Ride report nobody will bear to read

[faffi]

E39 to Helleland – Hauge i Dalane – Egersund – Tengs – E39 home.

 

Today was the first summer day here, defined by the temperature climbing above 20 C. I left work an hour early in order to get a longer ride in while it was still sunny and balmy. After riding my Virago the short trip home and parking it, I brought out the MT07 from the shed. I proceeded to undo my Gore-Tex suit and donned my leathers for the first time in about 6 months. Nice.

 

Earplugs in, helmet and gloves donned, ignition on. Like always, the modern wonder fired right up and fell to an elevated, but steady idle. This was going to be a gentle and sensible journey, and I was determined not to become tempted into speeding or risk-taking. Not and easy feat with the eager twin, but feasible.

 

The stress began less than 2 miles from home, where a line of cars had formed in front of a roundabout. Oh, sure, I knew it was rush hour, but here? That didn’t bode well.

 

Hardly any traffic coming the other way, so I gassed it past and got to the front, squeezed between the rear bumper of a Mazda and the front bumper of a van at the entrance of the roundabout, and headed for the highway a mile up the road.

 

The moment I saw the highway, I knew this wasn’t my day; crammed with cars. I split the lanes and took the first exit, away from traffic, taking a back route to get around the worst of the pile-up of cars. Not sure if I saved a lot of time, but at least I escaped a bit of lane splitting.

 

Where I joined the highway again, there was a line of cars barely moving all along the on-ramp, so I went around the whole lot. This was stressful. The highway was stilled crammed, meaning more lane splitting, but worst was luckily soon over. For the next 15 miles, the line of cars was moving along decently more often than it was stopped, but the whole ordeal was taxing and time-consuming way beyond my plan and hopes.

 

Luckily, once past the last little town, E39 going south saw little traffic and normal progress could be made. When I reached Helleland, I turned off the main road and onto Eiaveien, a narrow, winding road that would take me over to the coast.

 

Here came the first challenge regarding my promise of taking it slowly, but lots of sand patches on the road suggested I should adhere to the plan of not riding faster than I could stop within the distance I could see to be clear.

 

Soon, a Prius appeared in my rear-view mirrors, slowly growing larger. Could I live with the shame? Yes. I put on the indicator, pulled over to the side and let the driver past and allowed him to edge away, retaining my former trundle.

 

Høylandtjørni, a tiny lake, still had a thin layer of ice over much of its surface, despite the bike’s display indicating 19C. Previously, I had seen plenty of snow patches as low as 275 meters above sea level. Both that and the layer of ice were clear indicators of how long this winter had lasted. Which is much too long.

 

Continuing along this picturesque route, the MT07 felt out of place, like something inorganic. An insect off another galaxy placed in an alien environment where it doesn’t fit. And while the engine makes the right noises through the Arrows full system, the throttle response is too immediate, too eager, to really make for a relaxed ride. The slightly sporty riding position and firm suspension doesn’t help, either. Something like an SR400 would have felt far more at home on this road at this pace. In every respect.

 

Actually, if you plan to ride well within the safety limits on roads like these, motorcycles like the MT07 are about as suitable as a tractor mower for a 100 square foot lawn. A big race replica would be like having the same tractor mower, but without a lawn, only a jar of chives sitting in a corner of the patio. Sure, any motorcycle can be ridden slowly. But some doesn’t make sense, at least to me, when doing so.

 

Out of the blue, without the customary warning signs, a stretch of the road had seen its tarmac removed and replaced with gravel. The stones were larger than typical, suggesting it was just a temporary solution, but to my surprise the MT07 dealt even with soft patches with aplomb, going straight and remaining stable at all times. One of the best bikes I’ve ridden on gravel, in fact. Impressed.

 

Another car began catching up, a small van, and once more I stifled my ego and turned off to let the driver go past safely. But I was OK; the sun was still bright and the temps good. For now. Soon after, I reached the coastal road, and temperature dropped 5-6C in an instance. Heated grips came to the rescue for my delicate digits.

