I've been somewhat quiet of late...
Jan. 1st, 2006 12:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reynardobecause life has been too weird to really put into words.
But today I took a risk and did something that left my hands shaking for an hour afterwards and the sweat pouring down my body. And I felt myself relax and enjoy myself utterly.
And it was good.
A friend of mine recently bought himself a new motorbike. And then he did something very very stupid, which involved trying to run away from the police when he was going a touch over the speed limit. So after they caught him and charged him and he knew that his licence was gone and he wouldn't be riding the bike, he decided to sell it.
Trouble was, the bike was down at a bike dealer's about 30 (legal) minutes ride from his place, and he couldn't risk riding it home.
Enter his workmate, she who still has a bike licence, although I used to only ride a 90cc step-through and hadn't ridden for about 20 years..
So I rode it home for him.
It does up to 105km/h in 1st gear if you let it.
It does 80km/h in 2nd gear without even breaking a sweat (ie without even getting up to 1/5 of the total power available).
It took me until the last stretch of expressway, doing 50km for most of the ride (and having cars pass me - stuff them. If I'm riding a big tough bike and I want to ride a bit slower than the speed limit, that's my business) for me to get comfortable enough to open her up a bit - I got to 80 km/h and and she was itching to go faster. Oh boy was that bike trying to go faster. But she and I reached an understanding, a compromise that meant I still felt in control and she didn't complain by stalling too much at the traffic lights.
Wanna see her?
And the trembling and the sweat? Well, the clutch and the brake took a fair bit of work, and my hands and wrists weren't that sturdy, so by the time I got to Cameron's place my hands were exhausted and aching. I wouldn't have been able to ride much further, but they weren't trembling for fear (not by then, anyway).
And the sweat? Easy. There was no way in Hades I was going to ride a bike in anything less than full-face helmet, leather jacket, gloves, thick jeans and sturdy shoes. And it was about 32C (90F) in the shade. I was boiling by the end of it.
But today I took a risk and did something that left my hands shaking for an hour afterwards and the sweat pouring down my body. And I felt myself relax and enjoy myself utterly.
And it was good.
A friend of mine recently bought himself a new motorbike. And then he did something very very stupid, which involved trying to run away from the police when he was going a touch over the speed limit. So after they caught him and charged him and he knew that his licence was gone and he wouldn't be riding the bike, he decided to sell it.
Trouble was, the bike was down at a bike dealer's about 30 (legal) minutes ride from his place, and he couldn't risk riding it home.
Enter his workmate, she who still has a bike licence, although I used to only ride a 90cc step-through and hadn't ridden for about 20 years..
So I rode it home for him.
It does up to 105km/h in 1st gear if you let it.
It does 80km/h in 2nd gear without even breaking a sweat (ie without even getting up to 1/5 of the total power available).
It took me until the last stretch of expressway, doing 50km for most of the ride (and having cars pass me - stuff them. If I'm riding a big tough bike and I want to ride a bit slower than the speed limit, that's my business) for me to get comfortable enough to open her up a bit - I got to 80 km/h and and she was itching to go faster. Oh boy was that bike trying to go faster. But she and I reached an understanding, a compromise that meant I still felt in control and she didn't complain by stalling too much at the traffic lights.
Wanna see her?
And the trembling and the sweat? Well, the clutch and the brake took a fair bit of work, and my hands and wrists weren't that sturdy, so by the time I got to Cameron's place my hands were exhausted and aching. I wouldn't have been able to ride much further, but they weren't trembling for fear (not by then, anyway).
And the sweat? Easy. There was no way in Hades I was going to ride a bike in anything less than full-face helmet, leather jacket, gloves, thick jeans and sturdy shoes. And it was about 32C (90F) in the shade. I was boiling by the end of it.
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no subject
Date: 2005-12-31 02:20 pm (UTC)Though I'm totally with you on the sweat factor! After spending most of the day on the Pacific Highway at 110km/h I was amazed (shocked) at how many bikers were riding in singlets! I know it's boiling hot and all but 110k on a motorbike with no protection? :\
I loved (though there was a real fear element mixed in with that love) being a biker's girlfriend about 5 years ago, but there's no way in hell he would have even let me get on without a leather jacket and gloves.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-31 02:37 pm (UTC)Then again, I've seen you in most of that gear, with far more interesting accessories than a simple run-of-the-mill motorbike...
Must take you for a decent run in ObluV8 some time... quite as fast - less chance of scarring... & if you wind all 4 windows down it's just like riding a motorbike - only BIGGER!!!!
no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 01:57 am (UTC)I didn't realise you'd seen... oh... *blush*
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Date: 2005-12-31 03:47 pm (UTC)Did you get the SMS?
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Date: 2006-01-01 01:17 am (UTC)I owe you postacards.
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Date: 2005-12-31 04:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-31 04:30 pm (UTC):-)
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Date: 2005-12-31 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-01 01:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-02 02:55 am (UTC)Glad you had fun.
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Date: 2006-01-02 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-01-03 05:14 pm (UTC)He did, however, apparently get up to 200km/h on one stretch of road, not long before he tempted fate too far and lost his licence.
no subject
Date: 2006-01-03 03:45 am (UTC)