I headed through the Hutt Valley and around to Days Bay to take a few photos. The harbour was gleaming and the sky a brilliant blue but roadworks meant it was a slow toddle with the traffic. But in this almost urban suburb, the bike was a doddle to ride, the gear change is great and it flicks into easily neutral at each stop. With the riding position more upright and the bars wider than on the 650 Interceptor, manoeuvring the bike at low speed and through traffic is an easy task. I found myself saying aloud,‘ this is a GREAT urban bike, so very
easy to ride’. After photos on the Petone Esplanade, I took a run down the motorway to the Wellington Station in light traffic. Now this was fun, being able to use some revs to whisk up over 100km / h and weave in and out of a few cars- the sixspeed gearbox was a joy to use. On this part of the ride, I certainly picked up that the upsidedown front fork suspension is way better than that on the standard Interceptor. I wasn’ t really in the saddle long enough to make any informed comment on the seat.
48 KIWI RIDER