 

After Egersund, I turned inland again through Tengs, and the temperature quickly gained back what was lost to the North Sea. Soon enough I was back on E39, now heading north. Uphill from Vikeså, I let the bike down to an indicated 60 kph in top gear (likely closer to 53 actual) and tested its acceleration ability. Result: 7 seconds from 60 to 100 kph indicated using about half throttle. Considering the steepness of the hill and the low rpm, that impressed me.

 

Well back home, with butt burn and sore knees, I had confirmation of what I already knew; for this kind of riding, my Virago is simply a better tool. The MT07 is a better motorcycle, no question, but the Virago is the better cruiser.

 

Amazingly, I had managed the whole 120-mile trip without rolling over a single fresh patch of manure. The smell, though, revealed that the fertilizing process was fairly recent. However, I’d rather endure the smell than have turd all over my motorcycle. That was also why I chose the route I did instead of more interesting roads; other options were guaranteed to be crammed with manure.

 

 

 

[r1limited]

Thats so Hagen Das (thats Dope in Norwagion)

[shinyribs]

8 hours ago, faffi said:

Not and easy feat with the eager twin

 

 

 

You speak the truth. One day when I first got my bike, one day, I managed to go out for a nice,legal cruise and thoroughly enjoyed the bike. Haven't ridden responsibly since   But reading this makes me want to gear up and just take a cruise. I think I'll do that this Saturday. 

[Beemer]

I read it all and enjoyed the pics even more. Wish I could've made that ride with ya, nice roads! Reminds me of the back roads of Indiana.

BTW, DewMan and I take leisurely cruises just about every week around here. We don't race, we don't accelerate real hard either. We just do close to the speed limit and enjoy the scenery/ride. The FZ can putt around or go fast. It's a matter of using the right gear so it's not so eager feeling. I find 4th gear a good gear at "putt speed".

[Zephyr]

Sounds like the ride turned out after all.  I also enjoy nice cruising on the 07.  The more cruising I do the more I want to improve the seat, though.  I normally go up a gear in traffic and when cruising to tamp down the FZ's eagerness. 

 

Safe rides.

[faffi]

I use 6th gear from between 40 and 50 mph, depending on conditions. 3rd works down almost to a walking pace, so I rarely have to drop lower.

[faffi]

 

E39 Helleland – 42 Mydland – Fv985/Fv3 Moi – E39 Heskestad – 501 Hauge – 44 Tengs – Fv51 Bjerkreim – E39 Bue – 504 Undheim – Fv205 Ålgård – E39 Stavanger. Total: 275 km

My son and I grabbed the opportunity for a decent ride today, Sunday April 29, when the sun shone from a bright blue sky. Temperatures were less inviting, however, ranging from below 10C to a high of about 15C along the route. Or about 45 to 60F.

 

Riding the MT07, the kid had the benefit of a small, but surprisingly effective, windshield plus the large Givi hand protectors. Together with OEM heated grips and heated underwear, he would stay comfortable for the duration of the ride inside his racing leathers.

 

The Virago offer no wind protection, only a set of mediocre heated grips from brand Saito. To fend off the chill, I wore my lined Gore-Tex two-piece riding suit and lined leather mittens. Although not quite as warm as the kid, I was fine. Had I taken the time to wear my wool underwear, things would have been perfect.

 

Along the route, we met a ton of motorcyclists that also enjoyed the nice weather that has mostly been missing for the past 6 months. Apart from one rider, ironically also Yamaha-mounted like us, riding an XSR900, every single motorcyclist we met returned our waves.

 

We topped up with fuel at Ben’s Café down at Helleland after a brief stop to weigh our bikes. With a bit over a gallon remaining in our tanks, the coarse scale (10 kg increments) showed 240 kg for my Virago and 180 kg for the MT07. Exactly what I expected, but good to get verification. We both added 100 kg to the respective weights, suggesting that the Virago is a little above 240 kg, and the MT07 a little below as he is seven kilos heavier than I.

