Good you are again "feeling it".  I haven't even had the time to post here for a long time, but I do get on the bike every chance I get. That 650 exec is the best commute bike I can imagine.  I even enjoy getting on the very busy california freeways. Sometimes more than others of course.  I like the suggestion below to ride aggressive, not necessarily fast mind you, but aggressively.  Passive on the freeways can be a life ender.

Ride Safe!

Art H

Good on yer, TexasKat.  Job Done Mate. …..er…..you couldn't send us some of that 70 odd o/o, weather over, could you ?

Thanks to all for your suggestions and insight.  I appreciate it.  I actually did go on a ride this past Saturday with a motorcycle group that I hadn't ridden with for over a year.  There were sixty of us and we delivered toys to needy children.  That was a fun day for the kids and riding with the group again.  The next day was in the mid-70's and I rode by myself out to the hill country and I think those two rides alone re-sparked my interest.  The Burgman is such a fine machine.  I get comments everytime I go on a group ride.  There is a small group of riders in my neighborhood and I may join them for often.  I did change my commute route to avoid as many cagers as possible.  That has helped.  Thanks agaiin for the responses.  So far now, I'll keep the Burgman and keep riding.  :-) 

I think the suggestions you've gotten for ways to re-new your interest in riding are good ones.  As Steve has suggested, even trying to avoid crashes by always assuming cagers will do the "wrong thing" can itself be "exciting".  Maybe not your preferred brand of excitement, but it nonetheless keeps one's mind fully engaged while riding.

The other suggestion I'd make is to find out if you like riding with others more than by yourself.  Maybe you've already tried group riding, maybe not.  Personally, I like riding alone but like riding in a group even more.  The company of others while riding and at stops is pretty cool.  I also learned about scooter club that we have here in Oregon (the Oregon Scooter Club).  It's a pretty diverse group in terms of age, gender, and type of machines we ride.  There are a lot of smaller displacement scoots, but there also seems to be some trending toward people with Burgies and other larger bikes joining and of members trading up to our larger bikes.  Rides are planned well so that we faster riders can ride separately for a while and then up with the smaller bikes at various destinations.  I'd be surprised if you don't have a club somewhere near where you live.

Gary 

I'm green with envy when I hear details of rides in the USA! It is so difficult to find somewhere in UK where the traffic isn't a major problem. Differential speed limits (trucks 40, buses 50 , cars 60) on single carriageway roads make it a constant race to keep moving at a sensible pace, always looking for the opportunity to overtake, and it leads to aggressive driving and road rage. I drive a school bus for disabled kids about 700 miles a week and it can be very tiresome. However I am looking forward to doing my first long distance ride when I get over to Swindon to see my kids and grandkids. Cross country though rather than the preferred route in a car which would be A12, M25, M4! 

Texaskat – The Hill Country is the best motorcycling area in Texas.  Try to get out of the Austin-area traffic and up into the hills  to the west.  Several weeks ago I was in Barksdale, north of Uvalde, and there was a sign on the cafe – "Bikers Welcome".  The area has wonderful hills with great vistas and long sweeping turns.Find out if there is a local scooter or motorcycle group and go group riding. Down here is the flat lands of Houston we have to travel for many hours to see what is in your back yard.  Austin during the weekend (if there is no game) is also offers a fun place to ride. Keep the faith.        

The suggestion to changing your routine, path and destinations is  good one. 

When I read your post I had an initial reaction that might be different than most. I got the impression that you were not getting the thrill out of riding because vehicles were ruining the ride for you.

I think if you are relying on others to operate their vehicles in a way that never impacts you, scares you, or irritates you, then you will always be disappointed and maybe you should pack it in.

But, maybe it is possible to adjust your view of riding to find a new enthusiasm and excitement for two wheel adventures. 

For me, I always assume that vehicles are going to do stupid stuff and I always ride expecting that. But that does not take away from the thrill and enjoyment of riding for me. For me, the joy of riding comes from enjoying the scenery, the environment, the swift response of the bike, a twisty road, or a brisk gallop.

TexasKat, I'm curious, why do you ride? What do you hope you'll get out of riding? 

Steve

I've had my Burgman 650 for 2 1/2 years.  It's a great machine but find I'm losing interest in riding it because of all the idiot cagers on the road that don't pay attention to anything moving around them whether it's another car or motorcycle.  Any ideas on how to respark my excitement I had when I first bought it?  Thanks.