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I walked through the big party tent and I looked at the stalls of the
vendors. One of the main vendors on the rally was "Crown Harley-Davidson"
from Luxembourg. In a big tent they had the new Buell models and the
new Harley Davidson V-Rod.
While I was looking, I heard another Dutchman ask if he could testride
the V-rod. That was no problem so I asked it too and twenty minutes later
it was my turn to ride the new Harley Davidson V-Rod.
Trying the HD V-Rod
First, Marco, the other Dutchman and the salesman from Crown Harley-Davidson
left for a testride and then I could try this very nice bike.
Together with the salesman on another V-Rod, we left the rally site and on
some narrow country roads I enjoyed the power and handling of the V-Rod.
The bike has a very "custom" placement of the handlebars and footrests
but if you are used to it, it is not bad. When we where riding on an almost
empty main road the salesman told me to get in second gear and open the trottle
to feel the power of the new water cooled engine...... Great !
Marco (left) and the salesman (right) return
from their testride
Together with Marco, I walked around the rally site to watch bikes, chat with
the riders and enjoy the nice weather.
Tents and bikes on the rally site
We chat with the owner of a nice Sportster that is build like an old British
café racer with a long racing tank and all.
By the way, Marco is a BMW R1200GS rider. He was just passing by when he saw
all the Harleys and wanted to have a look.
While we were walking near the registration area, a guy on a yellow Boss Hoss
arrived. The Boss Hoss is a motorcycle with a big Chevrolet V8 engine. It was
a massive bike with a great sound.
Yellow Boss Hoss
The catering at the rally is not cheap. A beer or a soda was €2 and a simple
supper (bread, a chickenleg, some meat and salad) was €10 and a hotdog
€3. Fortunately it tasted good.
At ten o'clock in the evening the party started with the band "Double U Soul".
I liked the music but there was also a transvestite show that I did not like
so much.
At half past twelve, the band "Kingsnakes" got on stage. A very cool blues
band that I liked very much. At half past two, I went to my tent to get some
sleep.
Saturday, june 23, 2002
I woke up at seven and packed my luggage in the panniers. (Unfortunately
Harley panniers are very narrow and not very practical) I did not pack the
tent because I wanted it to dry in the sun first.
For €5 I got a very good breakfast, two sandwiches, two breadrolls, meat,
cheese, jam, dairy butter and two cups of coffee. I really enjoyed it.
After breakfast the castle tour started. The group I was in left at ten o'clock
for a tour past eight castles, Bourscheid, Brandenbourg, Vianden, Stolzembourg,
Dasbourg, Clervaux, Wiltz and Esch-sur-Sure. The groups had twenty bikes each.
They had found some very nice roads past nice rivers through green valleys and
with some very nice bends and hairpins.
Halfway the tour, in Obereisenbach, was the planned coffee break. We stopped at café
restaurant "Vieux Moulin" and soon, when more groups arrived, the parking
was filled with Harleys.
The parking at café restaurant "Vieux Moulin"
A nice coffeebreak in the sun
When the group I was in, was finished with the coffee and cakes, we got on the bikes
again for the second half of the tour.
Ready to leave the parking
Near Esch-sur-Sure, we went through some tunnels. I liked the sound of the group
of Harleys twisting the throttle in the tunnel.
After the 136 km long tour, we arrived back at the rally site. My tent was
dry by now so I tied the tent on the bike and left the rally site.
Before I left Luxembourg, I filled my tank with cheap gas and then went into
Belgium. Past Bastogne, I got on the E35 to Liege and in Sprimont I stopped
at a gasstation and bought some waffles and something to drink.
While I was eating my waffles, two Belgian bikers arrived at the parking of
the gasstation. He on a Honda 600 Shadow and she on a Kawasaki 450 Custom.
After a chat, we got back on the road again.
Past Liege, I got on the E313 to Antwerp. I was very comfortable on the big
Harley. I had my tankbag tied on the seat as a backrest and my feet were on
the highway pegs. I could ride like that for hours.
After a short pause at Hasselt I rode the last part of the route home and at
six in the afternoon, I arrived home. I had a great ride with perfect weather.
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