Back in the Saddle - A year later
Well, it's been just over a year since my mind, body and motorcycle altering event. Let's just say that in the car v motorcycle wars, the car won the last round and I don't plan on playing again. (http://www.svrider.com/articles/mar02/saddle.htm) Yes, I hurt when it rains.
I have a year and not enough miles on my naked SV, but I can't say enough about this bike. I love the damn thing, it looks fast sitting in the garage, fits perfectly under me out on the road, and is fun on the track.
Since the accident, the motorcycling world has changed for me. All for the better.
I am now a certified RiderCoach with the MSF Beginner Rider Class, which is more fun than I ever believed. The commitment to the training period is not easy, but at the end of Instructor Prep you are really ready to go out and help introduce people to the sport. It is amazing how much even an experienced rider can gain from these courses and I have even run the drills with a more experienced RiderCoach watching me and gained valuable insights into my own bad habits. If there are experienced riders out there who are looking for a fun way to spend more time around bikes without dipping into your wallet, this is a great way to stay active in the motorcycle community, save some newbie from some serious pain, and even earn a few bucks to buy accessories for your personal toy(s). There is no better feeling that watching someone on day one, scared and hesitant, perform a great technique on day two and look up at you smiling, beginning to understand what proficient motorcycling is all about.
I also hit the track last year for the first time. I have friends who race (SVs!) and I had been up a few times to watch the obvious fun of traction limited cornering. I had plans last year, but the rain and my subsequent crash has postponed them a bit. I ran the Summit Point Main course with NESBA and had a ball! I'm not saying that I was setting any speed records, and I apologize to anyone I held up in turn 1, but it was too much. I remember coming back into the pits after my first 20-minute session and literally jumping up and down laughing like a maniac. Everyone should do this at least once, and to try it out is surprisingly modest. Few hundred bucks for the day, rental trailer from U-Haul, and a little bike prep and you're ready to go. These track days should come with a warning label addressing the highly addictive nature. I quit smoking almost 5 years ago, and I think that was easier than facing the winter with no track time. I now have a canopy, track-only leathers, full sets of spares, and I'm getting the suspension sorted before heading back out there. Trailer shopping anyone? I look forward to doing a few more track days this year (see why I need that MSF money?). If anyone is looking for a great organization to ride with that puts safety waaaaay up on the priority list, check out NESBA.com. As a father of one with one on the way, I'll leave the elbow bashing to the racers, but I still feel that need for speed.
I am also getting into vintage bikes. I picked up a 1973 Suzuki GT250 two stroke that I plan to restore into a café racer. It's still sitting in the garage under a tarp, but it's time will come. Hmmmmm - maybe I'd better look for the local vintage swap meet and get that on the calendar before someone schedules a birthday party or something ;)
The best thing about being active in the riding community? I already have my next season sketched out. Teaching the MSF course a few times per month from March through October, and one track day is definitely on the calendar with two others penciled in. I hope everyone who rides picks one way to be actively involved in the sport - take it to the next level, what ever your area of interest. (and I don't mean riding up 95 demonstrating your wheelie technique).
Thanks to everyone who helped me during my recovery, and here's to not listening to my ER doctor when he suggested that I stay off the ³damn donorcycles². Back in the saddle, more now than ever.
Brian
99 SV650
Motorcyclist, MSF RiderCoach, Track-Day Junkie, Vintage Motorcycle Restorer