Rode a Deauville today - rambling post alert

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Tue 17 Feb 2009 18:14
Rode a Deauville today - rambling post alert - Clanger
Walked into the office at the swimming pool where I work and there it was next to the conference table, a real live Deauville. Seriously inconvenient, front wheel hard against a filing cabinet and at risk from coffee being spilt on it. Motorbikes look much much larger when they're indoors, don't they? I recognised the bike as belonging to a regular swimmer who we can refer to as Luke. Luke had experienced enough chest pain to stop him swimming suddenly and trigger off a rescue from our, ahem, talented and ever-alert lifeguards. The bike had been moved from the bike parking area indoors to save it from the local scallies after Luke had left in an ambulance.

Luke lives a short walk away so I went round to his place and found that his neighbour reported that Luke had asked about his bike in the first few seconds of her visit. She had keys to his garage so I opened it up and found it nearly full of Ford Focus; that was a shock; didn't know he had a car. So, after a quick call to my insurers and a lift back to the pool, I found myself astride the Luke's Deauville. Although similar in concept and power to my own 650 V-Strom, it was different in nearly every other possible way. A noisier and much more agricultural engine with vibes to be felt all the time. Mild panic at seeing the ABS light on until I got to 10ish mph. A low seating position and a feeling of unshakeable stability making cornering more of an effort than the V-Strom. Was it the ABS making the front brakes feel like hard work? A nice plush ride and lots of v-twin urge once I had got used to the high first gear and heavy clutch. No wind at all behind the nicely designed screen and a delicious precision feel to the gearbox. A feeling that it would outlast my Suzuki by several decades, but I'm still happy with my choice.

So I arrived at the Focus-filled garage. The bike would have to go sideways and pretty close to the car or the garage door would swipe the screen. No, not that way or the garage door would clout the top box. I wiggled it and shifted it for ages but the top box had to come off. Finally, my assignment complete, I handed the keys to Luke's neighbour, wished Luke a fast recovery and strode home, sweating gently in my leathers.
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Tue 17 Feb 2009 20:29
Rode a Deauville today - rambling post alert - ifithelps
Hawkeye,

Good post - and good of you and the staff at the pool to look after the lad's bike in the way you did.
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Thu 21 May 2009 09:50
Rode a Deauville today - rambling post alert - John R @ home {P}
I know it's a few months after the event, but how is Luke (and his bike)?

John R
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