Triumphrat

Bonnie06Tangerine · 07-24-2009, 08:14 AM

I carry a notepad with me on all of my rides and use this to reflect on a range of different things: people I should meet, the feel of my Bonnie, the scenery, contemplations that might happen during my ride, etc. I do this for a number of different reasons; it helps to enhance my riding experience that I so passionately enjoy, it will serve as a personal memoir for myself so that it can be passed over to my 16 month old son along with Bonnie when the day comes for him to get his license and roll her down the road, and I hope one day to possibly have this published as "The Bonnie Tales." If no one objects I would like to take excerpts from these writings and share them here on this forum. If they are long winded or needless then please let me know and I will stop posting them. If not then I will "scribble" away as I enjoy to do almost as much as I enjoy riding my Bonnie...

It was one of my very first rides on Bonnie since coming to the United Kingdom. My sister was visiting from America and was the first time for her meeting her new nephew. It was a classical British summer day; the sun was out and a cool breeze could be felt that would make you think it felt more like late spring. We decided to have a "proper" British Sunday and go to a well known pub in Diss to have a Sunday roast. Bonnie had finally arrived and was street legal so I was acting like a six year old at Christmas...I had to ride. My wife was equally joyous that Bonnie arrived so that she didn't have to listen to me sing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" to her anymore. So it was agreed that I would fire Bonnie up and ride out to our Sunday roast as my wife, son, and sister rode in the cage.

I fired Bonnie up and rolled down the A1101 and immediately felt even more connected to her. Perhaps it was because I was able to ride my Triumph back in her "motherland" and she had returned to her origins or perhaps it was knowing that factory was less than a 100 miles away; either way, her parallel twins seemed to have hummed and rumbled sweeter and louder than she ever did before. I specifically chose the windy or "twistie" country roads to get us all to our destinations and immediately had a grin on my face as I took in the smells of the Suffolk region; rolling past the horse ranches of Newmarket, the pig farms before rolling through Bury St. Edmunds, and the countless farms where the smell of onions flowed through the air. Bonnie made her journey back home and I didn't want the ride to end. My biggest anxiety during the first leg of the ride was if I should open the old girl up and let her trot down the twisties or to pull back and sit up straight to take all of it in...I chose to do both. I pulled back and rode alongside my wife's car so that I could take a look at my son in his car seat and could see that he was mouthing the only word he knows for motorcycle: "da-da." Of course there is a difference and if the motorcycle should be a Triumph then his word changes to "DA-DA, DA-DA, DA-DA!" I smiled boastfully as I put Bonnie back into fifth gear and went ahead, hoping that one day my son takes the same interest in this passion called motorcycling and can experience the sense of freedom, independence, and calmness that riding has to offer to us.

I quickly began brainstorming before our Sunday meal was even over as to how I was going to continue the ride further. I immediately blurted out: "we should go to the Henry Watson plant after our meal." This would extend my riding at least another hour and allow my sister and wife to shop at the place where Henry Watson pottery is made. It was visionary and I can say egotistically say that I was a genious at the brief moment. Bonnie fired right up and she felt as if she was lunging to get back onto the twisties; that she was in need of the English twisties as much as I was. The road opened up more to the picturesque farming land scape as the A142 carved through the heart of it, allowing a panaromic view in every direction as Bonnie rolled on. I was brought back to my immediate surroundings and away from my contemplations as Bonnie seemed to developed a substantial echo. Five other Triumphs immediately engulfed around me as I soon realized that multiple parallel twins were now singing in unison. They sped past only to realize they had passed Bonnie and then immediately began to slow as one rider lowered his left hand to the side of his back to motion for me to join the pack. Bonnie had less hesitation than me and I was in the middle of this spontaneous pack before I even knew it. I received the courteous and respect cafe helmet nod as the fellow Trumpeters pulled in their clutches and revved their engines; I graciously returned the gesture ensuring that my cafe helmet nod was a little deeper than theirs.

I motioned backwards with my head to the newly formed pack to a little boy behind us in the car that was frantically testing the restraint system of his carseat to full capacity. Luckily they were able to understand the gesture I was emitting and followed my cue of pulling back and engulfing the car. This is the motorcycle language that so many of us are aware of; speaking in volumes while on a ride but without having to say a single word. Now my son's word for motorcycle changed to "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-DAAAAAAAA" as he was accompanied not by one Triumphs but by six of them. Each one of us taking turns to roll our bikes up to his side as we beamed ear to ear seeing his reaction. My sister was bellowing in deep laughter as she raised her hands to cover her ears symbolizing how estatic my son was to be surrounded by so many Triumphs. To my sadness, the turn for the Henry Watson plant soon approached and I turned on my signal to motion that this surprising but appreciative union had to come to an end for me. The other five Trumpeters motion their acknowledgement to me and layed on their horns briefly as they put their bikes back into fifth gear and re-attacked the twisties. Bonnie answered right by sounding out several fast bursts of her horn and gracefully leaned into the turn that took us into our next destination...

DaveB · 07-24-2009, 09:52 AM

I really enjoyed reading your tale! I'm from Norfolk & know the roads you were riding. I'd imagine that riding a Bonnie around 'Constable Country' would be pretty cool too!

Now, I can't seem to see any pics?

DaveB.

Bonnie06Tangerine · 07-24-2009, 09:57 AM

Dave,

I will definitely post some pics to go with the tale as soon as I get home. I guess I should be working but needing a break from the grind and wrote that tale out instead.

HiDesert · 07-24-2009, 08:45 PM

By all means, keep posting! However, I can't forgo the obligatory

Bonnie06Tangerine · 07-24-2009, 09:11 PM

I have been trying to throw in a couple of pics as an attachment but it keeps failing to upload. Am I going to have to open up a photobucket account or something just to link so I can show pics? Any help would be appreciated...

HiDesert · 07-25-2009, 02:46 AM

Read this thread and see if that helps.

Bonnie06Tangerine · 07-25-2009, 05:17 AM

I guess an old dog can learn new tricks after all...a BIG thank you to everyone that helped this old dog learn a new trick.

And this is how EVERYONE should feel right before riding...

Catenaccio · 07-28-2009, 08:25 PM

Great report and love the pics, especially the last!

propforward · 07-31-2009, 11:14 AM

What a great report! I love it - man I miss a good sunday roast incorporating a ride on the bike.

I love your idea of a journal - so much so that I'm going to start carrying a notebook around too. Great stuff, and great pictures!

Bonnie06Tangerine · 07-31-2009, 07:55 PM

propforward,

Thank you for your feedback and I will continue on with my "Bonnie Tales" then as I enjoy sharing them. I never really had the idea until after I got Bonnie. I bought her just because I love Triumphs so much and always have. Trust me, I take a good ribbing now and then because of being active duty military stationed in the UK. The Americans on the base can't believe I'm not on a Harley and I am already becoming known as "the Yank on a Triumph" when I go off base.

What gave me the idea for the Bonnie Tales though is this shared response towards her. I specifically wanted Bonnie for her history and how sexy of a bike she is. What I didn't anticipate though is how many people share that very same reaction. So I often get approached by so many people and they do so in a very open and friendly way. Sort of like Bonnie serves as the bridge that allows people to approach me and reflect and the stories I have heard...it has made my experiences, not just on a Triumph but also as a person, very fulfilling and I feel lucky for it. So I started scribbling about my rides because of this reason. I am glad there are people in here that enjoy reading them; I will do my next Bonnie tale although I need to get some sleep right now because tomorrow I make the journey to the holy meca of the cafe bikes....the Ace Cafe! More to come...