And the Journey Begins — The First Motorbike Ride

In conjunction with taking formal lessons, dP has agreed to give me extra bike time. He’s a really good instructor (not surprising given his years of teaching EMS); and, as an added bonus, if I do something really stupid he can keep me alive until I get to the hospital. My only fear is wrecking his bike.

The first ride was rather anti-climatic. I’ve heard so many horror stories about people ditching their bike the very first time they ride… or crashing into a curb… or worse, hurting themselves. I expected something momentous and spectacular but it actually wasn’t that hard.

I was able to start it (even after attempts to trick me), get up to 20km, go in a loop, stop, and start on a hill. Though later I did stall it twice on a hill (first ride) and 5 times (second ride/next day) when I was challenged to get moving faster (instead of taking my sweet time finding the catch point between clutch and gas).

The only notable thing was that for some reason (I still can’t figure out why) towards the end of my first ride we started to draw a crowd of boys who seemed to want to watch. Maybe it’s the jacket.

Honestly, the hardest part was sitting on the back of the bike as dP drove to the parking lot. I don’t know how women in India ride on the back of a bike… sideways… sari blowing in the wind… holding a child or two… with laundry… and not holding onto the bike.

Here’s me in the now infamous 80s rocker jacket, which none of you are looking at because you’re all looking at the bike: