Hard decision but it has been made.

[nitros222]

Well after a long debate with myself as to sell or keep my katana I have decided that it must go. I dont know if it is the fact that I laid it down on the dragon or not. But since then I just dont feel comfortable driving it anymore. I guess I am kinda of scared of it now. I have driven it a lot in the past few days and I just cant get back into it. I was never a fast rider in the curves, just feels like the bike is going to come out from underneath me. I do like straight away speed, but now that I am getting older I feel I dont need that anymore as well. I love my Katana it is my first sport touring bike but I think I may go back to a cruiser. A good friend of mine said I can take his 1980 suzuki 800 for a ride anytime to see if I want another cruiser or not. I really do appreciate all the help from everyone on this site with all the questions I have had over the years. I am not leaving KR I will stick around but casper must go

Sorry for the long rant just had to get it off of my chest.

[KatanaSoldier]

Sorry to hear that. I will take it as a donation

[Mojoe]

respectable and understandable decision. you gotta go with what feel right for you.

here is some food for thought, though. They say 90% of the riders out there make it to about the half way point of what a bike can lean before they think it will come out from under them. it sounds like your little incident knocked you into that 90% percentile. So going for a good ride on your buddy's bike might be a good idea to make sure it is just you kat that is making you feel like that, or if any bike in general will.

[MedicFFKat]

Sorry to hear about your get off Garry, only you know what is best for you. Good luck in finding a suitable replacement. At least your still staying in the two wheel travel, just a different style.

[ChattKat]

as long as you hang around here, be safe

[The CyberPoet]

Go borrow the friend's cruiser and see if you feel any different on it -- after a spill, especially the first semi-serious/serious spill, it common for riders to have confidence/desire issues with riding again.

I know after my first serious spill, it took three weeks (most of that time was spent rebuilding the bike anyway) and then I forced myself to go ride it that day for quite some distance (Birmingham-Atlanta-Birmingham-Tampa). It was literally that I wasn't willing to live with the fear hanging over me -- I told myself I'd have to endure a week before I could make the final decision that I was going to give up bikes forever... The first 150 miles of that trip were a lot of fears, especially coming into Atlanta across 18 miles of grooved pavement, but then suddenly everything clicked again and I was back in the groove.

This isn't to tell you stick with it -- you have to decide what's right for you. Just that it's not an uncommon reaction, given what you went through.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Anonymous]

Go borrow the friend's cruiser and see if you feel any different on it -- after a spill, especially the first semi-serious/serious spill, it common for riders to have confidence/desire issues with riding again.

I know after my first serious spill, it took three weeks (most of that time was spent rebuilding the bike anyway) and then I forced myself to go ride it that day for quite some distance (Birmingham-Atlanta-Birmingham-Tampa). It was literally that I wasn't willing to live with the fear hanging over me -- I told myself I'd have to endure a week before I could make the final decision that I was going to give up bikes forever... The first 150 miles of that trip were a lot of fears, especially coming into Atlanta across 18 miles of grooved pavement, but then suddenly everything clicked again and I was back in the groove.

This isn't to tell you stick with it -- you have to decide what's right for you. Just that it's not an uncommon reaction, given what you went through.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

dood cyber right its a mental game i just dropped my busa at 8mph granted not fast at all and ill admit im scared to get back in right now thats why i havent welded the case cover back up but give me a few days too heal up good and get things fixed and ill get back in it and force myself to take some left hand turns its kinda like when i went over the front end of my 900rr i didnt ride it for 3 weeks granted i was fixing it and the truth be known its scared the hell out of me seriouly i made a trip to the bathroom after that no not to clean my leather but to puke cause i was so scared. so take the kat for a few quiet rides not thinking about anything and then if you still feel its not for you do what you gotta do

[Mojoe]

ummm.....that is basically what i said.

[nitros222]

well its not that I am scared to ride the katana, I do still like to ride. I was having considerations of selling it before the rally so I went to the rally to find out if I was going to keep it. I made the long rides and now the decision has been made. Ihave been thinking about this for over a year. Also everytime I ride my neck just kills me. After I got home for the rally it was almost 3 days before I could really function properly again. I just hope this is the right decision for me.

[steves]

Good luck Gary! You need to do what's best for you.

Normally I'd suggest you hang on to the bike for a season or so, but it sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this.

[macgyver]

Remember if you do decide to sell it, to post the sale price up on here first. That gives other KR members a chance to get first dibs. Good luck with your descision