Comments on: The Vain Motorcyclist http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/ Sun, 21 Aug 2011 04:15:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: James Strachan http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1620 James Strachan Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:17:27 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-1620 Got it on the 2nd try on the 27th - in a torrential downpour, with optional lightning. They were going to cancel but 12 of the 13 first time dropouts there said "forget it...we're already soaked...there's lots of tall(ish) metal objects around...we CAN do this and we WANT to do this!!! That's motorcyclists for ya'...seemingly "we" keep a foot, or toe anyway, just a bit off centre!!! Good luck with the new model and again, thanks for the support. Cheers, Jim Got it on the 2nd try on the 27th – in a torrential downpour, with optional lightning. They were going to cancel but 12 of the 13 first time dropouts there said “forget it…we’re already soaked…there’s lots of tall(ish) metal objects around…we CAN do this and we WANT to do this!!! That’s motorcyclists for ya’…seemingly “we” keep a foot, or toe anyway, just a bit off centre!!!

Good luck with the new model and again, thanks for the support.

Cheers, Jim

]]> By: Jim Strachan http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1604 Jim Strachan Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:57:28 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-1604 Thanks for the comments, and encouragement Andre. I've ran that first section of the test that I pooched so badly yesterday through my mind a lot afterward and you know, I was so focused on not hitting that inner line on the outside of the apex that I watched the front wheel with my head down and tried to "aim" it thru. What did you guys hammer us with all weekend?? ..."look up and ahead thru the turn" and the bike will follow the right line. Yeah I missed the shift trying to hurry it down (and lost time, did the same stupid thing on the return back thru but really, I think the wheels just fell off after that first simple brain fart. Got a bigger hammer??? Anyway...only my ego has a bit of a dent in it right now - better that than a dent in a bike, me or worse...somebody else, and these things have a tendency to work out better after overcoming a bit of adversity is overcome. Sounds like pop-psych crap but generally true I think. I dig the "licence to learn" concept btw. Pic is better (so I lied about not weighing in) and as you likely noted...my feathers in back are likewise suffering the same follicle disappearing act. Thank the sweet baby Jesus for ball caps and, now again for me after 30 years or so, M/C helmets!!! Tough office wear tho' There's that adversity theme again. Cheers mate...perhaps I'll see you at a show or something. I'll show you my "M2" <em>I think learning to ride a bike holds many metaphors for life... "Look where you want to go and the bike will follow..." Visualize your goal and it will materialize..." Look after the little things and the big ones will look after themselves..." "Keep your bike clean and the women will flock to you..." Hey... I think there's another blog here. I'll call it the "Pop-psych, Metaphysical, Existential Motorcyclist." lol Thanks for reading the blog Jim, stay tuned ... PS. I won't say, "Good luck", on your retest... You don't need it.</em> Thanks for the comments, and encouragement Andre. I’ve ran that first section of the test that I pooched so badly yesterday through my mind a lot afterward and you know, I was so focused on not hitting that inner line on the outside of the apex that I watched the front wheel with my head down and tried to “aim” it thru. What did you guys hammer us with all weekend?? …”look up and ahead thru the turn” and the bike will follow the right line. Yeah I missed the shift trying to hurry it down (and lost time, did the same stupid thing on the return back thru but really, I think the wheels just fell off after that first simple brain fart. Got a bigger hammer???

Anyway…only my ego has a bit of a dent in it right now – better that than a dent in a bike, me or worse…somebody else, and these things have a tendency to work out better after overcoming a bit of adversity is overcome. Sounds like pop-psych crap but generally true I think. I dig the “licence to learn” concept btw.

Pic is better (so I lied about not weighing in) and as you likely noted…my feathers in back are likewise suffering the same follicle disappearing act. Thank the sweet baby Jesus for ball caps and, now again for me after 30 years or so, M/C helmets!!!

Tough office wear tho’ There’s that adversity theme again. Cheers mate…perhaps I’ll see you at a show or something. I’ll show you my “M2″

I think learning to ride a bike holds many metaphors for life… “Look where you want to go and the bike will follow…” Visualize your goal and it will materialize…” Look after the little things and the big ones will look after themselves…” “Keep your bike clean and the women will flock to you…” Hey… I think there’s another blog here.

