By Tom Nash
       European Editor

My motorcycle insurance is about to roll over from riding season full comprehensive to winter time liability and theft. The season is coming to an end here in northern Europe. Today was my last day of riding to the office, and tomorrow I start using the train.

This morning as I rolled out of the driveway the temperature was minus 0.5 degrees Celsius (31 deg F.) I was toasty warm suited up in my one-piece American riding suit, imported from Minnesota, which covered an electric vest and a polar fleece jacket. The curly cable from the vest snaked its way out the top of the suit next to my neck, and drooped down to the 12-volt accessory socket in the fairing. My winter gloves were wrapped around electric grip warmers and I was reluctant to move my fingers away from the grip to use the clutch much less my chain lubricator. Habit, however, got the better of me and I reached down to the fairing switch for the chain oiler button, pushing for my customary few morning squirts while still moving slowly through the village. If I eliminate either my cup of coffee before leaving the house, or the few shots of oil on the chain at the start of the commute, I feel like something is missing and I have not adequately started the day.Reaching the edge of town, I accelerated up to country road speed and headed into the first ten kilometres of twisties. I am very fortunate in that during riding season, every day that I am not out travelling starts out with an hour commute on the bike complete with two great sections of twisties. I never go into the office without a stupid motorcycle-induced grin on my face.

The worst part of the commute at this time of year is the sun. I live far enough north that the sun now sits very low on the horizon. I ride east in the morning, west in the evening, and it can be brutal. Last year I finally found a motorcycle helmet that has a fighter pilot style slide-down dark visor that I use in addition to my sunglasses, and it is the only way to survive this commute without riding totally blind into the corners. This morning the frost had still not completely cleared from the shady parts of the road, and I could feel the tires beginning to slide even at minimal lean angles. Clearly this was not a morning for attacking the twisties with gusto. I rode conservatively between the sun and the frost.

Adding to the excitement was the fact that I did something really stupid with tires, and I highly recommend that you do not repeat my mistake. I was a bit of a cheapskate. I had one last original version Michelin Pilot Road front tire that I decided to put back on the bike and ride to the end the season. I figured that I had spent good money on it and it had lots of tread life left, so I should use it. I could not get an original version Pilot Road for the rear, so I put a Pilot Road II on the back. The Pilot Road II is a dual-compound tire with a long-life middle section and soft edges for better cornering. I do not know if this is true, but I have heard that the edges are essentially the same compound as the Michelin Pilot Power sport tires. In addition, the Pilot Road II tires have somewhat of a V-shaped profile for quicker turn-in, versus the lazy round profile of the original Pilot Road. So what I have been riding with for the last few weeks is a hard and lackadaisical front, shoved around by a nervous twitchy and sticky rear. Every time I tried to turn the bike, the rear was ready to drop into the lean on a moment’s notice, while the front would roll in its own sweet time. Settling the tires into the corner was nearly impossible, and once I was into the turn the front was being shoved all over the place. It has made for a rather spooky ride with lean angles that can only be described as wiggly approximations, especially in the wet. I do not care how much tread is left on the front, now that the season is over it is being tossed.

The sense of adventure was further heightened today by the fact that the local drivers are not used to seeing a motorcycle on the road at this time of year. The local riders all pretty much pack up the bikes for winter at the end of October, and only a few rare die-hard exceptions insist on pushing the season to the bitter end. So I ride with my left thumb cocked to hit the bright light switch at the least provocation.

But traffic was light, the roads began to dry out, and I relaxed and got into the rhythm of the commute. Thinking back over this season, I decided that this has been one of the most frustrating seasons I can remember. We had more rain in northern Europe than we have had in many years. It would be easy to pass it off as the effects of global warming, but there is no way to tell. Last January my wife and I bought a 90-year-old fixer-upper house, complete with no electricity, no running water, and no heat. Between the rain and working on the house I gave up track days, attendance at multiple MotoGP races, my usual long summer tours, and I even had to skip some (most) of the weekend get-out-and-get-stupid rides with my local club. I have never had such a deprived riding season.

But thinking ahead to next year, I already have some pretty ambitious plans in the works. I am making arrangements to attend three, perhaps four, MotoGP races, and I might try a WSB race as well. Five of my old friends from the San Francisco bay area are flying to Munich, Germany, and taking a tour of the Alps on rented motorcycles with a mid-tour stop for a weekend at Mugello, the Italian MotoGP. I am riding my motorcycle to Munich to meet them, to go on the tour with them, and to write reviews of the tour company and the race for 2WF. Three of my local friends and I have already made plans for several track days, including a two-day blast on the newly-resurfaced track at Poznan, Poland. This will be two full track days for $150. Amazing. My Norwegian riding buddy has sent an e-mail telling me that he is very much annoyed with me about this year and that I WILL take a Norwegian mountain sport tour with him next summer.

On the way home today the temperature had gotten warm enough to completely thaw and dry the slippery patches. Within the limits of the mis-matched tires I rode the two twisty sections with a vengeance, trying in one afternoon to make up for all of the missed riding during the year. It was not enough, but it will have to do. But with a more than full riding season planned for next year, it is time to take the bike into the workshop, and do my normal winter tear-down and deep maintenance. Next March will come in no time and we have to be ready.