Rain pattered all around, coat flapping slightly where it wasn't zipped up all the way, her boots made dull thunks as she walked up to her steed. A humble thing of little value but she'd bought, fixed and broke it so much in the past months, a Tiberon Thumper I2. Supercharged and turbocharged with almost a whole half liter of displacement from its engine.
Most of that wasnt her fault but whoever had wrenched on it while the gang had it.
It killed the last rider as far as she knew and she had to buy it out of impound, fix the handlebars and breaks and get use to the weird power band. Always a learning experience on the old Tiger.
The rain was light and wind was only just kicking up but she wasnt taking chances with the visibly moving clouds, tonight was dirt roads.
Crossing the empty parking lot and pishing him upright propler she took out the crank handle he needed now. The key went into the ignition and turned to the on position, staring all the pumps while she stuck the crank into jts socket with a quiet clack.
Now was the hard part, every time.
She threw her leg over the seat and shoved down on the handle, one handle in hand as the frame bowed an inch or two under the sudden force, leaning over onto the tank as she pulled back on the handle. Rocking back as she had to push again, then slowly settleing into the rhythm untill she forgot what she whas doing when it suddenly started.
BrDrDrAaap sounded out with some pop and crackle of overrun as Tiger bucked against her chest breifly before settling down.
She let go of the brakes and let him roll back slowly as she pulled out the crank to stow in her boot. Once between the rows with both hands on the bar she dropped him into gear and let him idle out to the road where trucks cruised by in packs, cars and pickups sprinkled between.
Leaning on her other leg as she watched the lane of oncoming traffic Tigerrattled her arms with the pounding of his motor in its frame, dampened as it was by the radiator and bushings. Once her lane was clear for a good stretch she leaned and dropped the clutch again, reving into traffic.
Everyone's lights were on as she pushed up through the gaps to get to the turn lane, the high rpm actually smoothing out the vibrations and letting her relax on her steed. Leaning out between the cars qued to turn and traffic headding the other way, the light seemed to turn for her as the red for the other lane was respected enough for her to get out ahead of everyone else.
Most of the trip went like that, Tiger growling as she sped ahead and whining a bit when she let off the throttle, eventually she got to the road she wanted, right as the rain started picking up.
A mostly straight mountain road that cut her city in two and plateaued at the top. She flushed oil into the couple for the supercharger and let rip up the unpaved slope. Mud and rocks sprayed out the sides of the fenders as she layed against the rocking frame of her friend, riding the slope to the first real bend, a banked turn following a random valley. The next turn she feathered the brakes and downshifted for, peeling out slightly as she took it narrow.
Tiger really liked the terrain, not wet enough to bog down or slip in anything but plenty to splash cool water up against his oilpan and transmission casing. It let the supercharger and turbo stay spooled as the radiator was assisted in its job, the turns were either shallow enough to powerslide through or tight enough that the brakes got to work.
No traffic, no slips, no intersections or buildings, he carried Jessica up the slope eagerly, aerating plenty of whater into his system just for the extra steam pressure. His speedometer ticked 120 MPH on the straightaway flanked by fruit trees and berry bushes, he made his shocks noce and soft to feel her warmth press extra close.
It had to stop some time though and soon she let off the throttle, letting the engine drag the rear wheel to get back down to traffic speeds as she merged onto the paved road again. This time he had to stay slow and careful as by now it was pouring cats and dogs, the sheen of the road rippled dangerously as the bigger vehicles kicked up unpleasant plumes of water.
As roads ended and turns sharpened Tiger slipped once or twice, forcing Jessica to lean off to one side, keeping him upright and hold out a boot just in case. Eventually the coupling for the supercharger was drained and the turbo bypassed as she steered onto more and more familiar roads.
Soon though they trailed behind a familiar truck, Reving a lil greating before turninng down a very smooth dirt road, one regularly paved in straw and clay. The two lined up and raced down the straight, Tiger passing the driveway as the truck scooted in and waited for her to fall in behind.
Jesica giggled at the silly race every time, it seemed like the truck made different results each go but her brother insisted on testing his work. She pulled up next to him and shot the engine off early, popping the stand after the last lil bump onto the oil stained garage slab.
They teased eachother and got teased by their siblings as they both stripped out of their work clothes in the one and a half garage. Hopping into the house for a hearty dinner and being 'disappointed' by the whole grain spagetti and fresh cookies make under the watchful eye of Nan.
It was a safe spot away from the trifles of city life, where an old lady could raise troubled youth far from the temptations and troubles of their 'friends'.
