Stacey's Sportster - The First Day Out

My friend Stacey finally bought her first Sportster.  She has been riding with her husband for years and decided she was ready to ride her own. We spent the first day in an empty parking lot showing her the basics. I couldn't believe how fast she picked it all up.  Sally knew all the hand signals and basic knowledge from all the years she spent as a passenger on her husbands Electra Glide Ultra Classic. After a day of messing around in the parking lot she felt ready to go out on the open road.  

We mapped out a small run down some quiet back roads. With her being a novice rider we wanted to keep things simple and easy for her. Her bike had saddlebags and a windshield so we packed some snacks and drinks for our stop at a park on the way.  We left in the morning and traffic was light. This was what we wanted for her. She did great. Stacey was a natural on her 1200 Custom. It was a beautiful summer day and it didn't take long for her to get too warm in all her gear. When we stopped at the park she was really happy she had her saddlebags. She was able to store the extra layers she had been wearing. We discussed her ride so far and she said; "I'm feeling better about the weight of the bike and the turns are getting easier". We all poked fun at her a little (because that's what good friends do) as her Sportster was much lighter than most of our bikes. We reassured her she would be a pro in no time.  

As we left the park Stacey lost her footing and almost went down. We were all worried she wouldn't get back on her bike. She looked a little shaken but dusted herself off, took a moment to breathe and finally said "lets go".  The rest of the day was smooth riding. We stopped for dinner on our way home and talked about all the things we had seen. Stacey said she was glad she didn't let herself give up. She had so much fun and couldn't wait to go again. We told her that we would be going out again real soon. She was pleased that we would all be riding together again as she felt better about riding in a group instead of alone since she was still a beginner.

--To be continued soon...