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Ok it's time for part 2
Sunday was time for me to take her out and ride with a more critical eye try and put aside the excitement of the first ride on a new bike. It wasn't going to be a long ride as I had things to do in the afternoon. I had arranged to have a run out with the girls dad (he currently has my Monster on loan as he is thinking about getting back into biking after a spell away).
An early start had me running the eight or so miles along country roads and through Newmarket with little traffic to contend with. I'm not a overly confidant rider yet the HM had me taking sweeping bends at a much faster pace that I would on the monnie. It inspires you it gives you more confidence maybe it's the riding position maybe it's the lightness of the bike that just lets you flick it about so much quicker than the heavier monster maybe it's just that this bike is so good and can make any average biker feel good I don't know but whatever it was I was enjoying it.
I called at Terry's and he came out not knowing what to expect. He had heard the Termies coming and had a smile on his face as he walked out. This widened when he saw the beast I could tell he was impressed and why wouldn't he be It just has that thing about it, people look, people stare and people who know bikes can't fail to be impressed.
We decided to have a run over to Bury St Edmunds taking the back roads rather than the straight run down the A14. I know these roads well, every turn, where to slow and where the bends run on and can be taken with a little bit of pace. It was fantastic I could at last take the road as I wanted to only slowing my pace to wait for Tel to catch up. He hadn't ridden the roads and as he was still getting back in the saddle I knew he would not push himself. That was ok it gave me the chance to test all aspects of the ride. Again the torque was amazing pulling away in any gear and getting up to speed without trying. Braking much later than I would have on the monnie. I was loving it. We arrived in Bury and pootled around at slow speeds. Now here is the first gripe I have with the HM, it will not go slow I'm sorry and I know it is down to the rider to ride at the speed required but everytime I looked down at the speedo I was doing high thirtys damn this bike will get me into trouble. It really felt I was riding slowly but there it was it would not behave.
We parked up in the square outside of the Abbey Gardens and had a look around a classic car rally that was taking place. Some beautiful cars including an amazing Bristol and an original GT40 amongst others.
We then swapped bikes for the ride home. Tel is on my insurance and I wanted his view on the bike and to let him give it a try as a different ride to the monnie. He is still undicided on the type of bike he wants to go for. Getting back on the monnie was a trial the clutch was so heavy and highlighted the difference the slave makes. We took a different ride back down the A143 Bury to Haverhill road a much faster sweeping road and a lovely route for biking. The stearing was so much harder the heaviness really showing. It's a totally different ride and after the Hyper I knew where I wanted to be. I still took the lead and set the pace but this time Terry was keeping up much better. It may have been my slower ride on the monnie but I think it was probably his ease on riding the HM.
When we arrived back his smile said everything. He agreed that the HM was so much easier to ride. He much preferred the upright style of the HM and it confirmed to him that this was the style of bike he would be looking for. He couldn't believe the speed and acceleration modern bikes had. He had forgotten and was quickly reminding himself what biking was all about. We may well have another HM buyer on the cards.
So the bike has done it again it has it's faults, erm err oh yes it picked up a little stone in the tyre tread and erm it woke all Terry's neighbours and it will lose me a few points off my licence if I am not very very careful but it really is an amazing bike.
Graham
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