was overall sluggish and slow. I remember this as being the worst Honda I have ever ridden.

Fast forward a few years: We get a used CBR600F2 in trade. I snag that sucker and ride it home for the weekend. What a fabulous machine! It does everything well. Handles like its on rails, very fast when ridden hard, yet oh so sweet around town. Comfortable and easy to ride, all controls where they should be. Nearly the perfect motorcycle.

Today: I own a 89 GB500. This bike is dog-slow, but fits like an old pair of shoes. The sweetest feeling machine in the garage. Goes just fast enough to make it fun, but not scary. I can ride it 100% and know that if I get in trouble, it can easily be saved. (Point it down hill and you can get a little more out of it) Draws attention wherever I ride it. Super machine.

I have always believed Honda makes the best stuff on earth. If they decided to make an electric chair, you can bet it would be the best damn electric chair in the world.

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I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the ride out in the wind.

I’m more glad that you didn’t relate a story about being run over by a Honda.

Get it? Impressions from a Honda?
:: crickets ::

what?

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Yep even riding home in the traffic can be a stress reliever. I do it every day during the summer. Soon you’ll start to find longer ways home. Oh and bugs hurt when you’re moving fast enough.

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Damn hamster ate my first post.

Nice choices on bikes! I have had the 1981 Honda CB400T Hawk, the 1983 Honda VF750C V45 Magna, and now straddle the 1997 Honda VT1100 Honda Shadow ACE. The V45 had fantastic pickup for a cruiser that size, and turns on a dime, I liked that bike a lot. The V65 must be sweet, too. It is great you are doing this as a family, and it is SUPER great you all took the Motorcycle Riders Safety Course. Have fun, and keep the rubber side down!

By the way, good job on remebering to turn the pepcock back to the main tank. It can be really embarrassing if you forget. Or so I hear.

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::snicker::

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Thanks for humoring me.

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Back when I lived in San Diego, I commuted on my Harley FLH (quiet, all you Honda people, I’m telling a story here).

(QUIET!)

OK. One fine day it rained. I’d never encountered rain before – man did I get soaked. I had two positions for my feet, footboards and highway pegs. If I put kept my feet on the footboards, the rain came off the front tire straight down into my boots (they didn’t have high tops). If I put my feet up on the highway pegs, the rain went up my pants legs. Try fifteen miles of that some day.