First Blood
First Blood (memories of my first attempt at riding 2 up on Marten's bike) By Dave Tooley
Do you remember the first time you rode pillion passenger on your Gp225 with me driving? I recall spending an entire evening just steadily riding around the Fareham area getting the hang of the power of your machine (which was vastly different to the Ld125 I was still poodling about on)
As we turned into Highfield Avenue from St Michaels Grove I looked back at you and said "We'll go up this road in style"
I gave her 2 blips of the throttle, then wrenched it wide open and dropped the clutch. There then followed a spectacular wheelie which carried on rising as we accelerated away. The problem was with the disproportionate amount of weight front to back of the bike, there was no way of stopping it once we'd got to a critical angle. Before we knew what had happened, we'd completed a full 360 degree somersault and were both sitting on the road rubbing our arses, with the your bike laying on its side a bit further along looking very sorry for itself.
I was so embarrassed I just didn't know what to say, and my pride was as dented as your bike. Oops, clang! Sorry Marten, I've never forgiven myself for that.
Note from MH
I still bear the scars
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