Thursday, September 13, 2012

The Bullet opens up new places, new pleasures

The wonderful thing about the Bullet is that it is so slow, and yet so much fun.  Sitting here on a rainy day, I look up and the sky has cleared.  In my mind's eye I can see the Bullet parked out front.  I put down my book and, on a whim, go riding.  Running through the eastern suburbs of Melbourne there are scenic, empty roads.  These surfaces snake their way through the parklands surrounding the Yarra River, all the way out to the country.  Down these roads I putter along at 45kph like an upright English gentleman.  Sometimes there is a family strolling along the footpath and we wave to each other.




While learner riders have so much fun cruising around the city, for an experienced motorcyclist who does a lot of weekend miles and has to commute every day by bike, I find city-riding a chore for the most part.  But on the Bullet, with the right roads, I can spend all day on green, leafy lanes alongside the Yarra.  Puttering along, having a wonderful time, life in the character-filled slow lane is a wonderful thing.  You would never think I was in the midst of the suburbs.  I wouldn't even consider joy-riding through these areas on my fast 650 twin, but they come alive on the Royal Enfield.

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