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609 Posts
Hi all,
Last Saturday I trucked the Kalico Kat to Napa so a young riding buddy could ride it with our old bike club. He is a very good rider, just sold his R6. I led on my '56 Velocette, which has been hopped up quite a bit, and although they are certainly the odd couple, we really had a great time up around Lake Berryessa.
Most of the roads on our route were very twisty and bumpy, and Caltrans had ground up random patches of asphalt on one stretch that were a bit worrisome. They were the full lane wide, up to 200 yards long and stretched for ten miles or more. Some were in corners, too. We caught a trio of ADV bikes right away, they were tiptoeing through the gravel so we went on by. As our confidence improved, we went faster and faster on those patches. The "end road work" sign was a welcome sight. By the time we came down 128 toward Napa we were just flying. Blew off a VW Phaeton at one point! Well, he was blocking us. Honestly, it was as fast as I have ever ridden on these roads, maybe any road that tight. It was practically a track day. The 390's front tire was worn to 1/4" from the edge. I rate this in the top five rides I've ever experienced, and I've had quite a few good ones in my 50 years of riding. And I have apparently not slowed down much in my old age.
My friend finished with two comments - once he settled down a bit, he was over the moon about the bike and the ride. Kept talking about it all day. First, he was glad he had not been on his R6 as he could not have done that pace on it. On these roads the little 390 was The Perfect Bike. And he is thinking about replacing his R6 with an RC Cup now...
Pics later.
Last Saturday I trucked the Kalico Kat to Napa so a young riding buddy could ride it with our old bike club. He is a very good rider, just sold his R6. I led on my '56 Velocette, which has been hopped up quite a bit, and although they are certainly the odd couple, we really had a great time up around Lake Berryessa.
Most of the roads on our route were very twisty and bumpy, and Caltrans had ground up random patches of asphalt on one stretch that were a bit worrisome. They were the full lane wide, up to 200 yards long and stretched for ten miles or more. Some were in corners, too. We caught a trio of ADV bikes right away, they were tiptoeing through the gravel so we went on by. As our confidence improved, we went faster and faster on those patches. The "end road work" sign was a welcome sight. By the time we came down 128 toward Napa we were just flying. Blew off a VW Phaeton at one point! Well, he was blocking us. Honestly, it was as fast as I have ever ridden on these roads, maybe any road that tight. It was practically a track day. The 390's front tire was worn to 1/4" from the edge. I rate this in the top five rides I've ever experienced, and I've had quite a few good ones in my 50 years of riding. And I have apparently not slowed down much in my old age.
My friend finished with two comments - once he settled down a bit, he was over the moon about the bike and the ride. Kept talking about it all day. First, he was glad he had not been on his R6 as he could not have done that pace on it. On these roads the little 390 was The Perfect Bike. And he is thinking about replacing his R6 with an RC Cup now...
Pics later.
