Helmet, boots and other gear? Check.
Something cool to ride on? Checkity check check check!
I don't actually have it yet but my 2008 Suzuki Boulevard S40 is on order and will be in my hot little (gloved) hand in the next couple of weeks. Thank you Cycle City in Burlington for putting my butt into the seat of the exact bike I wanted. (Photo in gallery under mememememe)
To the untrained eye, a motorcycle is a motorcyle. "Oooh, there goes a red one!" I don't claim to be able to distinguish all the models on sight but I can generally tell a Harley from the rest (sound helps too!) and know some of the features that separate bikes by size, style and class. What I didn't know when I sat on an S40 at the invitation of its new owner is that I was plopping my bum down on the "perfect girl starter bike", as many call it. It just felt right. It's 650 cc's so it has pep but it's not going to sail away from under me. I'm not looking to break land speed records. It's light enough for me to balance easily and perhaps most important, it's low enough that my feet sit flat on the ground when I'm stopped. It feels like it was made for me!
A couple of radio colleagues have expressed the wish to go for a ride or to at least see my new wheels. But I'm not ready to drive on ANY city streets, let alone Toronto's! I'll probably toodle around a parking lot for the first little while until I get to know the clutch and remember all that I learned in M2 school. Expert riders can hop on any bike and confidently take off. I'm a long way from that stage.
But I'm starting. I'm a biker chick! tee hee. Do not fear me! Even though my bike is black and I'm dressed all in dark clothing, look for the stupid, happy grin on my face and you'll find a friendly, benign little baby bike rider under all of that leather!