An oldie but a goodie !

Race with a Harley

I raced a Harley today and after some really hard riding I managed

to PASS the guy. I was riding on one of those really, really

twisting sections of mountain road with no straight sections to

speak of and where most of the bends have warning signs that

say "MAX SPEED 50 KPH".

I knew if I was going to pass one of those monsters with those

big-cubic-inch motors, it would have to be a place like this where

handling and rider skill are more important than horsepower alone.

I saw the guy up ahead as I exited one of the turns and knew I could

catch him, but it wouldn't be easy. I concentrated on my braking and

cornering. Three corners later, I was on his mudguard. Catching him

was one thing; passing him would prove to be another.

Two corners later, I pulled up next to him as we sailed down the

mountain. I think he was shocked to see me next to him, as I nearly

got by him before he could recover. Next corner, same thing. I'd

manage to pull up next to him as we started to enter the corners but

when we came out he'd get on the throttle and out-power me. His

horsepower was almost too much to overcome, but this only made me

more determined than ever.

My only hope was to out-brake him. I held off squeezing the lever

until the last instant. I kept my nerve while he lost his. In an

instant I was by him. Corner after corner, I could hear the roar of

his engine as he struggled to keep up. Three more miles to go before

the road straightens out and he would pass me for good.

But now I was in the lead and he would no longer hold me back. I

stretched out my lead and by the time we reached the bottom of the

canyon, he was more than a full corner behind. I could no longer see

him in my rear-view mirror.

Once the road did straighten out, it seemed like it took miles

before he passed me, but it was probably just a few hundred yards. I

was no match for that kind of horsepower, but it was done. In the

tightest section of road, where bravery and skill count for more

than horsepower and deep pockets, I had passed him. Though it was

not easy, I had won the race to the bottom of the mountain and I had

preserved the proud tradition of one of the best bits of Brit iron.

I will always remember that moment. I don't think I've ever pedaled

so hard in my life. And, some of the credit must go to Raleigh

cycles, as well. They really make a great bicycle...

That is like some of the crazy bicyclists around here!

Just this past weekend I clocked a solo rider at ~50 mph coming down Lookout Mountain into Golden (curvy, narrow, busy), using the full road width, positioned poorly into blind corners, passing cars. A couple times over past years I've been caught in packs of bike riders in Colorado mountain roads--they often exhibit reckless, pack mentality so I go out of my way to avoid riding where/when there are hosted bicycling events.

dblakem1 posted: Race with a Harley .....

Click to expand...

Out of likes, so +1, gunny!

Spoiler below:

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A rookie police officer pulled a biker over for speeding and had the following exchange:
• Officer: May I see your driver's license?
• Biker: I don't have one. I had it suspended when I got my 5th DUI.
• Officer: May I see the owner's card for this vehicle?
• Biker: It's not my bike. I stole it.
• Officer: The motorcycle is stolen?
• Biker: That's right. But come to think of it, I think I saw the owner's card in the tool bag when I was putting my gun in there.
Officer: There's a gun in the tool bag?
• Biker: Yes sir. That's where I put it after I shot and killed the dude who owns this bike and stuffed his dope in the saddle bags.
• Officer: There's drugs in the saddle bags too?!?!?
• Biker: Yes, sir. Hearing this, the rookie immediately called his captain. The biker was quickly surrounded by police, and the captain approached the biker to handle the tense situation:
• Captain: Sir, can I see your license?
• Biker: Sure. Here it is. It was valid.
• Captain: Who's motorcycle is this?
• Biker: It's mine, officer. Here's the registration.
• Captain: Could you slowly open your tool bag so I can see if there's a gun in it?
• Biker: Yes, sir, but there's no gun in it. Sure enough, there was nothing in the tool bag.
• Captain: Would you mind opening your saddle bags? I was told you said there's drugs in them.
• Biker: No problem. The saddle bags were opened; no drugs.
• Captain: I don't understand it. The officer who stopped you said you told him you didn't have a license, stole this motorcycle, had a gun in the tool bag, and that there were drugs in the saddle bags.
• Biker: Yeah, I'll bet he told you I was speeding, too

Ha.

Oddly this reminded me of of an incident last summer. Was riding my Bonneville down a old farm road (mostly dirt, some gravel) so was not going very fast. In my review mirror I could see a truck coming up behind my very quickly. Was a narrow road so I just pulled over to let them pass.

Wasn't paying much attention but suddenly something white and low to the ground ran past me, quickly followed by what looked like a local farmer in an old pickup truck. The truck was moving pretty fast, and I had no idea what the white thing that went by first was (a dog?) but it was beating out the truck.

I then took off and followed, and then saw the truck wipe out in a turn ahead of me. I pulled up to the truck which was now stuck in a ditch. I got off the bike, removed my helmet and walked up just as the farmer climbed out.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yep. I'm OK" It was an guy older than the truck, he walked up to the road and looked down it the direction we were going.

"Tell me," I asked, "what was that thing you seemed to be chasing?"

"Well, I got a chicken farm back down the road, and I just successfully bred the worlds first four legged chicken.."

"Wow" I said "a chicken with four drumsticks? You'll make a fortune with that"

"Sure will," he said, looking down the road, "If only I can catch it....."