Amiga.org
Amiga.org specific forums => Amiga.org Discussion and Site Feedback => Topic started by: Wayne on July 01, 2009, 03:02:21 PM
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Hi ladies and gents,
Just wanted to offer you participation in the Amiga.org Motorcycle Club (A Social Group).
http://www.amiga.org/forums/group.php?groupid=29
Wayne
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great idea! ..was wondering how to post pics in the group? it'd be great to see pics of all of our bikes
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great idea! ..was wondering how to post pics in the group? it'd be great to see pics of all of our bikes
Upload the pictures to your own personal gallery, then on the Group page, you'll see a line below the members that says "Add Pictures" where you can add group photos from your own album.
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My 97 Ford Escort doesn't qualify yet but the rust might finish off two wheels soon.
I did try out some sort of moped in Door County, Wisconsin last summer. There was a rental shop on an island we visited. It was fun until I had a moment of indicision and went flying across an intersection and landed in the ditch.
I came out of it with only a few scratches and a really badly bruised ego ... and a 900$ bill in parts.
That's the extent of my motorcycling. :-)
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It was fun until I had a moment of indicision and went flying across an intersection and landed in the ditch.
I came out of it with only a few scratches and a really badly bruised ego ... and a 900$ bill in parts.
That's the extent of my motorcycling. :-)
Very glad to hear that you're ok.
I am the first to say to anyone that motorcycling isn't for everyone. First thing first, riding requires both respect, fear, confidence, and a little bit of talent and sheer blind luck.
Rule #1, Unless you have been blessed by St. Christopher, everyone goes down at some point.
Before you ever get on a bike, you need to fully understand and accept that -- because of many factors, the worst of which are other drivers -- motorcycling is more dangerous mode of travel than a car, or even a convertible. You COULD die. Accept rule #1, and you can move towards riding.
In short: Motorcycling is not about taking risks, it's about weighing, and accepting the associated risks while working to minimize them at every single moment.
Rule #2, you are NEVER a master of a motorcycle
Evil Knievel taught us that 35% of the time he jumped. If he can't be perfect, who can?
Rule #3, a little bit of fear is a good thing. Be respectful of what you're doing.
When you're climbing on a motorcycle, whether a 75cc moped, a GSXR1100, or an 1800cc GoldWing touring motorcycle, you are putting your faith in yourself that you have the ability -- if not the training -- to handle everything the road can throw at you.
That sometimes includes "flying" turkeys trying to get across the road quickly.
Motorcycles are not the place for you if your mind is on where you want to go rather than watching where you are (and everyone else is) going.
Too much fear on the other hand doubles your risks at any given moment. Everyone has scary moments on bikes. If you have a quick scare, pull over, figure out what happened, ask yourself if you could have done anything better, calm down and breathe, then start again.
Rule #4, confidence.
Bikes are psychic to their riders. If you look / think left, you'll go left. If you look / think right, you'll go right. If you think you're going to crash, guess what. YOU will find some way to do it.
While you need to pay attention to what you're doing, it's not you that you need to worry about, it's all the other idiots around you who are literally driving blind and deaf to motorcycles.
I always tell people it's not my job to ride the bike, it's my job to make sure all the other idiots out there see me.
Rule #5, if you're in a hurry, don't ride.
When you leave the house 15 minutes late for work, you're never going to make up that 15 minutes in the 15 miles to work.
"Hurry" kills.
Either accept that you're late, then take your time getting to work, even if that makes you 30 minutes late, or take another vehicle.
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here's a youtube link with me & a bud taking a rare enduro drive (rare cause we both have small children & no blooody time anymore!)
mine's the green Kawi klx300r and my bud's the blue Yami DRZ400..enjoy.we did :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53JQqrKM9vw
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Thanks Wayne.
Yes, my motorcycling class was this excursion. I had not driven a moped before. :-)
I did have a helmet on. Glad I had one.
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So true Wayne,
I couldn't explain better.As I'm teaching from time to time some fellow lads to ride, I have 2 motos:
1) all other drivers are mad and blinds and the only thing they want is to get you down
2)Don't ask yourself if you are gonna fall, Just ask yourself HOW?
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I had a motorcycle for a few months, never had a lesson, license, or teacher but I put over 1000 miles on it in January/February (winter around here,) half of which was a 500 mile round trip from Virginia to New Jersey.
I then realized I much preferred cars and sold the motorcycle at a $500 profit.
It was a nice little thing though, 1985 Honda Shadow, 500cc with a shaft drive and 6 speed transmission.
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Interesting idea. Ive been on 2 wheels since 1968. Only time Ive been down is on corners with sand or dirt, all at 5-10 mph.
Currant ride: 2002 BMW R1150rt
I usually run 60 to 80 Thousand miles on a bike before trading in for another..
Keep the shinny side up!!....
boB
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Finally, Wayne. We have a group where no one can have any negative reply's. Its all Fun, Fun and more Fun.
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I like the Pic's, I hope we get more.
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I have been happily commuting since 1978 via motorcycle. I have been down twice and out once. Started riding BMW's in 1990. I have only been down on the beemers once and that was more than enough. Cost so much to repair. I do have my Eye on the new BMW S1000RR, so we will have to wait and see about going down again.
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Finally, Wayne. We have a group where no one can have any negative reply's. Its all Fun, Fun and more Fun.
Riding motorcycles is dangerous and should be out lawed in all states!
JK! I'd love to get a motorcycle. I've been preparing the wife. We agreed to next summer. Then I can join the Amiga.org Motorcycle "gang".
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Wayne wrote:
it's all the other idiots around you who are literally driving blind and deaf to motorcycles
StormLord wrote:
1) all other drivers are mad and blinds and the only thing they want is to get you down
It's funny you guys should say that, because most sensible car drivers think motorcyclists, who often drive way to fast, weave in and out of traffic, overtake on corners and are generally intimidating to other drivers, are the ones who are "idiots" or "mad and blind" :rolleyes:
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It's funny you guys should say that, because most sensible car drivers think motorcyclists, who often drive way to fast, weave in and out of traffic, overtake on corners and are generally intimidating to other drivers, are the ones who are "idiots" or "mad and blind" :rolleyes:
It's, uh.. yeah.. There's no arguing that a small percentage of riders act like smegheads and make the rest of us look bad. Just like 1% of bad cops make people distrust all cops.
In regards to "weaving in and out of traffic", I've been known to do so, but ONLY when my own safety is at risk. For example, if I -- doing the speed limit -- end up perilously close to the back of a car that seems like it's going to stop, OR, if I find myself riding in someone's blind spot, I'll do whatever it takes to get the hell out of that situation.
That's why I don't own a sport bike. Just too tempting. I've got an 800 pound 6-cylinder with enough power to pull me, plus a trailer for 300 miles between stops. It's also agile enough to use to run to the corner store or make the 6 mile run to work with and has both iPod, and on it to boot.
Why anyone would want a smaller bike capable of 200mph without much effort mystifies me, as the danger factor of those bikes is, I would guess, about 10-fold.
Wayne
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Maybe motorcyclists where you live place more value on the lives of others (and, presumably, themselves). I don't think I have ever seen a motorcyclists who wasn't driving recklessly, whether by speeding, driving between lanes of traffic and then forcing their way in, undertaking, overtaking on bends, or driving way too close to the vehicles in front, presumably to attempt to intimidate them in to pulling over. They seem to be aggressive, impatient and without regard for their own safety, let alone that of other drivers. And I certainly would not say that this is a minority, certainly not where I live anyway. I also have personal experience of how dangerous these idiots can be - my parents were almost killed by a motorcyclists who was driving towards them on the wrong side of the road, overtaking on a blind corner. The car was a write-off, and the assessors said that had the wheel struck one inch either side of where it did, it most likely would have driven up the bonnet and through the windscreen.
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Here's a good link to check out should you ever feel the need to go riding your motorcycle like an ass. http://mydeathspace.com/article-list.aspx?q=motorcycle
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Out here in Southern California I see riders doing wheelees and power stop on the freeway. On misshap and it not the fall that kills you, its the 10 vehicles running you down while your on the pavement.. Talk about brains. When I was younger I used to ride a lot faster, but as we age you LEARN to slow down and think. Some people just dont make it through the learning curve I guess. I still comute every day on motorcycle 80 miles roundtrip. I have however; with age, given up riding in the rain and fog.
