The mid-life call of the motorcycle.

Here I go again.  Three years ago, I got the itch to learn to ride a motorcycle.  I signed up for and completed the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic Rider Course at the local community college.  I had a great time and passed the skills test easily.  Got the little ‘M’ endorsement on my license and my darling wife even gave me ‘permission’ to get a bike!  Funny thing happened though…I decided not to buy one.  I just felt like the time wasn’t quite right.  I was still mulling over the risks, and whether I’d have time to ride.  I concluded that a motorcycle would probably spend more time in the garage than on the road, so I punted.

Here it is, almost exactly three years from when I got my M license, and the itch has returned.  Mostly because of this:

2009 Suzuki TU250X

This cool little bike is nothing less than the rebirth of what is known as the classic 70’s “UJM”, or Universal Japanese Motorcycle.  With a 250cc engine, it is on the lowest end of the power scale - but that’s exactly what the novice rider needs to develop good skills - a forgiving bike that will tolerate some inadvertant hamfisted-ness.  It also happens to be a thoroughly modern bike - it is even fuel injected!  (Some purists will thumb their noses at that, I’m sure.)  Now Honda has had their venerable Nighthawk standard available for ages - also a 250cc but it’s still carbed and uses drum brakes for both wheels.   Sorry, no thanks.  But this new-to-the U.S. Suzuki - this is a stylish standard motorcycle that I could really enjoy.  Oh, and it costs just $3800 - a damn good price for a new bike.  I should note that a lot of riders recommend that newbies buy a used Ninja 250, ride it for a year and then trade up.  The rationale here is that a new rider will definitely drop their first bike, and why mess up a brand new motorcycle?  That may be true, and it is probably good advice, but let’s face it - the decision to buy ANY motorcycle is emotional, not rational.  In some countries, the motorbike is the primary means of transportation, but in the U.S., motorcycles are generally instruments of leisure.  It is no different for me.

I have more thinking to do on this.  I haven’t made the commitment to buy yet, but that itch…it really needs scratching!  Look for more on this topic in future posts, and possibly a dedicated page if I take the two-wheeled plunge.

So h