July 20th 2009

Finally, the day of the ninja had arrived!. After a night of fever and barely any sleep, my co-worker came and picked up me up, just a bit before noon, and we headed off towards the register place. There was a waiting period of about 30 min, but getting the bike registered and the license plate pressed went quite fast. After we finished that, we headed over to my bank, and i grabbed a lot of euro bills. My co-worker, chris, had some other things to take care of now, and i had to wait until the late afternoon until the bike would be ready anyways, so he dropped me off back home, and there i waited. While i was waiting patiently, it started to rain like mad. Lucky for me though, the sky showed it's true beauty later on, and so i headed off to the kawasaki dealer. Since i had all my stuff with me, and was going to get a box of the original products from the bike, i had chris come pick up that stuff and my bicycle before he headed off to work. Finally though, i got to see my bike for the first time. Wow!. Even though they took their pretty time with the bike, i gota admit that the results pleased me beyond belief. It was exactly how i wanted it to be!. The rest of the day was spent driving through town and random roads, getting a feel for the bike and so on. I am blown away at how awesome that little ninja really is!. It's so very awesome!. So light and agile. I will never let this one go!. Once i got home before work i did some customizing, by adding my white wheel stripes and tank protector, which you will see very soon. After work i also had my very first night-ride on the autobahn, and everything went great. Today was just awesome beyond words. Ninjoolz has arrived!. I love it!. Tomorrow i will head over to the bank to finalize the insurance deal, and that will be the ending to my bike mission. Until then, enjoy these pictures from the initial pickup, how it was presented to me.

July 6th 2009

Today was the big day. I woke up very early, cought a replay of the moto gp race, and then tried to sleep a bit more. Afterwards i started with a nice coffee to clear the system, and then had some breakfast. Around noontime i headed off to the garage to meet frank. He showed up just a little bit after i had arrived. I got dressed and we took a little drive through slower streets to get warmed up. Now comes the funniest part of the day. We were coming up to a street crossing, and had to yield to the traffic. Yield i did, as i saw a car coming from the left travelling rather quickly. Frank on the other hand, thought that i had already driven off, and was also looking to the left and focusing on the car, and kept driving forward. The next thing i heard was a huge "thump", and i jumped out of my seat a bit. My teacher actually rear-ended me!, his own motorcycle!. Hahahaha. At the time i didn't laugh though, rather, i was a bit shocked and confused, as i thought i had damaged his car. Luckily once we got to the tuev, where we would pick up the driving controller dude, we did some inspecting and noticed it was only a couple of scratches on the car, and the licenseplate on the bike had been bent a tiny bit. Still, that was some smooth driving from frank, heh. We waited for around 10 min until the dude showed up, and it turned out to be the same jolly character that graded my theoretical exam, so he remembered me, as being the ambitious fellow. I did some of the basic checks before the ride to show him i know my stuff, and then we headed off. Drove a bit through town, and then right away onto the autobahn. After 20 min or so, we got to a little isolated road with a roundabout, and they set up some cones for me to do the basic manuevers. I did each of the requirements once, and personally felt that i could have done them a lot nicer, had they given me more time, but one try was all that was needed, as the controller was happy. Good enough for me. We drove back on the slower city streets into town, and basically straight back to the garage. That was that. A few handshakes were done, and he handed me my license. Hurray!. The pictures were taken, and they both headed off back towards the tuev. That was the end of my 3 month journey. Success!. Afterwards i headed over to the kawasaki dealer to see how the bike was progressing, but didn't achieve much. I'm expecting a call tomorrow to get more info on the matter. Also i will get all my school lessons and such paid, and have that chapter officially finished aswell.

June 25th 2009

So this morning i wake to the ringing of my phone. The kawaski dealer lady calls me to tell me that the black ninja has arrived!. She said that a few people have already requested it, so i should head over as soon as i can. Immediatly i was in the shower, and on the road heading to the dealership. The black one looks so sexy in real life, it's unreal. I started discussing with the boss about the extras that i wanted and such, when another guy comes into the store, also eyeing the black one. Appearantly his girlfriend was already out on the green one, taking it for a test ride. Long story short, within 10 minutes they sold 2 bikes, and now need a 3rd one for the store to display. I got lucky though, since i was a bit faster, that i should be getting the one they have in store now, and the girl will have to wait a bit. We came to the conclusion that i will get the bike, along with a stubby plate holder, a rear seat cover, tinted racing screen, and small led turn signals. The total retail price with the extras was 5350 eu or something, but he offered it to me for 4900 eu, which i then accepted. I should be picking it up on the 6th or 7th, as soon as i have my license, or maybe even prior, depending on when they finish the tweaks. On the ride home i stopped by the polo shop, and grabbed myself a nice backpack for 5 euro!, a sweet lookin gastank cover, and some white reflective rim stickers. Couldn't ask for a better way to start the day!. Now i just need to chill another 10 days and then i will be riding in style!, such style. Woohoo!.

