Late winter night ride

[Bill_Anderson]

I just got back from a night ride, about 120 miles total on one of my usual routes: to LaConner and back via Sylvana and Stanwood. Temperature was in the low 40's F and there was a full moon at times before a high cloud cover moved in. For once I had the curvey section between Sylvana and Stanwood to myself, so I upped the pace from what I usually have to contend with when I am stuck behind traffic.

I got my 04-ST4s back from Ducati Seattle last Saturday and for the first time I feel it is performing the way it should. The acceleration took me by surprise at times, part of which may be the 42 T rear sprocket in combination with a bike that is finally in tune.

The new style headlights work quite well. Not as good as the Ducati Designs headlights on the old style models, but good enough that night runs are no longer suicide missions. Those who want to do Iron Butt runs at triple digits in the dead of night in the middle of nowhere may still want some additional roadlamps, but I think the OEM headlights are good enough for the rest of us.