[QUOTE] Now .. you're talking.. We gather up (the ones you'd call mates) take off for a week or a weekend.. Run some highways that we've heard about.. or go to a gathering someplace.. Maybe just go see some other friends.. Let these old motorcycles run out all the frustrations and such.. My impression is that we have more open country in Texas, than you guys enjoy, but that's the only difference.. huh ? [/QUOTE] For sure Bill, we have a population of 60 million on an Island smaller than Texas here. There are still lots of great riders roads though, especially in the north of The UK, where the hilly country has many deserted twisty backroads to play on. We tend to ride shorter wheelbase, faster handling bikes for this reason, rather than the cruisers you guys use. Not that I'm knocking Harleys, I've ridden one seven thousand miles in 15 days round Europe and it did the job well, apart from cracking it's exhaust header due to me frequently smacking the lower muffler on the road when banking right... I can see why folks fit after market Super Trapps to'em.