grahamfitter
Expedition Leader
I've been riding my motorcycle for a few weeks and its going great. The only routine thing I haven't done yet is to switch to reserve when the engine splutters and fill the gas tank shortly afterwards.
The instructors never said that riding the bike is the easy bit. The rabid drivers, massive pot holes, hill starts behind slow trucks, sand outside my house, cold, rain, turn signals that don't cancel themselves, etc. are nothing compared to...
Managing the riding gear.
Its OK at home. I start the bike and go back inside the house to finish my mug of tea and suit up while the engine warms up. Most of the time I remember to take my glasses off before trying to put the helmet on.
It all goes horribly wrong when I get to work 45 minutes later. Its a defense company so the first thing I have to do is show my ID badge at the gate. The badge is in my left side pocket which is accessible in neutral. I can't find the zipper with gloved hands and can't even see the pocket with my helmet on. I eventually locate and unzip the pocket. The badge resists all grabbing. I can't imagine what its going to be like stopping for roadside tea relief! All the while cars are lining up behind me. Eventually I remove a glove, retrieve my badge, show it to the guard, put it back in my pocket, put my glove back on my hand and leave wishing I was invisible. Which is impossible wearing a hi-viz yellow jacket.
Amazingly I park my bike in the parking lot without causing a domino effect of some really expensive looking machinery. I try to remove my helmet but I can't find the strap with gloved hands so I take them off and put them on the bike seat. One falls on the ground. I pull the helmet off half way, which reminds me to open the visor, remove my glasses, put them really carefully on the bike seat. Take off the helmet again, put my glasses back on, find the gloves, and disappear into the cube farm.
Ten hours later I emerge in fading daylight and walk to the bike in anticipation of a nice ride home. The engine is cold so I want to start it before fighting with the gear. But that requires two hands so I have to put the helmet down somewhere. Not on the seat because it will fall off. On the ground? My new helmet? FINE! Jacket zipped, glasses off, helmet on, glasses on, gloves on, choke in.
Finally I ride off into the sunset.
I'm starting to believe that protective gear is a joke car drivers play on motorcyclists just because we have more fun!
Cheers,
Graham
The instructors never said that riding the bike is the easy bit. The rabid drivers, massive pot holes, hill starts behind slow trucks, sand outside my house, cold, rain, turn signals that don't cancel themselves, etc. are nothing compared to...
Managing the riding gear.
Its OK at home. I start the bike and go back inside the house to finish my mug of tea and suit up while the engine warms up. Most of the time I remember to take my glasses off before trying to put the helmet on.
It all goes horribly wrong when I get to work 45 minutes later. Its a defense company so the first thing I have to do is show my ID badge at the gate. The badge is in my left side pocket which is accessible in neutral. I can't find the zipper with gloved hands and can't even see the pocket with my helmet on. I eventually locate and unzip the pocket. The badge resists all grabbing. I can't imagine what its going to be like stopping for roadside tea relief! All the while cars are lining up behind me. Eventually I remove a glove, retrieve my badge, show it to the guard, put it back in my pocket, put my glove back on my hand and leave wishing I was invisible. Which is impossible wearing a hi-viz yellow jacket.
Amazingly I park my bike in the parking lot without causing a domino effect of some really expensive looking machinery. I try to remove my helmet but I can't find the strap with gloved hands so I take them off and put them on the bike seat. One falls on the ground. I pull the helmet off half way, which reminds me to open the visor, remove my glasses, put them really carefully on the bike seat. Take off the helmet again, put my glasses back on, find the gloves, and disappear into the cube farm.
Ten hours later I emerge in fading daylight and walk to the bike in anticipation of a nice ride home. The engine is cold so I want to start it before fighting with the gear. But that requires two hands so I have to put the helmet down somewhere. Not on the seat because it will fall off. On the ground? My new helmet? FINE! Jacket zipped, glasses off, helmet on, glasses on, gloves on, choke in.
Finally I ride off into the sunset.
I'm starting to believe that protective gear is a joke car drivers play on motorcyclists just because we have more fun!
Cheers,
Graham