Motorcycle Bought!

I've finally bought the bike! Here it is:

First I spent over five hours in subways and trains for two trips, getting to a shop with the saddlebags, then getting to the dealership. :)

When I arrived, I went up to my bike, fondling the rear fender, my eyes just beaming. I was standing there, thinking "Is this really true?" It felt surreal to see it finally happen.

Jim showed me respect, saying that when I first came into the shop telling my story, he didn't think I could pull it off. And Pete said I'm a character guy, so it was fun to go the way. But still, it was a project with a lot of hassles, both for me and for them; just all the hours I went through the paperwork together with Geoff...Thanks to my guys at Empire, it was a long and rocky road to get here!

Today, we tied up the deal, rang the bell (welcome to the family), I put the inspection sticker on the number plate, and we went out to the alley to start the machine. When Pete fired it up and I heard the sound, saw the motorcycle vibrating, almost jumping actually, I must admit I got a bit nervous. It is a beautiful beast, no doubt! Beautiful, but still a beast. And a healthy dose of respect for a motorcycle is a good thing, anyway.

First I went to a parking lot to get familiar with the bike, and after about twenty minutes to half an hour I felt good with it and got on the road. By the first bridge I was already yelling into my helmet like a maniac. That grin would last for a long time during the rest of the day. Even just riding back to Manhattan felt like an adventure, and that's not because the way lead me through The Bronx and Harlem (no burning garbage cans, though).

I had planned to already be on the road today, but since it took me a little longer, I'm in New York for another night (YMCA, of course), and tomorrow I'll start the tour. First destination: Philadelphia.

Btw, regarding an earlier post: to be fair to the YMCA, there also are newly renovated rooms. On the left is the room I had for the last two weeks. Really nice! And on the right is Serena. She gave me great moral support and getting-a-room help.



For now, take another look: