| Author | Message | ||
     Zane |
Well, my 14 year old son hasn’t been on the bike for two weeks and really needed some torque therapy. I had last Friday off so I gave in and took him to carve a couple of corners. We rode for about ½ an hour and then I head back toward the house. When I go past the house he knows something is up but not what. We ride over to the church parking lot and he gets his first m/c riding lesson. We spent about 20 minutes practicing take offs from at standing stop and gentle braking. Then I have him drive the perimeter of the parking lot in first gear. He’s so jazzed up that his smile won’t fit in the helmet. Long story short, on his 4th or 5th lap he was going to slow in a turn and laid my Blast down on its right side. All the damage is just cosmetic, there wasn’t any real damage and the bike still runs fine. The damage list includes Broken headlight bezel Badly scraped flyscreen Badly bent flyscreen bracket on the right side (already straightened) Broken front turn signal Minor scrapes to the front brake lever Minor scrapes to the right side mirror Plastic tank cover badly scraped on the right side Plastic tail piece badly scraped on the right side Right foot peg bent slightly Minor cut on seat vinyl Frame scratches all over the right side I was really good. I didn’t raise my voice or say anything much at all. All I did was make sure he was ok and make him get back on for another lap. His arm was scrapped up a little but he wasn’t hurt at all. I figure that it was as much my fault as his so can’t really be mad at him. He is already asking when his next lesson is so it must not have scared him very much. Best thing that could have happened was when we went to order parts. Larry behind the parts counter at Fletchers HD looked Matt square in the eye and told him there are only two kinds of riders: those who have laid the bike down and those who will. No one there made fun of him or teased him about it so that really helped his ego. Matt is good to go for the next time lesson. I just need to explain that you can’t go that slow in the corners and expect to stay upright. When my home computer comes back from the shop, I’ll post some pics of the damage. | ||
| Ezblast |
I know that feeling well - I was really glad my step-son was ok, but I felt bad about the loss of my Laverda/Jota bars - he still doesn't know - good to see he's back on the hoss - perhaps I'll be able to afford another set of those bars some day. EZ | ||
| Zane |
I just couldn't get mad at him. Figure I put him in a situation he wasn't ready for. That makes it my fault, not his. He hit me up this morning saying he "needed" to practice before the weekend. That made me smile inside. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
EZ: My Laverda bars were repairable (even thought they were broken in half). He couldnt have bent them that bad? Zane glad your son hasnt lost his spirit. Blasts going much faster usually share the same damage! | ||
| Ezblast |
Its the multiple bends - lol - the bike bounced onto both sides - why its black now - lol - Zane - good to hear that! EZ | ||
| Fast1075 |
Zane, glad to hear he didn't get hurt much...tell him chicks dig scars  ..it won't be too hard to scare up some plastics and do a bit of refinishing...make it a father/son project...bet he will like that. best wishes...Harry | ||
| Zane |
Hey Harry, Yeah. I figure to do exactly that. I'm always on the lookout for a good father/son project. He helped me straighten out the turn signal bracket already. As to the chicks, he already has enough of his own ideas....lol (Message edited by Zane on December 01, 2008) | ||
| Court |
He'll do great and helping repair the bike will be a fun and educational project. Kudos to you for providing this lesson in a safe environment and providing the moral support . . . he could no have picked a better bike to tumble. Keep up posted on the tidying up of the Blast. | ||
| Rainman |
The Blast was born to teach people how to ride, which is why the plastic was scratched and not busted or dented. I'm still riding the scratched plastics and bent doohickeys from the bikes past as an RE bike and from when my daughter nailed it to the carport wall while learning to drive -- don't ask. I replaced the bent-to-hell mirror, but scratches, like scars, are pictorial histories of the lives we've led. If it's still functional, I just leave them. | ||
| Dhalen32 |
Zane: Have you considered sending your son to an MSF or Rider's Edge class? He can learn (and make the usual beginner mistakes) on someone else's bike for probably less than the cost of replacing parts on your machine. Isn't the class now required in Florida in order to get an M endorsement anyway? Is he still too young to attend a class? Dave | ||
| Zane |
Dhalen32, My son is only 14 so he's not old enough to go to the MSF class, which I'm a strong believer in by the way. He's just been itching to learn to drive and I figure on private property, what the heck. That's how I learned to drive many years ago. He's now a bit of a star at school. Some one asked him how he got all the scrapes. Mustering his coolest cool, he told them "Aww I just wrecked my dad's motorcycle." Guess that's worth a lot of cool points with the middle school crowd. I took him to school on the bike this morning and he didn't seem the least bit apprehensive about it. Half way there I gave him the thumbs up and he responded the same while smiling a big ol' smile. I was looking over the Blast last night and realized it also lost the right side front reflector. I'll need to get that ordered too. Matt is in one piece and that's the important part. The rest can be fixed. I kinda like Rainman's philosophy and may leave the scratches there. No one goes through life without a few scratches and it's good to remember them from time to time. | ||
| Reuel |
A few years ago, I gave my 14 year old daughter (She'll be 18 in less than 2 weeks) a ride on my Blast. After a few rides around the block, she wanted to try. Without starting it, I had her sit on it and said, "take it off the kick stand without falling." She picked it up and promptly laid it over on its side. | ||
| Zane |
