My First Day with the V1!

[CelticFlyer]

Have any of you guys stopped to ponder what your first day with the V1 might be like? I have, and it’s sure to be an exhausting day!

Now, I’m not talking about being at V1 headquarters, the assembly plant, or (wishful thinking) your local V1 dealer. I’m talking about the first day you have your V1 at home. Picture this: your V1 is fresh from the assembly line. There are little plastic tags and warning labels everywhere, plastic bags on the seats and the steering (yolk?) is shrink-wrapped, a new car smell wafts from the interior when you spring the door latch. Friends and family have gathered to get a look at what you’ve been obsessing over for weeks…months…even years! Everyone wants a ride. Some even elbow you and suggest they take the wheel for themselves, but that they’ll let you ride in back. “C’mon, I’ll go easy on her.” Wink wink wink

I can only imagine what ensues. Would you map out a course? Would you offer two routes? One to give your passenger a taste of what it’s like to be in a “lean machine” and a longer one to evoke fearful cries from the rear of the passenger compartment as you “carve” your way down a twisty road?

While this might seem like torture as we all wait for the V1 to become a reality, it should give you food for thought. Hey, we all need something to look forward to, right? =y:

[Derwin]

Please be merciful, man! This is indeed torture! Acting that out in my mind gets me all excited at first, but then I sink into a depression when I realize that this will not be happening anytime soon.

It makes me want to go and import a Carver! But then the sticker price wacks me back into reality! :eek:

Derwin

[Miracleman89]

OMG, this is like the machine in the movie princess bride where it suck the life from a person!!!

Unfortunately I am a bit of a masochist when it comes to this stuff so I have thought about all of it as well! Many of you know I live at the base of the Coronado trail, I fully plan to utilize that road the first day! Taking people up and down the trail! But I am also in luck because I have no family out here so I won't have to worry about all of them!!! I will only have to worry about the police officers and sheriff deputy's I know wanting to either A go for a ride or B mess with me and pull me over claiming they need to commandeer my vehicle! Which I have a plan for already! ;) I don't want to talk about that plan because a couple of them may be in here reading this stuff! But anyway, living in the mountains offers me a lot of different options! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!

[CelticFlyer]

Sorry about that, Derwin. This thread was more a flight of fancy than anything. I mean, let's face it, what else can we do but sit and wait and pine away the hours until the V1 hits the market? :rolleyes:

I've got a few friends on my short list of people that will get a ride at some point, if not the first day.

But since Sacramento is as flat as a pancake, I'll have to "venture" into the Sierra Nevada foothills to really test out the g-forces and horizon-altering maneuvers!

[MarkH]

Hi CF, While this scenario has drifted in and out of my head over the last few months I have to agree with Derwin. It bums me right out thinking how long it will be before it happens.

Oh and BTW. No one drives but me. Sorry, but thats the way it is with my Vette and so will it be with the V1.

=y:

[MVRacing]

Ahh, what fun!! For me it will be after I've read thru all the owner manual and opened and played with every component I can get to ... then we hit the road. Only she and I together.

I'm close to Mt Rainier, so tons of twisty roads to just cruise and get used to the experience of driving a lean machine. After that then a few rides, and those who wish can take to the pilots seat.

Once it is broken in ( won't take long) it's out to the track for a day of pushing hard to find the limits. Finding the best tire pressures to run for hard driving. I may have to get a second set of wheels and some track tires. I'm hoping the camber is adjustable, and wondering if the lean rates are modifiable? Trying some techniques for different types of curves. I'm wondering if a dirt track stlye flick will work to set up a drift for tight 180 turns.

If I enjoy the V1 track experience, the first two mods will be a 6 point race belt set, and figuring out how to adjust the brake bias. I'm hoping that is not more difficult than a regular automotive system.

