I had a Commando day too, ~100 miles from our cycle heaven to local
vintage club rally then back before dark. Best part of ride was in
early coolness when my buddy Wesly took a wrong turn, so we
had 8 miles of lull ya to slush easy sweeper after sweeper and road
to our selves. Then got to do it backwards.
'71 with too worn out swing arm to remove spindle, clanky forks and
loose isolastics, on hard aired tires,
so terrible ride to reach pavement, beat butt and wrists to
my chin, then fork upsets to press much over posted rates in
tighter turns. Took 40 mph in 3rd or 50 mph in 4th for
iso's to kick in - or made my nose tickle like crazy and blurred
mirror vision. Too low of bars to ride more than hour w/o
strain. Who would ever think these things had such potential.
Talked to fella that stuffed side valve Harley in a Dominator
Feather bed with big 4 shoe leading edge Italian brake,
He had disconnected one have as first use of it put
him on his nose last year and had the deep scars to show.
I'd though I'd gotten use to Wes's Cdo self energizing drum
with more grip at first than later, when about to leave
the park, sprinted towards a tight turn I'd done half
dozen times, and hit sand grit invisible layer, front
danced out and rear followed at ~25 mph to land on grass
and side into brush just missing a big oak.
I had felt so safe that only had sun glasses as armor.
Otherwise serious jacket and helmet and gloves
ever time, but this one.
Lost a head lamp shell and a mild forearm rubbed red.
One light point, BMW shop owner that sponsored the club
had to work all day, everyone had left but Wes and I
when he tooled in on nice green ES850. He said
that was the best entrainment he'd had all day.
A good day for us all.
hobot
