SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
I had rolled out of bed nice and early this morning and was sitting on the patio enjoying my coffee as the sun came up. It was perfect weather. 75° with almost no wind. My wife and I were talking when I mentioned this and she just smiled slightly as she headed inside. When she came back out she dropped my boots at my feet aas she tossed my jacket and vest at me. I started grinning as I pulled on my boots.
After chasing the cats inside and locking up we walked out to the bike. Pulling on my helmet I sat in the saddle and kicked the bike over a few times before it started. (It's been a few days since it was last started.) To be honest the bike was running like shit as I moved it around so it was facing the road. It was coughing and bucking beneath me as the wife climbed into the saddle. I didn't care though, I needed at least a short ride. I kept the choke out as we motored slowly towards the park entrance.
The motor warmed as we sat at the entrance waiting for a break in traffic. I wanted a big opening with the way the engine was running and eventually I got it. I cracked the throttle and pulled out onto the road with the bike hesitating and coughing. This was looking like a short irritating ride. At the first stop light I finally pushed in the choke and waited for the light to change. The bike smoothed out a little but not much. I was grumbling into my beard as I watched white smoke coming out of the exhaust when the light changed.
I rolled on the throttle with a vengance, we're talking I opened it all the way as I felt the bike accelerate sluggishly. Then it was as though the bike decided enough was enough. She cleared her throat with a blast through the exhaust and shot ahead. We're talking a cough that I could easily hear and then a surge of power that lifted the front tire off the pavement. I rode it out, brought the tire down and let the bike have her head as she bolted under us with a scream. (Now I didn't see what came out of the exhaust but it must have been impressive as the cars that had been behind us quickly changed lanes.)
I held the RPM's pegged at 7K as I kicked up through the gears and felt the bike responding under us with a growl. Now this was the Beast I had fallen in love with. I was three miles down the road and kicking it into fourth when our turn off came up. I grabbed some break and downshifted again as I shifted into the right turn lane. I was dropping through 40MPH as I came up on our turn and grabbed more break while kicking it down again. In second and screaming a bit I leaned into the turn while checking traffic. Everything was clear so I let the bike have it's head and rocketed through the intersection. Oh man this was what I liked as I kicked it up a notch. Again I was keeping the engine wound out a bit and gliding through the gears until I hit the speed limit. The Beast was handling like a damned dream.
We came up on the turn for the short run and I blew past it in fourth gear at 55MPH and 5500RPM. We were rolling and I wasn't going to stop if I didn't have to. Ahead of us was a nice run of 20 miles with no lights. I let the bike run and listened to the engine as I settled into the saddle and enjoyed the feel of the sun on my shoulder. This was nice and the bike was behaving for a change.
At the 25 mile mark we once again had a choice. I could turn back or I could keep heading up the coast. The bike was happy and so was I so I decided to keep going. Now we were on a bit of a stretch. A roughish road heading north with a speed of 45MPH. No problem and we kept going as we dealt with traffic. I was giving the bike a bit of a workout now as we were slowing for lights and then speeding back up. Ride it like you stole it comes to mind. Even though I was dealing with idiots on the roads I was having fun and my wife was smiling behind me.
Finally my wife told me it was time to find a spot to stop. Not because she was tired or because she needed the restroom but because we hadn't eaten yet and she knows me. I spotted a likely place, a little Mom and Pop diner on the side of the road and pulled in. We shut down the bike and walked in with helmets in hand. The waitress didn't bat an eye. She set us up with coffee as she dropped the menus in front of us and told us the morning specials. My wife took the special, a stack of Pancakes while I made a special request. (A three egg cheese Omelet covered with Sausage Gravy and sided with Bacon.) The Hot sauce was already on the table.
With my wallet ten bucks lighter and our bellies full we headed back out to the bike. We climbed back into the saddle and kicked it over. It started right off and I was smiling as I listened to the engine. Now this was more like it. I could see a sign for the highway and knowing I was 50 miles north of home I decided to let the bike run. I told my wife this and she agreed. We have rarely run on the highway but she was game.
We motored down the back street to the highway on ramp and I rolled on the throttle as I hit the ramp. The Beast didn't hesitate as she accelerated up the ramp towards the highway. I was in third and hitting 45 by the time we came up to the highway itself. I kept the RPM's up as I kicked it up through fourth then into fifth gear. The speed limit here is marked at 65MPH and I soon had the bike pegged at 70MPH as I kept up with traffic.
Within a short time I had reached out and toed down the highway pegs and put my feet on them. Oh man this was riding. This was why some people love it so much. The bike was cruising along without effort and my wife and I were relaxing in the saddle. The engine was howling beneath us without missing a beat and I could feel the wind blowing over the shield and lightly buffeting my helmet. The sun was shining and gently heating us. It was easy to controll the bike at these speeds although it took some concentration. I was loving life.
