Had a bad feeling I might be a "squid"...

**carbonhed** · 16th December 2008, 17:04

... only to be informed that I was in fact a "born again" biker. Suspect I might just be a "born again squid"...

Sold my last bike in 1980 (a Honda CB 750) and apart from a lot of mountain biking and road cycling haven't been on two wheels since. Still it's just "riding a bike"... how hard can it be?

Wandered down to Wellington Motorcycles with a major itch for a Speed Triple (it's just "riding a bike"... how hard can it be?). But, beautiful though they are, it was just too intimidating. Maybe an SV1000? At $12000 that's a stupendous amount of bike for the money. Torquey, relatively light and not too highly strung. Hmmmmm...

Finally fell head over heels for a Daytona 675 SE from Nelson (the joys of the interweb know no bounds).

The guys at WMC recommended a Roadsafe course before launching myself up SH1 and I'm really glad that I did it. Probably a life saver really.

The answer to the "it's just riding a bike... how hard can it be?" question, was in fact, "quite hard". Hard enough riding a 125 2 stroke with sit up and beg handlebars a metre wide in a closed parking area. Riding the Daytona around the Kapiti Coast the first few times was the scariest thing I'd done in years. Probably since having a few "Oh my God! I'm dead" moments racing on the mountain bike. I'd come back from my 30 to 40 minute training loop absolutely knackered from the stress.

Things have improved... thank fcuk.

So if you see a gorgeous Daytona (like the one below) with a dweeb perched on top of it... please be gentle.. and expect the unexpected

Greetings from carbonhed.

**98tls** · 16th December 2008, 17:12

Welcome,indeed a gorgeous bike.Enjoy and take it easy (for awhile).

**jtzzr** · 16th December 2008, 17:12

Welcome back to riding Carbonhead , and welcome to the site.

KB is almost as dangerous as riding on the open road.

Take your time with both and enjoy yourself.

Nice choice of bike by the way. BE SAFE!!!!

**McDuck** · 16th December 2008, 17:15

Squids think there is nothing wrong with them, infact they are perfect. There is a big differance between a squid and sombody who knows they want to have a thou but know they are not up to it...... or somthing like that...

**Dan Mapp** · 16th December 2008, 17:16

Weclome to the world of Hinckley Triumph onwership

**riffer** · 16th December 2008, 18:20

Phew. Brave move coming back to biking with a 675.

Get yourself a mentor asap and work on that riding and you'll get the hang of it fast.

Welcome to kb.

**Gubb** · 16th December 2008, 18:23

That engine is mind-blowingly awesome!

Good choice, I toyed with the idea of the SV1000 for a while as well. You made the right choice!

**Ocean1** · 16th December 2008, 18:35

Hello dude.

No bodily fluids where they don't belong eh?

**Pedrostt500** · 16th December 2008, 18:37

Welcome back to the fold, yep things have changed abit on 2 wheels since 1980, come to the Wednesday night ride, you will meet some good people.

**trumpy** · 16th December 2008, 18:51

Very nice bike. A bit crouched forward for my ageing back but loved the handling, looks and that luuverly engine. Enjoy, lucky bugger.
Take your time getting back into the swing of things and you'll be fine. Just remember the body ain't what it used to be, at least mine isn't.....it seems to have changed shape since 1980......

**KiwiKat** · 16th December 2008, 19:10

Welcome back to riding carbonhed. I can relate to your comments as I had a 29 year break from bikes. Test riding was interesting.

A good choice of bike. There are some mint Triumphs for sale at the moment.

Group rides are great for getting the skills back up to speed but bikes are vastly different now and your co riders will enter corners at speeds you are not comfortable with.

Always available for people wanting a quiet ride north of Wellington.

**carbonhed** · 16th December 2008, 21:09

Thanks very much everybody.

Bikes certainly have changed almost beyond belief. Brakes, tyres, handling, grunt... what's not to like?

Brave move coming back to biking on a Daytona? I can imagine it biting if I'm not careful. There's a section on the Paekark Hill coming into it from the North where you leave the coast and run up a valley before coming back to the coast. Hitting that in second it's easy to go very quick while flicking it left and right but it's also really bumpy... So I get flashes of doing a Jorge Lorenzo. Head six feet off the ground, feet twelve feet off the ground

That the kind of thing you mean?

A Street Triple like Gubb's would have been perfect... but then I saw the SE and it was lust at first sight. I must have this bike

I will investigate these local group rides for sure. Sounds like fun as long as I don't get sucked in over my head.

Kiwicat... how did you get back into it? Straight onto the Katana?

carbonhed

**KiwiKat** · 16th December 2008, 21:36

Originally Posted by carbonhed

Thanks very much everybody.

Bikes certainly have changed almost beyond belief. Brakes, tyres, handling, grunt... what's not to like?

Kiwicat... how did you get back into it? Straight onto the Katana?carbonhed

If you're used to older weightier bikes you wouldn't be happy with a light one to start off. I chose the katana because it was 1) a comfortable fit and riding position I was used to, 2) proven reliability, 3) a bloody good price. I found the trick was not to use a lot of throttle or brake initially. It can be slippery.

I also allow for the fact that the mind and body doesn't react as fast as it used to and I am more cautious / wiser (maybe not).

**86GSXR** · 17th December 2008, 07:00

Beautiful Daytona well done! If that doesn't get you back in the flow nothing will. My 80's machinary gave way to Triumph and I'm totally addicted now, enjoy that baby