I was riding so little last year that by the end of Summer I was done. I decided to sell Racer and posted an advertisement. But it was too late in the season, there were no real responses, to the advertisement, and I just signed it off as saying, "It'll sell in the Spring" and left Racer snug and tidy in the garage. By yesterday Racer had been under its cover, battery tender hooked up, with little other than a monthly tire pressure check, warm up to full hot, cool down, and put the cover back on for almost three quarters of a year.
But in the great round of "stuff to be done" yesterday, I found myself without a car for the day and too many things to do to fit within the time schedules of bicycle, bus, and walking. So I pulled off the cover, put away the Tender, pulled on my boots, jacket, helmet, and gloves, and fired Racer up.
Racer leapt to life with the solid vigor and consistent excellence that it always has. It warmed up swiftly. I was late, I twisted the throttle hard, and Racer responded with the usual exuberance. All the things I've done to it ... bar end mirrors, Matris suspension forks, Kinesis wheels and radial Conti RA3 tires, suitable springs and settings for the Öhlins shocks, Agostini mufflers, EVAP removal, SAS removal, and customized ECU map ... all sang together in just the way they should. As I slammed the engine into the rev-limit in first, second, third, fourth... That big big grin spread across my face, the wind caught on my open smile, and blew the top of my head off while I laughed and the exhaust sang.
Gods, this is a great bike. Perfect, really. I may not ride it very much, but I'm not selling it. Again.
G
—
Onwards, always onwards...!
But in the great round of "stuff to be done" yesterday, I found myself without a car for the day and too many things to do to fit within the time schedules of bicycle, bus, and walking. So I pulled off the cover, put away the Tender, pulled on my boots, jacket, helmet, and gloves, and fired Racer up.
Racer leapt to life with the solid vigor and consistent excellence that it always has. It warmed up swiftly. I was late, I twisted the throttle hard, and Racer responded with the usual exuberance. All the things I've done to it ... bar end mirrors, Matris suspension forks, Kinesis wheels and radial Conti RA3 tires, suitable springs and settings for the Öhlins shocks, Agostini mufflers, EVAP removal, SAS removal, and customized ECU map ... all sang together in just the way they should. As I slammed the engine into the rev-limit in first, second, third, fourth... That big big grin spread across my face, the wind caught on my open smile, and blew the top of my head off while I laughed and the exhaust sang.
Gods, this is a great bike. Perfect, really. I may not ride it very much, but I'm not selling it. Again.
G
—
Onwards, always onwards...!