Back in the saddle...sort of

After an eight-week battle with pneumonia and the worst riding weather we've seen around here in years I claimbed back on the Harley last week for a blast into town and then over to Christiansburg to run some errands. The temperature hit the low 60s in the afternoon and the air felt good.

It was my first time on the bike since a Saturday morning ride in 26-degree weather that probably led to the pneumonia. I was suffering from bronchitis at the time and the super cold air didn't help.

I continue to be impressed with the Sportster's power after the Screaming Eagle enhancements. I know the owners of metrics and Buells look down at the lowly Harley Sportster but the 1200 Low with the SE performance package provides all the power I need for crusing the country roads of Southwestern Virginia. The increased power comes on smoothly from 1500 rpm up and I seldom need to downshift to pass cars on just about any stretch of road.

Likewise, the Garmin Zumo 550 with the XM radio antenna provides both navigation and entertainment. I'll probably opt for the Scala Q2 Multiset Bluetooth that allows communication between rider and passenger as well as other riders and also has a wired connection for the XM.