A lot of riders are so brand loyal to the motorcycle they ride they will not ride with riders of other brands. This is not something I can do as my riding friends have been there with me though all the brands I have had and tried. I have reciprocated to their brand journeys, so it's only fair.
A friend asked if I would put a ride together as he was getting withdrawals.
I knew my local area rides would be out as the was a charity event involving cyclist riding from Sydney to Wollongong. So I sent message went out to my riding group to see who was interested and available.
By Saturday afternoon, we were a riding party of five.
I was contacted late Saturday by one who had to work as a 3 hour job had come in.
Come Sunday morning as I prepared to leave for the meeting point, another of the remaining four texted to advise they would be able to make it.
So it was to be just the 3 of us on the variety of motorcycles.
The oldest motorcycle was a 1986 BMW K100RS
German made, fuel injected 987cc (60.2 Cubic Inches), 5 gears and shaft drive.
The next oldest was my 1997 Kawasaki 1000GTR
Japanese made, carburetor-ed 997cc (60.8 Cubic Inches) 6 gears and shaft drive.
The final was a brand new Harley Davidson Road Glide Special with the new Milwaukee Eight 107 Cubic Inch (1753cc) 6 gears and belt drive.
Thinking about it, the two who couldn't make it had different brands as well.
There were a lot more differences in the style and design of the motorcycles travelling and in the case of the Harley Davidson, equipment which was not thought of when the other two were produced.
Also the Harley engine was almost the other 2 combined and all we could say was. That bike has power.
The point of commonality was, we were just going for a day ride with mates.
I had planned a ride with a good variety of surfaces and layout. No gravel as I would have had a 'stop riding' situation on my hands not caused by any of the motorcycles but not everyone likes riding off the bitumen. The roads we traveled highlighted each motorcycle's design strengths with freeway to back roads with hairpins and at times these back roads were quite narrow.
The Harley, I kept mentally calling Mae West as it was definitely buxom. Though large in size, the fairing on the Harley has been put to good use with glove boxes, entertainment system and the usual instruments. Once you became accustom to the size it wasn't as ponderous as we traveled the back roads where I though it being so big would be a major hindrance.
The BMW and Kawasaki just did what they have been doing for years. Providing entertainment of the road riding kind as for a mentioned earlier they did not and do not have entertainment systems.
Enough of my ramblings. Following you will find some pictures taken along the way.
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| The first River Crossing on the Sackville Ferry |
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| Morning Tea time at Ebenezer Church. |
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| A little confusion on what goes where. |
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| No confusion when you get told what's what. |
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| The back of the church. |
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| The Harley with its new friends waits for the next section. |
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| Ferry crossing is easier on the wings than flying. |
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| With whom we ride. |
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| Nice Daimlers make a pleasant foreground. |
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| The Harley and Kawasaki. No more for the BMW at this lunch stop |
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| Scenery from the Pie In The Sky at group ride's end. |
My rides can also be done commercially through
www.ridetheworld.com.au
if you want company to ride with as none of your friends ride or want to see what
the roads have offer and are not sure where to go with your friends, I look forward to
sharing them with you.
If you do not ride but want to try it, we can even take pillions.
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