I’ll call it the “Pop-psych, Metaphysical, Existential Motorcyclist.” lol

Thanks for reading the blog Jim, stay tuned …

PS. I won’t say, “Good luck”, on your retest… You don’t need it.

]]> By: James Strachan http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-1603 James Strachan Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:06:02 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-1603 Hi Andre, Thought I'd try tracking down this am and offer a sincere thanks for the effort you and the other guys (and Sharon) put in last weekend up at the Humber M/C course. I was pretty disappointed at having not passed the exit test and should have at at least stuck around to do that much. Mama gave me better manners than that. Thats a very tightly run course but still a lot of fun and you are guys are to be commended for that. "You'se" had nothing to do with my result. Hope Lynn as the other old guy got through as well as the ladies. I am going to take the retest either this coming weekend or next depending on my work sked. No quit in this ol' dog (yet)so if I dont see you there, thanks for the gentle let down. I tried finding a corp e-mail for you but this blog (cept. Lidekin) was all I could scratch up. Hope you don't mind. Have a great summer - I won't weigh in the pic issue - save to agree the existing one doesn't capture your best side!!! Regards, Jim <em>Hi Jim, So glad you tracked me down. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from you, and yes, it was a disappointment to lose you during the testing section of the <a href="http://www.humber.ca/motorcycle/basic.htm" rel="nofollow">Humber MC course</a> this past weekend. You were exactly the type of student I was talking about when I said "No test is Perfect..." some good students are not successful and some less qualified students make it through... The M.O.S.T. (Motorcycle Operators Skills Test) is designed to evaluate an applicant's ability to operator a MC safely and relies on something called "<a href="http://www.famecourse.org/Materials/CookBeckman.pdf" rel="nofollow">Psychometric Requirements</a>: Validity and Reliability",(not sure what it means, less be able to say it). It was incorporated in to the M.O.S.T. to try and ensure that we can trust the results of the test... There are certain sections in the test where the examiner is marking for a particular ability, or lack of it. It was by chance that you did the wrong things at the wrong times (times I was marking for those skills). You rode very well otherwise. I don't have a concern about your results when you do a re-test. I kept my "Mean Tester Hat" on after the test and gave everyone that passed a lecture on safety and how they should consider this pass more as a license to learn, than anything else. and oh ya, Thanks for reminding me about the picture... and the winner is .... </em> <img src="http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dre.JPG" alt="Andre Harris" /> <em>Dre</em><strong> Hi Andre,
Thought I’d try tracking down this am and offer a sincere thanks for the effort you and the other guys (and Sharon) put in last weekend up at the Humber M/C course. I was pretty disappointed at having not passed the exit test and should have at at least stuck around to do that much. Mama gave me better manners than that.

Thats a very tightly run course but still a lot of fun and you are guys are to be commended for that. “You’se” had nothing to do with my result. Hope Lynn as the other old guy got through as well as the ladies.

I am going to take the retest either this coming weekend or next depending on my work sked. No quit in this ol’ dog (yet)so if I dont see you there, thanks for the gentle let down. I tried finding a corp e-mail for you but this blog (cept. Lidekin) was all I could scratch up. Hope you don’t mind.

Have a great summer – I won’t weigh in the pic issue – save to agree the existing one doesn’t capture your best side!!!

Regards,
Jim

Hi Jim,
So glad you tracked me down. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from you, and yes, it was a disappointment to lose you during the testing section of the Humber MC course this past weekend.

You were exactly the type of student I was talking about when I said “No test is Perfect…” some good students are not successful and some less qualified students make it through… The M.O.S.T. (Motorcycle Operators Skills Test) is designed to evaluate an applicant’s ability to operator a MC safely and relies on something called “Psychometric Requirements: Validity and Reliability”,(not sure what it means, less be able to say it). It was incorporated in to the M.O.S.T. to try and ensure that we can trust the results of the test…

There are certain sections in the test where the examiner is marking for a particular ability, or lack of it. It was by chance that you did the wrong things at the wrong times (times I was marking for those skills). You rode very well otherwise. I don’t have a concern about your results when you do a re-test.

