Pensieri di un lunatico minore

A decision on two wheels

For the past three years, or so, I’ve not ridden my motorcycle. The pivotal moment was after one accident and three near accidents in a one month period. The accident was arguably my fault—at least legally—as I was following a little too close, and was unable to read the mind of the woman in the Corolla¹ in front of me who decided to slam on the brakes at 35 because of a squirrel crossing the road. I hit the back of the car, over the bike and helmet slammed into her trunk. Fortunately, there was no major damage to me, the bike or the car, but it certainly bruised my ego, and the bike had to be towed away to be repaired (about $300 in work, actually).

Literally, on the return ride from the dealer two weeks later, a woman in a Cadillac Escalade nearly ran over me in her eagerness to cross two lanes of traffic to turn left from the right hand lane. Only by slamming the brakes hard on my bike, and as a result, performing a stoppie, was I able to avoid being run over by her faux-phallus. That freaked me out.

Not two days later, I was riding on the beltway, in the right lane, getting ready to get back on I-66 heading west, when a Lincoln Navigator came careening over multiple lanes without looking and I was forced off on the shoulder in order to avoid being crushed. Again, I don’t think the driver ever noticed anyone else around, but isn’t that typical?

So, after that, I became a somewhat petrified rider, even after all the miles I’d accumulated. Constantly riding beyond defensively, when the only safe way for a motorcyclist to ride is effectively on constant offense. I realized then that I was becoming a hazard to myself, and those around me, and so I parked the bike. For the next year I rode my bike perhaps once or twice, but it sat.

Finally, when I moved 2 years ago, I parked my bike permanently, un-ridden for almost two years. When I finally decided to move again, I was faced with a decision: keep the bike, and get it back in roadworthy shape, or sell it. As I thought about it, I realized that I might finally have the distance I need to start riding again, and so I have decided to undertake getting the bike back roadworthy.

Before the bike was “put up”, I changed the oil, put preservative in the tank, and tried to make sure, overall, that it was ready for an extended stay. Today, I had the bike moved, via flat-bed, to the dealer, who will be bringing it back to life. Fortunately, with a tiny bit of a jump, the bike turned over, and seems to be healthy, other than dirty and in need of a general service.

So, the road beckons again…

¹ This is a new definition of “that Toyota feeling”.