The other day I had a choice. The weather has been chilly but sunny. I've been driving my new Forester to work nearly every day since I bought it. I even bought a parking pass to be able to park on campus. But, I started thinking about the moto again. It sure had been a while since I'd fired up the GS. So, last Monday, I rode the moto to work.
It used to be, before I had the Forester... and I say "I" not "we" because my husband also refers to it as my car. Anyway, before I had the Forester, my winter daily driver was the Honda Civic shown above. I bought that car new and it was only the 2nd car I'd ever owned. It's a small car and served my needs well. Then I became a motorcyclist and for the past 6 years or so, the motorcycle was my main commuter vehicle. First it was the Rebel and now the GS. When I got the GS, I actually felt safer in some ways on the moto than I did in my Civic. I felt like I could see better because I sat higher, I could accelerate quicker, and I'd taken several moto classes providing me with some tools for the road. My gear was comfy too.
Then we got the Subaru. I've driven it for about a month. It has 2700 miles on it. It's really really smooth to drive, accelerates nicely, provides a commanding view of the road, and is very comfy too.
On Monday, I geared up for my first ride in about a month. Muscle memory remained but I'd forgotten how long it takes to gather everything and put it on. I checked the tire pressure and adjusted it accordingly. The GS fired right up of course. As I headed down the driveway, I suddenly felt very small. It was a weird feeling. I didn't necessarily feel vulnerable, just small. I felt very aware of my riding position, where my knees were, feet were, etc. By the time I got to work, I felt better but for the first time I thought... maybe I need a bigger GS....
I haven't told my husband about that yet. ;-)
Great post Allaina. That is a nice looking Forester you have there. I chuckle at the miles you've put on it in a month, only because ours just now has 5000 and we've had it for 9 months. My commute is only 3 miles each way though.
ReplyDeleteEven though the forester has such small blind spots compared to our old Nissan Versa Hatchback, I still think I can see better when on the Gladius. I still sit higher and I can see out of my visor without worrying about the pillars around the windshield being in the way like in the car.
Now to the important stuff, are you thinking of an 800? or a 1200?
I suspect he'll find out :)
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how even a short layoff effects the ride. When we got back from a recent vacation I was surprised the first time back on the Symba. I suspected to feel at home, and I did, but I also felt a little off. I wonder if this is what folks refer to as being "rusty". Anyway, the feeling dissipated as I rode and I was back to being comfortable on the machine by the end of the first ride.
I agree that even a short layoff from riding really affects how we feel. Every Spring after a really long layoff from riding, it almost feels like I'm on the bike for the first time. Unfortunately, this means that I repeat the first year of riding over and over again. Or at least that's the way it feels.
ReplyDeleteSo you are keeping the Civic as a "spare car"?
Apparently my hubby doesn't read my blog. Haha!
ReplyDelete@Trobairitz: My commute is a bit longer, about 25 miles one way. We are about to head down towards Albuquerque for Thanksgiving so it will be ready for the first oil change when we get back. :-) Also, I'm thinking 1200 but they are too tall for me. So, we'll see. ;-)
@Blue: I rode again today and felt just fine. Although, I was a bit distressed with how long it took me to get all my gear together and get moving. I was almost late for work! LOL!
@Richard: I'll bet that is rough with your long off season. Bummer. :-( So far, the Civic is being used as our spare car. Funny how easy that is to do. I should really get the windshield replaced if we plan to keep driving it. And maybe put the ice scraper back in the car too.