The ride was too short for me although it did give me my fix. The bike still has some problems but these I think are easily fixed. I have a feeling I have finally fixed the bike.
Cat
Oh and my wife does look great in her blue and white leathers.
After chasing the cats inside and locking up we walked out to the bike. Pulling on my helmet I sat in the saddle and kicked the bike over a few times before it started. (It's been a few days since it was last started.) To be honest the bike was running like shit as I moved it around so it was facing the road. It was coughing and bucking beneath me as the wife climbed into the saddle. I didn't care though, I needed at least a short ride. I kept the choke out as we motored slowly towards the park entrance.
The motor warmed as we sat at the entrance waiting for a break in traffic. I wanted a big opening with the way the engine was running and eventually I got it. I cracked the throttle and pulled out onto the road with the bike hesitating and coughing. This was looking like a short irritating ride. At the first stop light I finally pushed in the choke and waited for the light to change. The bike smoothed out a little but not much. I was grumbling into my beard as I watched white smoke coming out of the exhaust when the light changed.
I rolled on the throttle with a vengance, we're talking I opened it all the way as I felt the bike accelerate sluggishly. Then it was as though the bike decided enough was enough. She cleared her throat with a blast through the exhaust and shot ahead. We're talking a cough that I could easily hear and then a surge of power that lifted the front tire off the pavement. I rode it out, brought the tire down and let the bike have her head as she bolted under us with a scream. (Now I didn't see what came out of the exhaust but it must have been impressive as the cars that had been behind us quickly changed lanes.)
I held the RPM's pegged at 7K as I kicked up through the gears and felt the bike responding under us with a growl. Now this was the Beast I had fallen in love with. I was three miles down the road and kicking it into fourth when our turn off came up. I grabbed some break and downshifted again as I shifted into the right turn lane. I was dropping through 40MPH as I came up on our turn and grabbed more break while kicking it down again. In second and screaming a bit I leaned into the turn while checking traffic. Everything was clear so I let the bike have it's head and rocketed through the intersection. Oh man this was what I liked as I kicked it up a notch. Again I was keeping the engine wound out a bit and gliding through the gears until I hit the speed limit. The Beast was handling like a damned dream.
We came up on the turn for the short run and I blew past it in fourth gear at 55MPH and 5500RPM. We were rolling and I wasn't going to stop if I didn't have to. Ahead of us was a nice run of 20 miles with no lights. I let the bike run and listened to the engine as I settled into the saddle and enjoyed the feel of the sun on my shoulder. This was nice and the bike was behaving for a change.
At the 25 mile mark we once again had a choice. I could turn back or I could keep heading up the coast. The bike was happy and so was I so I decided to keep going. Now we were on a bit of a stretch. A roughish road heading north with a speed of 45MPH. No problem and we kept going as we dealt with traffic. I was giving the bike a bit of a workout now as we were slowing for lights and then speeding back up. Ride it like you stole it comes to mind. Even though I was dealing with idiots on the roads I was having fun and my wife was smiling behind me.
Finally my wife told me it was time to find a spot to stop. Not because she was tired or because she needed the restroom but because we hadn't eaten yet and she knows me. I spotted a likely place, a little Mom and Pop diner on the side of the road and pulled in. We shut down the bike and walked in with helmets in hand. The waitress didn't bat an eye. She set us up with coffee as she dropped the menus in front of us and told us the morning specials. My wife took the special, a stack of Pancakes while I made a special request. (A three egg cheese Omelet covered with Sausage Gravy and sided with Bacon.) The Hot sauce was already on the table.
With my wallet ten bucks lighter and our bellies full we headed back out to the bike. We climbed back into the saddle and kicked it over. It started right off and I was smiling as I listened to the engine. Now this was more like it. I could see a sign for the highway and knowing I was 50 miles north of home I decided to let the bike run. I told my wife this and she agreed. We have rarely run on the highway but she was game.
We motored down the back street to the highway on ramp and I rolled on the throttle as I hit the ramp. The Beast didn't hesitate as she accelerated up the ramp towards the highway. I was in third and hitting 45 by the time we came up to the highway itself. I kept the RPM's up as I kicked it up through fourth then into fifth gear. The speed limit here is marked at 65MPH and I soon had the bike pegged at 70MPH as I kept up with traffic.
Within a short time I had reached out and toed down the highway pegs and put my feet on them. Oh man this was riding. This was why some people love it so much. The bike was cruising along without effort and my wife and I were relaxing in the saddle. The engine was howling beneath us without missing a beat and I could feel the wind blowing over the shield and lightly buffeting my helmet. The sun was shining and gently heating us. It was easy to controll the bike at these speeds although it took some concentration. I was loving life.
The ride was too short for me although it did give me my fix. The bike still has some problems but these I think are easily fixed. I have a feeling I have finally fixed the bike.
Cat
Oh and my wife does look great in her blue and white leathers.
