First 1000km down, and I'm in love!

So, first I should do introductions. I'm 37 and recently sold a house in Toronto and moved up north which put a few extra dollars into the account and convinced the wife to let me pick up a bike. I have always been into adventure sports, have a pilots license, hang gliding license, and Scuba so was looking for a sport bike rather than a cruiser while I'm still able to handle having my legs tucked up underneath me for a few years yet.

After looking at a few bikes and reading alot of forums, I picked up a 1984 first gen VF500F. Since the 500's didn't have the oil starvation issues that hit the 750's and this one has more than 50k on it (and is still running like a top) I figure I won't need to worry about that particular issue. However I'm mechanical enough that I can handle the carb syncs and other issues that I'll need to keep this baby running for the rest of this season and next before I pick up a more modern machine.

I took the MSC at a local college three weeks ago, and have been doing a fair bit of riding through town and about 700k of highway driving (one trip into Toronto) over the last couple of weeks to get the hang of the bike and a better feel for the whole thing.

I decided today that I had enough experience to try one of the roads in the area that is famous with local riders, River Road in Peterborough ON. Very twisty, switchback filled road that runs along side the Trent Canal, and I learned alot about what people have said about this little bike in these forums.

First, if you are new to riding and not confident in yourself while still respecting your limitations, I would not recommend this as a first bike. However, if you have the confidence to ride it right, and are still aware that f*cking up will get you killed quickly, this is an awesome machine. Getting into some of those corners, a hard right followed by an immediate haul to the left, this baby likes to lean. The more lean you give it, the more it wants. Coming out of the corners, a little gas while still in the powerband and she pops up like a cork and begs for the next one. Even when already doing 50k per hour, hitting the gas hard when the speed limit opens up to highway speed, keeping it at 7000-8000 rpm and she wants to tear through the sound barrier.

I know that my knees will only take a couple of seasons, especially pulling 3 hour plus rides, but I have been spoiled. There is no way that I'm going to be able to go to a cruiser for some time yet. I am deeply in love.

I know I'll get hassled if I don't post a little bike porn, so here is my first baby. She's stock from a mechanical standpoint, but was given a complete pearl white makeover at some point by a previous owner. I'm certain that this bike never came from factory as pearl white, it had the red white and blue, or blue red and white motifs, so over the winter, I'm going to have it brought back to it's original colours and make it as pretty as it sounds.

 

Love the passion, hope your wife is OK with sharing you. Mine ended up getting her own bike...made it easier on the relationship.
You've moved to a great area to ride, I predict a few "late for dinners".

Welcome

 

:welcome: to the world mate
Look like you have done most of the crazy sport out there.
Please ride safe Kudo to MSF class :thumbsup:

 

She sure is a pretty little bitch....remember ATGATT.......