Hello everyone,

My name is Pete and I'm very happy to have found my way to this forum. I am 35, married, and we have 3 little ones ages 6, 4, and 2. I started riding several months ago. It is something I've always wanted to do but never got around to trying.

I took the MSF riding course and obtained my license. My first/learner bike was a Ninja 500. I had a feeling I'd love riding, but I had no idea how much I would love it. It is a very rare day that I take my cage out of the garage these days, with the commute taking place on two wheels. After a few weeks of commuting on the Ninja 500 I really wanted something that was more comfortable.

Given that I am still new to riding I didn't want to drop a bundle quite yet, so I opted for the Honda Shadow Sabre 1100. It is comfortable for the daily commute, and has enough "go" to get me around on the freeways when needed.

All that said, my goal has always been to get a Harley and I am keeping my eyes on the prize. My missus doesn't ride and has stated that while she enjoys going for a ride with me, that she'll never want to ride her own bike. This puts me squarely in the touring category, and I intend to do my homework before buying my HD.

Target date for acquiring the HD is July 2009, sooner if the company I work for sells before that and makes good on the retention bonus they have offered all of us employees. So for now I'll be playing the part of new guy on a Honda, with lots of questions and requests for insight/feedback. Don't worry though, I do know where the search button is. Also, I don't really get into the whole bashing of others thing. I don't really care who is riding what, as long as they're riding safe without causing problems on the road.

Happy Monday everyone!

Pete

 

Welcome from Northern California.

 

Good luck Pete. She'll love beeing on a Harley.

 

Welcome from Vancouver Island in Beautiful British Columbia.

 

HI there pete welcome and ride safe

 

Welcome to the forum!!! From Nor-Cal

 

Welcome from Virginia, Pete. When my kids were that age back in the late 60's, I had to get rid of my bikes for a few years. You're lucky and you will never regret getting that Harley.

 

Hello and welcome to the forum from Georgia.

 

Welcome from Nawlins!!!

 

I am lucky to have an understanding missus. I've wanted a Harley for a very long time, and I am close to being able to make it happen. I remember when I first moved to the United States my folks rented a camper and we took off for 6 weeks of cross-country fun. I was 14 or 15 at the time and fresh off the boat from Europe.

Somewhere along the line my folks thought it would be neat to go check out this "little motorcycle gathering" they had heard about. Now picture this, my folks are fairly sheltered, law-abiding folks who's idea of a crazy evening is staying up all the way until midnight, and perhaps even catch a small buzz on some rum (mom) or single-malt whiskey (dad). My curfew through high-school? 10PM. Grades below a B? Grounded. Hair getting too long? Grounded.

I'm sure you all have guessed by now where we ended up: downtown Sturgis during the big party, with Harleys as far as the eye can see. To say that it made a lasting impression would be an understatement. My little brother and I (he was 12 or 13 at the time) often talked about "that time in Sturgis", and made valiant plans to someday get our own bikes.

Considering my folks frowned on so much as wearing a black leather jacket because of the damage it might do to the family reputation, we knew we'd have to bide our time to make it happen. The plan was to finish college before making our move (in case we were disowned). Laughable in retrospect, but a serious consideration at the time.

To make a long story short it obviously never came to pass. The year before my brother was set to graduate from the College of Santa Fe with a photography degree he died in a single-car accident. He was my only sibling, and to say that it was devastating doesn't seem to quite capture it.

Fast forward 8 years or so, and I am now married and have 3 children. I've been thinking long and hard about riding, but there is a healthy amount of fear involved. My wife and I talked about it at length, and ultimately the decision we came to was that we never know when it will be our time to go, and that life should be lived to its fullest and happiest.

With that decision made I took the riding class, obtained my license, got my first bike, and I haven't really looked back since. It is a very rare occasion that I take my car anywhere these days. In the last month or so I've put about 1200 miles on the bike, and maybe 25 miles on the cage.

I think of my brother daily, especially when I ride. I imagine he is riding with me in some form or another, and I know he will be smiling when I am finally able to get that Harley next year!



Pete.