A sushi dinner delayed our ride to late afternoon. We wanted to ride then grab our takeout, so we didn’t start until after 4:00, very late for us. The day was much like last Saturday with cloudy skies and temperatures in the upper 60s. I need to make the most of these cool, comfortable rides as they will be ending soon; the week ahead has 80+ degree days.
I set off not expecting to see any butterflies, and there were no surprises. The later afternoon gave a muted softness to the green leaves and colorful flowers. The irises are enjoying their heyday, and I saw some gorgeous roses that I wished I could stop and smell. I also spotted large clematis blooms climbing up mailbox posts, and one clematis forming a small bush. I love clematis because they are such happy-looking flowers with their bold center stamens and four tepals (which I normally call petals but I learned the term tepals in my research). Bill bought me a clematis a few years back, and it blooms every year, but I have more shade than it likes. So I really love seeing the abundance of flowers on clematis in full sunshine.
We had to stop a few times during our ride because of indecisive squirrels. Twice a squirrel sat on the curb wavering between safety and leaping out in front of the Rocket. Luckily, both times, safety prevailed. Because of the late afternoon, I didn’t spot any raptors. However, I did get to watch a snowy white egret sail across the road on its way to the river.
As I rode, I practiced steering with my knees some. On today’s ride I particularly felt how much of my muscles are at work steering the motorcycle in tight U-turns and circles. I overdid my triceps at the gym, and I felt the use of them as I steered the bike. My on-street U-turn strategy worked; I delayed some to let Bill get his turn started, and I was able to complete both street turns on the street—no grass.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about torque and horsepower. The torque is the immediate pull of the motorcycle, and the horsepower is the speed. My R Nine T has less of both than Bill’s Rocket, so if he wanted to, he could leave me in his proverbial dust. I feel the 85.5-foot pounds of torque sometimes when I accelerate very quickly. It gives me the feeling of being thrown back on the motorcycle. Bu that torque isn’t even half of the Rocket’s 221-foot lbs. or torque. It is close to a roller coaster thrill to feel that torque kick in and the motorcycle try and pull away so that I have to hang on tight.
As for the horsepower, I don’t have a rev limiter which would enable me to see if I reach maximum horsepower at peak, but I don’t travel on roads or tracks where I should be reaching the speeds to let loose the 109 horses. But I find it interesting that I have been riding now almost four years and I feel like I could push the R Nine T in the speed if I were to do a track day.
However, I will enjoy my little speed burst on the “fast” road and keep enjoying all the beauties of nature I can clearly see on my slower rides.
Flutterby Biker 