How are we all? What a crazy few months this has been! Writing has become almost impossible, what with a 7 year old running around, combined with the lethargy lockdown brought.
For a huge portion of us, we are back, back on the roads, back on our bikes, back in our cars.
I like to write primarily about Motorcycles. Today i’m expanding to include cars.
I know, I know … Tin boxes with no soul, cages that suppress freedom, but, in my life anyway, needed.
We are very lucky (if working damn hard to get what you own is lucky) in our household, we have 3 Motorcycles and 2 cars.
- My BMW 5 Series
- Mrs Bigv’s Volvo V40
- A VTX1300
- A XVZ1300 Venture
- A GSX1300R Hayabusa
Each vehicle is, obviously, different to drive/ride. Each has its own shortcomings and positives. Here is something that may surprise you, each gets a different reaction when its out on the road.
The Hayabusa
Lets start here shall we. To beat the Hayabusa in a 0-60 race, a car would have to cost millions…. Really it would, she may be older (not old, just older) but my word, she’s quick. You could go out and buy a Ferrari, a Lamborghini or any other exotic super car, you are not beating the Hayabusa, so why does Steve in his ‘my car crashed in to an Auto supplier’ think he can?
They pull next to you at the lights, with an exhaust that sounds like it has a hole in it, revving. You hear its tiny little engine hitting the rev limiter as he pulls away, the Busa hardly breaking a sweat, simply and smoothly leaving it behind.
That Aside nobody really bothers the Big Busa. They are usually (even with me riding it) left far behind.
The Venture
The Yamaha XVZ1300 Royal Star Venture is not every motorcyclists favourite bike. ‘
A caravan’ ‘A barge’ ‘a truck’ are some of the comments made by fellow bikers when talking about this behemoth of a Motorcycle, all said with love and in Jest of course.
I love it, its the only one of my three bikes I’m quite happy to ride in the rain, its great long distance and whilst its no R1 in the twisties, its a lovely bike to take a country ride on.
Non-Bikers are amazed by it. This isn’t always a good thing, they stare as they attempt to make a turn, or take on a roundabout. The Venture gets people speeding up and slowing down to have a look on busy highways (no i’m not kidding), is this perhaps the reason, it seems, I can never pull out first time when attempting an overtake an a Motorway?
The Volvo V40
Nadda, nothing. Nobody tailgates, nobody attempts to race, motorists are generally quite polite, letting you out where they can.
When it comes to other motorists, driving the little Volvo is a pleasure. (Its actually, this surprised me, a really lovely car to drive, very ‘German’ despite being Swedish, but enough of that…. its a Tin Box)
The BMW 5 Series
I love my car, Sorry, but its a great car. I’m not quite sure why others seem to have a problem with it though?
I’m mainly talking about drivers of mid to late 00’s, Vauxhals, VWs and Fords.
Tailgating is unreal in this car, almost all of the above seem to ‘want to get past’, drivers of these cars always seem to want to get past you at the lights.
In terms of other drivers behaviour, this car can be a nightmare to drive. The aggressive driving you get when in the BMW is astonishing and at times scary.
I must stress, it’s not all the time, otherwise it would have been sold along time ago.
Why does this happen? I am not so sure. My theory is jealousy.
When you consider then types of cars that cause the most concern, this is all I can think of.
Envy is a very difficult emotion for many to process.
I don’t drive the 5 series, because I’m ‘rich’ (i’m not!), nor because I think I’m better than anyone, I drive it because its lovely to drive, very Balanced, rear wheel drive and has lots of extras.
I may be wrong, maybe it’s not envy, but I simply can’t think of another explanation.
The VTX1300
The reason for this article.
The VTX1300 is now fully bobbered. Its low black and mean, with just enough chrome set against it.
Its not the quickest, but its quick enough and …. it’s loud.
Never in my life have I experienced aggressive behaviour by other road users like I have on this Bike.
It is unbelievable and was not there prior to the conversion from a big cruiser to a big bobber..
There is a stretch of 60mph road on my way home from work, I use it on a regular basis, using all the vehicles listed above and others in the past, with those modes of transport, only real d**k heads would overtake (60mph being the speed limit you can travel the length of the road on).
On the VTX, every male driver wants to get past (again keep in mind i’m nicely cruising along at 60mph) people in Mercs, VWs, Skodas everything… I even had a guy in an VW UP! try it, he pulled in as he would not have made it (i would have, of course, slowed if he’d needed to get back in to avoid a crash)
If there is oncoming traffic they sit, 2 feet from the rear wheel, with unbelievable tailgating ability.
Roundabouts have drivers thinking its the Nurburgring, almost undertaking as I go around.
I have my theories about why it happens with this bike.
Its a challenge to their masculinity.
They’ve watched too much Son’s of Anarchy. They see a Bobber bike with a 6’4″ 17st (235lbs) chap on it, long hair flapping out the back of his helmet and think ‘I’m tougher than him’.
It’s always men by the way.
I’m sure you may have many thoughts about this post.
‘You probably change your own style when changing vehicles’
Maybe, but I don’t think so. Hayabusa aside, I drive and ride in the same ‘progressive’ but steady manner. I’m heavy throttled but don’t race. On the Busa, I like to ‘make good time’ but i’m never aggressive in my riding.
‘Your Theories are bonkers’
Probably, we all use our own perceptions, these theories are the best I can come up with. The reality is there are probably a multitude of reasons for the differences with each Vehicle.
Riding and driving always bring their challenges. I personally think the general standard of Driving in the UK is terrible, people don’t seem to understand they are moving 2 tonnes of steel capable of killing someone.
The way then drive is akin to dancing in a bar holding a 10″ knife.
I still wouldn’t change it, the experience of riding the VTX will never stop me wanting to ride.
There are many negatives to using Britain’s crowed, poorly maintained road network, but we endure, as no matter the road, no matter the traffic…
Nothing beats riding a Motorcycle.
Big V Motorcycles 