1st Ride In 2009

Hi to all, last night was the first ride on the VFR this year. After many months just looking at the bike in the garage, it sure was nice to be back on it. I decided to jot a few things that struck me on this first little outing.

1. MAN IT'S A QUITE THE RIGORMAROLE GETTING DRESSED AND PREPPED. It's 2C out there so I've got to don the 'big guns'...starting from the scivvies...wife beater, thick long johns (top and bottom), turtle neck, put the liners in the textile suit (top and bottom), thick wooly socks, find the winter BMW gloves, put the pin-lock antifog shield in visor, oh yeah where the hell is that neck guard, ear plugs, sheesh!

Finally roll out the bike, start her up and off I go.

2. MAN THIS THING IS SENSITIVE TO TIRE PRESSURE. 30 seconds into the ride the bike feels like it's falling over in the low speed turns. Response just feels junkie. A quick pressure check reveals I've got 30/37 (F/R). Top up to 36/42...VOILA handling feeling is reborn.

3. MAN THIS THING IS FAST! After flogging my fat-ass Accord around all winter the throttle response on this thing is ridiculous. I don't remember the VTEC coming up this quick. You know how acceleration events in the car take 3-5 seconds, well 3 seconds heavy on the throttle on the VFR and your waaaay past the speed limits.

4. CAGES SEEMS LIKE OBSTACLES ONLY TO BE DRIVEN AROUND. I've got to remember to be courteous. Just because I can go over, around, past, through everything out there doesn't mean I have to.

5. 2C IS KINDA COLD. I've got to find a warmer pair of boots.

6. JUST WHO THE HELL DREAMED UP THESE SPEED LIMITS ANYWAY? Now I remember why I caught so many speeding tickets. These limits are made for semi-conscious, drunken, geriatric, cell-phone talking, incompetents riding poorly maintained, brakeless, bald-tired jalopies.

7. I LOVE THIS THING. I love this thing..............I LOVE this thing!

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Good for you. Happy days are here again!


I wont get to experience this for another couple of weeks :(

Bren

[image: View Post]Bren, on Mar 22 2009, 11:09 AM, said:

Good for you. Happy days are here again!


I wont get to experience this for another couple of weeks :(

Bren

I feel your pain. It's not really riding season yet here either. The daytime high temps hover around -2C to +10C for the next couple of weeks, with it dropping below freezing overnights. Prolly only take out 3-4 times in the next weeks.

Glad you were able to get out on the bike even if it was a little cold.

+1 on the whole 1st post. :)

I had my first ride of the year last Sunday and my bike never felt so light and fast! I've ridden almost every day since...400 miles so far. Having to dress for the cold weather is a pain, but is very worth it. :fing02:

And like DDO-VFR, I've had to keep a close eye on my speedometer. The last thing I need is another ticket, so I've been trying (mostly successfully) to keep my speed in check - most the time anyway. :laugh:

DDO-VFR-great post. Made me smile. I know exactly how you feel. Bike seems like a rocket if I've been driving my Corolla for a while, and good reminder to check tire pressures.
Have fun! :cool:

BIG +1 to DDO from me, too - do I KNOW how he Feels. I got my 1st one in last week, when I went to get the Inspection done, so I'm good to go, too. What a Liberating thing, after a tough winter...

It's still COLD here, too, but it's managed to show some flashes of brilliance in between, although today never got above 34�F. I use Chaps instead of the LongJohns (although when it's This cold, it makes me wish I had Solid leather), but I have a cold weather upper from UnderArmour that Really helps. Getting it all together really does take time, and I forgot the Head cover, and Man - the venting through the Helmet was tough to take without it! :blink:

Wanted to touch on the Tire thing, too. I had to take a friend for his Road Test last November (why the Hell they'd schedule things so late, I'll Never know - he waited for almost 3 months!), and it was Cold AND Windy as Hell. Well, when we went to get his Bike, I asked him if he'd checked his tires, and he told me they we fine. Well, since I was the one that had to Ride it back and forth, I wanted to Know they were fine. They guage told me 12lbs in Front & 20lbs in Back - and NO, there were (and are) no Leaks. Needless to say, we had Words BIG Time, but he's Never made the mistake again.

As for the Speed - Oh, yeah, what a welcomed change. And Yeah, I just had to get into 3-digits, too!

Isn't VFR an Acronym for "I'm in Love, all over Again"...? :wheel:

:+1: to the whole post as well, especially #4.

I still haven't even been on my bike yet this year. Soon....

Hmmm, I detect cackling in helmet...

Hey DOO-VFR. Nice report, glad you had a good ride. I was able to get mine out the other day as well. It was a long winter. Good to see that the bike is all fixed up and ready for 2009! Look out for the two-legged animals. :biggrin: