Biking on the Skyline Boulevard

I used to have a Honda VFR750F back in the days when I worked at Hewlett Packard in Cupertino. I had the 1986-1989 model. BikeSocial describes it as “a truly ground-breaking motorcycle. Not only did it have a hideously complex gear-driven cam V4 engine, Honda matched this to an incredibly advanced aluminum twin-spar chassis and staggeringly high build quality. . . . Despite being designed as a sports-tourer, the VFR’s handling was on a par with the best superbikes of the day.”

Specs:

Engine: 748cc, V-four, 16v, DOHC
Power: 106bhp @ 10,000rpm
Torque: 56ftlb @ 8,500rpm
Weight: 199kg

I liked riding the bike on weekends. My route was head up north on interstate I-280 from Sunnyvale, then go over the state route SR-92 West toward Half Moon Bay, and then take SR-35 which is also known as Skyline Boulevard. (Picture at the head of this post.) About it, the wiki says:

Because of its scenic views and winding roadway, Skyline Boulevard and surrounding roads see substantial recreational motoring and bicycling use. Many sports cars and motorcycles can be found congregating near the intersections with State Route 9 and State Route 84, particularly on weekends. Mountain bikers are also commonly found at the many trailheads along the road.

SFGate calls it a hidden gem south of SF:

Skyline Boulevard (US-35) is a narrow two-lane highway which winds its way over the mountain range between the Pacific Ocean and the San Mateo peninsula, twisting and turning along a tree-lined route and offering an escape from hectic city life less than an hour from San Francisco. The scenery is a lush mix of dense forest, magnificent Santa Cruz mountain peaks, little slivers of the Silicon Valley skyline and tranquil spots for calm reflection. It takes approximately one-half hour to motor the length of the highway, but there are plenty of attractions to turn this into a fun packed day trip.

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I am a bit of a speed freak. On straight stretches of open road without cars, I would push the bike to 120 mph (200 kph). Dangerous, to say the least. Sadly, my colleagues at HP persuaded me to get rid of the bike. Too damn bad. I loved the bike.

I dropped it only once. It was while waiting at an intersection late one night in Palo Alto. I was wearing leather boots that has very slippery leather soles. I had to wait till another biker showed up and helped me pick up the bike. After all, it weighed 200 kgs. No damage.

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I am reminded of all that because of this little cute bike video I found on X. I want one.

I suppose you can buy it on Amazon. Just as I suspected, here are two guys with their “Pocket rockets.” Begin by watching video from 16:00 time stamp.

I have put that on my Amazon wish list. Perhaps someone will buy me one on my birthday. Hint, hint.

Alright, now let’s listen to the orchestral version of the Skyline Firedance by David Lanz.

Cheers.