I’ve always thought motorcycles were cool, like many people do. When I was about 14 years old I had a friend who had a dirtbike, and I thought that was cool too. I got to ride it once, and then asked my parents if I could get one too. They were less than interested in supporting that hobby at the time.
After a brief stint with the interest in dirt bikes, I basically gave up the idea of ever learning or getting a dirtbike or motorcycle for the next 15 years. It wasn’t until 2019, when I moved to Colorado, that I decided I wanted to get my motorcycle license. It just felt right. A new adventure in an adventurous state.
I ended up passing the MSF course which allows you to get your motorcycle endorsement, and then I went and bought a used 2012 Ducati Monster 696 for $5,000. It was matte black, and boy I thought it was the coolest bike.
The nerves of riding the bike took awhile to get used to. I was a software engineer after all, without an adrenaline junkie bone in my body. I hate rollercoasters, will never jump out of a plane or off a bridge or any of that stuff. I basically gave up downhill skiing because it became too dangerous.
However, something about motorcycling felt right. I was on the ground, as opposed to in a boat or in the air (I like the ground a lot more), and felt in control. Every turn and shift of my body influenced the bike. I loved it.
I quickly got used to riding, and rode all the time. It was truly an escape from the 9-5 job behind a computer screen, and made me feel alive. I still made sure I was being responsible, wearing full leather gear at all times, and going as far as buying an airbag vest.
I took the hobby even further. I bought GoPro’s and a Drone and started a YouTube channel to document myself riding around various parts of the Colorado. I learned how to edit and adjust audio levels and all sorts of tricks to polish my videos. I thought maybe there was a path to turning it into a business.
However, when I moved back to Massachusetts, I didn’t continue the hobby or even much riding. I just felt like it wasn’t the same compared to Colorado. I struggled to justify riding in the dense streets that were poorly taken care of. It bothered me, but I still identified as a motorcyclist at heart. I knew I wanted to continue riding if I could match my environment to the hobby again.
My initial goals in 2024 are:
- Ride the bike through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont
- Get a trailer and trail the bike successfully to various locations