J.A.: So as you know, my start into riding came from that one fateful event. Barring that, I may have had to resort to driving a ca-car. The plan has changed, and for the better if I may say so, and my, no, our goal is to have as many people as possible on the road on bikes, not cars. It should look like Vietnam here, except with less accidents ;p
Let me key you in on my story after the loss of my beloved Honda Spree:
(This is the only photo I have of my first vehicle D:)
I was lost, in a blind confusion, not knowing what to do now that my only source of transportation was gone. I had to resort to getting rides from my parents and walking places. That was not my style.
I had thought that my riding days were over, but as fate would have it, an new segment of my journey was about to begin. I found, on craigslist, a 2005 Tank Urban Sporty scooter for $150!
I know it is a Chinese scooter, and for those that are unaware, Chinese scooters have a bad rap for being unreliable, hard to repair, and of shoddy quality. Most of the time, this is true. This scooter, however, was an anomaly.
From the day I owned it, it only broke down once. Of course that one time had to be at 3:30 in the morning at a closed gas station, and I really had to go to the bathroom. That was the night I almost got arrested. But that's another story for another time.
Let's just say that scooter was promptly sold, and another one was being searched for (on craigslist.)
Soon after, I found a new ride. It began the next chapter in my riding career. I was off the 50cc bikes,and onto a 150. I could now go on the street, in traffic, and was finally out of the bike lane. I had picked up a 1986 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe.
(The day I got it, with Brody's Yamaha Riva 200z in the background)
It was a beautiful bike, actually my most expensive investment ($725) but it only had 4000 miles on it, and I really wanted it. The price, was understandably, worth it.
I worked on that thing constantly; it was my prized possession, the only thing I had ever really owned for myself, purchased with my own money. I bought little things here and there for it, and enjoyed the hell out of it. Then I sold it on craigslist, because I finished this chapter.
(Some photos I took right before the sale. I'm going to miss that pop-up head light most of all. Sold $1100)
The day I sold that bike, I picked up another one. A 1986 (man I just love that year) Honda Elite 250. Freeway legal BABY!!!! Purchased for $600, but there were some things I needed to get for this bike; it had off-road tires for starters. The tranny was louder than I wanted, as well.
(I got rid of that hideous "Hot tub time machine" signal guard immediately)
This was my dream scooter. And it became a reality. There was nowhere we couldn't go. No more slow rides down side streets to get anywhere. Freeways were open and ready to be used. Since Brody bought one of these shortly after, we took some trips up and down the coast. It was a blast.
(On top of Malibu, with Catalina in the distance)
Sadly, in a twisted turn of events, that chapter of my life, drew to a close. It was bittersweet to see her go, as she was a wonderful bike, but on the other hand, I grew up to a motorcycle.
I had had the scooter as a means of quicker transportation, but not a "motorcycle" because my mom was frightened to death about them. But after I picked this up for $250, and got it running, and joked a bit about riding it around, she grew used to the idea of me riding a motorcycle, and submissed. Happiest day of my life!
This is where I am right now, but there is a newcomer into my life, and that may just begin the next chapter in my book of riding.
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