Well, this was the morning. Did all the checks and then some...
(Thanks for the advice, guys!) 1999 883 Sportster.
Walked outside with helmet, gloves, and makeshift tool kit.
Bike sitting in driveway, stunningly beautiful in the morning sun...
Put everything on, check oil, squeeze tires.
Key in ignition, choke on, light fire.
Beautiful exhaust rumble!
Pull clutch in, throttle, ease off clutch.
Bike dies.
Okay, no problem. Find green "N", try again.
Bike won't start.
Okay, problem. Damn.
Try again, nothing. Let starter cool.
Try again, let starter cool.
Battery dying.
Damn. My first real ride on this bike is becoming my first real sit-and-spin.
Get battery charger out of car.
Bike is still beautiful, sun glinting off of chrome.
Off of chrome fuel petcock.
Which is, of course, turned off.
Put charger away, open petcock, wait a minute, hit starter and it fires right up.
Exhaust sounds great - DUMMY-dumb, DUMMY-dumb, DUMMY-dumb.
Couldn't agree more.
Ride to gas station. Sportsters don't like deep sand roads? Who knew?
Fill it up with 93 IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Get out on pavement, choke off, up through the gears.
Back off throttle to 55. Happy no cops around.
Go to Harley dealer to order shop manual.
It's become Indian dealer. Walk inside, ask for directions.
Get wrong directions.
See Police car parked in lot, stop to ask for directions.
Talk about bikes and stuff for almost an hour. I'm supposed to be riding.
Contrary to TV, Cops, Bikers and Truckers are all on same team, and know it.
Directions complicated, he says, "Just follow me."
Leads me right to it. Quickly. As in, 75 in a 45.
Chasing a cop just feels so wrong.
Buy shop manual IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Order duplicate key IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Bike is getting expensive.
Finally get on road. Go into city (mistake), Harbor Freight for basic tools and reflective vest, then bookstore, then restaurant.
Another biker follows me in to tell me that jacket riding up, exposing carry piece. Damn.
We talk the perfect triad, women, bikes and guns. Half an hour later, I'm eating.
Spending more time talking to strangers than riding.
Seems to be the Harley way.
Finally on highway, roll throttle on.
Roll it off back down to 70.
Glad no cops around. Again.
Where's all the vibration people speak of? Not feeling much.
Not wanting to go home. Wanting to point bike West and roll on.
"Then Came Bronson" for real. But a sixty-mile first ride is enough.
Get home, talk to neighbor for an hour. Sheesh. Is this going to be A Thing?
My impressions:
Bike is fun. As in, "OMG THIS IS FUN!!!!!"
Forward pegs are good, once I have feet taught to go where they are when taking off.
Looking for pegs in wrong places. Could be a Country song.
High bars are okay, but riding upright I need a windshield.
Priced one at dealer IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Don't need more power. Bike is fine. Scary fine.
Where's all the vibration?
Figuring out trip meter was strange.
Will be spending a lot more time outdoors.
Will need better jacket.
Really need to adjust controls. Had to lift foot off peg to upshift.
Could be the all-around best bike I've ever owned, need a few more rides.
Will have many more rides.
Dealership is expensive.
People talk too much. I want to ride.
Thanks everyone for your advice, encouragement and good wishes.
(Thanks for the advice, guys!) 1999 883 Sportster.
Walked outside with helmet, gloves, and makeshift tool kit.
Bike sitting in driveway, stunningly beautiful in the morning sun...
Put everything on, check oil, squeeze tires.
Key in ignition, choke on, light fire.
Beautiful exhaust rumble!
Pull clutch in, throttle, ease off clutch.
Bike dies.
Okay, no problem. Find green "N", try again.
Bike won't start.
Okay, problem. Damn.
Try again, nothing. Let starter cool.
Try again, let starter cool.
Battery dying.
Damn. My first real ride on this bike is becoming my first real sit-and-spin.
Get battery charger out of car.
Bike is still beautiful, sun glinting off of chrome.
Off of chrome fuel petcock.
Which is, of course, turned off.
Put charger away, open petcock, wait a minute, hit starter and it fires right up.
Exhaust sounds great - DUMMY-dumb, DUMMY-dumb, DUMMY-dumb.
Couldn't agree more.
Ride to gas station. Sportsters don't like deep sand roads? Who knew?
Fill it up with 93 IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Get out on pavement, choke off, up through the gears.
Back off throttle to 55. Happy no cops around.
Go to Harley dealer to order shop manual.
It's become Indian dealer. Walk inside, ask for directions.
Get wrong directions.
See Police car parked in lot, stop to ask for directions.
Talk about bikes and stuff for almost an hour. I'm supposed to be riding.
Contrary to TV, Cops, Bikers and Truckers are all on same team, and know it.
Directions complicated, he says, "Just follow me."
Leads me right to it. Quickly. As in, 75 in a 45.
Chasing a cop just feels so wrong.
Buy shop manual IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Order duplicate key IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Bike is getting expensive.
Finally get on road. Go into city (mistake), Harbor Freight for basic tools and reflective vest, then bookstore, then restaurant.
Another biker follows me in to tell me that jacket riding up, exposing carry piece. Damn.
We talk the perfect triad, women, bikes and guns. Half an hour later, I'm eating.
Spending more time talking to strangers than riding.
Seems to be the Harley way.
Finally on highway, roll throttle on.
Roll it off back down to 70.
Glad no cops around. Again.
Where's all the vibration people speak of? Not feeling much.
Not wanting to go home. Wanting to point bike West and roll on.
"Then Came Bronson" for real. But a sixty-mile first ride is enough.
Get home, talk to neighbor for an hour. Sheesh. Is this going to be A Thing?
My impressions:
Bike is fun. As in, "OMG THIS IS FUN!!!!!"
Forward pegs are good, once I have feet taught to go where they are when taking off.
Looking for pegs in wrong places. Could be a Country song.
High bars are okay, but riding upright I need a windshield.
Priced one at dealer IT'S HOW MUCH? DAMN!
Don't need more power. Bike is fine. Scary fine.
Where's all the vibration?
Figuring out trip meter was strange.
Will be spending a lot more time outdoors.
Will need better jacket.
Really need to adjust controls. Had to lift foot off peg to upshift.
Could be the all-around best bike I've ever owned, need a few more rides.
Will have many more rides.
Dealership is expensive.
People talk too much. I want to ride.
Thanks everyone for your advice, encouragement and good wishes.