Thinking of getting back on two wheels

[skyripper]

Havent owned my own bike since 1999. Before that I'd been on and off bikes for about 5 years. Its been 4 years since I've even ridden a bike. But I've now got a hankering (mid life crisis??) to get back on a bike.

Thing is, if I'm going to buy a bike, its got to be something I really want, not a compromise which is what I always had to have when I was young. My car is enough of a compromise these days.

I can buy a 916 / 996 for under 5 grand. I figure insurance is going to be expensive, and I'll have to budget for a decent lid, leathers etc. as well.

Am I mad?

 

[skyripper]

My riding record is several years on a 125, a year on a 400 and on-off riding of 600 over a five year period. I used to blat up and down the country so racked up a lot of miles.

Been checking insurance costs. I figured the lack of NCB, and a couple of other quirks on my license would be the main factor - its not. Cost of a 400 or 600 was a quarter of the cost of a 916!

I'm also figuring out the cost of decent leathers, a new lid (mine would have been 12yrs old!) and a big ****-off lock.

 

[skyripper]

I bought one. I take delivery of a bright yellow 996 this week. Going to spend the winter getting the paintwork sorted, refreshing a few of the older looking bits and basically planning to be out on it in the spring (yeah, I got old - I'll take the car in winter).

Thinking of taking some refresher training before then - any recommendations?

 

[skyripper]

Pic here