jar546
Forum Coordinator
My first motorcycle was a little 60cc Benelli when I was around 8 years old. I would tear up the little dirt alleyway behind my house. Within a few years I was on an Indian Enduro which I kept up until I went in the Marine Corps. I beat the hell out of that bike out on old logging roads, running up and down old culm banks, dirt tracks and jumps. Heck, I even bent the frame from jumping. I was a maniac on that bike.
Fast forward to the the Marine Corps and I would take rides on street bikes that some of my friends owned and that is when I lost interest. A few of them had bad accidents which to be hones with you scared my and from that point on my fear of riding motorcycles was stronger than my desire to ride them. Then I became a father and riding was the last thing on my mind. Eventually I test drove a bike here and there as the kids got older but could never justify buying one. I even tried a sport bike, aka crotch rocket and did not like the feel of that whatsoever. Anytime you attach handles to the top of the forks makes you question the purpose of the bike.
Then it happened a few months ago. Someone asked me to help them go pick up their scooter they left at work because of a rainstorm. When we arrived and I was suppose to drop them off, I told them I wanted to drive the scooter back. It was only an 8 mile ride and I just felt like it. That was all it took. Eight miles of smiling like an 8 year old while weaving through traffic. I was like being transported in time when I got my Benelli. I then spent the next few months trying to justify buying a bike, especially in Florida, the motorcycle death capital of the US, and in south Florida nonetheless. Anyway, I decided that if I stayed off 95 & the turnpike and limit my travel on the main east/west corridors, I would be just fine.
I test drove just about everything there was to test drive. Probably one of my favorite was a Triumph Speed Twin but realized I did not need 1200cc of power for what I wanted to do. I also tried Ducati, HD, Indian, KTM and settled in on a nice lightweight Honda Rebel. It is perfect for what I want to do, mostly cruising up and down A1A while looking out at the beach and going back an forth to work. In less than 5 days I already had to schedule my initial 500 mile service for this week. So far, so good. Do I want more HP? Yes, do I need it? Absolutely not. Just me, no passengers and this thing flies. Oh yeah, liquid cooled too!
I still miss riding dirt bikes but that is not an option down here.
Fast forward to the the Marine Corps and I would take rides on street bikes that some of my friends owned and that is when I lost interest. A few of them had bad accidents which to be hones with you scared my and from that point on my fear of riding motorcycles was stronger than my desire to ride them. Then I became a father and riding was the last thing on my mind. Eventually I test drove a bike here and there as the kids got older but could never justify buying one. I even tried a sport bike, aka crotch rocket and did not like the feel of that whatsoever. Anytime you attach handles to the top of the forks makes you question the purpose of the bike.
Then it happened a few months ago. Someone asked me to help them go pick up their scooter they left at work because of a rainstorm. When we arrived and I was suppose to drop them off, I told them I wanted to drive the scooter back. It was only an 8 mile ride and I just felt like it. That was all it took. Eight miles of smiling like an 8 year old while weaving through traffic. I was like being transported in time when I got my Benelli. I then spent the next few months trying to justify buying a bike, especially in Florida, the motorcycle death capital of the US, and in south Florida nonetheless. Anyway, I decided that if I stayed off 95 & the turnpike and limit my travel on the main east/west corridors, I would be just fine.
I test drove just about everything there was to test drive. Probably one of my favorite was a Triumph Speed Twin but realized I did not need 1200cc of power for what I wanted to do. I also tried Ducati, HD, Indian, KTM and settled in on a nice lightweight Honda Rebel. It is perfect for what I want to do, mostly cruising up and down A1A while looking out at the beach and going back an forth to work. In less than 5 days I already had to schedule my initial 500 mile service for this week. So far, so good. Do I want more HP? Yes, do I need it? Absolutely not. Just me, no passengers and this thing flies. Oh yeah, liquid cooled too!
I still miss riding dirt bikes but that is not an option down here.
Started racing dirt bikes with a friend when I was 10. Started on 60cc then up to 250cc. Had a YZ500 2 stroke in me teens that would leave your head 10 ft behind you when you nailed it.
