Hi everyone.
My name is Paul. Yesterday, for the first time in 32 years, I swung a leg over --grabbed handlebars and Went for a Ride. Just purchased a used '07 Kymco Xciting 500 from dealer in Tallahasse FL.
It was a beautiful afternoon here in Valdosta, GA with the sun out and slightly coolish temperature. I carefully negotiated the dirt roads leading to the highway -- got gas at corner store -- and by the time I was on the road again, was feeling the old confidence returning.
The Xciting seems nice and solid and stable which helped. I found I couldn't read the MPH part of the speedo since that part of the guage is such small lettering, so I just guessed at my speed. Took it up around 90 - 120 KPWhatever and that seemed to be about right for traffic on the two-laner. Faster than I would have liked to do first time out, but it's the only road to town and didn't want to hold traffic up, you know.
Anyway, everything was wonderful. Acceleration, braking, and handling were all just fine by me. Perhaps a little more vibration than I remembered from my '70's street bikes but nothing I couldn't live with. Went to the grocery store. Got milk, TP, and misc, all of which fit under the seat (something I never could have done on my street bikes) -- stopped off at the mobile home park where I used to live to feed a stray cat -- then took the slightly twisty two-laner back to the highway feeling absolutely glorious by then, and back home.
A very very fine feeling. aahhh.
Woke up today ready to do it again and it's raining. . .
