There is nothing like getting something done that has been bugging you for a long time

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Back in January 2007 I bought a new 2006 Yamaha dirtbike. I had recently gotten back into motorcycling and was really loving the weekend get aways with new friends and camping/riding in new areas. I figured that getting into dirtbiking would be a natural progression that I would also completely love.

Nope.

That damn bike tried to kill me every time I rode it. I think I crashed each and every ride I took it on! I took a stick to my eye while my goggles were off unsticking the bike from mud; I still cannot wear contact lenses thanks to it. I also punctured my calf on the kick starter and couldn’t walk for days. Yep, that bike has had in for me since I bought it.

So in the fall of 2007 I parked the bike and never looked back.

This whole time it has been depressing me knowing that the damn bike is sitting in storage, not properly stored and needing to be sold. At first I was waiting for the loan to be paid off, but that has long since been paid. Every time I’d think of that bike I’d get a tightening of my gut knowing I need to sell it and knowing the work I’d need to do to it first (for not storing it properly and to replace the broken parts from numerous crashes).

Well, today I decided to get the bike ready for sale!

I drained all the gas, replaced the really broken parts (front fender, headlight and clutch lever, leaving the scratched stuff to show character), put air in the tires and fired it up. It came to life after only 2 kicks! And damn, it sounded good! And it ran beautifully!

I took it for a short ride and really enjoyed it. My gut told me not to sell it, then I nearly dumped it in deep sand. Yep, I’m selling it.

So I got it home and washed and polished it, then took some pics of it in the sun for the ad.

I’m sitting here now and feel great that I finally got it all done. I cannot wait to sell it, though I imagine I’ll feel a bit sad when I do.

Man, I really miss wearing contact lenses.

2

My friend just bought a bike last week. He’s been wanting one for a long time. As we pulled out the of dealer’s, I followed behind him in my car. Apparently the only riding he’s done was through a course and that was a with a much less powerful bike.

He revved up the engines a little too much so that when he finally took off, the bike popped a wheelie and he lost control and sent it into the ground with him on it. He’s ok, and the guys from the dealership came out to help him back and bend this gear shift thingy back to its normal shape, but it doesn’t bode well for his bike future. I suspect that I’ll be attending his funeral in the next few years…

3

Why does your story remind me of all the Calvin & Hobbes comics where the bike tried to eat Calvin?

In any case, good work on getting it ready to go, and good luck selling it fast, before you change your mind.

4

I’ve been riding street bikes for years and years and really love the experience. What got me started was a dual sport (basically a dirtbike that was street legal). I spent most of my riding with that on the street and only occasionally took it off road. They say that the best way to learn to ride is by learning on a dirtbike (trail riding really teaches you how to handle your bike).

Anyway, I took my license test on that bike and passed with no problem. My OP bike is a fire breathing big brother to that first bike and would probably kick it’s ass in the prison shower if it looked at him.

Hope your friend is doing well now and has learned his new machine.