I went for a maintenance ride today with Kiki. The maintenance refers to keeping my riding skills maintained and sharp. 😀 It’s important for me to keep the motorcycling skills up since it is a dangerous activity, so riding around the neighborhood, with plenty of slow turns and stop signs is a good way to practice.
When I first began riding, I’d be nervous whenever I had to come to a full stop. Since I cannot flat-foot both feet (my inseam is maybe only 28″?), I’d have to tip-toe. And also, getting the timing right of putting down my feet as soon as I stopped moving forward was a challenge. But after a bit of practice, I learned to just slide my butt off to the left side, and put down my left foot only. I can flat-foot on that side, and it is very stable and comfortable. And I have gotten the timing right for stopping. Basically, I come to a stop kind of forcefully at the end, instead of a gentle slow-down. Now coming to a full stop is almost second nature, although I do still have to give it a little bit of thought, especially to make sure I don’t put my foot down on any slippery oily stuff.
It was a nice little ride, but I do need to adjust my clutch lever. I had moved it up since my motocross boots needed extra room, but I don’t have those boots anymore so I can lower the lever to make it easier and faster to shift. I actually missed a couple shifts today because I was tired from a long run in the morning, and that reminded me that I need to adjust that lever!
If you have a few minutes, why not come along for the ride? 😄