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Maybe motorcyclists where you live place more value on the lives of others (and, presumably, themselves). I don't think I have ever seen a motorcyclists who wasn't driving recklessly, whether by speeding, driving between lanes of traffic and then forcing their way in, undertaking, overtaking on bends, or driving way too close to the vehicles in front, presumably to attempt to intimidate them in to pulling over.
Again, I am sorry to hear that you've had such negative experiences, but like getting Redrumloa to accept the President of the US isn't the Anti-Christ, a lot of what you see is based on your own slightly skewed perspective. Your parents were in a wreck with one, so naturally you're prone to see all motorcyclists as evil and anything they do as "aggresive". It goes without saying, and that's ok.
I can only assure you that your perspective isn't 100% correct. The only people I've ever seen acting that way were specifically sport bike riders, and when you get that much power between your legs, it's sometimes hard to remember rule #1. ("You COULD die")...
As for myself, I know I'm not a perfect rider, and I'm sure that there have been times I've caused cagers to think twice, but;
1) I've NEVER done anything which places either their, or my safety in jeopardy.
2) The worst I've ever done is get the f****** cager idiot to get off his damned cell phone and pay attention.
This morning for example, on the 6 mile to work, I rode "serpentine" meaning that while I never crossed or got close to the line, I slowly rotated my position in the lane from left to right.
Why? Because it got the cagers in front, behind, and to the sides of me to wake up and realize I was there. Did it annoy them? Don't know. Don't care. It's my life in jeopardy if they don't see me, and it's my job to be seen without placing anyone's safety in jeopardy.
Wayne
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Out here in Southern California I see riders doing wheelees and power stop on the freeway. On misshap and it not the fall that kills you, its the 10 vehicles running you down while your on the pavement.. Talk about brains.
That's what I'm talking about. The 1% that make everyone look bad. You've never seen a cruiser or touring bike doing those things, it's always the 20-somethings riding 150 horsepower sport-bike kiddies out there still thinking they're immortal.
At 43, I've realized riding a motorcycle really is a Zen experience. You and the motorcycle act as one. No motorcycle, even a moped, is a toy and if you don't respect it, it's not going to respect you. Don't believe me? Get on a jet ski and act stupid. See where that gets you.
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can we have a Corvette club also? :)
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can we have a Corvette club also? :)
Sure. Note the "create a group" link on the groups page under "Community / Social Groups".
Knock yourself out, and feel free to announce it in this forum, as I did. I really don't think a lot of you even know the social groups exist, but you can create any group you want as long as it's not NSFW..
Wayne
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Again, I am sorry to hear that you've had such negative experiences, but like getting Redrumloa to accept the President of the US isn't the Anti-Christ, a lot of what you see is based on your own slightly skewed perspective. Your parents were in a wreck with one, so naturally you're prone to see all motorcyclists as evil and anything they do as "aggresive". It goes without saying, and that's ok.
I respectfully disagree. Driving on the motorway, I regularly see motorcyclists weaving in between lanes of traffic at up to and beyond 100mph, forcing their way through the traffic making drivers slam their brakes on, and overtaking on blind bends. This is not a case of skewed perspective - it's a case of observing what people are actually doing. Perhaps people don't ride like that where you live. If so, you're lucky.
The only people I've ever seen acting that way were specifically sport bike riders, and when you get that much power between your legs, it's sometimes hard to remember rule #1. ("You COULD die")...
I don't know anything about motorbikes, but I'm assuming a sport bike would be something like this (http://www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/Kawasaki/2008_Kawasaki_ZX10R_r.jpg), as opposed to the armchair-on-wheels type cruiser. If so, you very, very rarely see the latter here in England, with the vast majority of motorcyclists riding the former, sporty type. Clearly, they choose this type of vehicle because it is very, very fast - and they use that speed with no respect for other motorists.
