Ride out with pater

The other night, I get a call from my dad. Its a lovley sunny evening. "What you doing? Fancy a ride on Nelli?" Hellll yeah. So I jump on the Bandit and head down to dads. Sure enough I get there and theres two Benelli Tornados sitting outside, gleaming in the sun, ready to be fired up.

We go for a nice ride down to the coast (Rye) and I love the hour of getting used to the Tornado. The speed, power delivery, weight, brakes, everything about it is superb, especially compared to other bikes i've ridden. Its a rare site to see 1 Tornado, but to see 2 of them, one being an LE model, is quite rare and we soon had a few people looking at the bikes as we got some chips in Rye

On the way home I get offered to ride the LE "nahhh im ok on this one" I say with a huge grin still planted from ear to ear. We head off down more sweeping roads. "Damnn I love this bike" Im thinking. That 900cc triple has bags of power low down, plenty to keep you entertained. Revs higher than the twins, but fades off top end the same way. The brakes are lightning sharpe, and im loving every minute.

We come to a small roundabout, dad goes in fast, out fast. I come in slow, with the intention to come out fast. As I wind open the throttle, the back end stes RIGHT out to the left, I instantly come off throttle and it highsides back to the right, me clinging on.......

It holds, im back on the straight and narrow, no time for adrenaline, dads gone... I give chase, but something never fealt right, every corner the back end fealt skittish, something wasn't right.

Eventually came to a village and I caught him up, telling him whats happened. We pull over, and im overtaken by a cloud of steam. ARGHH what have I done.... The bikes rear wheel was covered in coolent and its slowly dropping out the bottom, but then stops? Strange.

So, what to do, dad rides the tornado, I have to take the LE home, what a shame. "I don't mind you dropping the standard one, but drop that LE and your dead" I had these thoughts running in my mind all the way home. Jumping from one bike to the other though, what a difference. The bike fealt so much sharper and more flickable. I enjoy the last 20 minutes home even more

We get home to find its a material issue. When out of the castings, the early engines had poor quality materials and eventually the coolent leaked through. ?20 later, a new engine bung, with better quality material, fitted, sorted, shes back ready to go.

Im invited out for another run soon, I can't wait.

Nice...

I haven't been to Rye in Yonks!

It gets quite busy there sometimes, but also theres not many other good roads from north kent. Not a bad little run for after work.

Was great fun, but I sh*t myself big time when her backside stepped out. I've never had a bike so far sideways, nor a highside So gratefull that the bike took it.

how far from rye do you live , iv just come back from there been on hoilday there , well near it , winchealsea beach i love it round there have you been to the park in fairlight its well worth a visit

Two tornados? Wish I had that kind of cash!

Im up at north kent near Gravesend, ride down to Maidstone, then down to Rye.

Warth, he doesn't drink, or smoke, he loves motorbikes. Thats his thing. He's had a few nice bikes He wanted another Tornado, but an LE (£24k new!!!!!) came up via a friend moving back to the USA for a good price, so he had to get it. The normal Tornado was up for sale, but no-one bought it so he's going to keep it, which works out brilliantly for me He works part time for a Benelli dealer so knows MV's, Benellis etc inside out. Also got a (?) Kwak Z900 from 1974 (ish?). 2 collectables. Jealous, me, just a bit....

I'd have it off him in a shot if I could realistically afford a 2nd bike. I tried the father/son love thing, it didn't work

[fizzwheel]

Lovely bikes. One of the few bikes I might be persuaded to swap my GSXR for.

Do it!!!!!

Sure the GSXR may be a little faster, a little more reliable, better on fuel etc....

But on the road, I honestly think the Nelli would loose the GSXR. Its so much more flickable, and the power band is so much more road friendly.