After almost 16 years of discussion and many reasons why my husband didn't want me to get a motorcycle, he finally said YES! I can't believe it... I was really stunned!

Did I get my bike? Yes I did! Everything happened so fast that I didn't even have time to get buyers remorse, nor did I feel I should have. You see, my husband was always pushing me towards a Trike (a 3-wheeled monstrosity). Not that I didn't like them, there are some beautiful Trikes out there these days and we used to own one many years ago that he and his stepfather had built. We had lots of fun and attention everywhere we went from our two wheeled cousins; however, I had my heart set for more than 20 years on a motorcycle. He felt a Trike was a safer alternative to a two wheeler, but with so many women riding these days, and just recently it seemed like every couple we know had wives or girlfriends showing up on their new machines. A few years back I counted about 1 out of 4 riders in this state being female. These days the count appears to be quickly rising and...why shouldn't he consider it, his Mom had one!

Back in the day before I met my husband I used to run with a pretty rough crowd of bikers. My family of motorcycle enthusiasts ranged from a School Teacher and her Janitor husband, a former Restaurateur turned Car Salesman, a State Lottery Winner, a Motorcycle Mechanic, an Alaska Fisherman, current and Ex-Military folks, lots and lots of Harley Owner Group Members and even for a short time some criminal 1%'ers. Everyone had one thing in common, a love for riding motorcycles, especially Harley Davidsons.

I've been an enthusiast since I was 6 years old and fell off the back of my father's little scooter. Not a motorcycle scooter, but the kind you see in European movies where everyone rides around the town circle like madmen out on a mission. Italy is most famous for that one... My next initiation was when I was 12 or 13 and I hopped on the back of my first Harley with some older teenage boy who came down our street to visit with his girlfriend and show off his new bike. Good thing that was in the day when I actually came home, considering nowadays if a young girl were to do the same thing she might disappear forever.

When I was married to my first husband, we also had a Harley and my son was practically born on it. I rode with him until I was 8 months pregnant (not smart, but I was young and stupid), and then later on my son was tucked in my jacket and rode in-between us until we could no longer ride three on a bike (again not smart), but God must've been with me until I wised up. After my divorce, I was drawn to what felt familiar and that was bike people. I tried to stay out of it a few years and ran with a totally different crowd, but that's another story...

I learned to ride twenty some years ago from two wonderful guys I knew, one I was dating at the time and the other was just a very good friend. He was the Alaskan Fisherman and also a custom bike builder in his spare time. His own personal bike was a 1200cc custom built Super Glide. This was the first bike I learned to ride. I wished I had a video of it because I think it was the highest high I had ever experienced. It was awesome! You should have seen the smile on my face. The second ride was on a 450cc Honda that my date taught me on to get the feel of the road underneath my wheels.

My current love has never seen me ride, so he assumed that I couldn't even though I said I could, so after he agreed we went to the dealership and looked them over. I had gone to the shop the day before to order a part for his bike and tried sitting on a couple just day-dreaming never thinking that the very next day I would actually own one.

Did I buy a Harley? NO, I wanted something that I could handle, looked good, was reliable (not in the shop all the time), and didn't cost my first born or an arm and a leg. Besides, Harleys have gotten so over priced along with the accessories and clothing that it just didn't make financial sense to me. Yes, I still have my entire Harley shirts, patches, pins and leather stuff all packed away for some day when my husband decides to buy his Soft Tail Deluxe, but for now this is MY bike and I absolutely love it! What did I get? She's a beautiful black beauty cruiser 650cc Yamaha 2007 V-Star Silverado Classic.

Because I've gotten such a good deal on it money wise; I was able to add lots of new accessories, something I wouldn't have done if I had bought a Harley; so I'm currently adding lots more chrome goodies on it and really personalizing it to my own tastes. Of course, the first big expense was a Mustang Seat, a must have if you plan on doing some serious riding. I've decided to call her Freyja - Queen of the Valkyries and wife to Odin.

Last weekend we decided to go to the Coliseum parking lot and have my first practice run to get used to this new machine. It's been so long since I drove that I was a little apprehensive, but from the get-go I took off on it like it was meant to be and the look on my husband's face was worth millions. He was beaming and looked so proud that I handled it quite well. Said I looked rather sexy on it and Boy! Did that spark romance later that evening.

One thing I never expected to happen was being just as enthusiastic about looking through my husbands cycle magazines for parts and accessories and working in the garage right along side of him putting them on. It felt great to be able to share another part of our lives and future adventures together.

I'm a lucky girl, a husband who loves me and still thinks I'm sexy; and owning a brand new motorcycle. There's nothing more powerful than that.