 

When we turned off E39 and headed east up road 42, the temperatures dropped as we gained altitude until most of the landscape was covered by snow. Waters were frozen over. Fv985 took us higher still, and rocks and mud and snow had fallen on the road in several places. At the border between Sirdal and Lund communes, we stopped to take a picture of the frozen lake when I noticed someone had enjoyed shooting the border sign.

 

 

Also shot (geddit?) a couple more pictures when I was at it.

 

 

When we took a breather a bit later the rear tyre grabbed my attention. Famous for lasting almost indefinitely, the Heidenau K60 on the rear of my Virago is getting close to the end of its useful life. And that after about 5500 km, or 3500 miles. It does grip amazingly well on asphalt, though, but I doubt I will fit another.

 

An impromptu top-gear roll-on competition between our bikes gave a big surprise. My Virago lost a lot of its punch when I fitted mufflers and a more restrictive air intake, although it still pulls decently. In comparison, the MT07 feels like a rocket. But up an incline, starting at just under 60 kph (35 mph) in top, the MT07 only pulled between 2 and 3 bike lengths up to about 115 kph (70 mph) and was still just inching away. Seat of your pants would have made you bet your home that the difference would be far, far greater.

 

Riding at legal speeds, or below, the Virago make for a far more pleasant dancing partner. For me, at least. Just trundling along, the Virago feels relaxed and friendly. The MT07, in comparison, feels like it’s help back against its will and nature. Every time we stopped and I looked at the poor, old Virago, unwashed for a year that has included a week of dirt roads and a full winter with plenty of salty roads, and felt apathy for the big task ahead of making it great again. Then I would jump on the saddle and it suddenly felt like home; comfortable, capable, enjoyable. I think I need this bike. We are meant to belong. Long term.

 

A piece of gravel, a very rare sight here in the West, allowed me to enjoy some slides. My son tried to get some action shots, but with a mobile phone camera it was next to impossible. Most pictures showing me in action also show me about the size of an insect, but a couple made it possible to show there is a rider there, even if they are unspectacular. It was fun at any rate. For me. The kid hates gravel, like I used to before last fall, and took it very easy on the for him still quite unfamiliar MT07.

 

 

 

Keeping the pace down proved sensible for more than just avoiding potential tickets, as there were both errant drivers, loose dogs and unexpected patches of sand and gravel to deal with during the ride. Plus two cars pulling massive caravans over a narrow mountain road, barely leaving us a gap to paddle through. If we had been riding at full chat, the situation could have turned ugly. As it were, we experienced no drama; we were always in control. Not as exhilarating as riding fast, yet surprisingly satisfying.

 

[firstyammerha]

Yikes,no leaves on the trees in April! 

[faffi]

Can vary tremendously here, from summer-ish temps in the tail end of March to snow in June. June 12, 1994, we had a snowstorm over Gaularfjell that prevented us from riding the planned route north, and at the end of May the following year we had snow on the roads between Voss and Bergen. This year, May had several days with 30C+ / above 85F and almost the whole month was warm.

[Cruizin]

On 4/19/2018 at 2:33 PM, faffi said:

E39 to Helleland – Hauge i Dalane – Egersund – Tengs – E39 home.

 

Today was the first summer day here, defined by the temperature climbing above 20 C. I left work an hour early in order to get a longer ride in while it was still sunny and balmy. After riding my Virago the short trip home and parking it, I brought out the MT07 from the shed. I proceeded to undo my Gore-Tex suit and donned my leathers for the first time in about 6 months. Nice.

 

Earplugs in, helmet and gloves donned, ignition on. Like always, the modern wonder fired right up and fell to an elevated, but steady idle. This was going to be a gentle and sensible journey, and I was determined not to become tempted into speeding or risk-taking. Not and easy feat with the eager twin, but feasible.

 

The stress began less than 2 miles from home, where a line of cars had formed in front of a roundabout. Oh, sure, I knew it was rush hour, but here? That didn’t bode well.

