My Yellow Pony

Ok. My Ninja 250 isn't a pony, but riding it does bring the Pony Express to mind!
Small, responsive, and fast if you want her to be.
The plan was to ride my 1st bike home Sunday, with a friend following right behind me in his car. Just encase I got stuck somehow, somewhere, or freaked out crossing the long metal grated bridge I had to take from N.J. to PA.
I was nervous.. I hadn't been out on the road yet and the trip was 30 some miles.
Ichee Mama!
Plus, I hadn't even shifted the Ninja out of second since I'd only been able to ride it around the gravel driveway at J&L Cycle out on Rt. 12.
It didn't help matters that we'd never shifted above 3rd during the MSF course.
With this in mind, Saturday I got off work early, went over to J&L, put my plate on, geared up and headed out to get a few real road miles under my seat.
Then, out of no where, while standing astride, in the gravel where the driveway mets the road, my Ninja started a slow fall to the left. Dang! I tried hard to keep it up right, but down she went in slow-motion.
*hit!
I dropped my bike and I hadn't even left the parking lot!
Behind me in his shop door stood Joe, watching, silent.
All I was, was mad at my own stupidity.
But it was just the slap in the face I needed to "drop" the nervousness and get serious.
It wasn't a big deal to pick it up myself, and I got back on, checked for traffic and rode the few hundred feet up to the traffic light, but on the paved shoulder
Making a right at the light I moved into the traffic lane, and at the posted speed limit rode the short distance to a middle school. In that safe area I took some time getting a better feel for the brakes and shifting on a paved surface.
Feeling better informed after 15 minutes I went back out and rode 10 miles, my highest speed 50mph.
Turning around I backtracked, got on the main county road, stopped and got gas for the first time, and took us both safely back to J&L.
I wondered if Joe thought I would even make it back in one piece..
After those first 19 miles the ride home Sunday was uneventful. Yet I was really happy to have my friends behind me backing me up.
Grated bridges are weird, and I found the second half to be worse then the first. Then, it was a really long bridge for my 1st one.
My impressions of the Ninja?
Maneuverable, soft suspension, shifts easy, front brake is sensitive and she dives just like I'd read it would if you don't use a soft touch. Two fingers is good but one is better on that lever.
She is a sweet responsive ride and has all the go I'll need for some time to come.