LOL... Matt has been rolling it out of the garage for me every morning for the last two months. He'll be 15 in April, is 5 foot 10 and about a buck 45. He played baseball, basketball and still rides horses. No worries at all about him being strong enough. He was just busy figuring out how to drive the bike and forgot to give it enough throttle. Like I told him, poop happens. (I don't curse much) | ||
| Rainman |
I snuck my then 12-year-old step-daughter to the MSF course and taught her to ride a Rebel. I had to run along beside her because, if she fell, her mom would raise hell. She did great. Her interest in bikes dwindled about a year later. I still miss it. | ||
| Zane |
Rainman, She'll come around and get interested again when you least expect it. How old is she now? | ||
| Marlaina |
Rainman, Zane is right. I grew-up in a dealership (literally). My parents were Harley dealers (and also Buell dealers) from 1973 until 1998. I learned to ride when I was little but quickly lost interest. I even worked in the dealership but still had no interest in riding. Fast forward ten years since we sold out... I'm now in my 30's (UGH!) and just got back into motorcycles. My Dad bought me a Blast and I am loving it. My 13 year old has also always had access to whatever motorcycles she wanted and shows little interest. I know she'll come around eventually though. It's in her blood on both sides. I suspect your daughter might likely be the same way! | ||
| Dhalen32 |
Zane: I thought he might be too young. Here in Nebraska a 14 year old with a school permit can take a class and then get endorsed when they are older using their completion card. I usually have one or two students your son's age who take our class each season. I vote to leave the scratches too. They are a reminder of what happens when one makes a mistake. The best part about learning on a Blast is the part replacement costs. I have been in the MSF business for nearly 20 years and just can't believe how inexpensive Buell's prices are for "tip over" parts. That plastic bodywork never dents or rusts either. Have fun teaching your son how to ride. Dave | ||
| Rainman |
She's 18!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When did that happen? I hope there's a chance. I keep offering to take her for a ride and she keeps declining. Maybe someday........ | ||
| Zane |
Guess boys are different. My 18 year old will ride any chance he gets and dreams of getting a Shovel Head some day. He'll ride the Blast any chance he gets. My 14 year old has mentioned 4 times in 3 days that I promised him another lesson on Sunday when he gets home from his mom's. Both my boys are hooked on bikes. Come to think of it, so am I...lol | ||
| Zane |
P.S. I have my home PC back from the shop so tomorrow I should be able to post the pictures I took of the Blast. | ||
| Rainman |
One thing about it, no punk kid on a sport bike is going to turn their heads. Back when I rode a Wing, they laughed at one guy hitting on them and said "my step-dad's bike is way bigger than yours" and left him standing in the school parking lot. | ||
| Zane |
James is really into vintage. He keeps saying that he wants cars and bikes he can work on himself without all the electronics. He's short on cash right now but I mentioned to him how some of the older Buells are so underpriced for what you get. He's been thinking pretty hard about that ever since. | ||
| Krjoseph |
Great thread. If you're gonna teach someone to ride on your bike, you know they might drop it. I let my wife ride mine a few months back. Her cars have always been 5-speeds, the whole clutch lesson was a breeze, the shifting was a bit tougher, but she got it. But she did lay it down one time, she didn't get her feet down solidly. I just walked over calmly and checked on her. I think she was shocked I wasn't in a tizzy, but I knew it was part of the process. It didn't hurt a thing. I told her it was my fault for leaving my seat on, I've got the low seat too and forgot to put in on for her. She's petite, that would have helped her. | ||
| Zane |
KrJoseph, You're exactly right. When a brand new rider gets their first lesson, laying down the bike might be part of the process. Some things just are... | ||
| Reuel |
The second time I rode my Blast, I shot straight across the street and crashed into a snow bank. Soft landings are more fun, IMHO. | ||
| Zane |
Finally figured out a way to get some photos of the carange published. seat and tail piece headlight bezel and fly screen midsection notice the flyscreen bracket telescoped inward Matt's battle scars (Message edited by Zane on December 06, 2008) | ||
| Rainman |
Cool scars, Matt. Hey, Zane, I've got all the same scratches on Thumper from its time in the RE program. We see those a lot, although the long sleeves usually take care of too much road rash. The parts shouldn't be too bad. They replaced the bezel before they sold it, but my flyscreen mounts have been rebent into proper shape and the scratches are similar. The only impact it has that it makes the bike go just a little faster. | ||
| Zane |
LOL, It's black so it already goes as fast as it can. Black is the fastest color, right? Matt was sick as a dog Sunday and today so no m/c lesson but the weekend is coming... | ||
| Zane |
Matt has another m/c lesson Sunday. He did great. We practiced finding the friction point, making smooth starts and going around corners without falling over...lol. Had to use the High School parking lot because the church parking lot was being used. There were plenty of traffic cones so I even set him up a weave course. He did great and is already looking for his next lesson. I finally made the time to get stuff put on. Replaced the turn signal, headlight bezel and the foot peg. I'm still waiting for the reflector to come in but that's a zero time job. All told it didn't take 15 minutes to do the rehab. | ||
| Court |
Very cool. This is so good to hear . . . tell him he has all the time in the world. Take time to really know the bike, what it will do and how it acts. | ||
| Zane |
Court, You must have been listening in on the sermon I've been preaching to him. By the way, I have I told anyone lately that I love my Blast? |
