Coming into work today I got behind a garbage truck just as I exited the freeway onto a cloverleaf offramp.  I was creeeeping around that offramp at about 25mph and just as we merged onto the new road I saw a Yamaha R1 coming around the cloverleaf.  (I knew the R1 driver was a guy from work and is a very aggressive rider.)  The transition from the new road to the next turn is about 100 yards so by the time I got to the next turn we both had to follow the garbage truck.  We were merging onto a 3-lane road and I knew where the garbage truck was headed.  He had to stay in the right hand lane for another quick transition.  The other two lanes head through a stop light for a climbing left-hand overpass with a couple of dips in it.  I had been scanning all three lanes from the left, the light was green and clear and as soon at it opened up around the truck, I hammered it into the middle lane from second gear.  I saw the R1 driver dive into the far left lane and the front wheel came up.  I shifted into third at the bottom of the overpass and kept it hammered all the way over the top, through both bumps.  The R1 driver actually dropped back about 50 yards.

I pulled into the parking lot at work and he got caught waiting for a line of cars so by the time he pulled up next to me in the parking lot, I was off the bike and putting my stuff away.  He pulled up, shut the bike off and took off his full-face helmet.  "HOLY SH*T!!  What the hell was that!  I've never gone over that overpass at 100mph before and you were walking away from me!!  I had to back off because of the bumps!"  I smiled and said that he would have blown by me if there was any more straight road ahead but with a rolling start up to about 115 I'll take on anybody, especially if the road is not perfecty smooth.

We've been at work about 4 hours now and I have not told that story once.  He has told it at least a dozen times.

Victory Vision - You think you know....  You have no idea.

I know exactly what his bike would have done in a perfect world.  That cloverleaf prior to the overpass is terrible and full of bumps.  If he tried to keep up with me there he would literally get thrown off his bike.

We both know he has the much faster bike and he said he was licking his chops at the thought of blowing past me.  He still can't believe how I took that overpass like the bumps weren't even there. 

There will be no rematch.

The legend was born the day I bought that bike. 

That was the first time I have ever raced against another bike knowing they were gunning for me.  My heartrate started to increase when I saw him on the cloverleaf and when we both got stuck behind the truck I was fully wired.  It was the first time I have hammered through the gears and not hit the limiter.  I guess it's just getting more intuitive.

The guy on the R1 is originally from Long Island and very flashy/cocky.  (Definitely does not blend in with laid-back Memphis.)  Even the other sportbike riders here at work won't ride with him because he will always hit 150mph at least once both coming to work and going home.  If I had to pick any biker in the building to make an impression with, it would be him. 

I really really really like my Vision.

Hey TopFuel,

I saw  your Connie14 at FRS about a week after you got your Vision.  I had an '03 Connie that I was totally content with til the Vision flipped me on my head.  The Vision is so much fun because it totally sneaks up on the uninitiated. 

The cloverleaf is at I-240 westbound, onto Lamar southbound.  The overpass is American Way merging into Tchulahoma over the railroad tracks.  I work at the Air Traffic Control Center at Democrat and Tchulahoma.

My days off are in the middle of the week so I'm tough to hook up with but maybe we can meet over lunch one of these days.

Hey Ken & Pen!  Sounds like Penny has finally recovered from her near death experience.  Hope you guys had a good ride yesteday.  I took the day off and rode up to Kentucky for lunch yesterday.  San Diego weather here with a high of 76F/24C.  420 mile day.  Ahhhh.

TopFuel, when you say the Vision has "shockingly good handling" that is exactly what I thought coming off of my Concours.  I was convinced that I would have to tone down my riding style to compensate for being on a cruiser with floorboards but was blown away at the clearance in the twisties and its ability to absorb bumps and still hold a line.  Biggest adjustment for me initially was to lighten my grip. 

With our schedules it won't be easy to hook up but maybe we can meet at FRS if you have a trip planned over there for a check-up.

Cheers.

Hey Po,

It was a perfect storm.  I was at about 3000 rpm in second gear (the absolute meat of the powerband) and he said he was between 7-8000 rpm and his bike doesn't really "hit" until above 10,000.  The whole thing was over in less than 10 seconds but it was quite the rush. 

I'm shopping for a little R1 sillouette to stick on the side of my bike.