Many years ago, I met a girl. Since I needed money to take her out, I sold my beloved 1964 Suzuki 250 street bike (2 stroke, I had to mix oil and gas in the tank).
Fast forward 41 years - now I'm married to the same girl, but I still miss my old bike. I took the MSF course, and bought a used V-Star 650. Not counting a five minute test drive, I hadn't been on the street on a bike in 41 years - I remedied that yesterday. I went about 25 miles round trip, combination of city, highway, and just a touch of freeway driving. Minor hiccup when I almost couldn't get the gas cap off at the station, but I finally did it.
The ride was intimidating for the first five minutes or so, then I felt like I'd been riding for years - everything just felt natural. The differences between now and 1973? Here are a couple:
The bike - my old Suzuki, while smaller, was quick - top end was just under 90, but it got there fast. The red line ( for those who worry about things Ike that) was way up there. It was kind of an old POS, but it was a lot of fun to ride. Back then, a 650 was a big bike - My v star, at 649cc's, is small. Performance is fine, but after hitting the highway for just a few miles, I understand why you'd want a bigger bike for long trips. The new bike is smooth and steady, handles nicely, and - so far at least - parts don't fal off in the middle of your ride. All in all, the new bike fits my now old and creaky body perfectly.
Me - when I was young, I'd see a car about to pull out in front of me. I'd think, "it'll be their fault", so I'd just keep going - even accelerating - without a worry. If they pulled in front of me, I'd swerve and cuss. Now, my head is on a swivel - I'm constantly on the lookout for potential trouble. If there's a question, I slow down, move over, or do whatever I need to do to avoid trouble. I now realize that if I'm in an accident, it won't matter whose fault it is - I'll lose.
Sorry for the long, rambling post. I look forward to meeting like-minded people on line.