Hello from the steep crooked mountain roads of Southwestern Virginia

[osbornk]

I've ridden motorcycles in these mountains for decades and finally got a Miata so my wife of nearly 50 years will go with me and I can zip through the mountains when the weather is not good for motorcycles. My wife thinks it might replace my motorcycles but she might be wrong. I got a red 2006 Grand Touring but unfortunately, it is a 6 speed automatic. On the plus side, that is the reason the last owner sold it to me as it was his 4th Miata and the first automatic. I will try to adjust to the automatic but it was fairly priced and a nice 2006 with 74,000 miles on it is hard to find. I am very pleased with it but I await the title to arrive from Richmond as required for out of state branded titles. It was branded rebuilt because of a driver's airbag and front bumper replacement along with a small dent in the hood. The owner had pre-repair photos and he test drove the vehicle before it was repaired.

[— Phatmiata —]

Welcome!

Let's see some photos of your miata

[— Agent☣Orange —]

Hello Osbornk and welcome to MazdaRoadster. Congratulations on your 50 years and your new-to-you MX-5. You obviously know what you’re doing on both accounts. Don’t knock yourself too hard about the automatic. Glad to get you off your bike and into our community.

[Winlowe]

Welcome aboard the MR forum.

[Jerry L]

Welcome aboard! A word of warning, my motorcycle was sold after three years of non-use after I bought my Miata.

Just sayin'

[osbornk]

Hello Osbornk and welcome to MazdaRoadster. Congratulations on your 50 years and your new-to-you MX-5. You obviously know what you’re doing on both accounts. Don’t knock yourself too hard about the automatic. Glad to get you off your bike and into our community.

I'll be off my bike no less than I have been for years. When you live in the middle of some of the best motorcycle roads in the country, you ride when you can (if the temperature is 50 or more and it's not raining). I got the Miata to ride when the conditions are not good for motorcycles or my maxi-scooter.

I've had 16 motorcycles/scooters since I started riding in 1963. My current ride is a Burgman 650 maxi-scooter that has an electronically controlled CVT. I thought an auto on a bike would be terrible but I was wrong. It can be manually shifted and it also has a power button that has a high and low like a 2 speed axle in a truck. It performs as well or better than a conventional manual motorcycle transmission both up mountains and on downgrades. I hope the Miata 6 speed automatic with paddle shifters may be the same. As my friend said who also has a Burgman 650 "shifting is overrated.