My First 100 mile ride

[bobmielke]

I couldn't wait any longer. The fog was everywhere & there was a mist in the air. I bundled up in my synthetic riding suit with sweats under everything & headed out from Beaverton, OR on Highway 26W. My goal for this first decent ride was Camp 18, a converted logging camp & now, one of my favorite restaurants. It was quite wet as I left my apartment to gather up the Triumph Rocket II from my garage. The Beast started instantly, with a turbine-like whine as it came to life. "It's Alive!!!!"
The bike shifts easily with the heel/toe shifter. I made a concerted effort to use the heel shift as I headed toward 5th gear. There's no cruise control on this monster but I have installed a Throttle Rocker to lessen the strain on my right hand. It worked just fine as I was able to maintain a steady 60 mph. The engine was quiet with no noticeable vibration. The 800+ lb bike tracks true with virtually no input necessary. The solo saddle with adjustable backrest was very comfortable especially when combined with the touring flooboards.
So, all in all my first 100 mile ride was everything I'd hope for in a power touring cruiser. I certainly didn't need to downshift on grades or passing situations. There was plenty of torque for all that.

 

[MikeM]

Congrats Bob! Soon the weather will be nice enough to do that everyday!

I have a Throttlemeister (throttle friction/lock) on mine. Not as good as cruise control by any means but it's good enough for me.

 

[Lonzol]

Bob,
That first good ride is always one to remember! I love you color selection by the way, Now you need to plan on a little longer ride, say NC????? Congrats on the new bike. Lonnie

 

[Alister]

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it!

The better half (has an '08 Bonnie T100) and I are planning a moderate 440-mile ride to Spokane, Washington via Idaho 55/Washinton 95, which takes us square through the Boise Mountains and western part of the Sawtooth Range, in May. Really looking forward to it.

And yes, I'll be taking plenty of pictures along the way.

 

[BigWillie]

I remember my first 100 mile ride on my new R3T. Had to ride my FJR 140 miles to the dealer, traded it over and got on the new Rocket and rode 180 miles to get home. Having so much fun, I hit third and got lost. My old knees were not telling me to stop and stretch them out. Now have had it 5 months and have 6000 miles.