My entry into motorcycles – October 2009
It all started out with the restoration of a vintage scooter which, because of its engine size required that I obtain a motorcycle license. In Connecticut, a motorcycle license can be obtained a couple ways; using a learners permit (and essentially teaching yourself) and by taking the MSF or Motorcycle Safety Foundation training course. I opted for the latter figuring that at my age, I needed someone to teach me the basics so I would not find myself in trouble, even going 20 mph on a scooter.
The scooter project is another subject but suffice it to say it got me into thinking about riding around on a powered two wheeled vehicle. Those are not entirely foreign to me as I have considerable time on a moped in Bermuda. Since tourists are not permitted to drive a car, it’s either renting a moped or hiring a taxi every time you need to go someplace. The problem with using that as “experience” is the amount of time between trips. You seem to forget much of what you had learned and each rental is a new experience in learning how to ride all over again. My last moped experience was actually in Block Island back in 1997 so it had been about 12 years since I’d been on anything faster than a pedal bicycle.
After finishing the restoration project, I naturally wanted to test drive the vehicle which I had spent the better part of six months rebuilding. Once I got the motor to start and idle, I climbed aboard and put the thing in gear. Easing out the clutch while applying some throttle got the scooter in motion. I kept it at about 10 mph and never left first gear for those initial trials. Actually, I was quite surprised and found myself liking the experience. Attending a scooter meet introduced me into all sorts of restored scooter and while I sat out the first ride because my scooter was unregistered (and I was still without a license) I realize there was more to this scooter experience that a toolbox and restoration labors.
Upon arriving back home I began to research what I need to do to get a license. I found a practice exam for a motorcycle and took it just for kicks. I quickly learned that I knew nothing about riding a motorcycle, let alone passing an exam. I then discovered these MSF’s and one that was offered by my local community college. The cost was reasonable; it took 3 days of intense trying but once completed, there was no need to take the DMV rider test. I quickly signed up and while I was finally selected for a date, it was the last class offered in 2009. I have 3 weeks to wait until the third week of October; rain or shine.
My first problem was the fact I missed the opening classroom portion. It was strange how that happened but thanks to a few close friends and colleagues I was able to make up the classroom portion on the Friday night preceding the outside portion of the class. It was then that I first met Mike Demers, the motorcycle driving instructor. Mike is one of those people who truly loves what he is doing. He is both knowledgeable and experienced and he has that natural talent that some teachers have; and that is to inspire their students to reach out and achieve when mentally, they have psyched themselves out. I was one of those students and Mike was patient and understands even when I was ready to quit. Anyway, the classroom portion was about 4 hours and Mike cut no corners and stayed right to the end. He carefully explained the motorcycle and the art of riding and the course material was well intersperses with demonstration video clips. At the end of the evening, I has a pretty good understanding of the machine and what I was about to learn firsthand.
The following morning we all met at the MCC MSF training site on the Manchester Community College campus. There were 12 in the class, two instructors and an assistant who prepped the bikes. The class was pretty equally divided between men and women and ages ranging from about 28 to 60. Three of the women all worked together and had husbands or boyfriends who rode bikes so they all decided to take the course. One of the instructors was Mike who taught the classroom portion. The other fellow was an older gentleman named Forrest. Forrest would demonstrate each maneuver prior to the student trying it themselves.
There were a slew of motorcycles; a mixture of all brands and models. I chose a red Honda Nighthawk due to my size. The Nighthawk is slightly bigger and has a taller seat than most of the other models.
We were introduced to the bike and taught how to turn the fuel on, do a pre-ride inspection and how to use the clutch. Within an hour we were riding these bikes on the course in first gear and feeling reasonably comfortable. By noontime, we took a break for lunch and were told to report back to the classroom for the afternoon session. The classroom session reinforced what we had learned that morning using videos and supporting training material. At the end of the class, we were all given a written test. I was one of the first to finish and surprisingly earned a 98% by missing only one question.
Sunday morning we all reconvened at the training site and began a series of maneuvers. Mike would explain the maneuver and what we would do while Forrest would demonstrate on one of the bikes. Afterwards, we would all practice the same maneuver. I was surprised as to how much there was to learn. I was also impressed that after each maneuver, our comfort level on the bike seems to improve. For me, that was true until we had to practice two maneuvers’ slow sharp turns and the swerve. Both these maneuvers gave me trouble and at one point, made me question whether or not I would ever master them! Mike was great and his calm reassuring style reinforced my diminishing confidence. By the end of the day, I was doing quite well and actually starting to enjoy myself.
The ending session was actually the evaluation phase of the training. We had to demonstrate our ability on each maneuver and would be graded on each element. This evaluation would replace the riding portion of the DMV exam so it was pretty important. After it was finished, only one person was called to the side and told she needed more instruction. All in all, it was a worthwhile experience and I learned much. Surprisingly, although I made it know I was a scooter person, after completing the course was seriously thinking about a motorcycle.
