Finally a nice day!! With temperatures in the mid teens the ride was a real pleasure.

I went out along Reg Rd 69 by St. Anns and instead of turning around at RR 24 I continued on 69 easterly until I came to Effingham Rd. Right turn here and this was a real pleasure, uphill twisters as you climb the escarpment. This is another road I had heard about on Great Ontario Bike Roads. http://bikeroads.atspace.com/
Read through the "contributions" area for tons of different roads to try. A short but sweet one near home is at the top of Diltz Rd. turn right along RR 45. I like to go this way when doing the "69 route". Just watch out for the 2 one lane bridges.

Last Saturday I went to the Bike Show at the Automotive Building at the Ex, and I was not too impressed. About 50 nice customized beauties, with 40 grand price tags. But after walking around the whole thing 3 times, we went home, an hour and a half after we arrived.

I have attached the sissy bar and the whole scrub & polish session took about 3 hours. Does anything look better than your bike polished, with the sun gleaming off it? I can sit and look at it for ages.

I remember when I first bought the bike, I would sit outside and just look at it, still unbelieving that it was mine.

The weather forecast is crappy for the next few days. So she is shiny..... but covered.

I put the battery back in today, and apart from the cover giving me a little grief, it went okay.

After missing the Saturday morning biker TV shows I was determine to go for a ride. A few other riders out, mostly big hogs. It was a little cool, but the bike was riding very well. I have read other owners mentioning that the bike rides better in the mid to mid-high tach range, and I definitely found that to be true today. I think I have been having a tendency to "pile through the gears" too quickly. In fourth gear and I'm barely over 50 km. Today's ride was a lot nicer.

I still have to get it cleaned up and get the sissy bar re-attached. The headlight visor looks good, for $25 it was a good deal, and really adds to the "classic" look. The Yamaha version was almost triple that for a little Star stamp in the visor.

And here's another move you don't want to do.

I wasn't sure when it was finally going to be the last day and time to put the bike away for the winter. I was going out for a ride most November evenings, and then on the way home I would fill the tank.

I had put it away in the shed, added my Stabil and was going out to check on it on one of those 10 degree Celsius January days. As I opened the lock I could smell the gas. I freaked! Dashed in thinking that I had maybe left the little bleeder scews open when bleeding the carb bowls. No nothing there. I went to the other side and the gas has puddled on the floor and is pouring out of the side of the cap. I flew into the house, grabbed the turkey baster and sucked the level on down.

I guess that since the tank was cold when I filled it, put a little too much in, then the couple of tablespoons of Stabil, then the temperature change and voila.... a freakin mess!!

So when the say fill the tank.... it doesn't mean like your car. Leave some room for expansion. Live and learn.

A real bonus about living in Dunnville is some of the local roads. Lakeshore Road along Lake Erie is a twisty curvy wonder that has to be experienced. It takes about an hour to get from Dunnville out to Selkirk along the coast line. One of my favourite rides.

Like a kid with a new toy I couldn't get enough of it before the winter came.

Funny story looking back........
My buddy was on night shift and had said that he wanted to go for a ride together. I had been pounding in the miles so I now felt comfortable riding with the "Harley boys". I woke up early and went for a 2 hour ride, got home just in time for lunch and the phone ringing. He had got up early from nights.... let's go!! So I jump back on the sled and fly over to his place. We then proceed to ride for about 3 to 4 hours. I must admit my ass was killing me, and I was a tad stiff when we pulled back onto the buddy's gravel driveway. I went to get off (don't ask me what the hell I was thinking) but I brought my left foot up towards the gas tank instead of bent backwards, I caught my toe in the space between the gas tank and the seat and having the momentum started already....I go flying! Actually do a shoulder roll up the stones and HORRORS the bike fell over too! But, typical Harley guys, they are at the bike in a flash helping me. Thanks again Joe! I was devastated, I figured scratches, dents broken stuff!!! But no!! Nothing!! It seems it landed on the saddle bag, foot board and front right turn signal! Dam miracle. I guess I looked a little shook up, Joe said I still looked pale 40 minutes later.

Now.... it's funny! That night I had a nightmare that I was rounding a corner and the bridge was out on the Welland Canal. I put the bike down, but it was too late and it started to fall in the water. Luckily, I landed on a ladder with one hand and held up the bike by the handlebars with the other hand. I told you it was a nightmare!

How about that Mother's Metal Polish?!? The bike was clean, but after getting into that magic potion, I was truly shocked. A bit of elbow grease and the dam thing shines like glass!

I had a 3" or 4" stain on the pipes from the former owner. She had hung the saddlebags centred over the rear fender so once something was added to the the bag it rested on and melted into the pipe. Easy to do, hell I almost did it myself. A buddy at work saw it and suggested 00 steel wool to clean it off. Worked great!!

