I’ve been traveling extensively for the last month and change. During the first leg of my travel, I lent my motorcycle to a friend of mine who’s a beginner rider, as a way to let him learn how to ride it. Turns out, that was poor smarts on my part. He crashed it riding on the not-so-beginner-friendly Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens. With all the quick turns and swooping curves, it can be quite dangerous for a beginner (even as a car driver).

Alas, he wiped out and landed on his right side. Thank god he was fine, but when I came back home, I heard the entire saga. He was unable to shift the gears to neutral so he was stuck carrying it with a friend using a cardboard under the rear wheel (and much gusto).

The motorcycle was not so happy to run. It blew through a fuse. The rear turn signals were stripped and broken, hanging by a thread. I noticed the cracked engine guard dangling from the front end. There were bolts missing. My helmet had tons of scratches on it.

It’s been more than a month since I’ve been able to use my bike. I tried to do some of the repairs myself and honestly, I got pretty far. But I hit my own wall of experience. Lacking the right tools and the confidence to move forward, I got a guy from Craigslist to check the bike out. He helped take off the engine guard, refresh my brake fluid, and replace the license plate harness. But the wiring was burnt due to the rotation of the tires getting in contact with dangling wires. I’d need a new sub wiring harness.

Another delay, another purchase, another bit of patience.

In these moments, I feel disheartened because I’m so attached to a material thing. I shouldn’t feel such a sense of loss. In another sense, I feel frustrated because I really shouldn’t have been so trusting to lend out my vehicles. My scooter ended splat for the same reason. (and my Zipcar membership…a different story, different friend).

All good people. All terrible drivers with poor judgement and lots to learn. So do I apparently.

At the end, good things do come with patience. So I’ll be click that Buy button on eBay. I’ll call the mechanic in again. And I’ll ask God, please, get me back on the road, to stop lusting after other bikes. ‘Cause that freedom baby, that freedom of my own sweet ride, my own adventure.

Damn it, it just had to be Fall, didn’t it? Riding season is almost over!