Yamahaing

Mike and Joyce have enjoyed riding together on Mike's Harley, but Joyce decided early in June that she would rather be driving her own bike. I can totally see Joyce making that decision... she does like to be in control, and also when you're riding behind a person on a motorcycle, you really don't get to see much of what's in front of you, which isn't much fun.

So mid-June, Joyce paid not very much money for a 1982 Honda 450, a bike older than she is...





She was initially pretty happy with it (though doesn't Kev look the opposite in that 2nd photo?! yes, we worry). But there were problems with the carburetor and some other things, primarily a result of the bike having sat for so long without being started or driven.

So she and Mike started looking again. At the shop where they bought Mike's Harley, the dealer has just gotten in a used 2005 Yamaha. It was owned by an older couple, and it was a bike that had been very well maintained. So Joyce traded her old Honda in on this pretty Yamaha...





This bike is quite bigger than that old Honda, so Joyce took it slow learning to drive it and handle it. I'm happy about one thing... the previous owner outfitted the bike with extra lights on both the front and the back. The dealership where Joyce bought it put in an extra battery to handle the lights. You should definitely see this bike coming down the road!





The icing on the cake was the passenger footpads the owner had installed on the bike for his wife, whose name is also Joyce...



I had to admit that was a pretty awesome touch. I've struggled with all this motorcycle stuff, of course, and I worry like crazy. But Mike and Joyce are young and smart, and they love a ride on their motorcycles. I'm happy for them.