This was unplanned and unexpected. After purchasing my motorcycle, I realised that the first thing I must do is change the front tyre. Took a couple weeks to get it delivered and for the BMW dealer to get it changed, but on Friday the 25th of February, I got a call that my bike is ready to be picked up.
My first thought was to get a man and van to pick it up and get it delivered to the office where it’s gonna be stored till the temperature warms up a little. These didn’t pan out and no one I could get in touch could get it within a week.
So I reflected a little to the CBT I did back in England, it was -12c, my first experience on a motorcycle and I still managed to ride for around 3 hours.
I was afraid of taking a 10 minute bike ride? Had I gotten soft and scared or is it wisdom to not take risks?
As the title of this post foreshadows, I chose to do this, my bravado was immediately put in its place when the dealer said I wasn’t the first person to take out a bike on that day, third in fact and one of the other two nutcases had to do close to 200km with his destination being partly snowed in and off-road.
The final paperwork was completed, insurance sorted, they rolled out the bike, the dealer handed me the key and that was it, I was alone with this beast. Almost 6 years of not riding at all.
Told myself to stop being afraid and just get it done, did a small up and down the driveway of the BMW dealership, confirmed my worst fears that all my muscle memory is gone and was off.
Traffic was tight, I had my hazards on the whole way, as I knew I couldn’t risk leaning into corners on fresh tyres and in this cold, strong wind rattled and shook the bike in several times during this short ride, but fear and cold took a backseat to elation.
Best way I can describe the experience (of just being on a bike) is as if a part of me, long buried was waking up, a rush of bliss and happiness took over me, twisting the throttle a few times, being teleported forward, the backfires when you ease off the throttle.
OMFG, I screamed to myself time and time again, my eyes got a little wet from joy, elation and the satisfaction the ride gave me.
Can’t wait for the weather to warm up.
I will definitely be taking practice lessons with a motorcycle instructor, I need to re-learn a lot of what as lost.