Hyperwotsit first ride

Well I picked up my new toy on Saturday having met Anne (Singletrack) at Thorpe Park. She and Andrew had driven down to meet us at a halfway point and it seemed like a good opportunity to take the girls out for the day. HA they went on all the thrill rides and I mooched about in the sun waiting for hours while they queued up for all the rides knowing that the only ride I wanted to go on was sat outside in the parking lot just calling for me to jump on and go.
“Graham..............
Graham............
Come and get me...........”
It was torture the park didn’t close till six and we had met at 10 in the morning. Still the girls had a good day and I knew my time would come. I convinced Sarah that the best time to leave would be around 5pm so that we didn’t get caught up in the mass of people leaving at 6  Ok girls jump in the car we really need to get going (get in the car NOW I want to ride my new toy HURRY UP NOW!!!)
I started her up and rode over to where the car was parked. A short little bimble across the car park but enough to notice the difference in riding style to the monster. It has a clutch slave fitted and this was such a change to what I was used to, so light and smooth. The throttle was so responsive, a little twist and whoosh I was where I was going before I had realised I had left. It was immediately apparent that this bike was naughty and if I wasn’t careful would entice me into doing things that I really know I shouldn’t.

The ride home was mainly uneventful. M25 to the M11 then the turn off towards Newmarket. Sedate motorway speeds with an occasional blast thrown in just to see and to test. Going through a tunnel obviously had the slow down speed up slow down routine to enable the sound of those glorious Termi’s to reverberate around my ears. It’s like having the Royal Philharmonic play the Albert Hall only much better. Then I hit the little roads on the run in to town. Well known to me and a chance for me to have some fun. Now bearing in mind I had just ridden 80 or so motorway miles I would usually be sitting on the Monnie with a bit of a sore behind thinking Fag break time stretch my legs and take the stiffness out of my back. Not on the Hyper. Anne has had a sculptured seat put on and I think may well have had some softness thrown in there as well because I felt fresh and comfy with little to no stiffness at all.
I pulled up to Sarah’s window and indicated that I wanted to call into town to fill up the tank so I would go on ahead. She just smiled a knowing smile and stuck her foot down! The Cougar has a 2.5V6 so is not too shabby and I was in top doing around 65 at the time (Ahem) I opened her up and within a second or two was passing Sarah and the girls. The torque in this engine is amazing. The girls faces were stuck to the window like a couple of Garfields giggling and waving as I went by. It is so quick. Before I realised and looked down at the digital speedo I had reached a speed slightly in excess of 66 and I knew that I needed to slow down. This bike really really is naughty.
I filled up in town behind a guy, Georgio, on a bright red S2R (I think) He came over and complemented me on the bike. “How long have you had her?” “Oooo about 6 hours” says I with a big grin on my face. We had a chat and I pointed him in the direction of the UKMOC website.
A final blast from Newmarket to the village around twisty little B Roads and I was home. As I got off the bike and pulled of my lid Sarah stood at the back door with a cup of coffee in her hand looked at me and said I suppose you just want to drink this here don’t you? She knows me so well and stayed with me while I rambled on about the virtues of the bike, the fun I had, the ease of riding it, the little twiddly bits that have been done to make more than just the standard bike. All the time with a knowing smile on her face that said OK now I know why you wanted to get it. Now I can see what all the fuss is about. Now I know you are happy. For that I love her but she now has a very serious rival because I love this bike it is sooooo much fun.

hehe - glad you like it.

As I say to everyone that say "ohh not sure about the looks" - take one ot for a hour or two and if your beaming from ear to ear afterwards your not wired up right.

I had mine nearly a year and it still causes me to laugh out loud at times.

ps squiffy - feel free to use the ukhoc logo!

thanks Rog Anne charged me extra so that I could have the UKHOC signature I will get around to tagging it later.

It really is an amazing bike the sort that makes you want to get home early from work just to have a play before tea

[singletrack]

I am glad you are enjoying it G.

Take good care of it. When you get fed up I may have to buy it back

Anne you will have first refusal however by then it will be classed as a classic It is so much fun methinks I will keep this one forever

I decided that as the sun was shining I would ride it to work today. I may even go out for a little bimble at lunchtime just to let her know I'm thinking about her. What the bosses will say as I start her up and wake up all the stuffy solicitor types here I don't know

Ok it's time for part 2

Sunday was time for me to take her out and ride with a more critical eye try and put aside the excitement of the first ride on a new bike. It wasn't going to be a long ride as I had things to do in the afternoon. I had arranged to have a run out with the girls dad (he currently has my Monster on loan as he is thinking about getting back into biking after a spell away).

An early start had me running the eight or so miles along country roads and through Newmarket with little traffic to contend with. I'm not a overly confidant rider yet the HM had me taking sweeping bends at a much faster pace that I would on the monnie. It inspires you it gives you more confidence maybe it's the riding position maybe it's the lightness of the bike that just lets you flick it about so much quicker than the heavier monster maybe it's just that this bike is so good and can make any average biker feel good I don't know but whatever it was I was enjoying it.

I called at Terry's and he came out not knowing what to expect. He had heard the Termies coming and had a smile on his face as he walked out. This widened when he saw the beast I could tell he was impressed and why wouldn't he be It just has that thing about it, people look, people stare and people who know bikes can't fail to be impressed.

We decided to have a run over to Bury St Edmunds taking the back roads rather than the straight run down the A14. I know these roads well, every turn, where to slow and where the bends run on and can be taken with a little bit of pace. It was fantastic I could at last take the road as I wanted to only slowing my pace to wait for Tel to catch up. He hadn't ridden the roads and as he was still getting back in the saddle I knew he would not push himself. That was ok it gave me the chance to test all aspects of the ride. Again the torque was amazing pulling away in any gear and getting up to speed without trying. Braking much later than I would have on the monnie. I was loving it. We arrived in Bury and pootled around at slow speeds. Now here is the first gripe I have with the HM, it will not go slow I'm sorry and I know it is down to the rider to ride at the speed required but everytime I looked down at the speedo I was doing high thirtys damn this bike will get me into trouble. It really felt I was riding slowly but there it was it would not behave.

We parked up in the square outside of the Abbey Gardens and had a look around a classic car rally that was taking place. Some beautiful cars including an amazing Bristol and an original GT40 amongst others.

We then swapped bikes for the ride home. Tel is on my insurance and I wanted his view on the bike and to let him give it a try as a different ride to the monnie. He is still undecided on the type of bike he wants to go for. Getting back on the monnie was a trial the clutch was so heavy and highlighted the difference the slave makes. We took a different ride back down the A143 Bury to Haverhill road a much faster sweeping road and a lovely route for biking. The stearing was so much harder the heaviness really showing. It's a totally different ride and after the Hyper I knew where I wanted to be. I still took the lead and set the pace but this time Terry was keeping up much better. It may have been my slower ride on the monnie but I think it was probably his ease on riding the HM.

When we arrived back his smile said everything. He agreed that the HM was so much easier to ride. He much preferred the upright style of the HM and it confirmed to him that this was the style of bike he would be looking for. He couldn't believe the speed and acceleration modern bikes had. He had forgotten and was quickly reminding himself what biking was all about. We may well have another HM buyer on the cards.

So the bike has done it again it has it's faults, erm err oh yes it picked up a little stone in the tyre tread and erm it woke all Terry's neighbours and it will lose me a few points off my licence if I am not very very careful but it really is an amazing bike.

[Nonnie]

Excellent review! Thoroughly enjoyable. Well done Sir.