InternalCombustion
Big Wheel
For many of you this will be an old story, still I hope you enjoy it. For many of you this may be a new story, and if you like riding the awesome C10, on amazing roads, at nine-tenths, you’ll really like it.
My son Joe invited me to join him and 3 of his Colorado Sport Bike Club buddies, on a week’s long visit to Deals Gap. I immediately said yes, then googled “Deals Gap” to figure out what I was in for. Holy batman!!! How many bikers have died on this stretch of highway??!!
Joe lives in Colorado and I live in Pittsburgh so I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like, so I was pretty much willing to risk life and limb for a whole week with him, potential casualties (likely mine) or not. So, early on Memorial Day Saturday, bags packed and repacked, fresh Avon’s spooned on, and wearing my Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket and pants, I headed out the driveway for the quick 10-hour ride down to Robbinsvile, North Carolina.
Getting to the vacation house Joe had rented for the week meant that I had to ride THROUGH Deals Gap to get to the house. Riding through “The Dragon” for the first time, at the end of a 10-hour ride, is not something I’d recommend. Still, I made it through, somehow unscathed.
Over the next week I spent every day-lit minute in motorcycle Heaven. We spent countless hours doing The Dragon, Moonshiner28, Cherohala Skyway, Route 348 down in Georgia, and parts in between. If you’ve been there you know what I mean. If you haven’t, do yourself a major favor and get this on your Bucket list, up near the top.
Okay, I’ll get to the point of my story. Joe’s buddies were all on current-generation 600 cc sportbikes, and my son was riding a tricked out DRZ400SM supermoto. And there I was on my 600 pound, red 2003 Connie. Early on I tried to ride fast but after 3 mind-numbing, oh-sh!t, near-wrecks, I finally started to learn: 1. Relax, 2. brake smoothly, 3. look into the turn, 4. hold your line, 5. accelerate smoothly. Surprise, if you stay relaxed it works! I’m starting to have serious FUN!!
The crowning moment came on day 3, during a 'very spirited' run we took on the Cherohala Skyway, me pulling up the rear. Me and my Connie stayed with them though, having scraped my very first C10 pegs (both sides) the day before. As they pulled into a scenic overlook, I was only a second or so behind them. Joe told me later that the most skilled rider in the group leaned over to him when he saw me pull in right behind them, and said, “I didn’t expect to see HIM so soon.” Sweet.
I rode the piss out of that bike for 7 days, put over 2,300 miles on her, revved the engine with total abandon (but nothing above 8 grand). She didn’t miss a beat, didn’t use any oil, didn’t overheat, and with her Dale Walkers, sounded like a symphony the whole time. I was continually in awe that whatever I the b@lls to ask from that 25-year-old design, she delivered. And in comfort and classic good looks.
Sorry for the long post, ya’ll, but I love this bike.
Ride safe.
My son Joe invited me to join him and 3 of his Colorado Sport Bike Club buddies, on a week’s long visit to Deals Gap. I immediately said yes, then googled “Deals Gap” to figure out what I was in for. Holy batman!!! How many bikers have died on this stretch of highway??!!
Joe lives in Colorado and I live in Pittsburgh so I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like, so I was pretty much willing to risk life and limb for a whole week with him, potential casualties (likely mine) or not. So, early on Memorial Day Saturday, bags packed and repacked, fresh Avon’s spooned on, and wearing my Joe Rocket Alter Ego jacket and pants, I headed out the driveway for the quick 10-hour ride down to Robbinsvile, North Carolina.
Getting to the vacation house Joe had rented for the week meant that I had to ride THROUGH Deals Gap to get to the house. Riding through “The Dragon” for the first time, at the end of a 10-hour ride, is not something I’d recommend. Still, I made it through, somehow unscathed.
Over the next week I spent every day-lit minute in motorcycle Heaven. We spent countless hours doing The Dragon, Moonshiner28, Cherohala Skyway, Route 348 down in Georgia, and parts in between. If you’ve been there you know what I mean. If you haven’t, do yourself a major favor and get this on your Bucket list, up near the top.
Okay, I’ll get to the point of my story. Joe’s buddies were all on current-generation 600 cc sportbikes, and my son was riding a tricked out DRZ400SM supermoto. And there I was on my 600 pound, red 2003 Connie. Early on I tried to ride fast but after 3 mind-numbing, oh-sh!t, near-wrecks, I finally started to learn: 1. Relax, 2. brake smoothly, 3. look into the turn, 4. hold your line, 5. accelerate smoothly. Surprise, if you stay relaxed it works! I’m starting to have serious FUN!!
The crowning moment came on day 3, during a 'very spirited' run we took on the Cherohala Skyway, me pulling up the rear. Me and my Connie stayed with them though, having scraped my very first C10 pegs (both sides) the day before. As they pulled into a scenic overlook, I was only a second or so behind them. Joe told me later that the most skilled rider in the group leaned over to him when he saw me pull in right behind them, and said, “I didn’t expect to see HIM so soon.” Sweet.
I rode the piss out of that bike for 7 days, put over 2,300 miles on her, revved the engine with total abandon (but nothing above 8 grand). She didn’t miss a beat, didn’t use any oil, didn’t overheat, and with her Dale Walkers, sounded like a symphony the whole time. I was continually in awe that whatever I the b@lls to ask from that 25-year-old design, she delivered. And in comfort and classic good looks.
Sorry for the long post, ya’ll, but I love this bike.
Ride safe.
