Learning to ride clutch
If you’re next birthday promises you’ll turn 16 in the United States, you’ve already spent the last few hours of every night thinking about your dream car. The make, the license, the new-car smell we all love. If you’re living in Bermuda when your big day arrives, look forward to your Honda Scoopy or Yamaha V50.
My first bike was a 3rd hand 50cc Centro. I was so excited to get my hands on my first bike I nearly hit a wall less than an hour after I purchased it. Some rider eh? I took a course in High School setup to ensure Bermuda’s young people’s safety on the roads, I threw that out the door the same day I received my license. Sadly, its common among young boys here. With all the women to ride pass and impress and all the parties to show up to in style, aren’t we all just a bit too cool to ride safe?
Eventually my first bike broke down and because I was still in school and unemployed I never had it fixed. I mean, the old chunk of metal was turning 5 years old and the rust was beginning to replace the paint and spray job the previous owner had given it. Two days ago I brought a new one. A Honda sonic 125cc (4T Clutch). Im learning how to ride it because for 5 years I’ve been riding automatics. Not as easy as I thought. Instead of just turning the key and gassing, you’ve got to turn the key, put the bike in neutral, pull in the clutch, lightly gas while releasing the clutch, turn on your landing strip lights, ask for permission from the tower to take off, ensure the flight attendants are ready, take off and radio in my altitude arrival times. Perhaps they should issue plane licenses to ride clutch bikes.
The important thing is I am learning and in about a week I should know exactly how to fly this thing without any hiccups.
Lots of kids die on Bermuda’s roads riding the exact bike Im riding. Im taking my time. I’ve already given up on trying to look cool, Im a nerd. But there’s something about this bike that makes me want to give “coolness” another shot.
