Life is incredibly short. Yes, your job is important but sometimes you have to make a decision to press the pause button on meetings, deadlines and even that final email you need to send. Outside a beautiful spring day is forming and a Harley-Davidson is waiting in the garage to show you nature’s splendour. Take that decision and your soul will thank you for it.
Stellenbosch: the start of the journey
That is exactly what I did when I saddled our long-term Street Bob Special last week to commence on a 300 km ride on some of the most picturesque roads in the Western Cape. Leaving Cape Town towards Stellenbosch I had to deal with early morning traffic which is not the forte of this Harley as it is slightly cumbersome when trying to split traffic and the clunky gearbox did not help proceedings. The bike soon found its rhythm on the clearing motorway though and the optional screen resulted in excellent wind protection at the national speed limit. This Harley will cover long distances quickly if the owner so desires but that is missing the point. A chilly Helshoogte pass in the early morning was the official starting point of my adventure.
Franschhoek: handling
Dropping the pace and riding the waves of torque from the 1 700 cm3 engine was the way to go and the landscape painted a rolling canvas as I entered the town of Franschhoek. A compulsory coffee stop helped loosen some of the stiff joints and before my mind could wonder off to work worries, I was back on the Harley again snaking my way up and over the famous Franschhoek pass. Yes the bike is heavy but if you keep the speeds low and use the torque from the engine, then the flowing bends can be an entertaining affair. Ground clearance on this specific model allows quite a bit of lean before the chrome (or rubber) removal process started.
Kleinmond: comfort
Turning off before Villiersdorp towards Hermanus showed amazing canola fields in full bloom. The V-twin thrum played the base tones as I soaked up the smells and sights of spring. The seating position on the Street Bob Special Edition is the traditional cruiser pose with feet and arms forward. After about 200 km I could feel my lower back starting to protest a little but this was easily remedied by moving my feet to the pillion foot pegs. By riding in this manner for a few kilometers, the muscles in my lower back got a chance to rest and stopping in Kleinmond for lunch was only fuel related (body and bike). The Street Bob Special returned a very impressive 5,5 L/100 km considering the mass of the machine.
Rooi-Els: a perfect day
The last stretch of road home took me past Betty’s Bay and Rooi-Els where I stopped for the last time. Not only was the view stunning but a whale blew sea spray into the air right on cue! You can always work harder and stress more but sometimes it is best to get out of the fast lane and slow down, preferably on a Harley.
After 3 months
Mileage on arrival (km): 810
Mileage now (km): 1 690
Fuel consumption (litres/100 km): 5,6 litres/100 km
We like: Good vibrations, character, torque
We don’t like: Clunky gearbox, less than impressive brakes
