1056 Miles on Saturday

[Stephen Hampson]

"It was a beautiful day and I got to ride but I still just "don't get" the
cruiser concept. On the design sheet it seems that functionality and
performance are an afterthought but form and style are first criteria."



My first bike after a 20yr lay off from bikes was a Kawasaki VN1500.
Reasoning being I thought the modern day bikes would be too fast and
powerful for me now, so get something too trundle along with and see all the
scenery. Not as much danger of killing myself and preserving my clean
driving licence.

Well that was the plan, 3 months into riding the cruiser I begging for more
speed and better handling and did'nt really want to ride a cruiser through a
British winter. Which is where the GPz came in. Plenty of power, more than
adequate top speed and acceleration to see off most other bikes. Plus a
planned trip to Germany and the dreams of throttle to the stop blasts down
the Autobahns. I was now looking forward to the trip and it went really well
consistently keeping around 100-120mph and at one point near Karlsruhe an
indicated 145 two up with tank bag, panniers and a rackpack. 

However at those speeds you just don't get to take in the pleasures of the
country your travelling through. I have often wondered what it would of been
like at a sedate 70-80mph on my comfy cruiser. 

So I can see both sides of the argument and wished I had deep enough pockets
to own both. As well as a streetfighter, crosser, H2 750, a bike for every
occasion, we can all dream cant we!!!

Steve