lyster

Has anyone here had any experience with the Street Masters program?

The VTX does have some cornering clearance issues, even though I did install Progressive suspension. And it is pretty heavy. Of course, I wouldn't be posting here if I thought I knew everything there is to know about riding a motorcycle. Far from it. In spite of my years in the saddle, I don't think I'm any better than an intermediate rider. Probably the thing that impedes my progress most is my lack of riding. I've been very happily married for 35 years to a woman who won't come near a motorcycle. So I tend to go on fewer but longer rides. You just don't hone your skills by doing that. All you do is tell yourself that you've got to do this more often... but you don't.

Where to start.... I had my first ride on the back of my uncle's Harley back in 1958 (or thereabouts). In 1965 I was old enough to get a learner's permit, and the first day I was eligible for that permit I went directly from the DMV to the local motorcycle rental shop. There I was instucted that the shifter was on the left, and I should poke it down to go into first, and then up for second, third, and fourth. I was handed the keys and - that was that. I've been riding ever since. Much later I did manage to take the basic MSF course, but other than that I've had little instruction. I've put on quite a few miles, in quite a few different places, on a number of different motorcycles, and under quite a few different conditions of roads and weather - but I hold no records in this regard. I'm not into "Iron Butt" rides. (My longest day was only 675 miles; my longest trip was just two weeks.) My riding has "mellowed out" over the years, and now I greatly enjoy cruising along scenic back roads. Breathing fresh air, enjoying the scenery away from traffic, being with friends along the way and at the end of the day - those things have become more important to me now. I tend to take a few trips that last three or four days or more, and in between my VTX 1800N sits in its "blow up" garage. I very rarely will have a passenger - my wife doesn't ride. I've always enjoyed listening to music, but until the invention of the iPod I was left only with humming my way down the road. Now I find music to be integral to the experience. What I experience is an artistic amalgam of sights, sounds, changes in mood, movement, temperature, and even smells (hopefully good ones); the whole thing becomes almost spiritual. But I'm not day-dreaming or losing concentration on the road ahead. The thrill of going fast has always been mixed with fright. Without that natural fear I'm afraid I would have been dead a long time ago. Over time the thrill of speed has dampened a bit (it's still there, of course), but the fear remains unabated, so I tend to go a bit slower than I did when I was younger. Good thing, as the reflexes are not quite as good as they were forty years ago. Slowing down is definitely a good idea. So.... A "superbike school"? Is there something for me there, or would I just impede traffic?