Not sure I wanna do this!!

Ok, so I've written blogs before and even have a Twitter account BUT I just don't have a lot to say except internally. I say a lot internally. My mother was an optimist and my father a hardcore gun toting pessimist. So I'm a Pessimistic Optimist. Basically I wanna kill myself but will wait until tomorrow because something good might happen today.

Who am I? I am a 42 year old High Tech Product Manager who happens to be Gay, has an English Bulldog, and has fallen in love with riding motorcycles.

I used to ride while in college at the University of Arizona. I loved it then but I left Tucson and traveled the world and just never felt it was the right time to get a cycle. When I moved to Seattle 11 years ago I thought Well it friggin rains here so no way will I ever get a motorcycle I tend to be a fickle shopaholic who is trying to be financially smart, so I'm at odds with myself. Two years ago I thought I wanted to try Mt. Biking because all my friends do it and I thought I should give it a shot. I had to buy a really nice bike, a Kona Hoff! I used it for a summer and beat myself up falling through wooded tracks. I haven't gotten back on but am being stubborn about selling it, who knows in a Apocalypse I might need to peddle outta here.

Anyway, so about a year ago during the whole gas crunch I was watching the news and they spoke about how many motorists were getting scooters to save money. I thought well why not a motorcycle, I can save oodles of money. So I went and took the class to get reacquainted with riding and to get my riders permit. At the time a friend of mine owned a motorcycle shop. He's actually has my dog's littermate and they used to play all around the motorcycles with their toys. I was always worried they would knock the bikes over like Dominoes. Never happened thankfully.

Once i got done with the class I went to see my friend and he introduced me to a red '03 Honda American Classic Edition 750CC for only $3000 with 12,000 miles on it. I bought it but was really scared to drive it out of his garage. Finally I got it out of there and rode it all through August until March. My friends and coworkers thought I was crazy for riding in the winter and thru the rain. Yeah I agree with them but I couldn't imagine not riding my bike. I would start getting restless when I went more than 2 days without riding. It was cold and wet but I survived.

In March I was cruising through my local Honda/Harley dealer. They of course hit me up and asked if I was looking for bike. I said no BUT IF I was then it would have to be under $8000. They brought me into the back and presented me with a '02 Honda VTX 1800s with so much chrome I had to shield my eyes from the glare. It also had Vance & Hines pipes that when you launched the bike it had a deep loud rumble which set off car alarms and made neighbors call the police on you. I took it for a ride. It was a big bike, like an SUV of bikes. For those who don't know 1800 CCs is one of the highest engines you can go to and the higher the CCs the larger the bike. So I had a lot of respect for this bike going from a 750CC to an 1800CC is a large, crazy jump. I got on the bike and it felt like sliding into a glove, just right for me. But very difficult to handle when you don't know how to. It takes a lot of experience maneuvering such a large bike. I left the dealership after haggling them down and trading in my bike for a good price.

As soon as I left the dealership it was pouring rain outside and very windy. Just my luck I was in a squall without the proper gear on a bike I knew very little about. I couldn't make lefts or rights for fear of dumping it. From where I was it took me an hour to get home, soaked to the bone and cursing my stupidity. Since then in 4 months I put 7000 miles on it and love it to death. I can handle it like a pro. I get tons of comments about how huge and shiny it is. Everyone loves my pipes and their sound.

I joined a Motorcycle Meet-up group here in Seattle and ride almost every weekend. I commute to work daily on it. So why did I then buy a Harley?

I've heard a lot of great things about Harleys. You go to any motorcycle meeting and there are Harleys everywhere. They are kinda like their own club. Who doesn't want to belong? One thing I could never understand was how all of these people who looked like they couldn't afford their apartment or have a good job or even eat that day, they all had Harleys? Ok I know, I know total stuck-up judgment call, I should be ashamed of myself! Ok so Harleys are NOT cheap. I asked around, politely how so many could afford an expensive vehicle? Here is what I was told. Harley owners really care more about their motorcycles then their cars. What most people would spend on their car Harley owners get cheap cars and spend all on their cycles. This made total sense to me. My car is paid off and I make a very good living. So I started looking.

None of the Harleys did much for me. Compared to my massive Honda VTX everything else looked small or felt cramped. There were a few with style that I liked but nothing screamed I had to have it until I saw the Rocker C. I have this big hard on for Choppers. I think they look way hot! Nice bike fat tire, sweet handle bars and stretch out fork. I love them. The Rocker C is Harley's version of one. Fat 240 back tire, single seat (with a trick passenger seat that flips out), beautiful tank, stylish handle bars and a stretched out front fork. I saw it, I wanted it, I couldn't/shouldn't afford it.

So I decided I couldn't get it but before going to bed one night I put out into the Universe that somehow I was going to get that bike someday. The next day I was surfing Craigslist. The first search for Rocker C brought up an '08 Black Rocker C in mint condition with less than 900 miles on it for $13,900. Now Rocker C's go for $19,000 - $20,000 new and used $18,000. I compared prices and couldn't find anything that cheap. The catch was that it was an hour away in Mt.Vernon at a Honda dealership. So I called the salesman's number in the ad It was a Monday and usually they aren't open. He agreed to meet me. I went up with a buddy of mine and test drove it. Now compared to my bike it was very small, like a scooter. I had lots of doubts so I turned it down. If I was gonna buy a bike it had to be the one, I figured.

After days of looking and test riding other Harleys I didn't find any model I liked. The Rocker C kept screaming the back of my mind. So yes I got it. Got them down to $13,500 which is pretty much wholesale. So needless to say I have two motorcycles in my garage now. One for touring (my VTX) and one for cruising and looking cool, My Harley Rocker C). I'm soooo happy!!