Background :I work a rotating shift, so weekends I'm working 5-5. This is my first attempt at writing about my experiences and my bike. I hope you enjoy.

4 a.m creeps up awfully fast, always to fast. My phone goes off reminding me it's time for work. The only thing that breaks up the usual ritual of getting myself out to work is my bike. A quick breakfast carnation shake and a bag packed with my lunch and I'm out the door by 4:15am. The cool morning air and dark are all that welcome me in my garage. The silence at that hour is deafening, only broken by the flick of a switch and the humming of my fuel injector going off. Wallet? check. Lunch? Check. I.D Badge for work? Check. Phone? Obviously.

To combat the morning chill I have on a long sleeve shirt, polar-tech jacket, leather jacket, and gloves. My full face Shoei helmet is my best friend when the sun isn't out yet. I ride with the lid open with clear riding glasses and a face mask to protect my nose from running the entire 45min commute.

Silence once again falls on me as I sit in my driveway going over my mental checks of what I need for the day. Broken suddenly by the awakening rumble of a 103-HO V-Twin. Queen Anne's Revenge fires to life like a round of mortars hitting the deck. (Yes I named by bike after a pirate ship) She settles into her signature Harley Idle and I tap the radio volume a few notches so that the hum of my country music is present. A satisfying clunk into gear and I'm off into the night or morning I should say. I imagine I look like a bull trying to creep around a china shop, trying his best not to make to much of a presence. Don't want to wake anyone up. I hit main street and crank up the volume to where I can hear it with ease. The streets are only illuminated by a few lights and my crappy stock HD headlight. It'll do for now, but a daymaker is in my future.

She settles into an easy stride a 45mph purring along in 3rd gear around 3k rpms. Sometimes I'll settle into 4th and drop to 2500, just depends how I'm feeling or the road conditions. The cool air rushing into my face making my eyes water and nose begin to drip. Hands are a little numb, but it doesn't bother me much. I hug my bike in the morning as if we were saying goodbye forever, trying to steal away some warmth before the morning 45degree weather wicks it away.

I can't help but crack a smile. This is the most exciting part of my day (besides the ride home) The roads are freshly paved for the most part ready to endure another wrath from a New England winter. My head is always on a swivel, scanning the surrounding woods for any critter that may leap out. I leave my high beams on most of the ride to help cut through the edges of the road so that I may get a better look at what the woods are hiding.

A few turns and stop signs and the highway on ramp is in sight. Now the music turns from slow country to classic rock, cranked up even louder now that the speed is picking up. A twist of the wrist and she snaps forward, the V-Twin working harder now pulling ahead. A few clunks of the heel-toe shifter and I'm settled into a comfortable 65mph in 5th at 2900rpm, give or take. I never thought I would need cruise control, but after having that luxury I'm not sure I would want it any other way.

Only a few semi-trucks are joining me now and as I head east (towards Boston) a few fellow commuters, probably going much further than me, pop up. By now anything that was cold or chilled has gone numb and I am in pure bike nirvana. Like a junkie getting a quick fix to get me through the day until the ride home. About 20mins on the highway and my exit is already nearing. It's only 4:50am now as I pull off onto the exit ramp and down shift accordingly. A few moments later and the guard gate to my second home is welcoming me back. "I wonder if they will let me in today?" Beep, the scanner goes off reading my I.D and the gate pops up...Damnit...I'm staying. I roll into the same spot in the concrete jungle of a garage. The engine powers down only left by the clicking of the steel and heat raiding off. Power down the ship, off load, ready to take on another day.

 

I apologize for the bad quality photo, I snapped it on a whim, never thought I'd be sharing it.

 

A good ride (despite going to work and a great read.

 

Nice write up. You are good with words.

 

Thanks guys appreciate the kind words.

 

Very nice, OP. I was curious as to why you ride with the full face "lid open" and glasses instead of just having the faceplate closed, like I do. I use the Transitions faceplate which adjusts to the brightness, i.e. is clear at night/early morning.

 

Nice write up , I felt I was riding with you. lol....swifty

 

Nice write up!

 

Great question @Redlegvzv I ride with it open to better hear the stereo, also I'm to lazy to change the tinted shield I bought off it and put the clear back

I like the wind flow even if it is colder too.

 

Damn fine writer. Looking forward to hearing some of your words for a trip better than going to work!