My first motorcycle
After completing the MSF course I found myself looking at various motorcycles. There are basically four types of bikes and the one I liked the most was the standard street bike. With this model, the rider sits upright whereas on the sport bike, the rider sits on the seat but hunches forward to grip the handlebars while placing their feet on the pegs. In fact, the rider is pretty much lying face down on the bike. This is not something my back would be able to endure very long. During the course, I was riding the Honda Nighthawk with the 250 engine. The bike seemed big to me and I figured it would be a good bike to start off with. I asked Mike what they would be worth and he felt I could buy a late model version for under $2,000. However, given my size, he suggested I look at a Nighthawk 650 or 750 sizes. I was not as sure as I didn’t want something that was too heavy.
For the next few weeks I searched EBay and Craigslist for Nighthawks. The instructors had encouraged us to get in some riding experience soon after completing the course so we wouldn’t forget all that we learned by waited until next season. I found many and made an offer on one late model in Pennsylvania. It was a 250 and also a former training bike so while it was a 2003, it had only 2,500 miles. I was later to learn there are lots of bikes with low mileage on them as people buy them and don’t ride very often or very long distances. I lost out on the 250 as I offered him $800. He had it listed on eBay with a starting bid of $1,000 and no takers. It was probably a good thing that deal fell through. One of my fellow students told me her boyfriend had a Nighthawk he was willing to sell. It was a 1983 Nighthawk 750 and the price was right. I met up with “Howard” and he took me through the bike. It was well used and need considerable cosmetic work but mechanically, it appeared to be in decent shape. What did concern me was it size and weight. Since I had very limited experience, I wanted my first bike to be manageable especially with my back. He agreed and I decided to take a pass on that bike. However, “Howard” was a super nice fellow and I look forward in possibly riding with him and my fellow MSF student, Marty.
I continued my search for a suitable bike but buying a bike in the late fall is difficult. While the prices are good, the selection is very limited. Then one day, I found a Honda Nighthawk 650 for sale in Otis Massachusetts. The asking price was $800 so I called to inquire. The owner claimed it was in good shape and had only 7,100 miles. We agreed I would travel to Otis that Saturday to look it over. That following weekend I arrived in Otis and my GPS said I had arrived. The house was a ramshackle shack to I wonder just what this bike would look like. Since nobody answers my knock, I got back in the car and drove out to the main road where I could get cell service. I called “Fred’s” house and his wife answered. Apparently, there house was further up the road. I arrived and his wife said Fred had just left to run some errands and would return in about ½ hour. She took me to his shop where the bike was stored. Fred was a logger and had a large metal workshop that housed all of his equipment. Fred’s family has lived in this land for 200 years so he was truly one of the original “Yankees”.
The bike was in decent shape from what I could see. The driveway leading to the shop was dirt so there was considerable dirt and mud on the tires and wheels. Nothing that wouldn’t clean up but I was surprised he didn’t have it “sparkling” since he had it up for sale.
I looked the bike over as best I could. It was blue and aside from a small dent on the left side of the tank, it appeared to be OK. It also had a driveshaft rather than a chain which was something I was looking for. To me, it was clearly worth $800 and possibly more. His wife and I returned to the house to await Fred. I had a cup of tea and had a nice chat with “Missy” and she prepared homemade lasagna. Fred returned about 20 minutes later and before we even left for the shop, I told him I would buy the bike for the $800. I could see right off these was honest people and the bike was just what I was looking for. Fred and I drove to the shop to see if the bike would run. Fred had changed the battery after running it down the day earlier. Apparently, someone had turned the kill switch and he had run the battery down before noticing the switch. Lucky for me because had the bike run, the previous buyer would have probably taken it.
The bike fired right up and sounded great. We sealed the deal and while I backed my trailer around, Fred made out a bill of sale. We loaded it on the trailer and I was soon off for home. While en-route, I stopped at a carwash and gave the bike a casual cleaning to get the mud and dirt off. I arrived at the house and removed all the tie down straps holding the bike to the trainer. The Honda has a center stand which made transporting it on a trailer much easier. I rolled it off the trailer and started the engine and let it warm up. I drove it up the driveway to give it a much closer inspection. For $800 this was a great deal! It needs some basic cleaning and there were a few rust spots on the chrome that would come off with a brass wire brush. I spent an hour or so with a can of wax and in no time, this thing was looking good.
My first ride on my own Honda 650
Today, November 15th was my first actual ride on my newly acquired Honda Night hawk 650. While it was my first ride, it was sort of an illegal one at that. The bike is still registered in the name of the former owner and that registration is good until the end of the year. However, there is no license plate nor it is it insured. My friend and neighbor, Andy Harris gave me an old expired Connecticut plate so at least it would look like I had something on the bike.
