Vulcan500.com

Background, over the last 4-5 years I've put between 50,000 and 60,000 miles on a combination of about three bikes. April 15th 2012 I

went down from a collision with a couple of dogs and wound up in a wheelchair for three months and I'm still working on regaining more

use of my right leg. During my recovery, I decided to buy a new bike and convert it to a trike, mainly to pacify my wife who really didn't

want me to ride again at all. I gave the trike about four weeks of daily riding and just wasn't happy with the compromise compared with

being on two wheels, so I put it all back to a regular two wheel set up. Today, I finally got it out of my shop and onto the road for a nice

hour or so ride around my area of North Georgia (USA).

WOW! How nice. What a great feeling to be back on two wheels again. I had almost forgotten the effect riding on two wheels has on

me. I just tooled around on some country roads for about an hour, enjoying the feeling of being "one" with the bike again. I wish I was

a better writer so I could put into words the pleasure I feel when I'm riding a bike. There are so many factors that are all working

together when I'm riding that it's hard to describe. First, there's the way a bike just seems to be an extension of your body and mind

when you ride it. When you first learn to ride there's a lot of conscious thought going into riding, but it seems like you eventually reach

a phase where the bike is responding to your thoughts more than it is to your body. For example, when you go into a turn, you get to

a point where it seems like you are just thinking and the bike is just leaning the way you think instead of feeling like you are physically

making it lean. I can't really explain it, that's just how it feels to me. Then there's the way you feel connected to the world you are

riding through. When I'm in an automobile, it always feels like I'm watching a movie through the windows, but when I'm riding, I'm part

of the movie, I feel the temperatures, the wind, smell the aromas, good and bad, and I hear things I just don't hear when I'm in a car

even with the windows down. Finally, when I'm riding, my mind is engaged and working really well, I am more aware of my

surroundings, and yet I also feel like my creativity is in overdrive. I find myself coming up with all kinds of ideas, solving problems and

yet I also feel a really relaxing feeling at the same time.

Well, anyway, all that to say, I had a really nice ride. I didn't actually go anywhere, just made a big loop through the "country" and

back, but it sure was nice. I hope you all find your rides just as wonderful as I found this one today. :2tup:

burkbuilds wrote:I wish I was a better writer so I could put into words the pleasure I feel when I'm riding a bike.....

I think it's safe to say we all know what you mean. It's the people that don't ride who wouldn't understand.

Glad to hear you're back on 2 wheels!!!

I'm really hating that life is keeping me from tearing down and rebuilding my new to me '89 Honda that.... wow it has been nearly a year. I also am really itching to get my fuel injection project done. I think I may have to burn some vacation time.

Triangles, I agree, I don't think non riders can fully understand what most of us experience when we ride and as you point out, those who get it don't need words to understand what another rider is trying to say.

I hope you get that fuel injection done in the near future, you've been working on that for a pretty long time now.

Burkbuilds,

Glad to hear you're back on two wheels. I know what you mean about riding. It's a great way to de-stress too. Keep us posted on your progress. Personally, I don't think I could ever give up riding.

burkbuilds wrote:I hope you get that fuel injection done in the near future, you've been working on that for a pretty long time now.

More accurately it's been on the back burner for ages... I'm getting the itch to add a 4th bike to my stable and I want the fuel injection done first.