I was out for a short run with a friend today, trying to get the most out of what might be the last really good weekend of the season. It was a round-trip of about 185 kms (just over 100 miles) from Ottawa to Smith's Falls through Richmond and back through Manotick. It was a cool morning, with some gusting winds (around 30 kms), and ended up being about 25C by the end of the drive at lunch.
My buddy drives a BMW K1200GT, which as a fully-fared and much heavier bike, was mush easier to drive in the gusting winds. Plus, watching him accelerate away from me was comical considering how I was winding the bike out to keep pace. I learned a lot on this run as a rookie rider. When to maintain vs adjust lane position based on traffic and conditions, how to get more out of the bike's acceleration and how to shift weight to counter a cross-wind. There are still a few (many) areas of my riding I want to work on, but I was much more confident on the way back after a coffee and stretch break than I was on the way out. All in all a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
Rain in the forecast for the next two days, but sun for later in the week. It may only be commuting, but at least it's still riding!
My buddy drives a BMW K1200GT, which as a fully-fared and much heavier bike, was mush easier to drive in the gusting winds. Plus, watching him accelerate away from me was comical considering how I was winding the bike out to keep pace. I learned a lot on this run as a rookie rider. When to maintain vs adjust lane position based on traffic and conditions, how to get more out of the bike's acceleration and how to shift weight to counter a cross-wind. There are still a few (many) areas of my riding I want to work on, but I was much more confident on the way back after a coffee and stretch break than I was on the way out. All in all a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
Rain in the forecast for the next two days, but sun for later in the week. It may only be commuting, but at least it's still riding!