Santa Cruz rider here returning to the sport after several years hiatus.
Got my start with motorcycling when I was 18 and totalled a friend’s off-road bike on a Memorial Weekend trip in Palm Desert. Dislocated both my knees and bought my first bike that weekend! (Basically replaced my friend’s bike as the only thing not bent was the rear wheel and the chain.)
Next bike came 10 years later and was a new ’94 Harley Sportster 883. Bought it new and rode it nearly every day. I was living in Hawaii, so even rainy days were usually good riding days. I loved that bike. Dropped it once in the first month when I was sideways on an hill and stopped with my foot in a gully. It was a rookie move and I fought the drop all the way down. Cost me a tail-light. To this day, I don’t remember how I picked the bike back up, but I recall being pretty pissed.
Next bike is my current ride, a ’94 Concours 1000. I love this bike too, especially for it’s low-end torque and mild-manners. Feels like a bit of an “old man bike,” but has enough attitude to keep me from feeling like I need to use it.
I haven’t followed the start-smaller-advice of this site, but I started riding before this site was up and running — so I’ll plead ignorance. But I have to say that I think this is one of the smartest sites on the net: for beginners in particular, but for intermediates and above as well. I’ve managed to survive despite my bike choices. And I’ve learned to fear overconfidence as much as I do people in black SUVs or Volvo stationwagons.
Anyway, cheers to this site and to my fellow riders.
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