Because there was no manual with the bike I ordered one through Amazon.ca I made the order late Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend and it was in my mailbox on the Tuesday morning. Truly amazing delivery! It was a Clymer book, but I must admit, the few things I have done were not quite right in the book. For instance, the book stated during an oil change you had to drop the exhaust in order to get at the filter. Not true on the 650!

My birthday is in November, so my wife bought me a nice rain cover for the bike. And then for Christmas she bought me a bike jack that was on sale at Crappy Tire. Dam heavy thing. I put it together and the wife and I slugged it out to the shed. In the house when I checked out how to use the jack it lowered very slowly ( I know, I know...that's 'cause it has no weight on it stupid). I had raised the bike up, but when I got down on all fours to check the "level" it was only on 3 of 4 points. So I stepped on the release pedal. Well, let me tell you, it came down a lot faster than I had expected. Almost flattened the wife!

And her she be....

This picture was taken at Lake Erie near Freedom Oakes Golf course. Since then I have replaced the sissy bar pad, chromed the rear tail light, license plate and bought a nice Highway Hawk master cylinder cover. As you can see the former owner steamed off the V Star and Yamaha decals, but left on the Classic one.... makes me feel like a Harley wannabe......... so I have a date in late April to see a guy in Waterford who does some really impressive air brushing. After checking out the price of "official" Yamaha decals (almost $100!!) it seems the better option with some real customizing.

End of September 2005, on a Saturday morning, and I had to go get a hernia checked out at Shouldice Hospital in Toronto. While we were there I wanted to check out a couple of bikes in the Trader. The first guy was so adamant that his price was firm I didn't even bother to go by, instead I went to see a lady in the Lakeshore area who had a 2004 VStar Classic with 4000 km that she had originally asked $6700 for but had lowered down to $6300.

It was in great shape. Two tone blue, navy on the top and light metallic blue on the sides. No scratches or dings and she had saddlebags and a sissy bar (but she had lost the sissy bar pad). I asked the lady if she would take $6000 even for it, and she balked. So I took a chance, I gave her my phone number and said that 6 grand was my limit, if it didn't sell by Tuesday she could call me. All the way home I questioned what I had done, was I going to lose the bike I wanted over $300.

She called about 30 hours later, early Sunday evening. It was mine!

We arranged for the pick up for 4:00pm on Tuesday, but getting on a new bike and then jumping into Toronto rush hour traffic seemed like a torture test to me. So I called a buddy with lots of miles under his belt on lots of different bikes, and I asked if he would mind piloting my new baby home for me. He jumped at the chance.
The seller of the bike seemed to be getting on nicely with Scott when we went to pick it up. So nicely in fact, that she had a small confession. It seems that the money I had given her for the bike was going toward her new BOOB JOB. She was a French-Canadian lady and said, "my whole life I have nothing, now I am happy!" She was going to put in the ad...Bike must go, Twins on the way! I felt like my money went to a worthwhile cause!!
Thanks again Scott, I don't know what I would of done without your help. But I must admit, that was the longest dam ride home from Toronto ever, me grinning like a freaking idiot the whole way.

Then by the time I dropped Scott back off at home and I raced back to get on my new baby, the whole dam neighborhood is out checking out Steve's Mid Life Crisis. So I threw my leg over, cranked her up and (Thank God) didn't stall her as I putted down the road, with that same "ear to ear grin".

What a feeling!!!

I was now an official M2'er. Actually I had to go get the temporary license renewed before the hard copy arrived in the mail months later.

Time to decide on a bike. Let's face it, the bank account is what does the talking. Also, because I still have to go for my full motorcycle license in 18 months or so, I was very leery to "go big you'll just move up later" philosophy some of my friends had stated. I understood what they were saying, but after 20 years on 4 wheels I wanted to feel safe and have fun!! Then after talking to the insurance shylocks my mind was set.

I was looking at both the Honda Shadow ACE and the Yamaha VStar Classic. I liked the classic look of both the bikes, they seemed a good size for me and most importantly the buying price and the yearly insurance gouge were manageable.

I was so in tuned to the Bike Trader online version, that after a while I figured out the new postings arrive at about 4:00 pm on Wednesdays. (A little helpin' hand for you shoppers!)

The hunt continues................

Went to the St. Catherines Motorcycle Store, had a nice 2003 (I think) black and cherry VStar, but for $6000 it had some damage to both front and back fenders. Plus I got my first taste of "no test rides for M2'ers" which alot of places seem to adhere to.

