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What Was It That Made You Decide To Ride?


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But Aaron totally reminded me that I used to get rides on the back of my dad's Honda 350 scrambler, 3 up. Either my brother or i was on the front, the other one on the back...not even sure we had long pants on...

 

My affection for powered two-wheelers started in my toddler years. Our sole form of family transport in Argentina was my pop's Lambretta scoot. We rode FOUR up!! Papa doing the steering, mama on pillion holding baby bro, and your humble narrator standing on the floorboards holding on to the front shield.

 

Next time on a bike was in the mid-70s when a buddy of mine and I would borrow his brother's CB750 and HIS roomate's CB550. Similar rule applied in my house when growing up...no bike as long as I lived at home. I rented my first apartment two weeks before graduating university, bought my RD400 the day after.

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Seems like a theme might be starting - parents said no, boy got a bike. :)

 

Not just boys, girls too! My mom said NO when I wanted to ride, but when I went to college my boyfriend and I bought a Honda XL250R together, and kept it a secret from BOTH sets of parents. My feet didn't touch the ground on it, I used to pull over to the curb to stop. It was my only transportation and I was in school in Illinois - I still remember trying to kick start that thing in freezing cold weather, and it used to always stall at the first stop sign when it was cold - luckily it was on a hill so I learned to keep it rolling through the stop sign and pop the clutch to restart it.

 

My dad still can't stand hearing me talk about riding, I hide the race photos when he comes over.

 

So, Pete, if you were 10 when you started wanting a bike... and your mom said "not while you're under my roof"... I'm wondering, how old were you when you got thrown out of the house? :)

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I threw myself out at the age of 19. I took me way to long to get a bike - age 23. I was actually in the hospital recovering from a spontaneous lung collapse. My Mom was definitely not happy to see me on a bike after the surgery.

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My dad still can't stand hearing me talk about riding, I hide the race photos when he comes over.

To me, this sounds like that you have to hide or hold back a part of the real, authentic you when he's around - not the ideal recipe for a great relationship.

 

Although my parents aren't over-joying for me riding, they are pretty relaxed about it. As my mum pointed out, continuing to oppose that I was riding was very unlikely to make me change my mind about it.

 

 

Kai

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My dad still can't stand hearing me talk about riding, I hide the race photos when he comes over.

To me, this sounds like that you have to hide or hold back a part of the real, authentic you when he's around - not the ideal recipe for a great relationship.

 

Although my parents aren't over-joying for me riding, they are pretty relaxed about it. As my mum pointed out, continuing to oppose that I was riding was very unlikely to make me change my mind about it.

 

 

Kai

 

I got lucky, my mom just insisted I get trained by the best person we knew at the time (before the Superbike School was around).

 

CF

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Pete,

 

I'm sure you don't remember me but you were my Level I coach at VIR last May (thanks again for making my first track experience fantastic).

 

My first experience with a motorcycle was a 50cc Honda Mini Trail when I was 6. I was hooked instantly, rode the wheels off of it (and several others), much to my mother's dismay. And like yours, she said no street bikes under her roof. So I waited until I was in college (and over 400 miles away so she couldn't beat me) and I got into sportbikes. All was great until I had to sell my bike to make tuition for my senior year. I figured I was graduating and would buy another one soon.

 

Well, life is what happens while you are busy making plans and one day I realized I was going to be 40. I decided that is was well past time to get back in the saddle. I bought a bike, and started trying to learn all the things I didn't learn the first time around (age does bring a modicum of wisdom...just ask Cobie).

 

Ride safe and I'll see you in May at VIR,

 

Carey

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Wow, college to 40, that's a bit of a gap, but understand :).

 

I may be older but I'm still imnmature, and have a short attention span (that's what I tell my kids anyway).

 

CF

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And yet I'm still trying to figure out where those years went. Granddad always said they come faster and faster...

 

:o

 

He also said you can grow up just don't grow old ;)

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Hi Pete,

 

I'm sure you don't remember me but you were my Level I coach at VIR last May (thanks again for making my first track experience fantastic).

