Joined
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111 Posts
Greetings and salutations!
I am a retired college professor. As part of retirement, I'm doing some things I've always wanted to do, but never had time for. As part of that goal, I got my first "motorcycle" this past spring... actually it is a scooter... a Honda Ruckus. I bought it as a pit bike to use at the race track (I have a 2010 Camaro used for drag racing... another thing I've always wanted to do was drag race a Camaro, but I digress...).
I put plates on my Ruck and got a permit to cruise around on the country roads around my house. I have spent some time riding and tinkering with the Ruck and realized that I really like the 2-wheeled experience. I never before realized how wonderful it was to feel the breeze, smell the smells, zoom around corners, and feel the world around me as I rode. I never experienced that in a car.
I modded the Ruck and upgraded it a bit. Here is what it looks like now...
I am having a ball with it.
I decided a couple of weeks ago that it was time to upgrade my motorcycle permit to a license. I thought it would be really good for me to learn to ride better and be a safe rider. So, I took the Basic Rider's Course at the Iron Pony Riding Academy in Columbus, Ohio. It was a 3-day, 16-hour course with 4 hours of classroom work and two days (6 hours each) of riding. It concluded with the state skills test. I learned a LOT about riding safely. I also know I have a lot more to learn. But, it really whetted my appetite to get a real motorcycle.
After doing some reading, I think the Honda CTX700N may be the bike for me. I stopped by the local Honda dealer to have a look at it. I must admit it looked big after riding my little Ruck all summer. But after I sat on it and played with the controls, it felt just perfect for my height and reach. It feels light and balanced and not intimidating at all. I really like the automatic with the paddle shifters (I have a medical issue that makes shifting a bit difficult for me. I can do it, but a long trip could be onerous for me). The trick is to get my dealer to come down a bit on the price.
I may have to wait until spring to get one. I read that Honda may come out with other versions of the CTX platform. I must admit, I'd like to get a 750 or even 800+ cc machine so I won't outgrow it in a year.
I have already been reading these forums and gotten a lot of good information from you folks. Thank you for that. I look forward to becoming an active member of this community.
I am a retired college professor. As part of retirement, I'm doing some things I've always wanted to do, but never had time for. As part of that goal, I got my first "motorcycle" this past spring... actually it is a scooter... a Honda Ruckus. I bought it as a pit bike to use at the race track (I have a 2010 Camaro used for drag racing... another thing I've always wanted to do was drag race a Camaro, but I digress...).
I put plates on my Ruck and got a permit to cruise around on the country roads around my house. I have spent some time riding and tinkering with the Ruck and realized that I really like the 2-wheeled experience. I never before realized how wonderful it was to feel the breeze, smell the smells, zoom around corners, and feel the world around me as I rode. I never experienced that in a car.
I modded the Ruck and upgraded it a bit. Here is what it looks like now...


I am having a ball with it.
I decided a couple of weeks ago that it was time to upgrade my motorcycle permit to a license. I thought it would be really good for me to learn to ride better and be a safe rider. So, I took the Basic Rider's Course at the Iron Pony Riding Academy in Columbus, Ohio. It was a 3-day, 16-hour course with 4 hours of classroom work and two days (6 hours each) of riding. It concluded with the state skills test. I learned a LOT about riding safely. I also know I have a lot more to learn. But, it really whetted my appetite to get a real motorcycle.
After doing some reading, I think the Honda CTX700N may be the bike for me. I stopped by the local Honda dealer to have a look at it. I must admit it looked big after riding my little Ruck all summer. But after I sat on it and played with the controls, it felt just perfect for my height and reach. It feels light and balanced and not intimidating at all. I really like the automatic with the paddle shifters (I have a medical issue that makes shifting a bit difficult for me. I can do it, but a long trip could be onerous for me). The trick is to get my dealer to come down a bit on the price.
I may have to wait until spring to get one. I read that Honda may come out with other versions of the CTX platform. I must admit, I'd like to get a 750 or even 800+ cc machine so I won't outgrow it in a year.
I have already been reading these forums and gotten a lot of good information from you folks. Thank you for that. I look forward to becoming an active member of this community.