One Step At A Time

Hey! How was your week?

We've had a bit of depressing bipolar weather this week but during it all I think I have achieved that clarity that I've been looking for. I decreased the amount of stuff I had on my plate to much more manageable levels and decided to keep it simple to the things that are important to me. I have so many interests and trying to keep up with them all was tiring. I don't like them any less but some of them don't need to be front and center as I was trying to keep everything.

I don't need to do it all nor was I meant to so I'm sticking to the simple things that make me happy in this life.

That being said, on one of the beautiful days I left and took a walk to the shop to see what the guys were doing/building. I showed up and Choo was there poking at his Shovelhead and by the look on his face he was deep in thought. Once he saw me though he smiled and led me straight to a couple of Sportsters that were there. Obviously he had thought about my troubles and now that I have stepped over the customizing line he had an idea. I couldn't tell you the years of the bikes off hand because even if he told me I wasn't listening as I took them in.

He told me to sit on both of them and see what was comfortable for me. I'm 5'11" so comfortable is a must at this point. On mine the way she sits now with me having Forwards makes me hunched over a bit with the stock Risers. At first I wanted to change the bars completely but have decided now that mine are fine they just need to be raised and pulled back a bit more and I'll be adding thicker grips for my apparently long piano fingers to be more comfortable. I sit my butt onto the first bike, looks a bit older, beaten up and although it's a tad lower than mine the solo seat and 6 1/2" raised (dare I say it ) drag bars (could be wrong still learning all of this) she has felt comfortable and this is where I decided that thicker grips felt better.

I moved over to the other Sportster  at Choo's urging the one that looked much sleeker and bigger?taller than the rough around the edges one I had just been on. This one has the same stock bars as mine but for some reason even though they are a 1/2 inch shorter on 6" risers than the other ones it felt wider somehow and I didn't like that so much so I got off and walked back over to the other one and threw a leg over and sat back on it. Everything about it felt comfortable but I'm still not sure about the bars. I'd like to keep mine and that's how I've finally decided I'm going with the risers. So I start the search and the research into what I need and how to install them.

I have guys in my life that like to make it difficult sometimes and particularly a Smartass friend that likes to give me a hard time but if I do ask a question he'll generally give me the straight shot answer leaving room for me to figure stuff out without solving the problem for me.

Choo likes to point out the things I never thought of in a way that... sometimes makes me want to push him down the stairs but that's ok...for the most part. I guess...

Little things like I finally find a pair of Risers to order and then...

Choo: I found you some but they're Aluminum
Me: Really? Cool!
Choo: We can powder-coat them.
Me: Wait...why?
Choo: Because they're aluminum...
Me: *blink*...and?
Choo: Yours are black and they need to match your bike.

Now that conversation could have gone much better if he just said something like this...

Choo: I found you some but they're aluminum, if you want them to match what you have now then we can get them powder-coated black.

Well then...I know that I need help but really?

Oh well whatever it takes, I'm hands on learning just the way I like it and in the end it's my decision right??? Even if I make colossal mistakes, I'll learn and at least I have many avenues I can travel down for help and advice.

Now as much as it pretty much tears my heart out that my baby girl is leaving home at least I'll be able to bring in the 2 bike frames from the shop into the basement for our build bikes giving us room to work in the shop over the Fall and Winter customizing the other 2. Around here there just aren't other girls that build bikes that I have found yet.

So far I'm learning that there is a lot to learn and I'm invested.

Back to the search for parts.

Have a great week
See Ya
S.