Howdy, y'all! I've been lurking on here for a few weeks now since I finished taking a MSF course with my daughter, which concluded on Father's Day. It was a great way to spend the weekend in Northern Virginia.

I had ridden a KZ750 about 25 years ago for a couple months until I laid it down going around a bend and hit slick manhole cover. Full face helment, but no other gear. The scars have become un-noticable on my forearms now. It was a painful lesson - litterally.

Didn't get on another bike until the MSF course last month. Life changes gave me the excuse to do something I really, really enjoyed once before. This time, I was going to do it right with the course and gear. (All the gear, all the time)

I hadn't planned on buying a bike this year - just renting until I could figure out what I really wanted. Well, I went looking for a full face helmet (used a borrowed one for the course). I saw a 2009 FXDC in black and pewter that had just been put out (it wasn't there the other three times I was in there). It had alot of the little things that I would have ended up putting on (windsheield, low sissy bar, forward controls, chrome here and there, etc.).

It grabbed ahold of me and wouldn't let go. I had planned on starting with something smaller and a bit more manageable for a newbie, but I couldn't stand the sad look on its face when I left. I had to go back and liberate it from being trapped indoors. It's now very happy getting out and about.

BTW, did I say forward controls? Wow, what a difference from the mids (I'm 6' 3"). Although she's a bit big sometimes (slow speed right turns from a dead stop, u-turns, slow traffic (5mph)), I've only had a couple of times where I thought "That was close" regarding dropping it. The much lower center of gravity compared to the bike I used for the course has made it a dream to ride.

I haven't had any buyers remorse at all. It was the right bike at the right time - I couldn't say no. I could have walked away from any other one, but that was the absolute perfect combination for me. The only drawback is that in order to get the SG, I had to agree to sell the boat and Bronco. After having put about 600 miles on the bike, I can say that it is a small price to pay.

I'm slowly making small changes to make it "just right" for me - new pegs/heel rests, highway pegs, new bars or risers to bring it back a couple inches (had a deep Sundowner seat at purchase), etc.

Thanks for all the info that has been invaluable to me as a lurker. There is a boatload of information on here that I have used to make changes.

 

Welcome from San Antonio!

 

Looking to make a couple other changes pretty soon and will post them in the appropriate forums (BAK EGR issue and handlebars). I'm at least happy enough at this point to deal with the smoke and wrist pain to just get out and ride. I have no intention of being the HD yuppie with the HD yuppie friends watching the real riders as they go by - even if I AM a yuppie!

 

Hello and welcome from Pikeville, Kentucky.

 

Welcome from New Mexico.

 

Great intro! Welcome to the Forum from Indy!

 

Welcome to the forum.
Always Ride like everyone is trying to KILL you. Why? because they are...

 

Hello and welcome to HDF from NorCal...

 

Thanks for the welcomes. Damn glad to meet ya!

 

Welcome aboard from New York.