I kept my “Mean Tester Hat” on after the test and gave everyone that passed a lecture on safety and how they should consider this pass more as a license to learn, than anything else.

and oh ya, Thanks for reminding me about the picture… and the winner is ….
Andre Harris

Dre

]]> By: Pat Norris http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-993 Pat Norris Sat, 26 Sep 2009 21:25:03 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-993 Andre, you look great in any picture, but I definitely like # 1, it shows the true "racer" spirit you have. Andre, you look great in any picture, but I definitely like # 1, it shows the true “racer” spirit you have.

]]> By: Bro http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-823 Bro Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:13:54 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-823 I think the first photo captures the "bad boy" image you're looking for, but of course that's just part of the Andre Harris mystique or persona. Those who know you have experienced the multiple facets of your complex character. Still, for the purposes of this forum, the first shot wins. The second is flattering but illustrates your subconscious panic of losing your hair (that photo was doctored, right?). The third while capturing the true essence of why we ride does not impart a “bad boy” quality. That picture says, “Yah, I want to go for a ride…” or, “ahhh…this is why I ride…”. The fourth photo looks like a photo shoot, somewhat staged. I know it’s a distance version of the first, but since it’s black and white, well…it feels staged anyway. The fifth… umm… beige pants? A “bad boy” in beige pants? Might as well trade them in for Dockers. Need I say more? Now as far as submitting my own photos… oh the damage we could do. You are indeed brave to willingly request submissions of historic Andre Harris moments captured by the likes of your acquaintances. Perhaps I should post that shot of you... that summer we all went camping ... and cliff diving at ... or the time we went to Loudon Race track in New Hampshire and you ... but no, the public is not ready for that. I vote for the 1st picture. <em>Dear Wayne, Thank you for reading my blog and submitting your vote for my new profile picture. Now, I know I said I was willing to accept votes for pictures submitted by readers, but I think you have an unfair advantage... Living under the same roof for 25 years you have access to a warehouse full of pictures, not all of them as flattering as the ones I posted and know you still hold a grudge to this day because Mom and Dad let me get a MC and not you, (not to mention Rachel liked me better than you, that really bugged you). Thinking you may not have my best interest at heart when selecting a new profile picture. So, I will limit your selection to the 5 posted on the blog. Thanks, <strong>André</em></strong> <em> PS I came in 3rd from a field of riders on factory equipment that race in Loudon. That would be a good profile picture. Thanks for reminding me.</em> I think the first photo captures the “bad boy” image you’re looking for, but of course that’s just part of the Andre Harris mystique or persona. Those who know you have experienced the multiple facets of your complex character. Still, for the purposes of this forum, the first shot wins. The second is flattering but illustrates your subconscious panic of losing your hair (that photo was doctored, right?). The third while capturing the true essence of why we ride does not impart a “bad boy” quality. That picture says, “Yah, I want to go for a ride…” or, “ahhh…this is why I ride…”.

The fourth photo looks like a photo shoot, somewhat staged. I know it’s a distance version of the first, but since it’s black and white, well…it feels staged anyway. The fifth… umm… beige pants? A “bad boy” in beige pants? Might as well trade them in for Dockers. Need I say more? Now as far as submitting my own photos… oh the damage we could do. You are indeed brave to willingly request submissions of historic Andre Harris moments captured by the likes of your acquaintances. Perhaps I should post that shot of you… that summer we all went camping … and cliff diving at … or the time we went to Loudon Race track in New Hampshire and you … but no, the public is not ready for that.
I vote for the 1st picture.

Dear Wayne,
Thank you for reading my blog and submitting your vote for my new profile picture. Now, I know I said I was willing to accept votes for pictures submitted by readers, but I think you have an unfair advantage… Living under the same roof for 25 years you have access to a warehouse full of pictures, not all of them as flattering as the ones I posted and know you still hold a grudge to this day because Mom and Dad let me get a MC and not you, (not to mention Rachel liked me better than you, that really bugged you). Thinking you may not have my best interest at heart when selecting a new profile picture. So, I will limit your selection to the 5 posted on the blog.

Thanks, André

PS
I came in 3rd from a field of riders on factory equipment that race in Loudon. That would be a good profile picture. Thanks for reminding me.

]]> By: Torch http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/2009/08/18/the-vain-motorcyclist/comment-page-1/#comment-821 Torch Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:39:12 +0000 http://motorcycles.yamahablogs.ca/?p=620#comment-821 I'd suggest the first or third photo.... Ride on, Torch I’d suggest the first or third photo….

Ride on,
Torch

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