Motorcycle Snafu

Esther · 10-24-2005, 09:08 AM

I want to do the Harley LA to San Francisco BC survivors run next year in Oct, and need to learn to ride a motorcycle.

Chris's Harley is way too much for me at this point, so we bought a smaller off-road motorcycle to ride in the dirt and a dirt/street motorcycle to start out on and learn to balance and use the throttle, etc.

Since the smaller one is also street legal, when we brought it home on Saturday, Chris said try it down the street. So I get on it....it's only my second time on a motorized bike. I go down the street, try to turn around, somehow got messed up....and ended up crashing into a neighbors garage door. In FULL VIEW of about 5 other neighbors. EEK!

I demolished the garage door. The motorcycle only has about 3 scratches, go figure. I'm ok, I just twisted my back a little and bruised my left leg. And horribly injured my pride! Right now I'm sitting here waiting for the repairman to come look at the door and give an estimate and schedule for the replacement of my neighbor's garage door.

When I told my son, I thought he was going to die laughling. I didn't think it was THAT funny! I'm going in for my Herceptin infusion this afternoon, and am debating whether to share my story with the onc nurses...hey they might be able to use a good laugh too, they already think I'm a little nuts anyway.

Recovering accident victim in California

Sheila · 10-24-2005, 11:48 AM

Esther
My advice is see if you can get into a motorcycle riders course...they are held on weekends & you have to take a bike test & a written test...if you pass, you get your license! It is a great way to build confidence as you are riding Honda & Suzuki 250cc bikes.....just the right size to learn on....I took the course & got on my Harley Low Rider & have never had a problem.....I go for rides by myself all the time, generally putting 100 miles on at a time....any further & I have sore butt syndrome....I got my license & a bike when I turned 50...just to prove a point to everyone who said I couldn't do it! I do have to bypass the low cut Harley shirts due to the mastectomy scars, but what a great feeling to ride in the wind. We have alot of motorcycle events here in the midwest that benefit breast cancer...but only in the summer. Hope you are not to sore....& dont feel bad about the garage door, I almost took out the instructor when I was learning!

Hugs
Sheila

StephN · 10-24-2005, 11:56 AM

OK - Esther - LOL -
We know that you are on a campaign to live life to fullest and "do it all now."
But there has to be a little tempering of the daredevil stuff. (Remember your son's crash last year?)
In my family, when one wants to learn to ride a motorcycle, they go to a school just for that and get the proper license this way. Seems to cut down on the injuries to onesself and the neighbors property! The insurance company also likes that approach ...

Hubbys are good teachers at times, but next time go to a class somewhere.

My step-daughter and her hubby just got new cycles and roared up our easement a few weeks ago. Our old van had something go out in it and was stuck at the top of the easement closer to the house waiting for a tow truck. My poor little Jenny (all of 100 pounds when soaking wet) could not maneuver around the van too well and was also trying to avoid the juniper bushes. She ended up dropping her new yellow bike and munching the mirror and the end of the brake grip. And SHE is an experienced rider. She needed help to pick the bike back up.

Maybe ask the local Hells Angels to help you out.

TriciaK · 10-24-2005, 12:51 PM

Esther, you are amazing! Living life to the fullest is great, but are you sure you don't have a death wish???!!! At least you did better than a lady I knew who got on her son's motorcycle the first time and wrecked it, breaking both her legs and one arm!! My husband is the motorcyclist in our family. At one time he and his sons, his three brothers and their sons, and my father-in-law, the patriarch of that large family, all had motorcycles, mostly dirt bikes of various sizes, and went on rides together. The funniest thing is that eventually as they all got older everyone but my father-in-law gave up thier "bikes". The family gave Dad a gold motorcycle helmet at his 50th wedding anniversary party! (He lived to be 95!) You be careful now! Hugs, Tricia

Sandy H · 10-24-2005, 05:18 PM

Esther that is just too funny!!! Like Steph said you want to live life to the fullest but you need to stay alive!! Its one step at a time and safety is important here. You don't want your hubby doing the posting here for you. Now, like you have been told already, check the course out and go from there. We enjoy your postings and want to continue receiving them. Also we want an update on how it goes next year with the ride. Need to take it a little slower girl. hugs, Sandy

Esther · 10-25-2005, 08:18 AM

My left leg is all bruised up, ouch! I just had someone remind me tha ski season is coming up, so I need to be really careful not to get injured.

I will look for a training class, don't want to damage any more of my neighbor's properties!!!!

kristen · 10-25-2005, 08:28 AM

Esther,

Love those Hogs! I bought mine as my present for finishing chemo. It is fun! Hope you recover quickly.

Deborah Phaed · 10-25-2005, 09:36 AM

I'm so glad to hear other women talking about learning to ride bikes!! That's exactly what I want to give myself after I finish chemo in December. I want a Harley some kind of bad and went to a showroom to look at them. I sat on on several to get the feel and ended up dumping one on the showroom floor. I was soooo embarrassed, but the guys took it in stride. I'm signing up for a bike course thru the local community college in January.