Hot tip for the first ride of the year

[Craig380]

Guys, as you know, there's nothing finer than a dry, bright and not-too-cold winter afternoon for the first ride of the year.

The bike strikes up beautifully after a 3-month hibernation, and quickly clears its three throats. The cold air makes the motor run just that little bit more crisply.

The drone from the three chambers rises and hardens to a banshee wail as the tach needle passes the '5' mark, and the bike pulls forward like a frisky dog spotting a rabbit.

I arrive home cold but exhilarated - until I step off the bike. Then I get a kick in the guts.

So people, please take heed of my warning: check your side panels are attached correctly before you set off.

Anyone got a good right-hand side panel in black for a 380?

[Craig380]

A happy ending -- I retraced the route and found the side panel lying by the side of the road, virtually undamaged.

How it survived nearly a day on a VERY busy main road that's fully of commuter traffic and trucks, I don't know. Sometimes you just get lucky.

[Digger]

Result!

Nice one - yup, I love January rides - motors always seem to run more crisply in the clear winter air.

[GT500Andy]

Been out for several rides already this year the GT500 runs really great with the cold air, just the old guy on it has some problems moving after coming back home, the old bones don't seem to be as supple as the 2 stroke.
Andy

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Andy I'm glad you're talking about yourself and no one else, old bones??? what old bones.

[tz375]

Bones are the things that grind against each other in my shoulders and restrict movement. Bones are the things in my grandson's arm that broke when he fell off his skateboard - hand point off at a weird angle.

But it's the muscles that are stiff from lack of exercise. Warm up before you ride.

[GT500Andy]

No its bones that hurt with the cold the bones that I used to remodel cars and other obstacles on the roads in the seventies, racing around the roads with my mates when the only time you obliged the speed limit was on the red traffic light waiting to race to the next and now I pay on the cold days in the Summer there’s no problem.

[H2RICK]

The only strokers going for January rides in my end of the world are SLEDS !!!

[fregado]

Here in Utah, crisp air, dry roads, snow on everything, just to beautiful to not go for a ride.