We made a couple of circuits around the block before taking off onto Keeney Street. We were soon up to 35mph and I was in 4th gear (with two more to go!). The bike is really stable and I had no difficulty is riding. Keeping my head and eyes up (as Mike had taught me) made it even more stable and it took just a few minutes for me to gain a comfort level. That is a comfortable as one can be looking over their shoulders for a local constabulary!
We made a few stops and wound or way around Keeney Street to South Main and past the golf course. A left turn onto Hackmatack and soon we were back at Keeney Street. Up the Keeney street hill to the top brought and back to West Gerald and Steeplechase and it wasn’t long before I had parked the bike in the garage. Wow, that was fun! A glance at the odometer told me I had ridden just over 9 miles!
Prior to the ride, Andy gave the Honda a good going over. The first thing he did was to replace the brake fluid in the front brake. It was already starting to go bad and I’m glad we took the time. It is now up to me to repeat the process for the clutch.
Troubles with my first motorcycle
On Tuesday, I drove to the DMV to register the bike. They gave me a temporary registration and told me since it was from out-of-state, it needed to pass Connecticut inspection. No problem, I now had a temporary plate and could ride it for 10 days.
Since I was scheduled for hand surgery the following week, I decided to have the bike inspected the next day. I got up early and put on my leather jacket and gloves as it was the coldest day so far (about 25 degrees) I remained on the back roads to get comfortable on the bike and it rode well. Proceeding through Glastonbury, I had to cross the Putnam Bridge to get to Wethersfield. Crossing the bridge places you on a highway and I was soon traveling at 55 mph. The bike was rock solid but I was happy to get back on the side roads since I lack any real riding experience. I was too early for the inspection lanes so I stopped off for a cup of coffee at a local shop. After coffee, I arrived and the inspection lane and was waived into the garage. I shut off the bike and while I removed my helmet and jacket, two inspectors began looking over the bike.
After a few minutes it became obvious to me there was a problem with the bike. A third inspector arrived and he began using a hammer and screwdriver on the front fork. What I later observed was the removal of the vehicle ID plate. What someone had apparently done was to relocate the factory data plate to the right side of the fork in such a way as to cover over the frame ID stamped into the metal. After uncovering the fame number, it was discovered the two numbers didn’t match. The inspectors copied the numbers and proceeded to the main building where presumably, they ran the numbers through a series of checks. About an hour later, the inspector informed me there were going to seize the bike for further investigation. While the numbers on the bike were apparently clean, someone had gone through the trouble to reattach the VIN plate and they wanted to know why. It appeared that at some point in this bikes life, someone had changed the frame. In fact, the frame ID is from a 1983 Nighthawk also sold in Massachusetts. I was given a receipt for my bike and my wife arrived to bring me home. While the day started of exciting with my first real ride on a motorcycle, it ended on a somber note.
The following day I began to make calls and research this bike. I learned I could have a composite inspection as long as the bike was not reported stolen. I called a number of friends including a DMV inspector. He gave me good advice which was to contact as many of the previous owners as I could to see if I could determine when and where a possible frame change has been done. I also wrote to the DMV commissioner asking for his help. Within a few weeks I’ve spoken to the head of the department who advised me all they need to do is finish up their investigation. The good news is the bike is not stolen and I was lead to believe the matter would be resolved in a week or two.
This past week (December 10th) I called the DMV and another inspector returned my call. Apparently, the inspector who was handling my case has been out on leave and it has been transferred to Inspector Barrett. He advises the State Police have looked at the bike and want to perform an acid test on the frame to see if the frame number had been ground down and changed. It is now up to the State PD as to when that will happen. In the meantime, my bike sits. The person I bought the bike from keeps calling me for a status update. I believe he would be willing to take the bike back if I could get it returned. My other option is to get the bike back and eventually registered so I could sell it. Why? Because I just purchased another Nighthawk!
My second Honda Nighthawk
After the debacle with the 650, my neighbor Andy and I stopped by New England Cycle to see what they might have in terms of used bikes. As we proceeded to the parking lot I observed a shiny back Honda sitting in the row. Upon closer inspection, it was a 2000 Honda Nighthawk 750 and it appeared to be like brand new!
It had 15,000 miles and was traded in by an older adult for two smaller bikes for the husband and wife. The bike was exceptionally clean; even the exhaust pipes looked new! I figured this was going to be big money and both Andy and I figured around $4,000; far above what I was willing to invest. The salesman came over and told me it was a trade that day and they hadn’t even come up with a value yet but he thought it would be around thirty two hundred. It was clean but too expensive for me. Andy and I looked around some more and even looked at a Suzuki V Strom which is another street bike. It was a 2008 and way above my price range. I then mentioned that we had an employee that used to work at New England Cycle. Scott, the salesman asked me if I was the VP at AAA. When I replied yes, the price on the Honda went from $3,200 to $2,500 and the Suzuki form $5,600 to $4,400! We chatted some more but decided to leave to think it over. I was concerned that if I bought this bike, the DMV would release my 650 and I would be stuck with two!