Looked at a few black VStar Customs at Kelly's in Hamilton, but decided I wanted the Classic.

Motorcycle School was a blast!

The Friday night class was all lecture. But I was so pysched for the actual hands on riding the following two days that even the lectures were tolerable.

I arrived at the parking lot for the Saturday riding 20 minutes early, and there was about 8 people there already. We were all biting at the bit, checking out the Kawaski 100's all lined up and ready to go. There was 15 guys and 5 girls in the class. They started us out by pairing us up, and then with the bikes in neutral, we sat on and our partner gave us a small shove. We had to coast forward and then come to a controlled stop. We did the same thing and veered away to the right and then the left side.

Time to start them engines. vrooom vrooom! We had a good time Saturday and Sunday.... then we had a break after lunch and they set up the courses for the M2 Test. Dum De Dum. You could see the tension on everyone's face.

A short girl fully decked out in Gold Wing gear was so involved watching the group doing another test that she drove straight into the cement blocks around the edge of the parking lot, flew ass over tea kettle into a small gulley, and then.. ouch.... the Kawi 100 climbed the parking block and crashed onto her. She got in her car and drove home, but I'm sure alot more than her pride was aching. I felt sorry for her, but then one of the other girls said, "Her old man has a Gold Wing in the garage waiting for her after she passes." Thank God she didn't. Actually of the 5 girls only one passed and 3 of them had already bought Harley Sporsters to ride with their boyfriends. The girl who did pass deserved to, and I give anyone who passed credit, it was fun but you had to have control of that little bugger at all times. If you messed up on any rules, like shut down etc. they would get you in a group and then as they were explaining the next exercise to you, one of the other instructors would check the bikes. If something was wrong they would push it out into the middle of the parking lot so as you returned to your bike ... it was gone.... oh crap there it is ..... embarrassing but you only did it once! Let me talk from experience!

As you probably figured out by now..... I passed!

Jump ahead 25 years, after 18 years we have finally paid off the palace, one kid in University and the other in high school. I have always told my wife that if we "won the million" the only thing I would want would be a Harley.

One day she starts talking about bikes, what size, how much, motorcycle school etc. And then I get the "blessing". Lets just say I was surprised. Bike Trader was now my constant companion.

In July, 2005, my eldest was going for her Driver's Test, so I figured while I was waiting for her, out came the $17 and I wrote my motorcycle beginners. I passed!! (Oh yeah, and she passed her driver's too.) By the way, anyone thinking about doing the same as me, take a tip from me.... read up on the new fangled graduated license stuff!!

The following Monday I went to the Canadian Motorcycle Association office in Hamilton, laid down my $350 and registered for Motorcycle School in September. Next stop with the wallet was at the local motorcycle store for a helmet. Does everyone else feel as dorkey as me trying on helmets? Mind you, everyone else doesn't have to look for "pumpkin" sized lids.

Years passed and I started working for Stelco (29 years later and I'm still there) when a friend who had a Honda 650 was talking late one night shift about his cousin who was selling a Honda 350 on-road off-road ..."perfect for someone wanting to get back on two wheels". I went home and tried to get my parents to co-sign a loan for the bike, but as my Dad put it "not a bloody chance son". I figured what have I got to lose, so I went to the bank myself the next day and lo & behold they gave me the loan. I'll never forget the front curtains flying open and the look on my Mother's face as I wheeled the bike up the driveway. I took it out that night for a test ride....dumped it up some guys front lawn at about 25 mph, ripped off my watch, scraped myself all up the right hand side, and came wheeling it home with a bent back brake. The parents were "oh so impressed". I kept that bike for 3 years then I got an offer for $150 less than I paid for it ... couldn't turn it down. But many a summer day since than I have had the "urge".

My first experience on two-wheeled motorized devices was way back in about 1968. I was 11 at the time, (you do the math and the Blog's title starts to make sense). Two friends of mine, who lived next door to each other both had mini-bikes. This was something that I didn't even bother to dream about, owning a mini-bike! We definitely didn't have that kind of money in our family. I do remember one being a bright yellow Rupp owned by the Clark brothers, but the other one was a no-namer that the Alford brothers owned. The no-namer was the one I rode the most. When they excavated the basement for the local school they created one big pile of earth that was about 20 feet high at the one end, and tapered down to the ground at the other end and ran about 300 yards long. Then they made a field full of dump truck loads of earth .... mini bike heaven!! All our spare cash went into gas and to this day I still remember the taste of gas we siphoned from dubious places! Aaah the joys of youth. The Big Dirt Hill (as we so imaginatively named it) was a mecca for local dirt bikers so it wasn't long until I had my first taste of the dreaded CLUTCH, borrowing a friends' Honda 100.