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Still have my 2006 Kawasaki Concours 1000. About to pull the carbs off and get it right so we can enjoy it again. Hardly any miles. The ethanol gas is hard on them if they sit. Still have my 2013 Triumph which was my dad's pride and joy before he passed. Still have the 1974 Norton Commando which takes up room in the garage but isn't going down in value. Still have my 2005 KTM 200EXC which hasn't been ridden in waaay to long. She needs to be exercised.
Yesterday my 20r old son bought his first ride bike. 2022 KTM Duke 200. 621 miles. Like new. One owner. Well maintained. Was the guys wife's bike. Garrett asked if he had room to negotiate. (The bike was fairly priced.) He said "are you buying it or is your dad?" He grilled Garrett a little. Found out he is working, paying his own college, and saved the money to buy the bike. Took a few hundred more off for Garrett and said "if your dad was paying I wouldn't have budged. It was priced more than fair, but we need more hard working kids like you." Then he proceeded to offer some pointers and suggestions. I wasn't insulted. We chatted enough that the guy knew I knew my way around bikes. Sometimes kids glass over when dad tells them something so I'm glad the guy gave him some things to think about.
Took him to the church today to practice. Started on an uphill incline in the gravel. Take off without spinning your tire or revving the crap out of the bike. Now repeat a dozen times or so. Practice accelerating shift to second, clutch in, and hard straight line braking. Practice figure 8s in as tight a circle as you can do without taking your feet off the pegs. Go in a straight line as slow as you can but keep it within 36". No back and forth swerving. Several other things I suggested to him as well, but you get the idea. Garrett has his temps. He is scheduled to take the safety course. He needs to transfer the title, get tags, and insurance. The church drive is maybe a couple hundred yards down the country road from our drive. It's a good place to practice and learn.
I won't lie. I'm scared to death of him being in the roads with all the idiots. I want him to be extremely comfortable and have all the controls as second nature in a panic situation. It's out of my hands. He is 20. God has a plan for all of us. I hope His plan includes years of safe riding for my son. We stopped by my dad's grave at the church cemetery. Chatted a bit about my dad and good family friend, Russ, and how they are smiling down in Garrett right now. If he does something stupid they might reach down from the heavens and smack him in the back of the helmet. Lol
Pics were just in the drive yesterday practicing taking off and stopping in first gear. Helmet, gloves, and long pants were used today.