 

Hardly any traffic coming the other way, so I gassed it past and got to the front, squeezed between the rear bumper of a Mazda and the front bumper of a van at the entrance of the roundabout, and headed for the highway a mile up the road.

 

The moment I saw the highway, I knew this wasn’t my day; crammed with cars. I split the lanes and took the first exit, away from traffic, taking a back route to get around the worst of the pile-up of cars. Not sure if I saved a lot of time, but at least I escaped a bit of lane splitting.

 

Where I joined the highway again, there was a line of cars barely moving all along the on-ramp, so I went around the whole lot. This was stressful. The highway was stilled crammed, meaning more lane splitting, but worst was luckily soon over. For the next 15 miles, the line of cars was moving along decently more often than it was stopped, but the whole ordeal was taxing and time-consuming way beyond my plan and hopes.

 

Luckily, once past the last little town, E39 going south saw little traffic and normal progress could be made. When I reached Helleland, I turned off the main road and onto Eiaveien, a narrow, winding road that would take me over to the coast.

 

Here came the first challenge regarding my promise of taking it slowly, but lots of sand patches on the road suggested I should adhere to the plan of not riding faster than I could stop within the distance I could see to be clear.

 

Soon, a Prius appeared in my rear-view mirrors, slowly growing larger. Could I live with the shame? Yes. I put on the indicator, pulled over to the side and let the driver past and allowed him to edge away, retaining my former trundle.

 

Høylandtjørni, a tiny lake, still had a thin layer of ice over much of its surface, despite the bike’s display indicating 19C. Previously, I had seen plenty of snow patches as low as 275 meters above sea level. Both that and the layer of ice were clear indicators of how long this winter had lasted. Which is much too long.

 

Continuing along this picturesque route, the MT07 felt out of place, like something inorganic. An insect off another galaxy placed in an alien environment where it doesn’t fit. And while the engine makes the right noises through the Arrows full system, the throttle response is too immediate, too eager, to really make for a relaxed ride. The slightly sporty riding position and firm suspension doesn’t help, either. Something like an SR400 would have felt far more at home on this road at this pace. In every respect.

 

Actually, if you plan to ride well within the safety limits on roads like these, motorcycles like the MT07 are about as suitable as a tractor mower for a 100 square foot lawn. A big race replica would be like having the same tractor mower, but without a lawn, only a jar of chives sitting in a corner of the patio. Sure, any motorcycle can be ridden slowly. But some doesn’t make sense, at least to me, when doing so.

 

Out of the blue, without the customary warning signs, a stretch of the road had seen its tarmac removed and replaced with gravel. The stones were larger than typical, suggesting it was just a temporary solution, but to my surprise the MT07 dealt even with soft patches with aplomb, going straight and remaining stable at all times. One of the best bikes I’ve ridden on gravel, in fact. Impressed.

 

Another car began catching up, a small van, and once more I stifled my ego and turned off to let the driver go past safely. But I was OK; the sun was still bright and the temps good. For now. Soon after, I reached the coastal road, and temperature dropped 5-6C in an instance. Heated grips came to the rescue for my delicate digits.

 

After Egersund, I turned inland again through Tengs, and the temperature quickly gained back what was lost to the North Sea. Soon enough I was back on E39, now heading north. Uphill from Vikeså, I let the bike down to an indicated 60 kph in top gear (likely closer to 53 actual) and tested its acceleration ability. Result: 7 seconds from 60 to 100 kph indicated using about half throttle. Considering the steepness of the hill and the low rpm, that impressed me.

 

Well back home, with butt burn and sore knees, I had confirmation of what I already knew; for this kind of riding, my Virago is simply a better tool. The MT07 is a better motorcycle, no question, but the Virago is the better cruiser.

 

Amazingly, I had managed the whole 120-mile trip without rolling over a single fresh patch of manure. The smell, though, revealed that the fertilizing process was fairly recent. However, I’d rather endure the smell than have turd all over my motorcycle. That was also why I chose the route I did instead of more interesting roads; other options were guaranteed to be crammed with manure.

 

 

 

I read it. 

[faffi]

Thanks