Originally Posted by
beyond
It's a beautiful day, the warmth of the sun caresses
your leathers and the smell of the countryside wafts
past your senses.
You're about to enter a well known set of corners
and the anticipation builds as you prepare to work
as one with your machine. Over a hundred horsepower
are ready to do your bidding through the simple
twist of a wrist and a basic wire is the only thing that
harnesses them all.
You approach the first corner, push the inside bar
a little and drop your inside shoulder as you start
to lean the machine over. The horizon line tilts
to 45 degrees and you compensate to keep your head
horizontal so your brain and sight can make the
necessary computations.
Your inside boot dances as the footpeg feeler bolt
brushes the asphalt. You already know the apex point
on this well ridden road and as you pass that point
your wrist slowly twists the throttle and you begin
to unleash that horsepower.
The rear wheel momentarily breaks loose and you throttle
off a fraction to enable that rear hoop to dig in and
thrust you out of the corner into the next one. The sheer
thrill of raw power has your senses on full alert as
you two finger the front brake to bleed off speed before
dropping the bike into the next bend.
This time a dead possum causes you to change your line
through the next known apex point and you end up sweeping
a little wider than normal for that corner. You already
know your bike can lean a lot more than that as you correct
and drop her in harder than before. A more stern push on the
inside bar and some more upper body weight off to the inside
and once again you sweep through the apex and twist that
throttle again.
The exhaust howls with that low down torque grunt and
wind snatches at the more exposed parts of your riding
gear as the rear wheel once again hooks up and thrusts
you forward. At times, the road surface has changed
from the last time you were through and every now again
the rear lets go as you apply more fodder to those horses.
A simple gradual decrease in throttle input has you holding
the line so as not to highside through sudden throttle
off and the buzz of riding has your full concentration.
I ride because I want to. I don't need my bike to commute
or as a necessary tool for my work or business. I own it
because whenever I feel like it, I can leave the stress and
cares of this world behind and every thought is simply one of
taking that next corner with the best line, the perfect throttle
position, the feel of that power throbbing between your knees and
working as one with the machine of choice.
For me, right now and for the last five years, the machine of choice
is a well set up, fully standard GSX1400 and it also happens to
be my second one because they are such an awesome machine.
I share my thoughts because I believe we are all the same in
why we ride and it's hard to put these thoughts into writing but
at times I try.
Quite simply, I happen to come alive when the rubber hits the road.
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