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October 29th, 2008 A Paradigm is Worth More than 20 Cents muse@bikerenews.com Please allow images to load

The Sabre was my first ride back into motorcycling. After 20 years, I knew that I wanted a cruiser style bike that wasn’t too big for a returning rider. Now what does too big mean? Well, my last bike back in 1982 was a Yamaha XS 400. At that time, this was a mid-size bike. A friend had a Honda 750, and I thought it was BIG. I couldn’t even imagine riding one of those new Honda GL 1000 Gold Wings.

When I started looking for a bike in 2004, the Honda Aero 750 caught my eye. It had the right seat height, the weight felt good, the handlebars had a good position, and the engine was in the BIG category based on my past experience. I told the salesman that while I might use it for commuting to and from work; I was interested in some motorcycle trips and two-up riding. The salesman offered some advice. Not trying to down play the Aero, he stated that in six months of riding, I will have overcome my hesitation with a BIGGER bike, and based on the type of riding I told him I would like to do, he suggested the Sabre 1100.

Now the Sabre wasn’t as big as Honda’s 1300 and 1800 V-twins, but it was still big from my point of reference. When I first sat on it, the bike was certainly heavier, but what got my attention, was that I was reaching for the handlebars. This bothered me. That is when I learned about "risers". I wasn’t even knowledgeable enough about bikes to know that you could move the handlebars up and back with risers, handlebar problem solved. I quickly learned about quick release windshields, saddlebags, and custom seats. This bike was becoming mine.

When I picked up the bike, I don’t mind telling you, I was concerned about not making a fool out of myself before I could get it out of the parking lot. If the dealer had offered a delivery service, I probably would have taken him up on it. I rode it home, and while I felt a little awkward, I took my time and made it home safely (I used all side streets, no interstates).

I had gotten my learner’s permit before buying the bike and before enrolling in the MSF Basic Rider course at TCC. It was about a month before I could get into a rider course. In that time, I practiced riding in my neighborhood. Then I practiced a 10 mile loop close to home. When I thought I was ready, I made several 40 mile loops around Virginia Beach (Shore Drive to Diamond Springs / Newtown to Princess Anne to General Booth to Pacific Avenue to Shore Drive). I kept this routine up until the Basic Rider course. After the course, I decided I wanted to make some trips on the Sabre. However, I knew there was something I needed to do first. I needed to get use to interstate riding. After a couple of runs on I-264, I went for the big time. I got on I-64 to Suffolk and got on I-664 to Newport News and back on I-64 to Virginia Beach.

Over the next four years, the Sabre and I saw a lot of Virginia. I ended up traveling a little over 29,800 miles on the bike with about 98% of those miles in the state of Virginia. The longest trips revolved around the Honda Riders of Tidewater’s annual Virginia Grand Tours. I learned a lot about the Sabre, my riding interests, and riding options in today’s market.

The salesman was right. After about six months, I would have wanted something bigger than the Aero. After my initial confidence levels improved through trial and error, the Sabre was the bike for me. It took me everywhere I wanted to go and it did so in every type of weather. The more I rode it, the cheaper it got. After subtracting out what I sold the Sabre for, the CPM (Cost Per Mile) was $.12. I’ll take that any day of the week.

So you ask, if I was so happy with the Sabre, why did I get a Sport Touring 1300? Over the last four years and 29K plus miles, I learned more about what style of riding I liked, and what I needed a bike to deliver. There are many uses for a motorcycle; commuting, charity events, day trips, interstate cruises, trips out to the western part of Virginia on secondary roads. While I do all of the above rides, it is the last type that I found most enjoyable.

For those trips to western Virginia, I needed a bike with storage for a three to four day weekend, and enough fuel capacity so I wouldn’t have to be looking for a gas station every 120 miles. I needed something that helped to deflect some of nature’s elements (rain, cold, wind) off of me. I needed something that was designed to be nimble in the curves, but could hold it’s own on interstates. I needed something that wouldn’t be weight prohibitive if I dropped it (and I knew I would). I had become a motorcycling enthusiast. I wanted a bike that I blended with instead of rode. I know this is a little too mental and maybe a little too cosmic, but the most basic fact I have learned about motorcycles in the last four years has come from my many talks with Phil and Rich (Yoda 1 and Yoda 2 of Biker eNews fame).

Yoda Rich

Yoda Phil

Know what type of riding you plan on doing. Buy a bike for that type of riding. Don’t expect your bike to change just because you do. All bikes are good for what they are designed to do. It is the rider who has to choose the correct bike. If your riding paradigm changes, change bikes. It may cost you more than shifting a couple of dimes around (get it, pair-of-dimes), but you’ll be happier. I know I am.

Until next time, Ride Safe, but Ride!

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