First ride after three and a half months of healing

[shuttlebug]

I got my cast off, so I had to find out if I could still ride after the accident. So I dug out my old Shoei helmet from 1980 and got the '85 Kawi ZN1100 out of the shop and took a 20 mi ride around the block- no problems, no anxiety, my riding habits were still there. It felt so good to be back on the road. Bring on another touring bike! To those who don't want me to ride again- I am truly sorry, and if I get hurt again, I apologize for putting you through that again. A friend at church had a nephew - a Lt, Colonel no less- who had his neck vertebrae crushed (wearing a helmet) when the front wheel on his bicycle came off and he crashed. So what do you do? You have to die of something, life is dangerous. I don't want to spend my life being afraid of what might happen and never enjoy the life that God gave me. This has been heavy on my mind since the accident, and I have gone back and forth about riding again, but I have found that I really love to ride motorcycles Wish us Godspeed and pray for me and Debbie.

[shuttlebug]

PS- We still need to ride in Wyoming yet

[cowpuc]

PRAYERS UP AND GODSPEED BROTHER!!!! I agree,, ride your ride and put everyday to good use my friend - we have nothing to fear but fear itself!! Now if we were riding Harleys - we might wanna fear having to push once in while but

 

Go to Cody Wyoming, follow 16A up into and across the Big Horn Mountains, by the time you get across to Interstate 90 you will look back at your thoughts about giving up touring on a motorcycle and do this = .. Welcome back Mr and Mrs Shuttlebug!!

[XV1100SE]

Glad you are healing up. Nothing wrong with you riding again. Once you feel the wind on your face... even after an accident...riding is great !

[BlueSky]

Hey, post a photo of that ZN1100!! Here is my 85ZN700

 

[Chaharly]

That's more than awesome man you're definitely an inspiration to me. I can't wait to get on again

[Flyinfool]

Ahh Yes, It sure must feel god to be back in the saddle again.

Have fun bike hunting.

[Howard B]

When you get to Wyoming, don't forget to go through the GRAND TETONS. Beautiful ride from Jackson to Montana. Especially Bear Tooth Pass. You'll love it.

[Wrench]

"So what do you do? You have to die of something, life is dangerous. I don't want to spend my life being afraid of what might happen and never enjoy the life that God gave me. This has been heavy on my mind since the accident, and I have gone back and forth about riding again, but I have found that I really love to ride motorcycles"

 

My surgery wasn't nearly as serious as your accident, but now with 2 titanium hips and 3 fused discs I have pondered the same question as you. I think that you summed it up perfectly, there's no "gimmes" in this ol life so I intend to make the most out of it for as long as I can.

[shuttlebug]

Hey, post a photo of that ZN1100!! Here is my 85ZN700[ATTACH=CONFIG]96988[/ATTACH]

Here she is. I went to a yard sale and I saw her stuffed away in the corner of their garage being forlorn, so I bought her for $250. Not near as pretty as yours, but she is a work in progress. I just hope I don't pile it into the back of a truck- it is just scary fast! But fun I did a barrel roll with it in the yard once when #4 cylinder finally kicked in- yee hah! http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=96999&d=1423119979&thumb=1&stc=1

[BlueSky]

It looks great for $250! When I bought mine, it had 1,058 miles on it. The original owner had passed and his 55 yr old nephew was going to keep it. After trying to clean the carbs and it was still running ragged on 3 cylinders, he put it on craigslist. I put a whole bottle of Valvoline Complete Fuel System Cleaner in it and ran it through with a full tank of gas. Afterwards it ran smooth on 3 cylinders. After verifying it had spark up to the spark plugs, I disassembled the carbs and cleaned them again. They appeared clean but I did find that he had lost an o-ring from under one pilot screw and a washer from under another pilot screw. It still ran on 3 cylinders. Finally, I found out #2 had a dead spark plug, something I have never seen before. Replaced the plugs and it runs great. It has about 3,700 miles on it now. I put a National Cycle Plexifairing 3 windshield on it that I really like. I also had to replace the mirrors because the oe mirrors had stalks that were so short I couldn't see past my shoulders. And of course the signal light stalks all broke and had to be replaced. If I had a choice I probably would prefer the 1100 but truth be told, the 700 with its 74hp in a 500lb bike has more performance than I have riding skills!:)

[MikeWa]

shuttlebug

Good to hear you are able to ride again. As I recall, my first ride after my crash though short was so exhilarating. There is no explaining it. It just felt so good to be back in the saddle. My very best wishes to you and Debbie for a happy and safe upcoming riding season.

 

Mike

[Oldodge]

That first ride after an accident is priceless. I went a couple months after I could ride because I didn't have the money for a new bike and I wasn't sure I wanted one. One evening my cousin stopped by to show me his new to him Softail and insisted I ride it down the road and back. I was gone a half hour, blew the horn and waved as I rode past him, standing in my driveway. When I finally got back he was sitting on the porch talking with my wife. She said "I know, I can see the look on your face. I haven't seen it in awhile. Just please, not a noisy thing like that!" I smiled just reading about your ride, because I understand and I bet you had that look too. I am happy for you Shuttlebug!

[Yammer Dan]

Yeah that 1st ride is something!! I won't forget limping that 1st Gen home with a broken frame!! Got me back on my 750 for a while. That bike is a blast on the back roads!!