It’s taken awhile, and a lot of test rides, but as the saying goes, “You have to kiss a lot of frogs . . . ” As you may know, I had to bail out of my previous bike, an HD 2000 Springer, because it was way too heavy for me at 800+ lbs. I tried a lot of lighter bikes at the HD dealer I bought it from, only to find them too light for highway travel. The strange thing is the bike I did buy, I walked right past, declaring it “too bulky and heavy for me.”

Man was I wrong! It was the very last bike I test rode, and it was like a perfect fit: bulk but no weight, only 600 lbs. because of all the plastic parts. Nice, wide pull-back bars, easy-to-use controls, clear uncluttered gauges, boards, sissy bar, bags, an “almost comfortable seat,” and an aggressive profile. Add to this shaft drive, liquid cooling, and nice wide rubber, what’s not to like?

It has a steady road position and great control; at no time does it feel “shaky” or out of my control. My first hint that we could work together is when on the test ride, coming into a round-about “I” scraped the boards—I, not the bike, took the lean and controlled it. Riding was more like a waltz than a break dance, and with that came the sense of control and balance I had not enjoyed on any of the other bikes. I couldn’t imagine it any better on any other bike. For me, another bonus was that I could keep my business with the same dealer, AND . . . at a lower (closer to my budget) price!

So, what’s my “Dream Machine”? It’s a 2006 Honda VTX 1300, with 11,000 miles on it! Here’s the strange part: I bought a Honda at a Harley dealer, and they will allow me to stay in their H.O.G. club (as long as I don’t pass too many of them). So, I guess I will just…Ride On.

P.S. Thanks for all the suggestions and support, I ride on every chance I get, as it should be.