

	HOW TO GET A VERBAL WARNING FOR 146 IN A 55

It's simple.  First, it has to be the first really nice riding day
of spring.  The bike is back together again, and so are you.  Grab
all your gear, put it on, and fill the tank with 94 octane premium
or better.  Head out.

	In Ames, there is a road that leads to the little town of
Gilbert.  Gilbert has one stop light, if that tells you something.
Having just gotten the bike back together, I thought I'd take it
for a short ride and check things out.  Heading out of town, I
went into the twisties at a slow pace, just under the speed limit,
and started leaning around.  The pace quickened as everything felt
just right.  Finally, the road straightened and I was ready for a
bit of speed.  Grab third gear, open her up.  At roughly 90mph
grab fourth gear.  Look at as much of the bike as you can, and fail
to notice a state trooper following a quarter mile behind.  Twist
the throttle like a fool, grab fifth gear at 130 or so, and see
just how well she's been put back together.

	At 146 (according to radar) I noticed the front fender was
flexing a bit.  Thus, I slowed, pulled off the road, removed my
helmet and gloves, unslung the took kit I was carrying in a fanny
pack, and was just starting to tighten that fender when the trooper
pulled in all hot and flustered.

	"Have you *ANY* idea how fast you were going?"
"Not precisely, no.  I was paying attention to the bike and road,
not the instruments.  I just got her back together last night, and
I'm just out here testing her out before I ride it in traffic."
	"My radar says you were at over 145mph.  Care to tell me why
I shouldn't give you a ticket?"
"Because I was testing the motorcycle away from population and
traffic, on a strait and flat road, while wearing all the protective
gear that safety demands?" (note: I wasn't quite that eloquent)
	"Say, what kind of bike is that, anyway?"
<I was eloquent on my cafe racer replica Honda 750, a Rat Bike>
	"Yeah, I haven't had my bike out of the garage in years."
<compare riding stories>
<pack toolkit, having tightened that fender>
	"So why were you out here?"
"I figure every other idiot on the road is going to look right through
me.  If the bike fails somehow in a 35mph zone, I'm dead.  If it holds
up out here, then I know it will work right in traffic.  I do this
evvery year when I rebuild her."
	"Not any more.  You'll find a better place than *my* highway
to do those speeds.  If I *ever* catch you speeding on my highway
again I'm going to nail you for everything I possibly can.  Now get
out of my sight before I write you a ticket."
"Yes, officer."
	"And kid, keep your eyes open out there..." <drives off>

	And that, in a nut-shell, is how to get a warning for 146 in a 55.
I don't guarantee that it will work for you, but it worked for me.