NAME: Liz Clubine
PLACE: Barrie, ON
AGE: 28

BIKES OWNED:
2005 Kawasaki Ninja 500 EX

CURRENT RIDE:
2007 Honda CBR-600RR

HOW I GOT STARTED:

Most of my life I have associated the first signs of spring with the first sight of a motorcycle. I had spent enough time perched on the back of someone else’s bike to know that I loved riding. I had wanted to get my license since I was 16 but something always got in the way. In the spring of 2007 my boyfriend, Mike, and his friend, Ken, both decided to get their licenses and I was left standing in the garage watching them ride away every weekend without me. Enough was enough, the following February for my 27th birthday Mike registered me for the M2 exit course at Georgian College. I already had my car license but Ontario law states that in order to get your M1 you need to pass the G1, the beginner car license as well. I studied and passed both. With that all completed all I needed was the bike.

A 2005 Kawasaki Ninja 500 seemed to fit the bill. Not originally what I wanted but I was told there would be no 600 until I proved I could ride the 500 without any incidents…a wise choice on the part of my father and Mike.

I took the M2 exit course having no actual riding experience other than as a passenger, I was surprised at how quickly I picked it up and felt comfortable riding. I learned a lot at the course and would highly recommend it to anyone. They broke it down in such a simple manner that you were able to absorb what they were saying and apply it without becoming overwhelmed.

Test day arrived and I passed with flying colours, I couldn’t wait to get home and finally ride my bike. After a few passes up and down my street I was ready to join Mike for my first real ride. I got good and comfortable riding through pretty much every subdivision in Barrie then we took the next step to my parents place in the country about 30 kms away–the ride I had been waiting to do since I was 16. The instant I got on my bike I realized what I had been missing all these years and wanted to kick myself for waiting for so long.

Most of my summer was spent riding locally, getting better and better with each ride. In August I did my first trip, although short compared to most rides featured in this magazine it was a goal for me. I rode my first solo trip up to Killbear Provincial Park, just north of Parry Sound. I left a beautiful and sunny Barrie to meet up with monsoon rain part way there. I arrived at Killbear, once again in the sun but looking like I went swimming in my riding gear.

I made it through the summer experiencing all that most new riders do, what happens when the rear tire locks up, trying to stop on cold, wet pavement, what happens when you put your foot in sand–I will admit I was glad to have Mike there as I was doing my best to prevent that bike from falling over. And of course, a few close encounters with the dreaded ‘soccer mom.’ I ended the summer unscathed and wanting to ride more. I finally put the bike away mid-November after deciding that -5 just wasn’t fun to ride in and began the task of impatiently waiting for spring.

I spent the winter deciding whether I should ride the 500 for another season or should I get my 600. My position at Motorcycle Mojo as Graphic Designer offered me the opportunity to work at bike shows and it certainly wasn’t making it easy, but I had decided to ride the 500 for another year…or so I thought. When early March came I was itching to get out and ride again. At this point Roger bet me that I couldn’t make it two weeks without buying a new bike, I figured–no problem, bets on!

I wandered into Barrie Honda, it couldn’t hurt just to go sit on a 600, just to see how it fit, I have short legs which was proving to be a problem. There in front of me was the CBR-600RR in it’s matte black and graffiti glory that I wanted the year before. There was no convincing Mike that this bike was meant to be mine, in fact he went so far as to take a photo of me into Honda and tell them they were not allowed to sell that bike to me. But somewhere between the car and the front door—in his attempt to prevent me from buying the bike he ended up meeting a woman who was at Honda looking for a used Ninja 500. She picked my bike up a few days later and I was left bikeless.

After much debate I finally accepted that I just could not afford the brand new bike…so began the task of finding a used one. It didn’t take long to come across a beautiful bright blue and silver 2007 Honda CBR-600RR with only 400 kms on it…pretty much new. From the moment I sat on it, it was mine… after all it matched the blue in my hair and my helmet. I made it a whopping 5 days after making the bet with Roger before the bike was in the garage. I guess my love of riding was far stronger than my self restraint.

I finally got out for my first ride of the season on April 15. Once I got over the initial fear of how the new bike was going to handle and wondering if my skills were still lodged in my brain—a couple passes of our street I was ready to go. By the time we made it through town to the Mojo parking lot I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. I circled around the parking lot a few times then Mike and I were off on our first ride of the season. MMM