Dank, dreary, and damp was the weather this weekend which means wet roads and no ride. It was especially frustrating because it wasn’t rain showers; it was spitting but spitting enough to keep the roads wet.
The funny thing is we watch a lot of motorcycle videos on Youtube including Lamb Chop Rides, the Missenden Flyer, and Richie Vida. These are all Brits who have to ride in the rain or they wouldn’t get to ride. But even as we watch these videos, my boyfriend speaks his amazement that they are out riding in the rain. We don’t ride on wet roads.
I had initially hoped Sunday would be different, but at 8:30 in the morning, the road had the spitting wetness just as it did on Saturday. What to do but crawl back in bed and sleep in on such a dreary morning.
Once we did get up, we decided to head over to Portsmouth and to Bayside Harley-Davidson and Ducati to look at the bikes. Our drive is always interesting because we take the more circuitous route that avoids the tunnel tolls. We arrived before one o’clock which, on a Sunday, meant we were early. Many years ago, when I was a teenager and worked concession stands at the Pavilion, I had noticed that the Sunday shows never got hopping until well after 1:00 pm—sleep ins and church services.
As we arrived, we noted the students in the MSF course busily running through their drills. I was jealous because they had the opportunity to ride (the MSF course runs rain or shine). But I was soon pleasantly distracted by the used bikes out front. We looked at the multiple Harleys with the after-market exhausts on them—it’s all about the roar.
Inside we noticed the inventory was less than it had been on our first visit. But we are in October and the riding “season” is coming to an end. Our riding season won’t end, however. Bill’s bike has heated grips, and I won’t let the cold stop me. It’s not like we’re cruising at 60 mph on highways. I’m looking forward to the challenge of the bracing chill wind. Plus, I know I’ll have good winter weather riding clothes to help me handle them.
We walked around, noting the beautiful Fat Bob right up front, admiring the honeycombed, arctic blast paint job on the Street Glide. There was even a new Sportster, already sold, but there to be admired. And we checked out the Ducati Streetfighter, Diavel, and the Scramblers. We didn’t bring helmets, so there was no plan for a test ride. We were hoping for a glimpse of a Ducati Desert Sled, but that wasn’t in the cards. We did get to see the Harley-Davidson Sportser;iIt was good to see the Sportster in person because for us it didn’t look as good as it had on the TV. The Ducati Diavel also was not as impressive in person as it had been on the videos. I was curious about the super comfy seat of the Streetfighter, and it is as comfy as described. I also prefer the Streetfighter in red to the black, also something you have to see in person to understand.
We browsed the bikes for a while, wondering if a salesperson would come over (none did, slow Sunday). Then we went over and looked at the leather jackets. We found a nice looking light brown leather women’s jacket for me that fit beautifully. Bill didn’t have as much luck in the men’s department though.
Before we left, we found Dorian, the Ducati sales manager, and talked to him about the Ducati Desert Sleds for 2022. We gave him our contact info for when they come in, Bill going so far as to say he would put a deposit down on the Desert Sled as my next bike. As Bill and Dorian talked, I went and sat on one of the Ducati Scramblers to get a general feel for the bike. I sat on a bright orange model that felt good. I could easily flat foot it and the weight was manageable. Now the Desert Sled will add about 30 more pounds, but I liked the feel of the bike and am excited to get the opportunity to try it out. But that will be for another day. We will wait for Dorian’s call, and I will continue my rides (sunshine forecasted for next weekend), and we will move onto my second bike.
Flutterby Biker 