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Please place "GG Lotus Club1" pdf file in this location. Size should be 1/8 page.

("Donington" Continued from page 1)
 

one of their new bikes down.  I can hear it, 'We knew we shouldn't have let a Yank ride with us, what an embarrassment!  Where's the ambulance and wrecker?'  I casually walk over to the Firestorm, check the controls.  I've ridden a friend's CBR600 once and the controls appear to be the same.  My Norton only has a key switch, headlight switch and a big lever you kick very hard if you want it to start.  These new bikes have as many controls and indicators as a car.  But, time to leave, gear on, starter button pushed, smooth exhaust note, and the rain has let up.  'Careful with that one, twist the throttle too much and it'll come out from under you!'  Just what I wanted to hear.   My god, smooth as glass, handling like a light 250, not a 140 horse superbike.  Smooth shifts, though I'm not taking it to redline with a wet road.  Cruising through a small village, past a few pubs, up a few gears, look down to see about 90 MPH, down a few gears and into the next village, then crank it back up.  OK, it's not an Elise, maybe better, especially that feeling you get when laying into the turn, throttle twisted a bit more, then straighten up and then lean in for the next bend.  Is the ride over already?  But, just like when the roller coaster ride is over, time to bring it to a stop, shut down and turn it over to the next rider.  I almost wanted to tell him, 'sorry your not getting this bike, its mine now.' 
The Donington Grand Prix Collection, well, it's great, though I was mostly using the time in there to wind down.  Lotuses from the 12 to the 72; lots of McClarens; After about 2 hours of viewing the collection, its time to start back to London, drop off the rental car and get the kids at the airport the next day.  Actually found time for another museum, the Heritage Motor Centre, off the M40, on the way back to London.  All BLMC stuff, no Lotuses.  Many old minis but no NEW mini, 'now a German car, you know.'
All that gets done, the next morning comes but I have until 2 

PM to get to Heathrow.  Time to go to one shop, Mini Spares in Freirn Barnet, that I've visited on every trip since '79.  Take the Piccadilly Line to the Arnos Grove Station, then only about three blocks up the hill.  Oh, there's a Honda motorcycle dealer on the way, so I stop in to get a brochure of the Firestorm.  As I'm leaving, I see this yellow bike that strikes me as a bit odd.  The tank has a large 'Buzzin Hornet' logo and says Jordan Honda, not just Honda.  I ask the shop owner what's the story on this one.  'In '99 they sold a package to commemorate Honda power in the Jordans, which consisted of a Honda car and these special, tweaked CB600 Hornets.  Not many were sold, about 100 total'.  Call to the wife the next day, "Honey, there'll be a call from the credit card people wanting to know if a rather large charge from a London motorcycle shop is valid.  Tell them it's OK."

~ Jim

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