| Author | Message | ||
     Sportyeric |
First corners: 500 Sportbikes meet in the parking lot of a shopping center. One of (my main riding buddy) Jim's acquaintences shows up with a sheepish grin on his face annd the news that he has already wiped out on the first corner out of the hotel parking lot. Lubed the chain last night and got some on the tire. "What's chain lube, I ask?" Its a few kilometers to the city limits with one easily visible radar trap on the way. At the traffic lights before it, someone uses the left turn lane to get to the front of the pack and takes off like a scalded rabbit right into the trap. What a maroon! Ten minutes on the two lane highway with a couple of slow to 70kph sweepers then the first skill testing corner. I've been here before! The sign says slow to 15kph. (I'm just being annoying. That's 10mph.) It's a decreasing radius hairpin that goes 270 degrees. And I'm being blocked by a newby chick on a 600 with no room to pass! Fast Eddy takes me and her but doesn't anticipate the decrease, scares s**t out of her,(he better apologize later! She was cute.) Gets into the oncoming lane and there's a truck coming. Busy, busy, busy. Smooth move, Eddy. We all make it, but with a renewedfear of bone heads. Later, a buddy who couldn't ride that day tells us that he took his kids to sit at that corner and watch the action. He offered to pick up the pieces of a 750? that didn't make the corner. When he tried to wheel it into the truck, he had to click the gearshift to neutral from fourth. Strange choice of gears for that one! | ||
| Sportyeric |
Next bit: 90mph sweepers past a scenic set of bluffs. I remember following a Ducati through here last year when the ride went in the opposite direction. The Duc rider had a tale of another ride when he hit a black bear at highway speeds. S**t, I hate it when that happens! Beaverdell. Two blocks long with a gas station, corner store, and a pub. Too early. I have a Coke and watch the pair of TL1000s doing 60mph wheelies from one end of town to the other. God, that looks like fun. 10 mile straights with nice sets of 60mph corners in between. Wrap poor baby up to 5800rpm for five minutes at a time and they're still passing me like I'm standing still. One goes by just before a set of curves then slows down to the point where I have to pass him in the twisty stuff. I'm not an aggressive rider and this is sure the wrong group to get cocky in front of but if he can pass me on his repliracer he should keep it up at the corner. I get by, the road straightens and he passes me again. Corners and I pass him. Is he doing this on purpose? Sure pissing me off! Newby, I guess, and that's OK. Always gotta know your limits. It keeps everyone's insurance down. But come on! | ||
| Sportyeric |
Feature attractions at Rock Creek are a pair of RC 45s and a cute chick on a Smoking Joe Honda with a T-shirt that reads " I'm nobody's girl friend." Poor bast**d getting off his ZX? has the bike just fall over while he's trying to get his balance to catch it. Cracks the bottom of the side cover. Oil everywhere, and he lives in Calgary, 500 miles away. Bummer. I resist the urge to comment on the flimsiness of Japanese aluminum. Bummer number two. A right hander labeled 50mph. A TL cut in half on a road sign. Rider in better condition but not much. Story from Kevin with the ZX12 that a group of three, this TL being one had passed him out of Beaverdell and he tried to reel them in by pinning it on the straights but couldn't make up for their higher cornering. Sobered a bit, we tackle the downhill hairpins of Anarchist Mountain into Osoyoos. That's what separates the men from the boys! So much fun we turn around and go back up. Turn around at the top and bump into Miss Smoking Joe and friend. Oh, no. Major oil leak! Turns out its the paper rocker gasket. Still ridable but embarrassing. Get a major dissing from Miss Joe to which I respond "After you." Down the Anarchist again. (I like to call it the Anti-Christ). She's gone! Fast Eddy, also on a Honda 600 gets after her but he can't keep up either. Very impressive! The ambulance coming for the TL rider has to stop enroute for another one over the edge off the last hairpin. S**t! Clouds roll in over Osoyoos and I announce I'm not leaving the pub til the rain stops. Doing some ride-to-date analysis over a beer. I'm going on about the bozo blocking my corners. Turns out its the guy sitting next to me. He's got some good weed so I forgive him. Rain finally clears. The best road of the 'hood is coming up. Green Mountain Road, west out of Oliver then north. Unfortunately, three beer, a joint, and wet roads isn't a good combination. Peer pressure is a dangerous thing. Fortunately, I know this already so I park the ego and make the more competent wait for me from time to time. Safely home at the end of the weekend, I tell the Mrs. that I don't know anybody who broke down, got a ticket, or crashed. She interprets that to mean that nobody did. She'll probably let me go this year, too. See ya there. | ||
| Davet |
I can't wait for it this year Eric, I've never been to Sportbike West before. It seems that Buell is going all out this year with the demo truck and I heard that they reserved an entire motel for the event, for anyone that shows. It would be an awesome time for any of you guys south of the border to make the trip up! I don't have to tell you that your U.S. $$ is worth mucho up here. Anyone that needs info on the event call Deeley's House of Buell (our version of Modesto Buell, by the sounds of it) at 604-299-3278. Kimberley or Stuart would be happy to help you out. | ||
| Sportyeric |
Dave. Have you seen how everyone is being so mean? I'm not going to play with these guys if they don't play nicer. I've finally gotten a morning free to stop by House of Buell tommorrow. Every year Stu has offered to take our gear up in the truck but we've never taken him up on it because of the Sportster's superior luggage carrying capacity and Jim's been using the Kawi (Has to this year.). Do you think people here don't like me cause I'm such a mouthy s**t? I do want to ride with the Buelly bunch this year. Specially since Stu's coming. Unfortunately, that means Kimberly can't. Do you mean that Stu's paying for the rooms? We've usually stayed at a friend's but you kinda miss out some fun that way. | ||
| Davet |
Eric, nobody's being mean, you just have to get to know some of the locals. Rocket's got that British way of explaining himself, he tells you how he really feels. I've been lurking this board for a couple of years, trust me you'd know if he wanted to be mean. This year is no different, Deeley's is taking the truck up with the gear, but you have to pay for your own room, Deeley's just arranged to get an entire motel reserved for us. I believe it's in Sicamous though, I'm not sure how far that is from the action. Stu should be back to work this week, having been off for the last two weeks after celebrating his nuptuals. I thought Kimbo said she was coming up this year, she just picked up a new bike, a '94 YZF 750, I'm sure she'd like to join in on the fun. | ||
| Davet |
Eric, you need to post a picture of your hot rod sporty on your profile. That bike puts the sport in sporty. | ||
| Sportyeric |
Dave, I was just having fun. Sicamous. That's weird! And not just the name, eh? Ah well, it'll work if everyone's together. I didn't expect a free room. I was getting confused about Stu's attending Splash, rather than SPW. It'd be great if he does both but equally great for Kimberly to attend. Good she's got a new bike. She did the season opener to Squamish on the test-ride X1. (I led the ride back down with four of us.Jim says she told him after "Eric rides the wheels off that thing." I like it when Kimberly's impressed with me! | ||
| Sportyeric |
Hey Dave. Never made it to Deeley's. Did you see your name mentioned in the carb section. You're a wanted man! |
