William Fankboner had been driving a big one-liter muscle bike for the last ten years. Over time repairs to the water-cooling system became unsustainable. These big sleek rice rockets may look great but they are the devil to wrench. He decided his next bike would not have a faring or water-cooling. But since no one makes a good standard street bike any more, he decided to take a chance on a dual purpose (on-road, off-road) bike. It was one of the smartest decisions her ever made. Here is his report...
Excuse my enthusiasm, but... What a blast! I Never rode a motorcycle so compliant. It'll go anywhere. Do anything. Leap high buildings in a single bound!
The sense of taking flight is no idle fancy. In his seminal work on the Extensions of Man, Understanding Media, Marshall McLuhan observed:
- It was the tandem alignment of wheels that created the velocipede and then the bicycle, for with the acceleration of wheel by linkage to the visual principle of mobile lineality, the wheel acquired a new degree of intensity. The bicycle lifted the wheel onto the plane of aerodynamic balance, and not too indirectly created the airplane. It was no accident that the Wright brothers were bicycle mechanics, or that early airplanes seemed in some ways like bicycles.
Nor is it any accident that jet pilots prefer motorcycles to cars. The evolution of flight was a classic case of incrementalism: the bicycle, and the later motorcycle, were analogous to the evolution of bipeds from quadrupeds, and represented an essential intermediate step between four-wheeled conveyance and the airplane; like airplanes (and fish) bicycles and motorcycles require continuous forward momentum to maintain balance; and, like the airplane they are a highly tactile.
It's hard to describe the sensation of flying on a bike so light it feels like it's going to take off at any moment. And the weather has been spectacular. High cirrus clouds blocking the sun, temperatures a balmy, 80 to 90 F. Still, I get sunburn, Willie the mole, whose only exposure to light before was when he opened the refrigerator door.
There are several scenic spots that serve as destinations, stunning mountain landscapes where you can park and take in the atmospherics and study the local wildlife (flora of the Chaparral desert and fauna consisting mostly of big horn, roadrunners, crows and hawks). I think I've even discovered a high plateau where I can set up the Dobson reflector and study the heavens (though the logistics of night travel are a little daunting).
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But these are only destinations: the joy is in getting there on my obliging XT250. Had I known dual purpose bikes were so much fun, I'd have gotten one years ago. (A big muscle bike isolates you from nature with its speed and power.)
I've found the sweet spot on the power band. It's the mid-range, where it's light weight results in surprising acceleration. Haven't explored the top-end yet because of break-in constraints. After the first 1000 miles I'll know more. Low speed handling is great too, because bike is instantly flickable due to lightness. Acceleration from 0 to 30 MPH isn't impressive, so I don't split lanes and go to the head of the line unless there's a real advantage, i.e. if there's a long line of cars ahead of me. I especially enjoy the unflappable aplomb of the bike over rough road. Nine inches of travel on front wheel, 7 inches of travel on the rear, absorb the bumps and make for a very comfortable ride. Bike has 11 inches ground clearance, though I doubt with my riding style I'll ever need it.
Tomorrow I explore Lake Cahuilla. Who knows? I may even attempt Joshua Tree National Park. Despite long hours on the bike, the lower back seems to be holding up okay, as long as I get plenty of rest.
William B. Fankboner
In a Persistent Vegetative State
In Captivity Somewhere
In Southern California
Wm. B. Fankboner Essays, Articles and Reviews at:
http://home.roadrunner.com/~lifetime/nf-toc-f.htm
