It’s supposed to drop into the -40°Cs in the next couple of days. We’re in the bowels of winter here and I’m getting cabin fever. I’ve already day dreamed of the kit I’d need to go to track days, but that kit would serve another purpose, to get me clear of the never ending winter with my own bike.
Having a second vehicle that is utilitarian is never a bad idea, but I’m not much of a truck guy. I am a Guy Martin fan though, and he happens to have a Transit Van! You can pick up a well maintained, low miles Transit Van on autotrader.ca for about twenty grand, or about the price of a new hatchback. It’ll get over 32mpg, and will happily carry a couple of bikes and kit (or other stuff) as needed. With a carrying capcity of over 1600lbs, it would be more than up to the job of moving two bikes and riders out of the snow belt.
When it’s about to hit -40°C, the Transit could get loaded up for a long weekend and aimed south. A power drive could get me to The Tail of the Dragon, where the two bikes in back could be unloaded, ridden hard, put away wet and driven back into the inhuman wintry darkness after a couple of days of two wheeled therapy.
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| Tail of the Dragon, eating its own tail! |
The Tail of the Dragon is only 11 hours away, but while it’s minus forty here, it’s in the low teens in Tennessee. A banzai ride in the van into ride-able territory would make the vehicle much more than just a track day tool.
Based out of Marysville, Tennesee, I’d do a 210 mile loop one way and then do it backwards the next day… Friday: leave noon, arrive in Marysville about 11pm. Saturday: all day clock wise. Sunday: all day counter clockwise. Monday: leave after breakfast, be home by 8pm.
Stage one would be getting the van. At that point I’m in for about $20k. It’ll also come in handy for track days and picking up bikes. I’d be able to throw my Ninja and a buddy’s bike in there for the drive down and get to it.
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| The Triumph Daytona took out bikes twice its displacement in Performance Bike‘s Track test. |
Stage two would be getting a bike that doesn’t have to compromise to get me there. A sport focused machine that will arrive ready to take on the twisties would do the trick. My first choice would be the Triumph Daytona 675R. At only 189kgs (416lbs) ready to ride, it’s a light weight machine that punches well above its displacement.
You can pick up a new, last year’s Daytona for about twelve thousand bucks. For the ten grand under the price of the cheapest Volvo SUV, I’d have a a bike delivery system of epic proportions, with an epic bike in the back of it. When it isn’t taking me out of the snow belt it could be picking up used bikes or taking me to track days.
I’ve almost talked myself into this!