1) I've NEVER done anything which places either their, or my safety in jeopardy.
2) The worst I've ever done is get the f****** cager idiot to get off his damned cell phone and pay attention.
I certainly don't mean to imply that car users (I'm assuming that's a 'cager') all drive perfectly - far from it. All I'm saying is that I see a much larger proportion of motorcyclists driving recklessly that I do car drivers.
I don't mean to hijack your thread with negativity, I'm just offering a different perspective. I'll go away now ;)
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Sure. Note the "create a group" link on the groups page under "Community / Social Groups".
Knock yourself out, and feel free to announce it in this forum, as I did. I really don't think a lot of you even know the social groups exist, but you can create any group you want as long as it's not NSFW..
Wayne
Very cool. Since I cant log in from work (I'm off today), I dont get time to check out the site. After work, kids, etc.. cant play on AO like I used to :( I've been looking around today, and man, Wayne..you've done an awesome job with the new features. Very cool... pat yourself on the back..and drink some Captain Morgan for me too! LOL
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I respectfully disagree. Driving on the motorway, I regularly see motorcyclists weaving in between lanes of traffic at up to and beyond 100mph, forcing their way through the traffic making drivers slam their brakes on, and overtaking on blind bends. This is not a case of skewed perspective - it's a case of observing what people are actually doing. Perhaps people don't ride like that where you live. If so, you're lucky.
I don't know anything about motorbikes, but I'm assuming a sport bike would be something like this (http://www.raptorsandrockets.com/images/Kawasaki/2008_Kawasaki_ZX10R_r.jpg), as opposed to the armchair-on-wheels type cruiser. If so, you very, very rarely see the latter here in England, with the vast majority of motorcyclists riding the former, sporty type. Clearly, they choose this type of vehicle because it is very, very fast - and they use that speed with no respect for other motorists.
I certainly don't mean to imply that car users (I'm assuming that's a 'cager') all drive perfectly - far from it. All I'm saying is that I see a much larger proportion of motorcyclists driving recklessly that I do car drivers.
I don't mean to hijack your thread with negativity, I'm just offering a different perspective. I'll go away now ;)
Don't go away, it's a valid conversation, and kind of important actually.
I don't know where you're from, but here in the states, yes, a majority of bikes are sports bikes (the one you linked is a good example of what we call a "crotch rocket"). The other notable purchases are Cruisers (Harley Davidson and others) -- what you call wheelchair bikes, followed by touring bikes which are usually the larger bikes with the bags.
Each bike, like it's owner, has a personality of its own, and tends to amplify those tendencies in their respective owner.
Sport bikes are owned (primarily) by younger people who still feel that they're invulnerable and immortal. As such, putting 150 hp at their disposal in a 400 pound package capable of 200mph has never been a good idea, but until the authorities REQUIRE people to have certain levels of training for each type bike, there ya go.
The problems you see are more a problem of regulation, training, and lack of police action. If the police cared enough to crack down (as they do here in my area of the States), then you'd see a lot less of that type crap.
Cruisers (generalizing) are owned by older, middle aged people who just want to enjoy getting from place to place with a bit of style. They don't particularly do 300 - 400 mile days, but they might, on occasion, get on the bike and go bar hopping.
Touring Bikes (again, generalizing) tend to be owned by middle aged or older riders who enjoy being able to -- on a whim -- pack up a suitcase, then ride in any given direction, usually long distance, with or without their significant other. Think of them as the Winnebego of bikes.
I fall into the latter category, though I use my bike for everything (weather permitting). I love being able to get off of work on a Thursday for a three day weekend (as I'm doing today), having 3 days clothes in the bike, and heading off on a "loop" which encompasses 4 states, and about 1000 miles, on a whim.
The only uncertainty being the hotel room for the night's stay, but even if everything's sold out, I have my tent packed as well. All this while getting 42 miles per gallon, and rocking out to my iPod.
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1 out every 3 car drivers thats moving in Greek roads you will see that they are using their phone while driving, another 1 every 3 cars are still using their phones while driving but they are using a bluetooth device. Even if using phone by bluetooth is legal, its still distracts the attention of driver out of the road and its dangerous. Most accidents are because of lack of attention, and that is something that car drivers are by far exceeding bike riders.
