Who are you, and what have you done with my parents?
They say motorcycling is hereditary. I seem to have passed it on to my parents.
I've been loving my Ducati for a year and a half, and sharing stories of my learning experiences with my parents along the way. During Memorial Day weekend in May, I went home for the World Superbike races at Miller Motorsports Park. My dad was a corner worker and my mom joined me as a spectator for qualifying, Superpole, and both races on Sunday. It was an absolute blast. "I could really get into this motorcycle thing," my mom said.
Two weeks later, my parents took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course. This course consists of several hours in a classroom learning the basics of motorcycling, and then two full days out in a parking lot doing drills and learning how to ride. At the end of the course you have a test. If you pass, you get a voucher that waives the riding test at the DMV, meaning you can then take the written exam at the DMV and obtain a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license.
Two days later, both my parents had valid motorcycle licenses.
The next week, my dad spent a lot of time on the phone and over email corresponding about a tastefully modified 2005 Ducati Monster S2 1000 that he found in the classified ads in Salt Lake. At the beginning of July, my mother called to say that she bought the bike for dad "as his birthday present" (my father's birthday is July 7th).
This past Friday, my mother again called me. "Are you sitting down?" she asked. While at the Ducati dealership picking up her special ordered extra small helmet, she sat on the new Monster 696 and didn't like it. They also had several 2008 Monster S2s on the showroom floor, and a single 2007 S2R. Apparently the 2007 was a good deal, because it's going to be living in my parents garage next to it's sibling as of this coming Tuesday.
This from the people that took over a year to purchase their last car. My appreciation for how chill my parents are has grown exponentially since I left for college, but they have never been what I would call "impulsive." I guess I was wrong. It would seem you can teach an old dog new tricks. My mother jokingly quipped, "Well, I'm glad you're excited. We're spending your inheritance." Personally, if they can enjoy it more while they're still alive I think that's better anyways.
You want to talk about brand loyalty in families?
Mom - 2001 BMW 540i (4.4L V8 282hp/324ft-lb), 2007 Ducati Monster S2R (992cc L-twin 93.87hp/69.4ft-lb)
Dad - 1999 BMW 323i (2.5L I6 170hp/181ft-lb), 2005 Ducati Monster 1000 (992cc L-twin 85hp/62ft-lb)
Keith - 1995 BMW M3 (3.0L I6 240hp/225ft-lb), 2000 Ducati 748 (748cc L-twin 97hp/54.6ft-lb)
What I find hilarious is that my mom has the biggest engine in her car (V8 powa! So many torques!) and the fanciest/newest bike. So much for being "conservative."
I've been loving my Ducati for a year and a half, and sharing stories of my learning experiences with my parents along the way. During Memorial Day weekend in May, I went home for the World Superbike races at Miller Motorsports Park. My dad was a corner worker and my mom joined me as a spectator for qualifying, Superpole, and both races on Sunday. It was an absolute blast. "I could really get into this motorcycle thing," my mom said.
Two weeks later, my parents took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course. This course consists of several hours in a classroom learning the basics of motorcycling, and then two full days out in a parking lot doing drills and learning how to ride. At the end of the course you have a test. If you pass, you get a voucher that waives the riding test at the DMV, meaning you can then take the written exam at the DMV and obtain a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license.
Two days later, both my parents had valid motorcycle licenses.
The next week, my dad spent a lot of time on the phone and over email corresponding about a tastefully modified 2005 Ducati Monster S2 1000 that he found in the classified ads in Salt Lake. At the beginning of July, my mother called to say that she bought the bike for dad "as his birthday present" (my father's birthday is July 7th).
This past Friday, my mother again called me. "Are you sitting down?" she asked. While at the Ducati dealership picking up her special ordered extra small helmet, she sat on the new Monster 696 and didn't like it. They also had several 2008 Monster S2s on the showroom floor, and a single 2007 S2R. Apparently the 2007 was a good deal, because it's going to be living in my parents garage next to it's sibling as of this coming Tuesday.
This from the people that took over a year to purchase their last car. My appreciation for how chill my parents are has grown exponentially since I left for college, but they have never been what I would call "impulsive." I guess I was wrong. It would seem you can teach an old dog new tricks. My mother jokingly quipped, "Well, I'm glad you're excited. We're spending your inheritance." Personally, if they can enjoy it more while they're still alive I think that's better anyways.
You want to talk about brand loyalty in families?
Mom - 2001 BMW 540i (4.4L V8 282hp/324ft-lb), 2007 Ducati Monster S2R (992cc L-twin 93.87hp/69.4ft-lb)
Dad - 1999 BMW 323i (2.5L I6 170hp/181ft-lb), 2005 Ducati Monster 1000 (992cc L-twin 85hp/62ft-lb)
Keith - 1995 BMW M3 (3.0L I6 240hp/225ft-lb), 2000 Ducati 748 (748cc L-twin 97hp/54.6ft-lb)
What I find hilarious is that my mom has the biggest engine in her car (V8 powa! So many torques!) and the fanciest/newest bike. So much for being "conservative."