One thing I know for certain ... I'll have to have plenty of info flyers available or I'll never get a chance to climb in and drive!! =y:

[cpaddock]

I live on the north shore of Maui, just across the pineapple fields from "Jaws" the famous
surf break with occasional 60 footers. This is where the Hana highway starts to get curvaceous and the next 50 miles run through tropical jungle ridge after valley after ridge...breathtaking cliff edges, waterfalls and ancient bridges. The spreading canopy
of monkeypod and paperbark, koa and mango trees sweeping over the sunroof and the balmy thick-scented air washing through the spirit. Silent-running, I'll give in to the temptation to play a Jobim Samba and give thanks for this moment.
Visualization is the first step towards materialization. Keep the faith, and we WILL
Fly the Road!
Alooooha!

[rogwild]

If everything goes as 'planned' I'll fly out to California to take delivery. I plan to buy a motorcycle camp trailer (from an LA Harley dealer), figure out the best way to 'load out' the passenger area and the trailer, and take it on some short 'test runs' in the local area before starting my 'cross-country odyssey' to work out any possible problems, and put a few miles on the V~1. I plan for the trip to Florida to take 1-2 weeks (daily legs of 200-400 miles) and stops at Historic/Scenic areas to camp or the occasional motel to stay civilized.

Hopefully, I will have attended a short 1-3 day course offered by Venture Vehicles to acquaint me with the mechanical systems and show me some proper/safe driving techniques. After the orientation course (and reading the owner's manual -cover-to-cover), I would like to take a couple short 'evaluation runs' in the local area, before I burden the V~1 with the weight of the trailer and gear; just to see what "I LEAN" can really do.

I'm sure other's who fly to California to take delivery and drive home would like to take similar 'shake out' drives. Perhaps Vv can already have some 'approved' areas to drive in order to demonstrate the V~1's capabilities; but if not maybe in the next 'Year or so', the FTRC members could compile some "Test Flight Plans" for the LA area (not sure yet where Vv will be releasing them). With all the 'Hollywood chase scenes', the Pacific Coast Highway and foothills surrounding LA, I bet we could come up with some 50, 100, 150 and 200 mile 'Flight Plans'. There are a lot of free trip planning services and route measuring programs on the internet (many with satellite photography) that can be saved and shared with others. Any LA area motorcycle riders want to make some suggestions? Any suggestions on Scenic Areas/roads to visit, or good programs that can do this?

[Mark Tomlinson]

My first day will include my wife and I hanging out with Rog in L.A. Many of us are hoping for some kind of media event where the first hundred or so take delivery at the same time. I'm hoping it will be a three our four day event ending with a "parade" of V1s cruising through town and maybe along the coast.

Then, with trailer in tow, we'll head back to the Chicago area following the old Route 66 wherever possible. Maybe there will be a convoy of a few of us, some dropping off in Arizona or Oklahoma.

Then, it's back to work with me. I'm hoping for good weather because no work will get done as I give rides to co-workers or just stand around the parking lot explaining the thing.

Eventually it will be vacation time. So my wife and I will hop in the V1 and visit my brother just north of Tampa. Yes, well visit with a couple of other V1 owners down there and take in some of those beautiful sunsets.

I'm really looking forward to it.

[CelticFlyer]

That's the spirit, guys! While I admit that "D-day" (delivery day) is a while off, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a game plan ready, or at least an expectation of what is to come.

I envision a few days where everything will alternate between fast and slow motion. Times we wish would last will go by quickly, whereas times we wish would go by quickly will last an eternity. The pre-flight briefing will probably seem too long, but our first drive will seem far too short. I think it's great that some of you already know where you're going to stretch your V1's legs, what paces you're going to put her through, and who, if anyone, will get to experience the ride first hand.

I too, will more than likely have some literature ready to hand out. Perhaps in the form of a simple tri-fold brochure or a postcard. Maybe even a business card which outlines the origins of the machine, bullet points describing it's capabilities, and information on how to acquire one. It would sure help keeping us from losing our voices by having to explain everything over and over to curious passersby. Good times for sure. It'll become a reality before you know it.