I Survived My Fifth Year of Riding Motorcycles and It Was Great

It was at the end of April that the weather was finally decent enough in my area that I took out my 1999 Suzuki SV650-S for the first time this year. I had a pretty exciting start to the season as I rode it to and back from work daily. If you've been following our YouTube channel, you might remember seeing it in the fun little stunt we pulled off with two Engwe e-bikes. My colleague, Cristian Curmei, shared some of his extensive bicycle knowledge with me as I further understood how much of a blessing it is to have a two-wheeler around town.

When you have a dream, you've got to grab it and never let go

As I've stopped cooperating with the Motorcycle Road Racing team I used to work with, I was looking forward to a different motorsports perspective. And that moment came with our trip to the International Drag Racing event at Kiskunlachaza in Hungary. It was there that I met up with Markus Laur and his formidable Suzuki "Dragonfly" monster. After seeing the 7-second Suzuki doing its thing on the 1/4-mile (402 meters), I asked Markus if I could sit on it to get a taste of what it must feel like.

I didn't even have to fire it up to realize how bold of a rider Markus was and that I'll probably never ride something as fast as that. It was an interesting perspective, and my motorcycle adventure was only about to become more exciting. Soon after returning to the office, I received an invite to test some of Honda's newest bikes at the racetrack. With newfound confidence after riding for a few weeks on public roads, I was eager to sign up and try the Fireblade flagship. Switching from a 20-year-old bike to a modern one made it easy for me to realize how far along technology has come and how much more forgiving the newer ones are.

Contrary to popular belief, I felt rather strange riding a naked Hornet and realized that all the hype surrounding the Africa Twin was perfectly justified. I've thought about this time and time again, and I've come up with several conclusions: either I am too tall to ride a naked or a sports bike, or perhaps I still feel some fear when pushing hard due to my relative lack of experience.

But I vividly remember how good the CRF1100 Africa Twin made me feel. Perhaps I've gone beyond the supersport-bike phase, and I would rather enjoy taking my wife out for a cross-country road trip. Still, the idea of a Triumph Daytona 675i keeps haunting me, and now and then, I consider selling the Suzuki for an upgrade. But I'll get back to this idea at the end of the story.

Fear is the mind-killer

At the end of the 2022 season, just before testing the Horwin CR6 Pro, I went out for a group ride with my buddy Mike and several others. I realized then how nice it is to go out like that, like being part of a wolfpack on the prowl. One week before I married, Mike called and asked if I'd join him for a 200-mile (321 km) round-trip on Sunday. I thought of all the things that could go wrong, realizing it would have been devastating for my family to get hurt at that point.

But "fear is the mind-killer" echoed in my mind, and I said to myself: "Just ride carefully, and you'll be fine." We all know that riding motorcycles can be dangerous, and it's not always down to your actions. But if you're paying attention 100% of the time and never stepping out of line when it comes to speeding on public roads, there's a good chance you'll make it back home to your loved ones.

We picked one of the hottest days of the year to go out riding, and we were hit with 95°F (35°Celsius) under the scorching sun. Whenever I go out for longer rides, I am always fully equipped, so at least I had peace of mind from that perspective. The first part of the day was excellent, as we hit the twisties, and I was smiling throughout the trip. I realized that I had been wrong to warn Mike against buying his R1150 GS, as I feared it would be too much for a beginner. But he's mature enough to know his limits and experienced enough to predict various roadside situations.

With him riding in front of me, I wasn't tempted to go faster than I should have, at least most of the time. The one time I stepped out of bounds and overtook several cars at once, I found myself speeding towards a tight corner, trying not to panic in the process. If you keep your cool, there's a much better chance you'll get out of most situations. I slowed down as much as I could and leaned in for the turn, and all was well: lesson learned. On the way back, a more experienced rider joined in, and his pace was much faster than ours.

Choose your models wisely

That's another red flag right there, and I should've known this from previous experiences. I found myself in one or two more hairy situations as I was trying to keep up, and I was already starting to feel the heat, making me more and more uncomfortable. We made it back home in one piece. But I was so tired, sweaty, and upset that I had pushed things too hard in several circumstances that I could only think about selling the bike and never returning to the saddle again.

I thought things over and came to several conclusions: riding is best enjoyed with your loved ones; it's a kind of bonding that will define your relationship. I once again told myself never to push things beyond my skill level or my luck, and I also realized that I've never been in poorer physical shape: 200 miles on a sport-touring motorcycle shouldn't be that rough on your body, or should it?

I've had an almost month-long break from riding, but I knew I needed to go out around town at least a few more times before the season was over. I rediscovered the joy of being on two wheels, all while staying within the speed limit. I see so many moto-vloggers nowadays getting all worked up about drivers "putting their lives at risk," but that's not always 100% true. Often, something bad happens when you're stupid, reckless, or not paying attention.

If you're riding your bike, focus on the task at hand; it might save your life one day. I'm not saying drivers couldn't improve; I'm just saying that we can all work towards bettering ourselves, for everyone's sake. I've only added 781 miles (1,258 km) to my SV this year, plus the Honda experience. That's not a lot; I'm fully aware of that. One of my vlogger friends, aka Bandit Vlog, has traveled across Mongolia this year and has been on a European tour, and he's still in one piece. This man has inspired me for many years, and it's worth pointing out that you should always be careful when choosing your models.

We're all a bit mad

I look forward to the day when I can saddle up and travel long distances on two wheels, too. I've also drawn inspiration from other friends of mine. Vlad Chivu has started walking down his path with a new race team in the Supersport 600 class, and even though he was on the oldest bike in his class, he still fought hard to the very end.

If I will ever be half as fast as he is, I'll be thrilled! Meanwhile, my 13-year-old buddy Andrei Cazacu won the National Championship in the 300cc class and is an Eastern European Vice-Champion. It's true that the older we get, the more we succumb to our fears, as this little guy is always 100% committed to overtaking everyone in front of him.

Last but not least, I can't help but think of what drives our constant need for adrenaline: this one friend of mine I used to skate with 20 years ago, who's also named Dragos, now rides a massive Suzuki B-King. He was the one who first took me out to ride on the Transalpina King's Road and has constantly provided advice over the years. I've seen him breaking several bones since he started riding motorcycles, but that hasn't stopped him from getting back on two wheels. I guess we are all a bit mad, willing to face our fears, yet eager to live our lives to their fullest.

And even though I parked my SV away for the winter a few days ago, I am keen to take it back out in 2024. That's if I will still have it by then, as someone you know too is thinking about getting it. If that does happen, I'll focus on doing more motorcycle reviews next year as I save up to buy my next bike. Now, I need to decide if I want to make the comfortable choice of purchasing an Africa Twin or at least a VFR800 or if I stick to the idea of having an even better soundtrack but no ergonomics with the Triumph Daytona 675i. Ride safe, everyone!