Dad rode the 10 yesterday....

(FYI - I am 22 and working at Defensive Driving School so I am in no means an 18 year old little kid who got daddy and mommy to buy him a motorcycle so he can go kill himself)

I had been dreading that day for a long, long time. He is motorcycle savvy and has ridden many bikes in his day, but I KNEW that the 10 would be more than he was expecting.

I bought this bike a month ago with 3400 miles on it. Now it is over 5200. I love it! :smile: Since purchasing, my dad and I have been out on several rides and he takes his Yahama Raider S (1900cc) out with him. Very torquey (sp?) and overall a pretty cool cruiser.

Back to yesterday - he pulls of the road and I knew what he was going to say. "Let's switch bikes, son."

"I knew you were going to say that."

So I regrettably hop of the 10 and watch him stagger over. My dad isn't exactly skinny. Or short. He is 300-320 and 6' 0". He has had more joint replacement surgery that actual joints. (3 surg on left shoulder, 2 surg on right shoulder, 2 surg on left knee, 3 surg on right knee).

He attempts to swing his leg over.... three times. I finally grab his foot and carefully move it across as to not scuff this beautiful machine.

He sits on it. He definitely needs the zx14. :thumbsup:

I jump on the cruiser and tell him once again, as I had a THOUSAND TIMES, "be careful dad, it is way more power than you think."

He says, "okay. You lead and I'll follow behind."

GOOD! I set the pace slow. I look back and he finally gets the bike on the road and is trying to find his balance. We rode for a mile or so and he is finally able to keep up with my 40 mph pace. (We took these roads earlier at much faster). Finally I wave him on by and he comes up beside me and then zooms off.

These next moments were the scariest of my day. My dad has a bad habit of braking INTO corners and he also doesn't understand the outside-inside-outside concept.

I watched as he took a couple of corners wide and then finally slowed it down enough to take a few without scaring me.

Three minutes later he pulls off and I pull behind him. I turn off the cruiser and jump up to help him off. He looks at me with water STREAMING down his face (he has a brain bucket, not a full-face) and his eyes going :eyecrazy:

"Son, you are a crazy son of a bitch." :lol::crackup:

He told me that he used to have a 73 rd350 (two stroke) and it would wheelie in any gear. That was the fastest bike he had ever ridden... before.

I helped him off the 10 and calmed my nerves by getting back on this beautiful pony and riding!

Jason