[owlie]

Had to check mine too. I also get a creak; the helmet is brand new and has never been dropped. It seems to come from where the black plastic around the lower edge is joined to the outer shell.

As for replacing it… I replaced mine after my second drop, but it took some deliberation to come to this decision. I know that it had hit the ground, but the only damage to it was a couple of scratches. Frankly I had done worse when I set it on the asphalt upside down during the MSF class. I replaced it because a day or two after the drop, my neck got stiff and I realized that I had hit harder than I initially believed.

And no, you are not being paranoid- just safety conscious.

[owlie]

What I missed saying in my excitement last night is THANK YOU to you all. You all have been great comrades on this journey and your advice, encouragement and commiseration have been invaluable.

Owlie

[owlie]

I bought an S40 as my first bike about a month ago. I had a rough start with it, more due to my inexperience than to the bike. Yes, it is a thumper, but the only time this is bothersome is when I shift gears too early- it certainly lets me know. One thing to note is that it backfires. I’ve seen some threads elsewhere on how to reduce/eliminate this, but it really doesn’t bother me.

I would definitely recommend it as a beginner bike. It is easy to handle and lightweight for a 650. The one caveat is that you have to spend time getting the clutch control down. Otherwise, you’ll fight with the bike at every stop and every go.

Owlie

[owlie]

Welcome to the group.

I had the same feeling the first time I sat on my S40. It was almost a month before I talked myself into buying it.

[owlie]

I wouldn’t be carrying the torch if I didn’t mention the “Ride Like a Pro” video.

It is a good video with solid suggestions on doing slow maneuvers. He spends a lot of time talking about/ demonstrating the clutch & rear brake thing. I think it is one of those things that you learn in the MSF, but all goes fuzzy in the haze of stuff they try shoveling into your brain over three days.

[owlie]

I didn’t get a chance to sit on a V-Star 250 when I was looking around for a bike and it is too bad. I did sit on the V-Star 650 and it really struck me as being a heavy bike.

I went with the Suzuki S40, and from a weight standpoint, I’m glad that I did. Learning on it has been a challenge, but the 160lb difference between it and the V-Star has probably made the difference between a few bruises and broken bones. It definitely makes it easier to pick up.

From a power standpoint, starting with a 250 might have been a better option. Getting the hang of the clutch has been interesting. It isn’t very forgiving if you don’t know what you are doing. Before every ride, I spend 10 minutes in my driveway playing with the friction zone, and that has made alot of difference the last couple of weeks.

[owlie]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I’ll try them out and see what I can get to work for me.

[owlie]

I wouldn’t worry about it too much. If you took a poll of the riders on here, I would guess that well over half of them started riding after they got out of college. Just because you can’t jump on a bike right now, it doesn’t mean it is the end of the world. In a couple of years, you will be able to start riding on your own terms rather than your parent’s terms. Frankly, the time you spend preparing for college will pay dividends far above the time you spend riding a motorcycle at this stage in your life.

[owlie]

Glad to hear that you had a great time and were able to keep it together when things got rough. That is a beautiful part of the country that you are in.

[owlie]

Munch, that is one sexy looking bike.

[owlie]

Relationships are not easy, whatever your hobbies. Just because the guys that my husband work with think that it is hot that I’m into motorcycles, it doesn’t actually mean I would have any interest in them if I was single.

But I have come to the conclusion after watching some of my single friends angst over the years about not being able to get a date that part of the problem is that they don’t get out. The other part of the problem is that they are looking for “Mr. Perfect”, not “Mr. I’m-willing-to-let-him-see-me-in-my-flannel-PJs-and-bunny-slippers” or “Mr. I-wouldn’t-mind-talking-to-him-everyday-for-the-rest-of-my-life”. For the first part, they need to get out and meet people while doing things they love. Riding motorcycles and joining a riding club or just talking bikes with random guys at the grocery store will accomplish that. For the second part, you just have to realize that even if you do find a Mr. Perfect, at some point you are going to realize that he isn’t and will have to be able to accept it. It is much easier to start figuring out that & accepting Mr. Perfect from the first date than after you’ve tied the knot. Divorce may be an option, but the costs far exceed whatever the attorney may charge.

This is all the conjecture of a generally-happily married woman, so take it with a grain of salt.

*looking down at feet* How did that darn soapbox end up down there again?

Owlie

[owlie]

That sounds familiar.

It is funny though; maybe it is just my inexperience on the bike, but I really feel the difference between 25, 40, 50, and 60 unlike I ever do in my car.

Frankly, I find the speedo to be a distraction rather than helpful…

[owlie]

Oven cleaner, eh? I’ll have to check it out.

And yes, I will probably give up the chase eventually, but right now, where is the fun in that?

Anyway, it is nice to sit on the garage floor on a rainy morning with the smell of wet leaves wafting in through the open garage door, polishing my bike. It isn’t often I let myself drop into that silent well where nothing matters but the mindless, rhythmic task before me.

[owlie]

You shouldn’t be. I finished up doing that about a week ago and just got around to writing it up last night. In the mean time, I added a whole new set of black scuff marks to my exhaust that I haven’t had time to deal with.

I’m not even really sure how these got there. My boots? Dunno.

[owlie]

“but seriously how many guys would like a girl riding a bike”

My husband doesn’t ride and takes great delight in kicking me out to go riding in the evenings. I think that he gets a kick out of being the only guy at work with a woman who is … hmm… what’s the word?… ballsy? can I use that to describe a woman? … yes well… with a woman who is ballsy enough to ride a bike. The story goes that they are all drooling with jealousy. They were more excited about what kind of bike I was going to get than I was.

[Author]

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