The sun was barely above the horizon and the roller door was opening. As it edged up, it showed a well set up workshop. Standing in pride of place was a tarp covered machine. It was apparent to the knowing eye it was a big motorbike. He walked up to it and carefully folded the tarp off it, slowly exposing its shiny chrome and metallic paint. It was his pride and joy.
He stepped back admiring a years' worth of blood, sweat and tears but it was worth it all. She was stunningly beautiful. She had a cherry red frame and a tear-drop tank with matching paint and long licks of blue flames, matching side covers, guards and air cleaner. All done in the rich cherry red, even the leather king and queen saddle was done in red leather.
He had stuck with the chain drive rather than adapting a belt drive as chains could be repaired on the side of the road. It was powered by a big twin cam v-twin bored and stroked to 1800cc producing over 180bhp and enough torque to tow a tractor trailer.
Looking at it wasn't getting the trip started so he gave it the once over, checking fluids and pressures before he loaded his gear.
He had planned this trip for many years, since he had gotten ill. It was his main motivation to get well and the rebuild of his bike was the final piece of the puzzle. Now it was here, a massive trip down and across this big country from north Queensland down through New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and finally ending in Perth WA. 8000 km of open road and freedom.
There were a lot of friends both old and new that he would be visiting. He had many promises to full fill but, he had no responsibilities now so he could take as long as he liked on this trip. Something his body was thankful for.
The first leg was to Sydney where he had a wedding to go to. His only daughter was to marry a cop! My God, what had his family come too bringing a cop into the fold?
Sadly he was resigned to it now but it had taken a long time for him to accept him as a son in law. Old habits die hard. His daughter, however, knew very little of his time before she was born and he had worked hard to make sure she remained ignorant of his wild past.
He would stay with them a week coming up to the wedding and after that he would head off on the rest of his road trip.
Rolling his machine out of his workshop, he began to load his trip gear, a sleeping bag, a hammock and a small tarp for the wet nights. A few clothes and a travel pack of tools. Closing and locking the workshop and double checking his small but tidy house, he straddled the beast and jumped on the kick starter. It coughed and snorted but failed to start. He jumped harder, sending a shock through his leg and it fired and snarled as he opened the throttle, allowing it to come to temperature before hitting the road.
With a final look at his home he selected first and eased the clutch out, pulling out onto the road and heading for the highway. The journey had begun.
Cruising up the on ramp he opened the throttle and let the machine breathe, looking for vibrations and rattles. As he headed down the highway his heart was singing to be back on the road, feeling the wind in his face and the highway under his boots. He felt free, he felt exhilarated and he felt happy.
He had been riding down the highway in his element when he saw a girl hitch-hiking going his way. He slowed and pulled up beside her and ran a man's admiring eye up and down her trim body.
"Hmm nice." He thought.
Letting the bike idle down, he removed his tin lid and asked her, "Where are you going?"
"Just south," she replied and smiled.
"I'm, heading that way girl if you want to ride pillion?"
She readily accepted his offer and his spare lid as he strapped her backpack on his rack.
"Where are you from?" He asked.
She replied, "England, I'm here on a vacation, on the cheap." she smiled back.
"They call me Rage," he responded. "Ever ridden pillion before?"
"Umm no" She responded.
"It's easy," he said, "Just hang on to me and try not to lean, just let the bike do the work."
Straddling the bike, he helped her mount behind him and heard her voice over the rumbling motor.
"They call me Darcy," she said into his ear.
He nodded and accelerated away going through the gears as the bike accelerated, dropping into 4th he lifted the front wheel causing Darcy to tighten her hold around his waist bringing a big smile to his face. He let it drift down and selected 5th and settled to a loping cruise speed.
Several hours later, his back aching and his wrist and hands stiff, he saw a roadside stop coming up and slowed down.
A coffee and a feed will do him right. He shuddered to think of the aches and pains this young woman would be suffering as a new rider.
Her arse would be sore and her arms and legs stiff from the ride. Hopefully there would be hot showers and good food to ease their sore muscles.
Parking where he can keep an eye on his bike from the cafΓ©, he helped her dismount and pitied her as she tried to straighten up. She would recover. She was young, maybe thirty or so.