[Ruuntje]

Hi!
I went from years of oh-it'll-definitely-be-a-Bonnie to Himalayan!! in one test drive last Saturday.
That was all it took in the search for my first ever motorbike. Love at first ride. I'm still smiling!
Come to think of it, I might be still smiling because I bought one this week and can pick it up tomorrow. Brand new Himalayan Snow.
Just got word from the dealer that it's got plates!
A turn of events which took me completely by surprise. 
It's difficult not to just burst into pieces from happiness, but I will do my best.
Be seeing you.
Ruuntje

[oldphart]

Hi!
I went from years of oh-it'll-definitely-be-a-Bonnie to Himalayan!! in one test drive last Saturday.
That was all it took in the search for my first ever motorbike. Love at first ride. I'm still smiling!
Come to think of it, I might be still smiling because I bought one this week and can pick it up tomorrow. Brand new Himalayan Snow.
Just got word from the dealer that it's got plates!
A turn of events which took me completely by surprise. 
It's difficult not to just burst into pieces from happiness, but I will do my best.
Be seeing you.
Ruuntje

You'll be amazed how many people fall in love with these little bikes on their first ride.

Have fun. Now go and wear it out 

[Bilgemaster]

Welcome aboard! From your user name I'd guess you're Dutch or maybe Flemish? If the former, you may soon discover here a rather militant fanbase for adorable Dutch blonde gals on Himalayans: https://www.youtube.com/c/ItchyBoots

[Morgan65]

Congrats on the new bike and welcome to the forum.

[oldphart]

What's the first accessory you're going to buy?
We're all dying to find out 

Seriously, these little critters are so cheap and so updatable.
May I be rude and suggest the factory panniers? They transform the usefulness of the bike, mine are in constant use... but I commute on mine. It's so nice to be able to stop off on the way home to buy groceries, or to get caught with the rain and just take your wet weather kit out of the pannier, or to realise it's colder than you expected and have your winter gloves on hand, or to realise it's hotter than you expected but you've got your summer gloves in the pannier, or stop for a rest and want to use your birding binoculars, or head out for day's rambling and stop to use the thermos you have in your panniers, or.... well, you've probably worked out what I'm getting at by now. I carry a third of a bike shop in mine (it's worse than the boot of my car) and then there's the stuff I predict I'll need.

[om15]

Congratulations on your Himalayan, I have had mine for 15 months, it makes me smile to go out on it now just as much as the day I bought it, it is a great bike. I have a few mods to do this month to improve the idle and slow running, will let you know how I get on.
Meanwhile, enjoy your bike.

[Ruuntje]

Thank you very much, y'all.

What a day.

I picked the bike up at the dealer around noon and spent the rest of the day riding on small roads around here where I live (yes, in The Netherlands, Mr. Holmes. Impressive.)
Not a crazy amount, perhaps, but I made some 65-70kms today.
Made it home just before the rain set in.

I've been reading a few threads on here for a week or so now and I see lots of newbie this and newbie that and 'oh my god, somebody waved at me!', but please allow me, I have never bought a new vehicle before. I have never owned a motorbike. I have never driven (legally) on roads before. You know what happened over and over today? Other riders waved at me! Really! Had a hard time getting my helmet off afterwards as my smile was glued to the inside of the visor.
It is a big deal. Humongous!

So. Much. Fun!

Cheers,
Ruuntje
 

[Bilgemaster]

Well then, I once again welcome you to the Fellowship of the Doomed! Over here in the States motorcycle riders also wave at other passing riders, all fellow sufferers and potential targets of those blind distracted texting boxed nitwits skittering about here and there. I'm told that allegedly some Harley riders are just way too cool to return a wave to anyone but other Harleys riders, but I have personally seen no evidence of this. Me? I'm just a pleasant semi-feebleminded fellow, so I wave at anything on two or three wheels...trikes, scooters, mopeds, bicycles, even mobility scooters...sometimes older cars I like. I'm like Forrest Gump out there....

Take it real easy out there and DON'T get cocky after only a couple of weeks or even months. Only if you manage to squeak through a year do your chances of survival more or less unharmed begin to statistically look at all promising. The most dangerous time is when you are just beginning to get a little bit comfortable and build up enough muscle and sense memory to get into trouble. You would do well to remain absolutely scared shitless by it all until at least Christmas 2021, OK? Sheer terror and awkwardness can save you from losing focus and doing stupid shit: going too fast, reckless lane splitting, trying to make that yellow light, etc. A healthy sense of utter dread will serve you well.

