My smokin' new ride

You want pictures? You got pictures.

My bumblebee. The best friend calls it my yellow stinger. Princess reckons it’s sexy. Everyone else utilised expletives aplenty. I’m over the moon. And after 2 days of alternating between hysterical excitement and brain-gone-walkabout, i’m finally in a position to say something coherent.

Yes, i ended up with the GT250R, the same bike i was slavering over in this post. I didn’t end up feeling as good on the naked bike as i thought i would. And by good, i don’t mean the ego gratifying “everyone will look at me and think i’m too cool” kind of good, i mean the “i like how this connects with the road and my body” kind of good.

Of course, it helps that she’s a beauty, a nice big-sized bike with a quick little 250 cc Suzuki heart. If you’re wondering why i picked yellow, it’s simple: It makes me as visible as i can be on a small vehicle.

I’m definitely in love.

On the day i got her (Wednesday), everyone assumed i was going to go tearing up and down the streets. Instead, i spent 2 hours old-lady putt-putt-putting down the residential roads, going through my lessons - “O” things, which involve simultaneous U-turns so you end up going in a continous long circle, uphill starts, quick stops, proper gear changes, roundabouts, and then some easy riding around just getting used to the bike. I never got on the main road at all. Had enough of that getting home from work; it was a frigging carnival. It’s a good thing i only left well after rush hour was over.

It's been a long gap between getting my licence and riding any bike, so i needed a refresher on bike handling. She was so brand new there were 2 klicks on the odometer and not a fingermark on her. I wasn’t about to risk doing her (and myself) damage for impatience. The lone practice session returned my confidence, relaxed me, and reminded me to breathe. I was in charge.

Riding to work the next day (Thursday) felt so much better. I was in control of the bike rather than the other way around. More aimless riding around the streets afterwards. Road positioning practice: stay away from the oil slick (center portion of the lane). Ride on the right side of the lane, unless preparing to turn. Stay out of people’s blind spots. Head check, head check, head check. Crap, the helmet is a heavy bloody thing. Getting up and down our driveway, which is a slope, is still proving to be interesting.

On the third day (yesterday) i thought “sod it, i’m getting on the freeway.”

And then i also noticed that other bikers have an action of acknowledgement. Pass one on the road and he/she nods your way.

It’s all very exciting.