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It's interesting to me how many motorcyclists are also so often involved in the shooting sports. Like shooting, the best part of riding is sharing the sport and good times with your kids.
My youngest has been my wrench buddy for the last month or so as I've been tweaking on the TW. While the help is most definitely helpful, it's just a blessing to spend time together and watch the wheels turn and the information congeal into understanding and appreciation.
Well, this weekend I got to share the fun with her... Took a couple hour drive last weekend and picked up an '03 TT-R90 that had some idle issues for a great price. I got the carb cleaned out over my lunch break on Thursday and it was running like a top after that.
The girls helped me get it washed up and peel off the bubbled tank decals Thursday night and I let the wife ride it around a bit. She...wasn't quite as enthusiastic as I was about what was about to transpire, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
Friday night the fun started. She wasn't too sure about riding it herself and was rather gun shy about the engine running. The driveway is sloped, so with the bike off and in neutral we practiced using the brakes to slowly walk the bike down the driveway. She was a little wobbly at first, but picked up the necessary techniques quickly. Walking went to rolling 5-10 ft. at a time, went to rolling down the driveway with both feet on the pegs and nice clean controlled stops at the bottom. Took about half an hour to go from gun shy to giggly grins.
Saturday we went to the local park to get the bike running. Started trying to walk with it, like the night before. She was goosing the throttle at first and I had to play catch with the rear end the first two tries. However, after showing her how to do it again, she was off and driving. Little spurts at first, a few feet at a time. Then she started making 5-10 ft. runs at a time. Surprisingly, she didn't have any problems walking the bike around the turns. Gaining confidence, she started going 20-30 ft at a time in the straights with her heels skimming the grass and walking through the corners, then only stopping toward the end of the corners and taking off again. And finally she was riding laps around me - feet on the pegs and smile on her face. Finished up with some more braking practice and headed back to the van. Jogging beside her I lurched ahead and gave her the "come & get me" grin...and she grinned right back and goosed the gas passing me by. What a hoot!
She was so giddy she was bouncing when we got home, and as excited as she was, I'm pretty sure I was beaming even prouder...it was awesome!
Gotta love the smile!
My youngest has been my wrench buddy for the last month or so as I've been tweaking on the TW. While the help is most definitely helpful, it's just a blessing to spend time together and watch the wheels turn and the information congeal into understanding and appreciation.
Well, this weekend I got to share the fun with her... Took a couple hour drive last weekend and picked up an '03 TT-R90 that had some idle issues for a great price. I got the carb cleaned out over my lunch break on Thursday and it was running like a top after that.
The girls helped me get it washed up and peel off the bubbled tank decals Thursday night and I let the wife ride it around a bit. She...wasn't quite as enthusiastic as I was about what was about to transpire, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
Friday night the fun started. She wasn't too sure about riding it herself and was rather gun shy about the engine running. The driveway is sloped, so with the bike off and in neutral we practiced using the brakes to slowly walk the bike down the driveway. She was a little wobbly at first, but picked up the necessary techniques quickly. Walking went to rolling 5-10 ft. at a time, went to rolling down the driveway with both feet on the pegs and nice clean controlled stops at the bottom. Took about half an hour to go from gun shy to giggly grins.
Saturday we went to the local park to get the bike running. Started trying to walk with it, like the night before. She was goosing the throttle at first and I had to play catch with the rear end the first two tries. However, after showing her how to do it again, she was off and driving. Little spurts at first, a few feet at a time. Then she started making 5-10 ft. runs at a time. Surprisingly, she didn't have any problems walking the bike around the turns. Gaining confidence, she started going 20-30 ft at a time in the straights with her heels skimming the grass and walking through the corners, then only stopping toward the end of the corners and taking off again. And finally she was riding laps around me - feet on the pegs and smile on her face. Finished up with some more braking practice and headed back to the van. Jogging beside her I lurched ahead and gave her the "come & get me" grin...and she grinned right back and goosed the gas passing me by. What a hoot!
She was so giddy she was bouncing when we got home, and as excited as she was, I'm pretty sure I was beaming even prouder...it was awesome!







Gotta love the smile!