Also, lighter vehicles can go faster and safer than larger ones, even if that distinction in most countries laws are between tracks and all other vehicles, it should be another category : bikes
Also because of the above reasons bikers don't feel secure (and they are not) by being near of larger vehicles, and my suggestion is : overtake when its safe to do, or if the larger vehicle is speeding, slow down for it to get far away, and then continue with your cruising speed.
many car drivers , especially in cities with much traffic do the opposite of defensive driving.
as you see, in everything in life, there are bad people and good people.
But just think, in a collision between car and a bike who will survive and who will not.
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I don't know where you're from, but here in the states, yes, a majority of bikes are sports bikes (the one you linked is a good example of what we call a "crotch rocket").
...
Each bike, like it's owner, has a personality of its own, and tends to amplify those tendencies in their respective owner.
Sport bikes are owned (primarily) by younger people who still feel that they're invulnerable and immortal. As such, putting 150 hp at their disposal in a 400 pound package capable of 200mph has never been a good idea, but until the authorities REQUIRE people to have certain levels of training for each type bike, there ya go.
I'm from England. While I agree that different levels of training for each type of bike would be wise, that wouldn't stop people choosing to ignore that training. I doubt anybody is taught to drive recklessly, but they still do it.
The problems you see are more a problem of regulation, training, and lack of police action
But also of some people being idiots, and choosing to behave in ways which are dangerous to others. No amount of regulation, training or police action will stop people being idiots, or make them start caring about other people's safety.
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@motorollin
Again, motorcycling isn't for everyone. All I can ask is that you accept that not all motorcyclists are insane, dangerous, and rude. Spend some time around the local GoldWing chapter and you'd be literally bored to death.
Wayne
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...Each bike, like it's owner, has a personality of its own, and tends to amplify those tendencies in their respective owner.
Sport bikes are owned (primarily) by younger people who still feel that they're invulnerable and immortal. As such, putting 150 hp at their disposal in a 400 pound package capable of 200mph has never been a good idea, but until the authorities REQUIRE people to have certain levels of training for each type bike, there ya go.
The problems you see are more a problem of regulation, training, and lack of police action. If the police cared enough to crack down (as they do here in my area of the States), then you'd see a lot less of that type crap.
Cruisers (generalizing) are owned by older, middle aged people who just want to enjoy getting from place to place with a bit of style. They don't particularly do 300 - 400 mile days, but they might, on occasion, get on the bike and go bar hopping.
Touring Bikes (again, generalizing) tend to be owned by middle aged or older riders who enjoy being able to -- on a whim -- pack up a suitcase, then ride in any given direction, usually long distance, with or without their significant other. Think of them as the Winnebego of bikes..
hey..what about us enduro riders :-)
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hey..what about us enduro riders :-)
Ah, Enduro.. the Hybrid of motorcyclists. The ones who can't really figure out where they fit in, so try to do a bit of everything when they can. Schizophrenics we used to call them back when I was a youngun...
:)
Seriously, Enduro riders barely even factor into on-the-road driving around here, so I simply forgot. I cannot remember ever seeing one driving down the roads here as a matter of fact.
Wayne
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1 out every 3 car drivers thats moving in Greek roads you will see that they are using their phone while driving, another 1 every 3 cars are still using their phones while driving but they are using a bluetooth device. Even if using phone by bluetooth is legal, its still distracts the attention of driver out of the road and its dangerous. Most accidents are because of lack of attention, and that is something that car drivers are by far exceeding bike riders.
Also, lighter vehicles can go faster and safer than larger ones, even if that distinction in most countries laws are between tracks and all other vehicles, it should be another category : bikes
Also because of the above reasons bikers don't feel secure (and they are not) by being near of larger vehicles, and my suggestion is : overtake when its safe to do, or if the larger vehicle is speeding, slow down for it to get far away, and then continue with your cruising speed.
many car drivers , especially in cities with much traffic do the opposite of defensive driving.
as you see, in everything in life, there are bad people and good people.
