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Learning to ride before Vintage Yamaha Rally - CT70
XS11 Friends,
Those that attend the Vintage Yamaha Rally in Stecoah (formerly XSSE), have certainly met my wife Nancy if you have been there in the last 5-6 years. She handles the registration desk, contacts all the vendors, arranges the t-shirts, prepares the goodie bags, distributes the raffle tickets, and pays the few small bills we may have related to the VYR. There are several ladies that attend the VYR and more than a few ride their own bikes. Nancy would like to become one of the RIDERS (someday) not just a passenger.
Nancy would like to learn to ride and I have been trying to teach her on my XJ550 Maxim (Mini-Max). Unfortunately, even this small 550 is just too powerful and quick off the line for BASIC riding skills (brakes, shifting, signals, etc.)
It is our HOPE that by the time the VYR comes around Nancy can drive over to Robbinsville with me for a sandwich at the Subway with her riding her own bike the XJ550 and me on one of the others. The regular rides during VYR are out-of-the-question but the Stecoah/Robbinsville area would be a great place to continue the lessons. We typically arrive on Monday or Tuesday so we have a couple days before the VYR group arrives....
This weekend, I pulled the CT70 out from behind all the XS11's, XJ's, FZR, and FJR to see if this would be a better place to start. The CT70 has been dormant for a couple years (at least) and it need a good carb clean, an adjustment to the points and a little luck but it's running great for a 50 Year Old Machine (nearly 50 as it's a 1970 model).
Can you believe this mileage is for real? It is.... 50 years old and only 900 miles of driving. I'd bet a whole bunch of those are through the woods and around the off road trails.
I believe today's lessons were the right way to go! I learned on a very small mini-bike seems reasonable to start Nancy on a little one and work up to the Mini-Max. We do our lessons at the local elementary school and it's bus loop. Completely deserted and a great place to start.
Now, she wants me to bring this one along so we don't have to walk all the way up to the Rocky Top Lodge.
Over the next couple days/weeks Nancy will drive around the neighborhood on this ole' CT70 getting a little more comfy before we try the Mini-Max again...
Those that attend the Vintage Yamaha Rally in Stecoah (formerly XSSE), have certainly met my wife Nancy if you have been there in the last 5-6 years. She handles the registration desk, contacts all the vendors, arranges the t-shirts, prepares the goodie bags, distributes the raffle tickets, and pays the few small bills we may have related to the VYR. There are several ladies that attend the VYR and more than a few ride their own bikes. Nancy would like to become one of the RIDERS (someday) not just a passenger.
Nancy would like to learn to ride and I have been trying to teach her on my XJ550 Maxim (Mini-Max). Unfortunately, even this small 550 is just too powerful and quick off the line for BASIC riding skills (brakes, shifting, signals, etc.)
It is our HOPE that by the time the VYR comes around Nancy can drive over to Robbinsville with me for a sandwich at the Subway with her riding her own bike the XJ550 and me on one of the others. The regular rides during VYR are out-of-the-question but the Stecoah/Robbinsville area would be a great place to continue the lessons. We typically arrive on Monday or Tuesday so we have a couple days before the VYR group arrives....
This weekend, I pulled the CT70 out from behind all the XS11's, XJ's, FZR, and FJR to see if this would be a better place to start. The CT70 has been dormant for a couple years (at least) and it need a good carb clean, an adjustment to the points and a little luck but it's running great for a 50 Year Old Machine (nearly 50 as it's a 1970 model).
Can you believe this mileage is for real? It is.... 50 years old and only 900 miles of driving. I'd bet a whole bunch of those are through the woods and around the off road trails.
I believe today's lessons were the right way to go! I learned on a very small mini-bike seems reasonable to start Nancy on a little one and work up to the Mini-Max. We do our lessons at the local elementary school and it's bus loop. Completely deserted and a great place to start.
Now, she wants me to bring this one along so we don't have to walk all the way up to the Rocky Top Lodge.
Over the next couple days/weeks Nancy will drive around the neighborhood on this ole' CT70 getting a little more comfy before we try the Mini-Max again...
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