June 9th 2009

I just passed my theoretical exam, as expected. Almost flawless. Thanks to everyone who was thinking positive for me, appreciate it.

June 5th 2009

Well, since the last ride, i had a little thing bugging me, and that was my bike pants. Although they were really comfortable and looked good, they just felt too short, and everytime i had finished a ride, they popped over my shoes. Sure, a minor thing, but stuff like that just annoys the hell out of me, so i headed off to the kawasaki dealer today, looking to exchange them. Sadly, once i got there, the large version of the same pant wasn't there anymore, so i tried on a few different pairs with the help of the dealer lady. After a few tries in a small and a large, i found a pair that fit better, and that also had some pockets and air vents, which the uvex pant didn't have. I paid an additional 25 euro for these modeka ottawa pants, but am quite happy as to how they fit. I shall test them on monday during a real ride. You can see them in the picture below. Also, while i was there, i asked the lady again about the black ninja, since she told me last time that they were to get one in stock soon. She said they are expecting one to come in sometime next week, and no one has reserved it yet. I might be getting my bike sooner than i think, hehe. Left my number and asked for her to call me once they get it. Things are back on track, phew (except the financial aspect of it).

May 28th 2009

I managed to get 4 hours of sleep last night, thanks to those energy drinks, hehe. Took it easy most of the morning, and then headed off to the garage. There were a lot of clouds outside, and it had rained earlier in the morning, but luckily all that cleared up once i started riding. I followed frank in his car again, for about 500meters, and then i took the lead. I kept riding straight, concentrating on the traffic and all that good stuff, following his instructions and directions. Leading felt much nicer then following him. After a few spins through town, we headed to a little training spot under a bridge, and he set up some pylons for me, to train some of the basic bike maneuvers. I did some walking speed slalom, circling, fast slalom, dash and evade, and panic braking maneuvers, and they all went pretty well. There's just so much information to cram into your head, in such a short time, that things can get a little overwhelming. Because of that i forgot to pull the clutch once when i switched from neutral into first gear, and the bike turned off, d'oh!. After all that stuff i took the lead again, and we drove another half an hour or more through town. I rarely went faster than 50km/h, but got a good sense of the daily traffic and how to go about things. Once i didn't hear franks instructions clearly in my earpiece, so i went straight instead of turning, but that was no big deal. The entire lesson was a lot of fun, with good weather. I think frank was quite satisfied with my performance, since he didn't complain about anything, even when i asked him afterwards. It feels really good to finally see corners of my town that i usually never visit, and get a sense of the roads. Next lesson is on wednesday, which will also be when i get my paperwork for the final theoretical test. Today and tomorrow i will head to work 5 hours earlier, since a few people are on holiday, so that will buy me some much needed hours, and money. The weekend will be spent at my brothers and his wife's place, along with moms and grandma. If the weather plays along things should be fun!. I also managed to take some pictures today, from me on the bike, and my new pants. Lookin' good and riding safe!, hehe.

May 26th 2009

Awesome!. Not much else i can say about my morning other than that. I had an odd night and slept in sections, but once i got myself out of bed at 9am, i felt quite good. Headed off to the garage at 10, and met frank, who was already there. We both headed to the open learning area so i could take a few spins on the er-6n (as seen in the pictures below), and after about 15 minutes we headed back to the garage. He hopped in his car and took the lead, leaving me alone on the bike to ride behind. The next hour we drove through town and the local country roads, with speeds ranging from 20-80km/h. It was so much fun!. I only made the bike stall twice (let the clutch come too fast), once in a weird little turn, and once where we had to stop and let this big truck pass us. Other than that, he let me ride in peace behind him, with minimal radio instructions. On the ride back to the garage, we stopped at the kawasaki dealership, and i took a look at some of the pants they had. His good friend was there and gave me a 50% discount on a pair of Uvex pants. So i paid 95 euro instead of 200!. They are waterproof, and got protectors at hip and knee/shin, so everything felt, and fit me really good. I also showed frank my ninja, and asked the sales dude what kind of extras i can get pre-installed when i buy it, and he said everything could be done. That would mean a stubby plate holder, a rear tire mud guard, and a rear seat cover. I was very pleased to hear this. From there we headed back to the garage and ended the lesson. It was close to 2 hours, in windy, yet awesome partially cloudy, 24degree weather. Tomorrow is pre-test time, and on thursday morning i get to cruise again!. Oh man, what a fun morning. The dream is becoming a reality, and i made the best choices sofar. Super happy!.

