I did it, now I want to know the consequences to what I have done!

by Kim
(Canada)

Hi ladies,

I have learned if you want to know what ladies think, ask them.

I have been here before from the beginning of my newbie miles back in April to now, some 9,000 km later.

What started out as a wish to accomplish in 2010 from my bucket list, has turned into a change of life. Since I started with riding schools and licensing back in April, I have added more than 30 friends to my personal life style as well as miles over sweeping long ocean side roads, to boarding a ferry to cross the ocean to ride in Vancouver, to back road uneven paved back countries, to everything in between.

I come from a competitive horse background and am relatively brave and fearless. Maybe not overly motivated to step out and take more on to my already busy life, but when I do, watch out...heart and soul get thrown in and it takes on a life force of its own.

I have been riding a Yamaha 650 V-Star for about 8,000 km and I changed its pipes and its look to make it look like a Harley Davidson. Well, it don't look like one and it sure as heck don't sound like one. Still, I enjoyed the bike. But as I began traveling further and further out on longer trips off the Island, I found the 650 V-Star just didn't want to cruise past 110 km/hour.

In my recent Advanced Motorcycle Course trained by Policeman, I did begin to understand that safety sometimes include riding ahead of the flow of traffic. As I got more comfortable with speed, I could see that cruising ahead of the flow of traffic was very smart and I became comfortable.

However, when the posted speed limit is 80km/hour on highways, but the traffic flow is doing 110 or even 120, my poor engine is screaming. Thus, time to upgrade.

My partner and I have been looking at bikes and he wants us to have similar bikes. He vowed never to own a Harley Davidson, and it is true, that Japanese bikes are better made and are more problem free than a Harley and cost 1/2 of what a HD does.

Taking some months to explore various Honda's and Yamaha's and BMW, and Kawasaki's etc, there might have been a model here and there that my partner and I both liked, but not enough to say..."yeah"... mostly, we didn't like the same bikes, or they didn't do much for each or the other.

We walked in to a huge Harley Davidson Dealer on the mainland, where I had been before, and a particular salesman is very knowledgeable about the bikes from years and years of riding HD and working in dealerships, and i like him and trust him. So, while I was talking to the salesman again about the HD Softail Deluxe and the new colors, my partner was wondering about, from bike to bike... When it was time to leave the shop, I found my partner standing by the exit door staring into space. I thought I am gonna hear about how he hates HD and would never own one.

When I approached my partner, he was actually staring at a vivid blue bike and without looking at me, he grabbed my arm, nodded towards the bike and said quietly, "I really like that bike".

I looked at the bike and thought, ooh, that is a cool looking bike....I'd never noticed that model before, as I had eyes only for the Softail Deluxe in my past. But this bike model was very retro, had a brilliant color, fluffy seat and looked "cool".

Hence, I was introduced to the "HD Softail Custom".

I said, "wow, that is a cool bike..." and I was deep in thought...

My partner said, "there are two of them, same bike, and one of them is purple" (my color for bikes)

Purple? I looked and there sat a beautiful same bike as the blue, but in purple...

My partner said, "go sit on it"...and I did.

I was a bit startled to be sitting on a HD model other than the deluxe and liking it.

Mostly, I liked the fact that it was a bit rebellious of a bike, as I had been thinking that a big cruiser is much of what I have now and now quite what I want in the future.

I want something different, with a roar of power, not noise, and something with attitude that I can be proud of and can keep ahead of the flow of traffic and is even a bit naughty, but safe, fun and can give me years and years of pleasure rolling through Canada and the US.

We left the shop and went across the street to Honda to sit on the bikes we had thought were in our potentials, and we sat on the V-strom also...

Suddenly, the HD Softail Custom, just became "the bike".

Amazingly, both bikes were on sale as they were 2009 models and there were two 2010 models, side by side, but the colors of red and the other black, did nothing for us.

The bright sky pearl blue and pewter and the deep purple with pewter just seemed to have our names on them. The fact they were also on sale and by adding bags and windshields and engine guards to them made it more affordable and more...possible.

We took some time off to talk and dream, but we did go back to the shop. We sat on the bikes again and there was no real question, we would get them!

We bought extended warranties to cover any breakdowns while traveling and my salesman highly recommended lowering kit for my bike.

A bit of a concern is I was wearing flip flops....how far was the extension of my leg to reach the gears?

What will the skinny tire feel like?

Really, a chopper? I liked the bike and remembered the ooz of "oooh..do I dare...I like it..a lot"...

the attitude I could feel when I saw it, sat on it, dreamed of it.

The bikes are on the mainland getting dressed up and in about 1 week, I will get my butt over there and place it on my new extension...

But, what can I expect from this bike? As a lady....what will it feel like, perform like? Ride like?

I hope I love it. They don't let you try them before you buy them.....I am excited, but a bit worried. However, I finally do get the HD and my partner whom said he would never be "one of them"....is now a proud owner...and he is totally excited!

Whom knew after circling around all the bikes, my partner and I would meet back where it all started at a HD Shop and find the perfect duo bike that calls both our names, that were side by side?

Meant to be? Sure seems like that.

Always thought it would be the softail deluxe, but none ever made me actually sign on the dotted line on the first day I crossed paths with it...until the day, I sat on the softail custom, in my color, in my price range with my smiling excited partner sitting on his match....

a match made in Heaven.... seems meant to be.

I would love to hear from ladies riding HD softail Customs or know who is that might be able to educate me on the consequences of my desire!

Warm regards,

Kim