For two weeks I tossed and turned over this black Nighthawk. After researching it, I discovered it was in fact, a steal. It was in fabulous condition, adult owned and just what I needed. Andy even pointed out I would need to invest in tires for the 650 and probably need to put $400-$500 into it to make it roadworthy. The 750 on the other hand needed nothing. That would put my investment to $1,300 or more compared to something that was 15 years newer and in perfect condition. It was a dilemma. Finally, I asked Kiely in our financial services department (who worked previously at NEC) to have NEC put the bike on hold. I figured within 2 weeks I would have an answer from DMV on the 650 so I could then decide. A few days later I discovered that NEC put the 750 on EBay! It was later canceled and I called the salesman. I decided to make him an offer of $2,300 which he declined. He claimed I could have it for $2,500 and the bike would sell for $3,200. I had my doubts but figured, it was winter and I would wait. Besides, I had hopes my 650 would be back. I watched eBay and the price bid remained at $2,400. I called Scott and asked him what was going to happen. He said it was a second listing and could not be canceled. If I wanted the bike, I could bid and maybe get it for $2,425. That morning as I was going over some papers, I discovered that a few years ago I had sold some stock. I had forgotten all about it and there was a balance of $1,839.13 in my personal account. Further, I had decided to discontinue my membership in the Limestone Trout Club after a year’s leave of absence. Since I must redeem my original four share of Limestone stock, the club has paid me back the original $2,500. Hmm, I could buy this bike without tapping any family resources! I put a bid of $2,501 into eBay and the next day I was rewarded with the bike!
Back to the original 650 Nighthawk
It is now January 2010 and the 650 remains impounded at DMV. Originally, the State Police were supposed to perform that acid test after the first of the year but so far, nothing has happened. I decided I would pay a visit to DMV and one Tuesday morning I stopped by. I was fortunate to find Inspector Barrett availed and we had a pleasant conversation. He was still waiting for the acid test and until then happened, nothing could be done. I thanked him for his efforts and drove to my office. Later that morning I sent an e-mail to the Lieutenant asking if somehow he could intervene on my behalf and get this process unstuck. He wrote back the next day and said he would do what he could but under State statute, he was required to validate the number. It was clear this was not going to happen soon and I resigned myself to waiting months to get this bike returned. The following week I received a call from Inspector Barrett who informed me the acid test had been completed. The test confirmed the original frame number had not been altered so from that standpoint I was OK. They then went to the title division where it was determined I would need to post a bond for the value of the bike. Doug Barrett informed me he thought it would take about a week for the paperwork to arrive as they need to first determine a value. It’s been just over a week so hopefully the bike will be back soon.
I will now be faced with another possible dilemma; what to do with the 650. Given that I will need to post a bond that will probably complicate my ability to sell it to someone else. I may be forced to keep it and while that in itself is not bad, it does leave me with two machines. Hopefully, Maria will get her motorcycle license and she may be able to use the 650 as it is the smaller and lighter of the two. First, I still need to get it back!
After months of delay, I finally got my 650 back and was able to register the bike. Yes, I had to post a surety bond equal to the retail value of the bike in the event someone comes along and claims ownership. The bond was a simple matter and a friend who is an insurance agent was able to secure the bond for $100. With the bond in hand, I make the trip to DMV. I see the appropriate people, sign the forms and eventually registered the bike. Once that process was completed, I proceeded back to the inspection lane and added the plates to the bile. The lady inspector has told me they took care of the bile and ran in occasionally to keep the battery up. The bike started right up so with my helmet and gloves on, I rode out of the lat and onto the highway to my home. It was indeed and long drawn out process but at last, it was done.
Once at home, I decided I was going to go through the bike and make it roadable. I rebuilt the front struts, replaced the tires and brakes. I also changed the oil, oil and air filters and added new mirrors. The bike was now in perfect condition. I rode it a number of times and found it easy to handle and very powerful. However, it made no sense to have both a 650 and 750 Nighthawk so I decided to list the 650. If I could get paid what I paid and my cost of improvements, I’d be satisfied. In the end, my brother-in-law head I was selling it and became interested. Jack bought the bike and took the MSF course in New Jersey. As far as I know, he still has the bike and thoroughly enjoys it.
I still have my 750 Nighthawk and ride it occasionally. Now that my neck problem is better, I’m looking forward to more riding beginning the spring of 2014.