May 18th 2009

Say goodbye yzf, heh. I got up nice and early this morning after a good night sleep, and called the kawasaki dealership right away. They said they have the 250 at the store, and i could come by and take a look at it. After a shower i headed off towards the shop. It's a long ride, about 40minutes, but it was worth it. They only had the green one, which you can see in the picture below, but that was still good enough to get a first impression from. I took a seat on that baby, and wow, as far as comfort goes, this thing blows the yzf away!. The seating position is more than perfect. I could sit upright and still have a firm grip on the handlebars, without having to lean over, like i did on the yzf. It also felt a lot bigger than the yamaha, but yet nothing to frighten me off, as my feet could be planted stable on the ground. The lady at the counter told me that they would be able to order a black one, and are getting one sometime in the next month (for someone else i think), but i would have to expect a 3-4 week delay. Since i still have a few months before the license stuff is final, this doesn't seem too much of a big deal. I would have to finalize my decision and order the bike by the end of june, to have it ready for august, since that's the goal i set myself. Bike and license before august. I am definatly impressed by the 250. Tomorrow will be my first bike lesson, also on a kawasaki, a er-6n, which is very similar in terms of seating position and performance (limited to 33hp), so it will give me a proper feel as to how the 250 would ride and handle. Tonight i will ask my teacher what kind of deals he would be able to get from them, as the normal pricetag was listed at 4600 euro. Usually they will go lower when i offer to pay in cash, but if he can help me knock some more euro's off that price, it's a definate buy for me. On the ride home i decided to take a few scenic pictures, since it's such a nice day. I also want to note that the whole yzf thing was never final. I just loved the look of that bike, but the past month definatly helped me make up my mind as to what i want in terms of performance, and came to the decision that a 125 really is a kids bike, and i need something more adult. I guess i'll have to change my name to ninjoolz soon, heh.

May 17th 2009

What's that black bike doing there you ask?. Well, i have been doing a lot of researching and reviewing today, and found this baby to be quite impressive. The ninja 250r looks quite lovely, and supplies twice the power of the yzf, which i personally, find too mild. The good thing about the kawasaki is that my teacher has really good connections to them, and so i'm sure to get a better deal. The other good thing is, this bike already only costs 500-1000 euro's more than the yzf would!. Since i am investing a lot of money anyways, i might aswell go for the best price/performance package that is offered. Tomorrow i am heading down to the kawasaki dealer and hopefully he has one there for me to take a look at. Sadly they don't offer the blue edition here in europe, so i got my eyes set on the black one. If this bike impresses me in live, i think the whole idea with the yzf is history. Sofar i've read absolutely nothing but positive things about it, especially for older beginners like myself!.

May 11th 2009

What a start to the week!. Sometime in the morning i was up and browsing forums for bike stuff, when i saw the clock and realized i better get some sleep. Woke up in the afternoon and figured out my plan for the night. I headed off to the polo shop again, but left a little bit earlier because i wanted to try on the jacket i've been keeping an eye on this whole time, and also to check if they have some cheap shoes i could buy now, incase the others don't get in fast enough. I got there and tried on the jacket, luckily they had it in medium, which was what i had planned to get. It fit quite nice, but just to be sure i also tried on a small, which didn't really make much difference other than being shorter at the waist, so i stayed with the medium, since i could also wear a sweater underneath if things get too cold during the winter. I looked at the cheap boots, but of course, as always, the size that i need wasn't there!. They had one above it, and one below it, but not the ones that fit me, doh!. I went over and asked the girl who put out the order for my others, if she has other sizes hidden in the back maybe. No deal. Then out of curiosity i asked if maybe the others had arrived already, because they were available online, and i wasn't sure which would be the faster choice. She started browsing the computer and ta-da!, the size i was hunting for had arrived today, but was hidden somewhere in the storage area, since they hadn't had the time to unpack their shipment yet. I asked her to please try and find them, cause i would take them with me if she did, and even tho she was a bit skeptical, she found them within a few minutes. I tried them on, and they fit wonderfully!. Done and done. Bought myself the shoes and the jacket, and then quickly headed off to class, since i was about 5 minutes behind schedule. I arrived just in time to grab the last seat, and enjoyed the course with a big smile on my face. Afterwards i headed off to work, and as it got later, i strapped on the shoes and wore them for a bit to get the feel for them. Very stiff!, but really comfortable and supportive. When i got home i tried on the whole gear, as you can see in the pictures below, and adjusted the protectors in the jacket to fit my body better. Wearing the jacket, helmet and gloves made me sweat quite a bit, so i can't even begin to imagine how hot leather clothes would get. Thank god i didn't buy those after all!. I'll probably end up getting new gloves aswell, since mine are quite old and a little torn up already (and really stinky!), but that can wait for now. Oh yeah, before i forget, my first bike lesson is scheduled for tuesday the 19th!. Finally, things are moving along!. Tomorrow i'm going to go to the pre-test training course to see how i'm doing, and get my errors explained. After that it's another normal class on wednesday, and that should lock down my 12 required lessons. But i find it quite fun, so i will continue to go until i've done all the 17 lessons. That's it for now, Awsome day!.