 

Carey

 

No problemo. You might actually be surprised at how good my memory can be -even at the old age of 31. lol.

 

I kind of remember you. Your name rings a bell and I'm getting a picture of what we were trying to get sorted out. Was it body positioning?

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The sound of the bike.For some reason as a child i always loved seeing motorcycles and more importantly the sound those beautiful sonorous revs from the pipes.They give me goose bumps here writing about it.I feel in love with motorcycles even more when i found out about moto gp back in 2000.Seeing these guys lean so low and ride so hard and the sound of those engines roar from the screamers to the big bangs its just spine tingling.Motorcycles have given me a true meaning to my life.I would love to race but got to learn 1st and hopefully this year i will attend css and catch 1 of the gp races either indy or laguna and be around to go to school.I'm from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean so hi to all by the way and best wishes for the new year.

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The sound of the bike.For some reason as a child i always loved seeing motorcycles and more importantly the sound those beautiful sonorous revs from the pipes.

 

I would have to agree with this too!

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Hi Pete,

 

I'm sure you don't remember me but you were my Level I coach at VIR last May (thanks again for making my first track experience fantastic).

 

Carey

 

No problemo. You might actually be surprised at how good my memory can be -even at the old age of 31. lol.

 

I kind of remember you. Your name rings a bell and I'm getting a picture of what we were trying to get sorted out. Was it body positioning?

 

 

Hi Pete,

 

You spent the morning helping me with entry points, mainly sorting out corners 3-5 at VIR and you had told me we needed to work on body position but you got pulled to work on something else so I worked with Kristi in the afternoon. I'll say hi when I come down to VIR for levels 3 & 4 in May.

 

Thanks again, it was great working with you.

 

Carey

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Hi Pete,

 

I'm sure you don't remember me but you were my Level I coach at VIR last May (thanks again for making my first track experience fantastic).

 

Carey

 

No problemo. You might actually be surprised at how good my memory can be -even at the old age of 31. lol.

 

I kind of remember you. Your name rings a bell and I'm getting a picture of what we were trying to get sorted out. Was it body positioning?

 

 

Hi Pete,

 

You spent the morning helping me with entry points, mainly sorting out corners 3-5 at VIR and you had told me we needed to work on body position but you got pulled to work on something else so I worked with Kristi in the afternoon. I'll say hi when I come down to VIR for levels 3 & 4 in May.

 

Thanks again, it was great working with you.

 

Carey

 

 

I remember exactly who are now. I think we were just starting to get some good momentum together and then I split. I didn't really get pulled away, I actually had a high speed crash. A combination of moist pavement, cold tires and a minor tech-point mistake. They all added up and pulled me away. :)

 

 

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I had no idea that happened! I figured you were just tired of dealing with the knuckle-headed noob tongue.gif . All kidding aside, riding down to VIR the day before through the monsoon I was wondering if we were even going to get to ride so the track was definitley wet that day. I'm glad you are ok (well wishes 8 months late but sincere). We were beginning to make progress and I was able to build on that with Josh in Level 2. I told him early on that we had been working on that set of corners and what my issues had been so we focused on that part of the track and I saw real results. Thanks again to both of you.

 

Maybe we can work together again some time. Be safe and I'll see you in May.

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I had no idea that happened! I figured you were just tired of dealing with the knuckle-headed noob tongue.gif . All kidding aside, riding down to VIR the day before through the monsoon I was wondering if we were even going to get to ride so the track was definitley wet that day. I'm glad you are ok (well wishes 8 months late but sincere). We were beginning to make progress and I was able to build on that with Josh in Level 2. I told him early on that we had been working on that set of corners and what my issues had been so we focused on that part of the track and I saw real results. Thanks again to both of you.

 

Maybe we can work together again some time. Be safe and I'll see you in May.

 

Yeah, it happens to the best of us. The faster you go the more precise you need to be!

 

See you in May.

 

Best,

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