Our New Wheels

It's official--we are now a motorcycle family! Our "new" addition is a 1974 Honda 550 Four that we bought from a gentleman in Boulder. He himself never really rode it, he just kept it around as a project bike and was starting a new project so he decided to get rid of this one. As you can see in the picture, it's in really great shape. We might look for the rear back rest/rack accessory because I want to be able to carry things on the motorcycle. I'd prefer just the rear rack, but it's sold as one piece with the back rest. Apparently adding accessories takes away from its value, so if we ever sell it we'll take the rack back off. I love that it's small enough for me to stand over and feel confident that I'm able to handle it.

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Steven already knows how to drive a motorcycle so he's been out on several errands, some with me on the back and some by himself. We've ordered new helmets so until they come in, our trips consist of going to the Blockbuster 2 miles away or short drives around the neighborhood. I'm going to take a beginner's class so I can get some practice before hitting the open road. The main thing I'm nervous about is remembering all the things to do (pull in the clutch, twist the throttle, make sure it's in neutral when you stop, make sure the choke is on (or is it supposed to be off?), be sure to use both hand and foot brakes at the same time, etc., etc.). The clutch is a little hard to pull but maybe that will just help me develop some serious hand and forearm strength in my left arm. I'm excited to learn, and we're both excited to have something small and gas-efficient for short errands, as well as fun trips to the mountains on days off. Steven may get more of a dirt bike style motorcycle for himself in the future, but for now we'll be sharing this one.
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I did get a used helmet yesterday that Steven found on Craigslist (actually, he found the motorcycle on Craigslist, too; I love Craigslist!). This is the original color I wanted to get, but I went with white and silver for my new helmet instead. Now I have both! So depending on my mood (or my outfit), I'll switch between the two. This style is called Modular because the front portion is hinged to make it easier to open and get on and off. Plus I'm a little claustrophobic and really hate having my nose blocked in any way, so this style helps a lot. Steven's is a really cool matte black one with a shiny black star on the side.