TEN THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT RIDING IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS

It had been 15 years since I last owned a motorcycle. I had remembered a few key things and am learning or relearning several new ones. 1- Having a 1 seater won't do you any good in taking chicks at the bars who are too drunk to drive on rides back to your place to 'sleep it off'. 2- The power nod/wave (where 2 passing riders acknowledge eachother in some way as a sign of solidarity): Mo-ped, Vespa and other scooters do NOT get acknowledged by bikers. In the same way surfers do not recognize knee-boarders. 3- Real bikers are able to fill up their tanks at the gas station without getting off the seat or getting gas dribbling down the outside of the tank (I'm still working on this one). 4- When popping the clutch from 1st to 2nd, hold on extra tight. 5- Unlike 4 wheel vehicles, turn signals on bikes do not automatically switch off after a turn is made. Be alert, lest people will think you're asian! (I'm still working on this one) 6- If you choose not to wear riding gloves on a sunny Carolina summer day, you will get sunburned from your large knuckles to your wrist. 7- It's always important to make sure your reserve tank switch is on the proper setting so if you run out of gas, you have an extra 1/3rd gallon to get you to the next station (most cycles dont have tank meters to tell you when you're almost out). I've learned this lesson already. 8- If a cop stops you and asks why you were doing 53 in a 35 zone... responding "I am dislexic." doesn't get you out of the ticket (it was worth a shot). 9- It's hard to find the right comfortable riding get-up for the day when it is 55 degrees in the morning on the way to work and 95 degrees on the ride home. 10- Do not, under any circumstances, go into a Harley parts store (even if it is only 1 mile from your home) and ask if they have accessories for a Suzuki.