April 27th 2009

Today i slept most of the day, and then started doing some learning in the late afternoon. After that i headed off to the polo shop to try on some shoes. When i got there i saw one of the two pairs that i picked out from the online shop, but of course the one i wanted the most, wasn't there. The lady put out an order for it in various sizes and once they have them in i can go ahead and try them on. The only downside is that the size i need, won't be coming to the store until the 15th of next month, d'oh!. They will get one size smaller sooner, but i'm almost positive they will be too small for me. Either way, i'm pretty sure those will be the shoes i'm gonna buy because they are semi-waterproof and look very comfortable. After getting that stuff sorted out i headed off to class and learned mostly about alchohol and how i should stop drinking my beer before work etc. I cannot get stopped with any alchohol % for my 2 year trial period or it's going to be a huge battle to stay on two wheels, so i will definatly avoid that at all costs. After class was work, and since i was at the northern school this time, it didn't take too long to get there. Same routine as always, and back home we go. I Think i'm getting a cold though, which is giving me a bit of worry and frustration. Tomorrow is the next class, so at least the theoretical stuff is coming along fast, even if the other stuff isn't.

April 25th 2009

Well, we just got back from two bike stores. Looks like my planned items are a no-go. The size of the pants were too big for me, and none of the boots i tried seemed to fit snug. I think i tried on like 10+ pairs, but none of them gave me a safe feeling. Looks like i'll be doing more searching, and probably end up with some normal laced lo-cut boots, rather than the higher racing-style ones. I tried on a pair of those at the second shop, but didn't really like them very much, even though they fit much better. I'll be checking out the polo shop again on monday, since it's on the way to work, but to be honest, now i'm not so sure i want to spend that much money on stuff that i don't feel good about wearing. Shoes are the first priority for now, and later on some jacket and pants. Who knows, maybe i'll just stick to jeans and my normal clothes and just ride really safe, we'll see. As far as today goes, it's a pretty nice fail, being that i didn't get my wish items, but also a success, because now i know my sizes and saved a lot of money. I Still got time before it all starts anyways, so i'm not too worried about it. I'll find the fitting items sooner or later, even if it's not in a matching colour theme.

April 23rd 2009

This afternoon my doorbell rang and the dhl man delivered my 5 visors, and they all look very sexy. Also included in the package was the giant catalogue from the shop, so i started looking through that for other stuff i might need. I noted myself the jacket, pants, boots and gloves i liked, and made some comparisons. Shortly before heading off to class, i went on the shop site again and wanted to save myself some pictures from the ones i liked the most. To my surprise i noticed that all of the items which i had picked, were on sale, for the next 5 days. I quickly calculated how much i could save if i were to buy them all this weekend, and it totaled to 150 euro!. Whoa, that's a lot of savings i thought, so i asked my buddy tim if he has time on saturday to head over to the store, which lies in the next town. If all goes well i might return with the full gear, far earlier than expected. After seeing those awsome news, i headed off to my 4th class. It was another fun night, but it all seems very car-orientated, which isn't helping me that much to be honest, but it's mandatory, so what the hell. I asked frank again, when can i have my first lesson already. He told me it would be better if i were to take part in the bike-only theoretical course first, which is on may 9th, before i start riding. D'oh!. I am a patient person, but man, that's like 3 weeks from now, and that sucks. I suppose it gives me more time to get all my gear and things in order, but it's still hard to be signed up for a license for nearly a month, without even having tested riding once. So i got some really good news today, and then some really crappy news, but i guess there's nothing to complain about really, everything is still on schedule. After class it was back to work and the usual routine took place. Now i'm curious to see what the saturday will bring, or rather, what i will bring home with me.

April 20th 2009

I decided it was a good idea to get myself some visors for my helmet before they are all sold out, since they were on sale with 70% off. My helmet is from 2004 and they don't even make them anymore. Grabbed one of each, since i only have a clear one and a dark one. Never know, i might scratch them or something. Better safe than sorry. Also i think that the rainbow and silver mirrored ones will look awsome, hehe.

April 9th 2009

Today i got my co-worker to pick me up and we headed off to the yamaha dealer close to my work. I took a look at the yzf which you can see in the picture below. Had a little test sitting, as i really thought i would be too small for it. No problems here, it felt perfect and i pretty much decided right then and there, this will be my first bike. We both headed off to work afterwards and i spent pretty much the rest of the day hyping myself and talking about motorcycles with him. For me this is a giant step into a new life and a very, very exciting one.

April 8th 2009