We all come here for various reasons ......

@Musicman Awww yay ....thank you 🤗

@skmokisses I've gotta ask one time, do you ever think about getting another Harley?

@Musicman I have .... numerous times. Maybe one day 😉

@skmokisses You ride? That's cool. 👍

@WindTherapy Yea, I had my own bike but sold it a few years back.

@WindTherapy She had a gorgeous Harley 🙂

@skmokisses Nice! I've got 2 but unfortunately the weather isn't going to allow any riding for a little while yet. ☹ Oh well, I need to rebuild the front forks and do a few more things before I can ride anyway.

@Musicman I didn't know that. Maybe she'll share a pic of it sometime.

@WindTherapy 2 nice! Well, hopefully the weather will improve for you soon. I wasn't much for riding in super cold weather myself.

@skmokisses Yeah. One is setup for my longer rides. The other (working on now) I picked up a couple years ago. Pretty neglected. So been repainting and doing work to get it back to it's former glory. Pre-Covid I'd ride to work if it was above freezing (morning temps) as it would generally be warmer in the afternoon. But I'm getting to where 40 degrees is my cutoff. While riding in warm summer temps are nice, I kind of like the 60-65 degree days when the sun is out. Put on leathers and head out for the day. :)

@WindTherapy I would agree 60-70 is good.......and I'm glad to hear you say you wear the leathers. Always dress for the slide and not the ride........cause you never know.

@skmokisses Well I'm not a ATGATT guy, so I do take some risk. But I agree, the more safety apparel the better.

@WindTherapy Just now seeing your comment ....she wasn't as glamorous as @Musicman may have made it seem but she was plenty enough for me 😋

@skmokisses I still think it was a sharpe looking bike. 😊 You definitely looked good on it. 😎

@Musicman Awww, well thank you! 🥰

@skmokisses Bikes are an extension of our personalities. We choose them, and change them up to our liking. An expression I've always liked, "if you don't turn around and look back at your bike when you're walking away, you bought the wrong bike". I keep a picture or two on my computer so I can look at them every now and then while they're tucked away for winter. 😎

I think that looks like a nice bike. As long as it puts a smile on your face it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. 🏍

@WindTherapy Oh she did put a smile on my face! Every time was like Christmas morning and getting on that new bicycle Santa brought you!
When I got my license I knew I wanted to start with a Harley. Many tried to talk me out of it, saying I should start on a Honda first and work my way up to HD. I wasn't having that......go big or go home!! So I bought a Sportster ....... she was heavy but not so much so that I couldn't pick her up if she fell.

@skmokisses A Sportster was a great choice to start with.

@skmokisses I like that analogy, like Christmas morning..... I too feel like that whenever I throw a leg over one of my rides.

I grew up riding. As a young teen dad said I could learn to ride when I could stand flat footed on the bike (Honda enduro). I think I checked every day to see if I'd grown enough. 🤣 Put a lot of miles up and down the gravel road and through my grandpa's pastures. In my 20's I sold my bike as it's too hard to strap a car seat to the back..... Fast forward when I decided I wanted back in, I picked up an old Suzuki just like those I rode in my teens/20s. Wanted to make sure I still enjoyed riding before spending $$ on something. Turns out I did still enjoy riding, but in my 50's I didn't fold up like in my youth and needed a cruiser that sat more like a recliner. I picked up a Yamaha (Harley wanna-be) and have made some modifications to make it my own (exhaust, tour pack, electronic cruise, etc). I enjoy looking over the Harley and Indians but I'm too fond of my current ride to want to get anything different.

I can understand the advice to start with a metric. Far less expensive and should you change your mind the investment isn't as high. But finding that you've outgrown a bike in short order isn't ideal either. At least with the Harley the resale value is generally decent.

@WindTherapy My first ride was on the back of my grandfather's Indian at 9 yrs old. I knew at that moment I wanted my own. However, it didn't happen till I was in my 30's, once my girls were older. I went to HD and took their riders course because I had ZERO experience. I was the only one in the class with no prior experience..... and zero experience with a clutch (car, bike, or otherwise). I recall the instructor saying 'please tell me you can at least ride a bike" LOL. I passed the class with flying colors, got my license, and the next weekend went a bought my bike.
I put 1000's of miles under my belt and had some amazing adventures along the way. There is NO WAY to describe the feeling to someone who hasn't or doesn't ride. I'm sure YOU know.

@skmokisses Having not driven with a clutch I'm sure it took a little bit to get comfortable. But good for you to take the class. Classes weren't required to get a license when I got my motorcycle endorsement. Just a written and driving test.

I've put ~35K miles on one of my bikes since I got it in 2017. The past couple years I've taken some multi-state rides. You're right, you can't really describe it to someone who hasn't ridden. The best quote/analogy I've heard is "it's the difference between watching a movie, and starring in it".

@WindTherapy The class wasn't required where I am either but if you pass the class then you just take the certificate to the DMV and get your license. No written or driving test required at that point.

YES ....I love that analogy!! 😎