Till now I’ve resisted temptation, however even the chaste amongst us sooner or later succumb, and so I should confess to you that I’ve now tasted the forbidden fruit.
I commuted on my Rivendell:
I don’t imply I rode it within the town, which I’ve performed a variety of instances. I imply I rode somewhere within the morning, left it for awhile whilst I did stuff, after which rode it again house within the night time:
This will likely appear foolhardy, however I’m no dummy, and I gave that pigeon 5 dollars to look at it for me.
Anyway, I haven’t used the Rivendell on this capability because it was once emblem new and I used to be so excited that I used it to trip to my radio display (RIP):
I’m the usage of no fewer than 4 locks there, if you happen to depend the little locking zip-tie thingy at the saddle.
However sure, after the day prior to this’s grocery retailer travel I spotted it was once time to come back to grips with the truth that, like Kramer within the bathe, the Homer is the place I in point of fact wanna be:
And of course I’ve come to this conclusion virtually in an instant after remodeling the Eye of the Tiger motorcycle into one thing drawing near the very best commuter, cross determine:
Nonetheless, whilst now not but totally geared up for this kind of driving, the Homer guarantees to be higher. A few of it is a easy subject of elements; as an example, up to I love the ones outdated filth drops, they’re simply now not as relaxed as a couple of normal drops with chunky Campy-style brake hoods. On the other hand, the largest distinction is how a lot more strong the motorcycle feels with a heavy-ish bag on it, which I suppose is in large part because of the Homer’s borough-spanning wheelbase:
[The front wheel’s in Brooklyn, the rear wheel’s in Manhattan.]
That is maximum noticeable when driving up and down hills or over pace bumps. I’ve were given cheapo racks on each motorcycles, and I’m the usage of the similar bag with the similar load, however the Eye of the Tiger Motorcycle feels extra wobbly below the ones instances, while the Homer is extra composed. After all, it is advisable to without a doubt argue I’m bringing that wobbliness on myself through now not loading the motorcycle flippantly, nevertheless it’s now not just like the Eye of the Tiger motorcycle is “Holy shit I’m gonna die!” wobbly or the rest like that, it’s simply that the Homer handles it higher. I additionally ponder whether with the ability to care for a lighter contact at the bars because of this balance is contributing to my hand-related convenience much more than the other bar and hood configuration is, however who is aware of…and, on the finish of the day, who in point of fact cares, both?
After all, to be a real commuter the Homer nonetheless wishes a pair issues (ahem FENDERS), nevertheless it does have that dynamo-powered headlight:
I suppose if I used to be in point of fact doing it proper I’d upload a dynamo-powered tail gentle, however for now I believe one thing like this Arclight is greater than enough:
And under no circumstances am I retiring the Eye of the Tiger motorcycle from commuting accountability. On the other hand, I do look ahead to exploring this new bankruptcy within the Homer’s existence, in addition to my very own.
Talking of driving within the town, the habits of my fellow bicyclists can every now and then be vexing. For instance, right here’s the method to the Long island Bridge motorcycle trail. There’s a visitors gentle right here, and when it’s now not to your desire it’s as a result of drivers are coming off the bridge. They’re additionally popping out of a curve, in order that they don’t have numerous time to react to any one operating the sunshine–but in spite of this, once there’s even the slightest hole within the visitors, everybody runs it anyway:
This was once a horny benign instance, and I incessantly watch other people roll proper in entrance of oncoming visitors in a fashion that leads me to imagine they now not wish to are living. Now, I’ve run a variety of lighting fixtures in my day, however why run this one? It’s only a dumb-ass position to take action. Why now not simply hang around and watch the sector cross through? And even though we permit for the truth that a savvy bicycle owner can run it effectively, that doesn’t excuse the opposite 5 or ten idiots who invariably observe them.
By means of the best way, the motive force who honked at them nonetheless had the sunshine, and it most effective began to show when he was once already within the intersection:
No matter, it’s now not my drawback.
Some other factor I’ve spotted not too long ago–and I point out it now not as a result of I to find it vexing, however just because I to find it noteworthy–is that increasingly more other people appear to be portaging canine:
See?
I don’t know if it’s because other people really feel more secure on motorcycles at the moment, or as a result of extra other people have canine, however I see it at least one time in line with trip within the town, because of this it’s formally A Factor–and one I’m completely fantastic with, in contrast to pushing a canine in a stroller. The day before today night time I yielded to a pedestrian with a stroller, considering it was once a toddler, however as they crossed I then discovered the stroller contained now not a toddler however a canine. Had I recognized that I’d by no means have stopped.
However in fact through a long way probably the most vexing facet of contemporary existence within the motorcycle trail is the proliferation of e-motorcycles:
Right here’s one such doofus who, after tearing during the vacationer visitors across the Intrepid at top pace, stopped and got rid of his helmet to absorb the atmosphere solar:
Between this and the fellow at the brakeless observe motorcycle with gravel bars I would possibly in any case have to go away the town.
Nonetheless, on a spring night time this beguiling, all is forgiven…a minimum of briefly:
By the point I reached the George Washington Bridge the solar had set on our collective sins:
And my beacon of shallowness shone brightly:
Unquestionably it gained’t be lengthy earlier than all of the motorcycle trail visitors is motorized and I’m only a old fashioned pedal-powered relic, like that Little Pink Mild Area sitting underneath the Nice Grey Bridge:
Honk all you need, I ain’t shifting.
