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That stupid grin...

1660 Views 3 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  Poncho
I've owned a bunch of bikes over 20 plus years of riding. At 42 years old I've pretty much owned a bevy of different bikes and styles of bikes. I thoroughly enjoy riding. It's just a stress release and something that makes me happy. Over the years I've enjoyed all the bikes I have owned but somewhere along the way I lost that child like happiness while riding. You know, that feeling of pure bliss just to be in the saddle putting miles on and enjoying the wind.
This bike has brought that back to me. I can't really put my finger on it but somehow is just has. I haven't done anything mind blowing to make it all that much better. A Corbin seat and back rest, highway pegs, Honda Passenger back rest, Brake Away Cruise Control, 12 volt charging port and fog lamps... That's it. And somehow it just makes me happy. I caught myself riding with that stupid grin. That grin we all had when we got our first bike. You know the one that puts bugs in your teeth if you aren't careful! I just really enjoy this bike so much more than I thought I would. I felt this way 21 years ago when I would ride my 1975 CB750, but this is different. Just a great bike to ride and a ton of power to boot.
What has surprised me is the amount of people who have stopped me to talk about my bike. My work commute is roughly 22 miles one way and I have been stopped 4 times in the last 2 weeks by riders and people in cars, who want to know what it is and tell me how good it looks. One guy on an Electra Glide pulled up next to me at the gas station and said it was the coolest looking bike he's ever seen. I won't lie, I smiled pretty big after that one! Enjoy the ride and the wind my friends!!!
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smittens, well it used to be that the ridding was nuff to put that schitteatin grin on your mugg. but now you are smitten with attaboys from strangers, like congrats on the new kid and here have a cigar. that too will wear thin in time. both the congrats and the cigars. I suspect your initial lost of love for riding comes from commuting in traffic daily. too much work watching out for idiots trying to kill you with their 2 ton steam rollers. no seriously, they take turns. today its somebody else turn to kill you. only your vigilance has kept you this side of the big ride in the sky.. aka , too much work and no fun.


now take that new toy of yours out of the city and go ride it across the landscape into the boonies. PS, use the backroads where the steamrollers don't go. you will find yourself back in the land of your youth where riding your beast and bonding with it once brought you immense joy and satisfaction. it will happen again. you just need to get out of the death zone. aka Houston is the most deadly city in Tx. been there -done that.


let me know if you need to meet up and ride some of these Texas hills. its the next best thing to .. well the mountains are my goto escape from reality. ponchout
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smittens, well it used to be that the ridding was nuff to put that schitteatin grin on your mugg. but now you are smitten with attaboys from strangers, like congrats on the new kid and here have a cigar. that too will wear thin in time. both the congrats and the cigars. I suspect your initial lost of love for riding comes from commuting in traffic daily. too much work watching out for idiots trying to kill you with their 2 ton steam rollers. no seriously, they take turns. today its somebody else turn to kill you. only your vigilance has kept you this side of the big ride in the sky.. aka , too much work and no fun.


now take that new toy of yours out of the city and go ride it across the landscape into the boonies. PS, use the backroads where the steamrollers don't go. you will find yourself back in the land of your youth where riding your beast and bonding with it once brought you immense joy and satisfaction. it will happen again. you just need to get out of the death zone. aka Houston is the most deadly city in Tx. been there -done that.


let me know if you need to meet up and ride some of these Texas hills. its the next best thing to .. well the mountains are my goto escape from reality. ponchout
I agree Poncho, I need to get a good back roads ride. With 4 kids I work too much and ride in the city too much. I still think this bike being as amazing as it is helped me to really enjoy riding again. I've always enjoyed it but my last few bikes just didn't give me the feel this one does. And I haven't ridden the Pig Trails in a few years... maybe Arkansas is calling my name!
Souie, Souie! there you are, it IS calling you by name.. NW Arkansas has more than plenty of twisty benders for scrubbing the chicken strips off your tires.. I was very active with the Kawboys 10yrs back and did multiple trips to Ark and also here in Tx hills. have done several week long rides with them to grand canyon, Utah, Idy'ho and Montana. even did a Left coast ride San Diego up to Monterey and over to Yosemite and back.


when there is an active 4m, it attracts like minded riders of all genres to participate. not just in the banter but also gatherings, meet ups and some rides. I still ride with a kawboy out of mehico, we have been planning our reign of terror on canukistan for 5yrs.. life keeps getting in the way. Currently I am on grampa duty, so long distance rides are getting fewer and farther away. thems lil rugrats eventually have to go to school, so my window of escape is not far off. that is unless there is another crop of rugrats in vicinity of my play time.


the key is to keep up the banter. too many fellas are bogged down with the nuts n bolts of daily living-riding and miss the big picture. been ther, done that too. when it gets quiet, just toss in a grenade and see if anybody jumps. the live ones will. poncho
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