A Funny Thing Happened...

Since I bought the CBR1000F last October, I've driven it almost exclusively. From time to time I might go for a short ride on another bike (my own or someone else's) but for the most part I've just driven Big Honda. And I've modified and tweaked it a bit so that it's comfortable for me and it suits the way I ride. I've done 6 or 7,000 miles on the thing and I'm used to it.

So when I picked up the Africa Twin in Italy and took it for a test drive, I was shocked to find how rough it was. It vibrated, and the lumpy tyres made it bounce up and down at low speed. The bars were so light that there was no feedback. I could only get my toes on the ground. There were a thousand things different from the CBR and I couldn't believe that I'd ever considered it to be comfortable!

But I got used to it again. And I found it to be very comfortable. And I enjoyed the hell out of driving it home. In fact, it was so comfortable that I chose to drive it overnight for one long 22 hour day.

So on Monday, I went out on Big Honda to see my Mum. And I was very shocked to find that I hated the CBR! It was too long and too low and the suspension crashed over bumps in the road and the steering felt weird and heavy and I couldn't see over traffic. I hated it and it freaked me out - I was so freaked out that I considered pulling over to the side of the road and walking back home...

But I didn't. I drove out to see my Mum. And by the time it was time to go home again, it had turned back into the Big Friendly Honda that I love.

I had a similar experience with a rental Harley Davidson a few years back. I picked it up and I swear I've never been more terrified on a motorcycle*. It had the wooden brakes and the wallowing handling and all that stuff that you read about in British motorcycle magazines that are predominantly aimed at sportsbike riders. And it weighed 360kg dry! It was monsterous.

Anyway, I soon got used to it (mostly) and I had a fantastic trip and some new experiences and a week later, I was genuinely sad to give it back. I'd really grown to love it.

I guess the point of all this, if there is a point at all, is I think there's too much narrow-minded tribalism in motorcycling. This is particularly true in Ireland and I think it applies to the UK as well. The motorcycle press tends to be divisive and if you're in the business of Sportsbikes its easy to laugh at Harleys. And if Custom Bikes are your scene 'Jap Crap' and 'Crotch Rockets' are anathema to that. It's a divide and conquer thing I guess...

So consequently sportsbike riders judge everything in terms of power, braking and handling and tend to be disdainful of say, roadsters or vintage bikes. Harley types tend to buy into all that horseshit about 'Righteousness' and 'Heritage'. And the ROSPA types on their BMWs and Pan Europeans tend to look down on everyone else for riding dangerously.

Fuck that! Life is short.

But it's wide.

Try different bikes, try new things. If you ride a Harley exclusively, well try a trackday or go trailriding. If you ride a sportsbike, go touring. If you're a ROSPA type, take of your hi-viz, turn off your headlight and try a chopper...

*Except maybe that one time in Madrid...


#LifeIsShort #Mercenary #MercenaryGarage