Thursday, December 18, 2008

Spending Money To Jump Start the Country








I have always said that the cheapest part of motorcycle ownership is the initial purchase of the bike because as boat owners know the upkeep will keep you poor. Owning a boat and several motorcycles not to mention several push bikes keeps my bank account in negative numbers.

A few months back I sold one of my dirt bikes as it was not being ridden as the trip out to the desert at $4.65 a gallon for gas created a hole in my wallet that was painful. (Saturday the price in the desert was $ 1.55 a gallon) Then my senior daughter expressed a desire to go out to the desert and try riding. Our remaining dirt bike, that my teenage mutant quit riding is only a 125cc but was a Super Cross Pro race bike. This dirt bike has a seat high enough that a ladder or large box is necessary to get on. My daughter was able to ride it on the dry lake but had a problem climbing aboard.

With the economy in the sewer there are so many deals out there so we went shopping. I was not in the market for another bike until the Super Cross bike, that just finally passed the state registration, promptly died. So I found a pair for sale, his and hers, on Monday I picked them up and we went riding the next day. The smaller bike made for simple starting and we had a blast riding all over the desert together.













Beside the purchase price of the larger bike I have had to shell out mucho pesos for the following:

1. A annual pass to ride in the desert
2. A renewal of my AMA license so I can race in the desert
3. A desert race number
4. A gas can for four stroke gas
5. A new rear tire
6. A new rear sprocket with different gearing
7. An oil filter(s)
8. Oil
9. A clutch lever (after falling over)
10. A new rear chain
11. A new tail light for my trailer after smashing the light



This outlay is after one week of ownership and two trips to the desert to ride. Oh, I forgot I bought two magazines. Really only needed one but I left the first one in the shopping cart in the market parking lot. Some days I find it fortunate that I don't leave myself behind.