my big, red pony

Go! See! Do!

Interceptor Page

I was doing my duty for Uncle Sam, sailing beneath the seas, during most of 1997. I often lamented how wrong it was to winterize a motorcycle in April, which is just what I did to my HawkGT that year. While I was Out There, I often dreamt of the places I would travel to by motorcycle upon my return stateside. I also decided that, after finishing my stint in the navy, it would be nice to do a Four Corners Tour, one lap of the Lower 48. All I needed was the right tool for the job. My previous travel experience aboard the HawkGT highlighted its weaknesses as a touring machine. A windscreen and aftermarket saddle would fix two of the problems, but the 120 mile fuel range was a larger obstacle to overcome. That minor quibble was all I needed to rationalize the purchase of a new motorcycle.

The VFR800 Interceptor debuted as I began looking for a traveling machine and the hunt was over as quickly as it began. I moved to Connecticut in November '97 and bought the VFR in February '98. The bike was still in its crate when I signed the papers.

That summer saw the VFR and I get acquainted with a couple of trips into northern New England. I hooked up with a local HawkGT rider Mike Fagan and his buddies Johnny and Paulie. They introduced me to motorcycle road racing with a trip to watch the superbikes at Loudon, NH in June. In August, we rode to the Poconos to watch the Formula USA races. On Labor Day weekend, the VFR and I visited beautiful Vermont for the first time.

The following year, I took it up a notch. I made plans to visit my sister in Atlanta. That was conveniently scheduled to coincide with superbike weekend at Road Atlanta. I also intended to make the East Coast Hawk Rally on the following weekend. In between, I would ride down to the bayou and visit the rest of my family in New Orleans. And on the third weekend, I would be back in New Hampshire with the boys to see more superbike races. Yes, I'm a Big Fan! Along the way, I picked my route at random, exploring whatever roads looked promising on the map. The longest day was about 14 hours, but I'd wager it wasn't more than 400 miles. I met the Dragon that day and learned that a skilled rider on a touring bike can easily take an outlander on a sportier bike to school. Class was in session! I rode as far south as Grand Isle, Louisiana before heading back north. My Grand Tour of the Appalachians went off without a hitch.

This entire tour was a learning experience. When I set out, I had at least 15,000 miles of riding experience behind me. This trip added another 5600. But I learned more about riding twisty roads in those three weeks than I had in all my previous four years in the saddle. There's nothing like facing new roads and trying to ride them at a sporting pace to hone your ability to accurately judge what lies ahead. By the time I got back to Connecticut, I was a new rider. I took a few more weekend trips to VT and NH that summer and fall, though none of it compared to the riding I enjoyed down south.

I've hardly mentioned the VFR. The bike was the right tool for the job. I racked up 17,000 miles on it in two summers and loved every minute of it. It chugged thru throngs of people at Weirs Beach and plowed thru the soft sand on Grand Isle. It munched interstate miles across Alabama and helped me cope with those fascinating curves called 'switchbacks' in Virginia. Somewhere in there, I finally mastered the art of the downhill, left hairpin. And thru it all, the big, red pony continued to be a willing and eager accomplice on my escapades. I never did the Four Corners Tour on the VFR. Instead I bought the Transalp and took it up another notch. But perhaps I should someday reward my loyal steed with a Three Flags Tour! Jay?