This year's spring was long coming, and I seem to have lost my tolerance for cold. Baby was stuck at TO Cycle for the winter after that woman hit us in November, and between forecasts of snow and ice and sand still on the street I didn't go pick her up until the end of March.
Meanwhile, the second weekend in March, my friend Goldie, who was a new rider last year, upgraded to a brand-new 2009 Ninja 250 and needed a lift to the dealer in Burlington to pick it up.
I drove her there in the car, since I hadn't picked Baby up yet from TO Cycle. It was REALLY windy that day and it was Goldie's first time on her new bike, so we went to the parking lot down the road from the dealer for her to put it through its paces and get used to how it felt.
She did great. It may be only her second year riding, but she has good form and is careful. Her friend Fiaz (see last pic of him on the gixxer) met us there to ride back with us. What a nice guy!
Meanwhile, my new YZ250 is still in my kitchen because I don't have a garage -- nowhere I can lock it up. I'm still a bit leery of it, to be honest -- my feet dangle nine inches off the ground on both sides when I sit on it. Marta (who's at least three inches shorter than I am) tells me I'll get used to that -- and to propping it up on chain link fences to kick it over, but I'm still somewhat dubious.
So I bought a CRF230. At least I can get a toe down on both sides. I'll get my trail legs on it, and THEN try the YZ250. I took it up to the Ganaraska two weeks ago with Ty, and really enjoyed zooming around in the forest. There were still patches of snow, though, and I hate trying to ride on snow, even on knobby tires. You can't get any traction on it, unlike mud, and can't change direction at all on it, or you'll go down.
Ty just bought a KTM505. He's wanted one forever, and finally found one in fantastic condition at a price he was willing to pay. We both had two dirt bikes this spring, he bought a CRF450 and rode it a couple of times before he sold it - see him below with it outside Chesterman's indoor MX track, where we went in March. The last pic is inside Chesterman's. It's a small track, but when there's still snow on the ground... you're happy just to be able to ride. Anywhere.
I don't mind how dirty I get on the CRF. It's part of the fun. But ... I gotta tell ya, having to wash her down every time I take her out is going to be a drag. I might wash my Ninja twice a season. Maybe. If she's lucky. So having to wash a bike down every time I ride her ... groan. And Ty tells me I need to rebuild her top end every season. Some people do it every time they RIDE.
Mind you, those are the folks who really push their bikes. MX people are the craziest riders of all.
Still. Kinda crazy!
More pix from my first rides later. It's bedtime, now.
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