Well the re-registration documents finally came through on Friday, so I was OK to pick the bike up from the dealership on Saturday! The weather in the UK has been very cold recently, with some snow and deep frosts, and of course gritting trucks out spreading rock salt on the roads, not a good thing with Harley chrome!
Saturday dawned a beautiful clear and sunny day, perfect flying weather, but man was it cold! Classic UK winter high pressure type weather. I finally got to the dealership around 11:00 and spoke to my Salesman, Steve. The bike was all now properly registered and road taxed. There was a mix up on the licence plate number which Steve corrected with the insurance company for me. A quick walk around the bike and a demo of the various controls (which I know anyway), the ceremonial handover of the ‘goody bag’ with all the documents, manuals, keys etc. and the bike was wheeled from the showroom to the forecourt as I got kitted up. As it was so cold, I wore my cheap Sheltex gear with the winter linings in which I got from Heine Gericke when I was learning to ride. It isn’t fabulously stylish, but it was warm and practical on a day like this I can tell you!
As I was gearing up, Dee was taking some photos to mark the occasion. A customer heading into the showroom stopped and admired the bike. We had a quick chat and he said how he really liked the Heritage Classics and was particularly taken with the paint job on my bike. I thanked him and explained that I was literally collecting it now and about to ride off for the first time. Steve was waiting to see me off, so no pressure then. I made the schoolboy error of putting my gloves on before my helmet, so couldn’t easily fasten the catch, so Steve helped. I got on the bike and carefully went through all the controls again in my head before slowly and deliberately going through the start up sequence.
Electronic tag in my pocket (a brilliant gizmo that automatically arms and disarms the alarm simply by having it on you), Side stand up, Run switch to ‘Run’, Ignition switch to ‘IGN’, Thumb the Start switch and the 1600cc two-cylinder air-cooled engine rumbles into life immediately. A few blips of the throttle and a roar of the engine and she settles into the familiar and evocative Harley potato-potato-potato-potato sub-sonic rumble. Click it into first gear, a look around me, a quick wave and I slowly and carefully pull away through the Audi dealership and onto the Tewkesbury Road to do the short run to my Mother’s house in Bishops Cleeve where it will live in the garage for now.
The ride, short though it was, was still fun. I was instantly comfortable from my recent ride on the same type of bike in Florida over Christmas. It was very cold and it was a good decision not to go for a joyride in sub-zero temperatures without heated gear.
My Mum’s neighbour came out and admired the bike, as did my Mother and cousin. I think I will have to get used to this when riding the bike! After a few photos and a bit more familiarisation by myself, I wheeled her into the garage and plugged her into the battery trickle charger and covered her with a dust sheet.
Unfortunately, I won’t be riding her for at least two weeks now as I am in Cirencester most weekday evenings and next weekend I am in France for a long weekend. But I knew this. I need to get Dee kitted up so she can ride pillion and I must get an intercom so we can chat while riding.
Let the good times roll!