Good luck in the Gladiator School of Driving! Be afraid. Be very afraid, Invisible Boy. In the meantime, watch this: https://youtu.be/HiOGAYOXN8U and definitely this: https://youtu.be/x94PGgYKHQ0

[oldphart]

Thank you very much, y'all.

What a day.

I picked the bike up at the dealer around noon and spent the rest of the day riding on small roads around here where I live (yes, in The Netherlands, Mr. Holmes. Impressive.)
Not a crazy amount, perhaps, but I made some 65-70kms today.
Made it home just before the rain set in.

I've been reading a few threads on here for a week or so now and I see lots of newbie this and newbie that and 'oh my god, somebody waved at me!', but please allow me, I have never bought a new vehicle before. I have never owned a motorbike. I have never driven (legally) on roads before. You know what happened over and over today? Other riders waved at me! Really! Had a hard time getting my helmet off afterwards as my smile was glued to the inside of the visor.
It is a big deal. Humongous!

So. Much. Fun!

Cheers,
Ruuntje

Awwww, ain't love grand 

Now you know what we've all been through 

[AzCal Retred]

Bilgemaster - those were two great videos - thanks for posting! - ACR -

[Bilgemaster]

Bilgemaster - those were two great videos - thanks for posting! - ACR -

You're very welcome! Pound for pound, I'd say that "FortNine" YouTube channel is perhaps the finest and most slickly produced and snarkily entertaining while instructive motorcycling-related channel or program out there, whether online, cable or broadcast. I highly recommend a thorough binge watching of their back catalog: https://www.youtube.com/c/FortNine

Though in the travelogue genre, for sheer pluck I've just gotta give honorable mentions to Ed March's "C90adventures" at https://www.youtube.com/c/c90adventures, and of course Noraly Schoemaker's "Itchy Boots" at https://www.youtube.com/c/ItchyBoots.

As those winter glaciers commence rolling through much of the Northern Hemisphere, and many of our Enfields hibernate shed-bound til the daffodils again sprout, those three channels alone should take at least some of the edge off that restless cabin fever.

UPDATE: I can't believe I neglected to mention Paul Henshaw's (aka. "Bullet Whisperer") channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcxcOWPcVIykzWG_lqWuRWg. Some folks like those newfangled ASM relaxation videos wherein some chick gently crumples pansies and tampon wrappers while whispering excerpts from Jane Austen novels or some such crap. Me? Nothing relaxes me like joining a handy Welshman whilst he tearasses with much throbbings and barkings around the highways and narrow hedgerowed byways of Cymru test riding the drool-worthy parade of noble iron lucky enough to find its way into his shop for care and attention. Enfields, even their big '30s V-Twin, Ariel's, BSAs, Triumphs...The gangs all there, and should ease you through an unseasonably cold March or even early April, should Puxatawney Phil emerge and not be able to find his chubby ass with both paws, let alone his shadow.
Pro Tip: For real Depends-soiling vicarious thrills, crank up the playback speed of those videos to 1.25X. It's like being a madman's pillion!

[Ruuntje]

The C90adventures are wonderfully quirky. It shows it's possible to do weird stuff and have loads fun while doing it on a very small budget. And I've been watching the Itchy Boots series for a while. S1 is excellent. S2 a little more, uh, sponsored, maybe? At least the first handful of episodes. It got better when she started heading north in Argentina. It's a quick-fix of zen watching a few episodes of hers. I got inspired by her trip around The Netherlands. Good to see nice roads to drive also around here.


I'm completely smitten by the bike, I must admit. Been driving hundreds of kilometers this week. Had a day off today and headed out early and drove and drove and drove. Small roads up the coast here. It's wonderful. Easy to drive, big and sturdy, comfortable...
I don't have anything to compare it too, of course, but after three decades driving cars I am learning a whole different thing about being on the road. It's so thrilling! The sounds, the feel...
Opening the throttle a little in second gear in a curve, holy smoke. Is there a better feeling?

Here's a pic from this morning.

[Ruuntje]

OK, one more pic. This is me. Hi!

[AzCal Retred]

Ruuntje - I do not believe there is any safer or more fun bike to have on the road than a dual-purpose machine. When you run over a mattress or brick in the road, or find a 6" deep (16mm?) pothole, the bike soaks it up with no drama. A prime touring bike in the USA is the KLR650, which soaks up bad asphalt and road trash with aplomb, way better than a "real" street bike. The KLR is great for our 70 MPH interstates Your Himalayan will work perfectly on your twistier, more moderately paced roads. The Himalayan is lower & lighter than the KLR as well, which means that when you venture into the rough there is dramatically less wrestling involved. Standing position is very good, really adding to trail control. Great choice! - ACR -