I took my GPZ out for a ride The engine felt good between my thighs . . . . . . I love that GPZ so much you know that I could kiss her. While a motorcycle can certainly get you from here to there, anyone who buys one solely to commute is missing the point. And in summer, with hotter temperatures, three extra hours of daylight and no rain, journeys beg to be taken.
Riding is an intensely visceral experience.
On a bike, open and unprotected, you re at the mercy of the elements hot or cold, wet or dry, you feel everything. Steering uses your whole body, as you shift your weight and lean into turns, feeling and responding to every dip, twist and bump in the road. The wind rips at your leathers and roars in your ears. Every scent pine, orange grove, paper mill and every slight shift in temperature are inescapable. And, however much of a daily cycle grind L.A. may be, the basin s blend of ocean, mountains, forests and deserts offers some of the best summer day rides anywhere, a good number of them ridiculously close to the belly of the beast.