Story by Gail Andrew always wanted to be a part of this site. He even tried to get his share of the limelight by signing the guest book. To fulfil his dream, and introduce you all to him, I decided to make his life easier and interview him, instead of making him write his own story. This interview took place in early July, 2005. Q When did you decide you really wanted a motorcycle? A I don’t think I ever really decided I wanted a motorcycle in particular. I guess it comes from my childhood years, when all my neighbours had four wheelers, dirt bikes, and so on. I never had my own, but always got to ride theirs. None of these kids ever bought their own toys - their parents bought them for them. My parents couldn’t afford it. I always sort of wanted some kind of motorized toy because of this. To be honest, it didn’t necessarily have to be a motorcycle, but there’s a certain coolness behind them. And although bikes aren’t as fun in the short term as, say, a snowmobile when you’re whizzing past trees at high speeds and defying death at any given moment, they give more long term enjoyment. Q So, you have a Buell Blast. How did you come to owning that? A It was all just a big coincidence, really. I took the motorcycle training course last year, and they were selling theirs. It was affordable and wouldn’t kill me over insurance like a sport bike would have. I could afford it right away without saving up for ages. It was the perfect way to get me onto a bike right away. Also, because the bike is made with many components from Harley, I felt it would be a very reliable bike and easy to maintain (especially with your dad’s knowledge). I wouldn’t have gone out looking for one, but it was at the right place, at the right time and price.
Q What’s it like sharing a bike with your brother and dad? Who rides it the most? A It works out okay... It lets us save on many costs. Definitely I ride the bike the most because I have more friends with bikes, and thus more reason to ride. My brother is too busy with work and doesn’t seem to like the Blast as much as I do (probably because of it’s smaller size and lower power). My dad is only marginally interested, but I’m hoping that once the Blast frees up when we get other bikes, he’ll come out for more rides with us.
Q Better yet, what’s it like having the same bike as your girlfriend? A I suppose it’s not ideal, in a macho sort of way. I haven’t gotten beat up yet, but come to think of it, I get made fun of for having a Blast without anyone knowing you do too! Q Did you ever imagine buying a used bike from the local motorcycle training school? A Definitely not. Like I said, it was really just a coincidence. Before that I imagined getting a high powered sport bike, and somehow magically being able to afford it and the insurance. But it works out better this way - I still haven’t got a speeding ticket!
Q What were your first impressions of the Blast? A I was just very happy to have a motorcycle. But I did like it. I felt it was a great learning bike. In terms of power, there was nothing wrong with the bike, but I guess there’s a certain image that comes with the bike, being a bit physically small. I found myself making excuses about it all the time! But I am having a lot of fun on it and it handles really nicely. Q What do you think of it now that you’ve ridden it for almost a whole season? A I think I like the bike more now than I did originally. I realized it’s actually a nice bike, not some loser bike. Even someone with advanced skills will have fun because of its excellent handling. I mean, those 18 year old kids who got GSX-Rs from their parents are probably laughing at me, but seriously, they probably don’t ride that well except for riding in a straight line! They probably couldn’t even use the Blast to its whole potential. I feel less inclined to explain to people why my motorcycle isn’t that high on the ‘cool factor.’ But it’s only not cool to those with all the HP. I think the very best thing about having this bike was that I was able to learn about motorcycle maintenance and responsibility for my vehicle. Sport bikes need a lot more knowledge and skill to maintain, but I do all my own work.
Q What problems have run into so far? A First, the shifter fell off while my brother was riding, causing him to drop the bike. This was likely an issue caused or left over by the motorcycle school. Second, being a single and thus vibrating a lot, the bike can actually vibrate right off its stand. I noticed this one time and tried to save it, but instead I ended up completing the process. That’s fall down number two. Q Have you made any changes to the bike yet? As for noticeable changes, I replaced the handlebars and the grips. I replaced the bars because the stock bars are super ugly, and these new superbike bars look ten times better. They also allow my arms to be spread out further, which is more comfortable for a guy my size. I replaced the mirrors because I could only see myself in the stock mirrors. So when you were riding behind me and I tried to check on you, like I do all the time, I had to stand on the pegs and shift all my weight over to one side just to see you. With my new Napoleon bar end mirrors, I can see really well. They don’t even vibrate as much as the stock mirrors. The only problem with them is that they make the bike much wider, so one of these days when navigating the bike between the cars on the driveway, I’m sure the bikes going down from hitting the mirrors! Finally, I replaced the seat because the original one was compressed so much that it was totally uncomfortable.
Q What kind of riding do you like to do? A In small doses, riding on my own is very fun because I can do whatever I want, and ride however I want. But that would get lonely if that’s all I did, so I also enjoy those little trips with you. I could do without commuting because it’s too dangerous to get to where I work even in a car, let alone on the bike.
Q What was your most memorable ride so far? A The first time all four of us (me, you, your parents) went out to Merrickville was my favourite ride. I hadn’t really been to Burrit’s Rapids or Merrickville before [small towns just south of Ottawa], even though they are so close to home. The weather was perfect and it was neat exploring these places and finding awesome routes to take on the bike. Q What was your least favourite? A There were times when I stayed too late at your house, so I had to ride home in the dark, in the cold, and covered in bugs. Q What bike do you plan to get next? A I see myself getting another Buell, probably an XB of some sort - definitely not a Blast! Unfortunately, after taking both Q How soon do you think that will happen? A Because I have been saving money since the beginning of this year [2005], I think I’ll be able to get it by the spring of 2006. Maybe I’ll put a down payment in the fall, when the deals are the best. [Note: On July 30 2005, Andrew put a down payment on the local shop's demo Lightning 1200] |
the Firebolt and the Lightning for a demo ride, I’m totally torn between both of them! I used to like the Firebolt way more, but now I like them both the same. Now, I’m not saying that a completely different model is totally is out of the question, but the probability of getting a Buell is about 98%.