Worst and Best

So, I ask you, what other blog brings you exotic orchids, cute little birds, and awesome motorcycles all in the same place? This post features the worst motorcycle I ever rode and the best one:

I took a spin on this Russian bike whose brand I can't read and probably couldn't pronounce. It doesn't matter because you definitely don't want one. A lot of Russian stuff is copied from elsewhere, and not very well. This bike was a good example. It was a lot like a 70's vintage Suzuki trail bike. Felt like it might have trouble lasting another hundred miles, er, kilometers.
I think this might have been in Kazakhstan.

And this is the best ride to date. The mighty Honda VTX-1800, the machine that basically defined the new power cruiser class. This one belongs to a former student of mine who has unfortunately moved far away. Sorry you Harley folks, your bone shakers don't come close. I've ridden several flavors of those. And the Goldwings just don't have the coolness factor or the sound of this beast. I haven't been on one of the new 1800 versions yet, and there are some BMW's that look mighty nice. But they are in the future for me. At this point, this thing is the sweetest experience on two wheels I have known.

I was talking to someone today about speed and it occurred to me I have ridden this particular motorcycle faster, significantly faster, than the top speed of any airplane I ever flew as pilot in command. Unfortunately, you can't cruise across the country that way on a bike. But like the famous little deuce coop, "if it had a set of wings, man, I know she could fly."

Cruise slowly down the boulevard on this thing and make Harley's look like kiddie bikes. Or take it up to top speed: approximately 160. With a windshield. As some of my students would say, "freakin' awesome!"