Ducati Monster Forum

So Mum Nature finally decided to cooperate and give me an afternoon of sunshine to work with. Tony let me back the bike out of the garage and turn it around myself since I really haven't moved it much myself for fear of dropping it (again). I got it outside and pointed in the right direction just fine, supporting the weight on my hip as you guys suggested. Tony got the Monster out behind me and after shaking off some of the jitters we were off and running. There are two railroad crossings on the route I chose, which are really rough, and I got past those without trouble. I didn't feel pressured by having T and other vehicles behind me, and I managed about 60mph., which was a little weird at first but once I settled in I was fine.

I needed gas and T offered to go fuel up for me before we took off but I decided I wanted to do it myself. I was so nervous about stopping at the pump and dropping the bike  :P. I rolled up to it fine, fueled up without spilling a drop, and we were off again. When we were almost home the bike stalled on me at a stop. I had cars behind me and a cruiser pulled up next to me on my right to turn but I didn't get flustered. I got the bike going and took off, and when we turned onto the last sidestreet the bike stalled again mid-turn. I rolled the corner with the clutch in and when the bike was straight again it took a couple of tries to get it going again. When we got back T told me he hadn't even realized it stalled the second time, so I guess I did ok with it.

Tony was laughing at me when we got back because I was just putting along, doing the speed limit most of the time on the straights, but he noticed that when I hit a nice curve I was moving right along. I didn't even notice I was doing it  [laugh]

It's amazing how may things you take for granted when you're in the car or a passenger on a bike though. Things are sooooo much different when you're in the saddle alone!

All and all it actually went better than I figured my first ride would, as nervous as I was. I'm excited for the next time out and I know that it will only get better from here.

Yippee!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great job hon!  [thumbsup]


 [clap]

woot!
 [thumbsup]
log your miles, log your miles!
 [moto]

I feel so silly-
"Yay, I gassed up all by myself!"
"Yay, I pushed the bike out of the garage!"
[laugh]
I never knew such simple little things could be so exciting  [cheeky]

Yeah!  doesn't feel great to take it out on the road?  Congratulations.  These are big steps in the right direction.


I was super proud of myself too on the first trip to the gas station.  I still sometimes have trouble pushing it out of the car port (we have a weird dip right off the cement). 

Way to go hb! [thumbsup]

like watching a baby bird take it's first flight :) [thumbsup]

 [beer]
We knew you could do it!

Yeah, um, my first trip to the gas station wasn't nearly so graceful.  Ducati in all their brilliance decided to put a suicide sidestand on my bike.  You guessed it.  I hadn't put enough forward pressure on it while I was resting the bike down.  It was just enough so that when I pulled my leg over, the bike shoved me against the pumps!  Sooooo graceful...   :-[

I still worry about turning the bike around (off the bike) if there is not a lot of room (especially in front of others).

I'm bikeless at the moment :'(. Sold my m750 to my son-in-law. Took it to him up in Oregon and rode the little Ninja 250 while he rode my his duc. Oregon is weird. A MC permit requires the rider to have another rider with them at all times on a separate bike. Like it does any good. It's not as if I can say, "hey, slow down before you enter the turn." I mean, how do you communicate? He is a really good rider already. We rode over 200 miles in two days. When I was new, I rode 10-30 miles at a time and was tired. (I'm still new--my one year anniversary was this past week :)).

how's it going biposto? haven't had an update in a while... hope all is well  [moto]

I honestly think I can ride the bike I do because I do practice the "little stuff" over and over on the range when teaching the MSF classes.  IMO, anyone can ride any bike if they have the right skills.  The ONLY thing that would limit someone is inseam length.  I can't ride my hubby's BMW because i'm not flat footed - and yo've got to be that way on that bike because it weights so darn much.

I highly suggest to anyone to go purchase about 15 tennis balls, cut them in half - now you have your own cones  ;D ....set up your own range on a parking lot using the parking spaces as your measuring tool.  Do the quick stop, the slow speed u-turns, etc.  Get to do them until you don't have to think about it.  Practice those pause and go's too - you'll be surprised how that will help you at traffic lights!  [moto]

 [clap] [clap] Go HB go!! you'll have to change your name now, you are no longer a cupcake!!  [clap] [clap]