I’m not sure if you heard although I have pretty much told everyone. I entered a contest of sorts for an opportunity as a guest editor for Cycle World Magazine, one of the top leading motorcycle magazines in the country. All I had to do was write a little quip about why I would be the best candidate along with my networking info (Facebook, Twitter, etc). What I got if selected was a date with a 2011 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 motorcycle for 90 days. A free ride for the summer. Sweet!
I entered and forgot about it. Imagine my excitement when I opened my inbox a few weeks ago to discover out of all the entrants, I am one of the chosen ten.
Yes, I screamed. Yes, I did a happy dance. And yes, I told everyone I could find… even complete strangers at my second job.
I got the bike on Friday, May 27. It is so beautiful!
I have had it a week. And I am learning some things.
1) Know What Is Ahead
It is so important to get to know something before you take it for a ride. A car, a motorcycle, a relationship. These types of things cannot be rushed into. We have to get to know the situation just incase any surprises pop up. Like say a deer in the path of my vehicle or a bit of a temper in a new mate. There is no such thing as knowing too much. When I first got the Ninja, I made sure I sat on it for a bit and really got to know the bike.
2) Power Is Not Overrated
This bike has mad power. At first I was a little intimidated by this force. But as I am getting to know the bike (see above) I am respecting its power and realizing that power is definitely not overrated. The bike, whose name is THOR, and I are bonding as the days pass and we dig each other. It is packed with torque, which at first I did not like. As Thor and I bond, I grow fond of the torque.
3) Confidence Is The Ultimate Accessory
Weren’t expecting that one, were ya now? I say this because I was pretty nervous when I first got this bike. I have only ridden a Ninja 500 for the last four years or so and a Suzuki GS 750 for a wee bit before that. I noticed that when racked with nerves, my riding sucks. If my confidence is shot, so are my skills. Second guessing is always a bad idea, especially on a motorcycle.
In the past week, Thor and I did not get in as much ride time as I would have liked, but we did get in a few hundred miles. I have to get to the 600 mark so that I can take it in for a first service and then get back out on the road.
