Weekend Sport Riding Report - Finishing off a Pilot Power

Seeing as how this is a sportbike group - I thought I'd share a few
observations from my weekend ride.

I woke up early Saturday morning to 36 degrees and sunshine in South
Central Wisconsin. My Triumph 675 "Spitfire" was calling - but the
earth wasn't ready yet.

I hung out with my lady, we shared a nice brunch, and I did a few
chores. By noon, it was getting close enough to cresting 50 and the
highway called.

I fired up the lil triple, wiped the visor on my mirrored helmet
clear, and mounted the gel seat with a smile on the inside. I was
riding alone today, wearing full leather armor and a backprotector,
and had a rear tire to finish in less than mileage than it's intended
longevity.

The 180/55 Michelin Pilot Power on the rear had carried me 2400 miles
in the last month. Twisties all over the Driftless Area of my
homeland, at an aggressive pace, and to visit an old friend in the
Ozarks of So MO, where we rode a lot of excellent roads together. He
road a new Bandit 1250, and knew all about how to handle (or race) a
big bore inline four. I had no trouble keeping up on the super
flickable 675, but he made me work for it all through his favorite
loops in N. Ark and around 160 and 19 in So MO. The old gent used to
race, and my young blood is new to sportbike riding as a dedicated
discipline. 14 years and over 100,000 miles of sport touring gives me
a real solid foundation, but really pushing the lines on a dedicated
sportbike is something I made myself wait to try.

So anyway, back to the story, I rode random roads with the refurbished
Garmin 2610 giving me some idea of which turn woulld be the more
interesting choice before needing to make it. I was near familiar
territory but scouting for fresh backroads, and the day was getting
warmer all along.

And given that I was likely on the last ride with my still acceptable
but nearing completion rear super sticky tire, I was trying to burn it
up and test traction in corners and along the ride.

On one hand, I sort of resent sportbike dedicated tires, and their
meager 2000-3000 mile lifespans. I just think a tire should last 5000
miles of hard use, or more. But then on the other hand, keeping
reliable traction at high speeds on some mixed surfaces, and basically
being able to ride on the ceiling when your tires are hot enough, has
a certain confidence inspiring quality.

So I was tearing it up, comfortably cresting 140 mph on clear
straights, and then practicing hanging off the bike in tight to sweepy
turns at 75-100 mph. The tires felt more stable in the turns, but on
the exits the rear would slip on occassion as I peaked the litttle
engine up above 10,000 rpms and near 14K redline. The six blue lights
on the side of the instrument panel are the only thing I look at with
the corner of my eye when riding like that, and they basicallly tell
you when you are in the peak powerband, and keep you grinning so long
as one or more is continuously lit up.

I railed twisties, crested hills on one wheel, and tucked into top
speeds without a worry. Not a single cop was noticed, no radar guns
crossed my path, and I averaged 34 mpg with absolutely no respect for
throttle modesty or tire preservation. It was an eyeball opening,
wrist stretching, and central nervous system arousing kind of ride.
It lasted over 300 miles.

I wound it in back towards town before the deer started to really
jump, and checked out a wooden boat show with Chris Craft and other
nifty restored boats from 60-80 years past on a lake that is near my
home. I reflected by the lake on these old V-8 powered inboard
beauties, and how my great grandchildren might look with young but
more knowing eyes on my old petrol burning british sportbike. They'll
probably know how to build a much better machine, but hopefully
they'll appreciate the small red rocket that gave me such joy that
day.

Modern sport bikes offer a wonderful clarity, prowess, and alacrity of
movement on today's backroads. I give thanks and praises to all who
have contributed to what they are and how wonderfully they can do a
very specialized task very very quickly.

And it is about time for a new tire.... Good thing the new Michelin
Pilot Road 2 just arrived at my friendly neighborhood cycle shop with
my name on it. Hopefully this one will last a few more trips, and at
least let me continue to ride on the walls, if not the ceiling....

-V

On Sep 17, 2:45 am, Vaughn wrote:

(snippola)

> So I was tearing it up, comfortably cresting 140 mph on clear
> straights, and then practicing hanging off the bike in tight to sweepy
> turns at 75-100 mph.

(snippola)

Nice report, Vaughn. In my 29 years of riding, I've never been able
to ride like that!