There comes a time in everyone's life when they just have to sit down and say "I just can't do it."  It has come to pass for me.  We are selling my dad's old motorcycle.  I have tried to ride the thing.  When I can get it to go, I can ride it just fine.  But, the problem is getting it to go.  I can't take the standard transmission.  The clutch and shifting is just something I cannot wrap my head around.  My dad has it down to a science, because when he was younger BACK IN THE STONE AGE most cars only had standard transmission so he grew up with that.  Every vehicle I've ever owned has come with automatic transmission.  I learned how to drive on an automatic.  I've never had to touch a clutch before trying to ride a motorcycle.

So we are selling the thing.  My sister wants it, and as tempting as having my brother-in-law take it without knowing how to ride it is... we're not giving it to her.  She delivers newspapers for a living.  She is half-asleep almost all the time.  She claims to know how to ride.  But I don't trust that.  My mom doesn't trust that.  And when me and my mom agree on things, my dad trusts our judgment over my sister's.  So we are selling it to my ex-roommate's current roommate.  He's a friend, he's working, he's ridden in the past.  He's taking the tests to get his motorcycle endorsement renewed.  And he's willing to pay up the full $1000 we're asking for the bike, all at once.  My sister wants to make installments of $100 a month.  That ain't happening.  So probably this weekend, me and my dad are gonna ride up to Hammond, where my friend lives, find a title transfer place, and sell the bike.  End of story.

But then what do I do?  Gas prices are killing me.  My car is easily a $60 - $70 tank, when running on fumes, and I have to fill up at least every two weeks, or sooner.  A motorcycle would be the best option, since it's a smaller tank and would have better gas mileage, right?  But I can't drive standard.  So I guess the next best thing would be to get a scooter, since most all of them are now automatic.  I really just want to ride to and from work.  The money in gas I'd save would eventually pay for the thing.  I was originally looking at Vespa's but their high end model goes for $7000.  Honda high ends are going for $6000.  We're gonna go look at them later.

There are some custom manufacturers that make motorcycles with automatic transmissions.  Unfortunately, they cost as much as a new car.  The nearest one to me is somewhere in Baton Rouge.  I suppose I'll get the scooter, and then when I have more money to blow, I'll trade it in towards one of those automatic motorcycles.

And the downside is that I'll be picked on by all the neighbors... who all have really nice motorcycles.  Sigh.