But just think, in a collision between car and a bike who will survive and who will not.
Well said - there are good and bad drivers regardless of what they ride/drive. I regularly make eye-contact with drivers who then proceed to pull out right in front of me, many of them on the phone while they do it. I also encountered one horrific experience last summer, where a couple of kids (obviously drunk or high) literally attempted to run me down in their truck, without any provocation whatsoever.
No doubt there's also the small group of inconsiderate or uneducated bikers. The two biggest "risk factor" groups are the stereotypical 18-year old kid who's parents buy him a GSXR as his first bike, followed by the 50-something group of guys, who haven't been on a bike in 20 years or more, and think they can handle an 800 pound hog whilst hopping from bar to bar.
I also agree that stiffer regulation and training can make a difference. In my experience, the more educated the rider, the less likely they are to take risks or behave foolishly - regardless of their amount of actual riding experience. Spending time reading books, and researching how and why most motorcycle accidents happen *will* save your ass.
IMO, a tiered licensing system is a good idea. No child should be allowed on public roads with a 100+ horsepower bike, period. Older folks returning to motorcycling should have to undergo thorough training before receiving a license. While you'll never eliminate all the idiots, stiffer regulation would definitely thin the herd IMHO.
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Wayne,
Sport bikes are owned (primarily) by younger people who still feel that they're invulnerable and immortal. As such, putting 150 hp at their disposal in a 400 pound package capable of 200mph has never been a good idea, but until the authorities REQUIRE people to have certain levels of training for each type bike, there ya go.
My younger brother recently bought a new GSXR-750. The bike is insane - it's much faster than my 1200 Bandit, you could easily get yourself in mortal trouble before you have time to think. While the bike is fantastic to ride (for short bursts anyway), the fact that _anyone_ can roll into a showroom and buy one of these, without even having a valid license, is simply ridiculous.
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My younger brother recently bought a new GSXR-750. The bike is insane - it's much faster than my 1200 Bandit, you could easily get yourself in mortal trouble before you have time to think. While the bike is fantastic to ride (for short bursts anyway), the fact that _anyone_ can roll into a showroom and buy one of these, without even having a valid license, is simply ridiculous.
I totally agree. Been watching some show on SPEED Network about motorcycles when they point out that the GSXR 1100 that people can go out and buy is only a "de-tuned" version of the race track record holding bikes.
Why would anyone need something like that?
Wayne
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Again, motorcycling isn't for everyone. All I can ask is that you accept that not all motorcyclists are insane, dangerous, and rude.
Of course, and I meant no disrespect to those motorcyclists who don't fall in to one of those categories. You just don't see many of them where I live...
Spend some time around the local GoldWing chapter and you'd be literally bored to death.
:lol: If I wanted to be bored to death I'd stay at home and do the literature review for my dissertation. Oh wait, that's what I *am* doing :(
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I agree with Motorollin, and when My son wanted a bike at age 18 I purchased a suzuki 175 and he was enrolled in a DMV approved riding school which I am sure he would have rather avoided. He did however ride that bike for two years with no incidents. He has progressed to a honda shadow 750 since then. I myself have taken two track days training and two rider safety courses in my riding carreer. I guess its time to start thinking about the senior course in a couple years. A friend at work took it and he said it was halarious watching all the new senior riders. I can't wait. I disagree that all sport riders are dangerous. I for one have a desire to buy a new BMW s1000rr. I do not plan to race it on the street. I do appreciate the power and also respect it. I do not do stunts and rarely speed when traffic is present. I also love thinking about the technology beneath me while riding.
Do you need a blizzard ppc card in the amiga? No, but just knowing that you have the technology and can use it daily is enjoyable.
By the way, please move any PPC discussions to their appropriate forum, it was just an example.
One other point, I have seen videos from England, Europe on youtube and it appears that they are the king of bikes. Out here in California you can drive all day without seeing one bike(at least in my area). I think motorcycles are used more in Europe than the USA so maybe there are more incidents. Regardless of where you ride you should be aware of the terain and use your head.
Hey Wayne, I would love to go on a ride sometime. My brother lives in Georgia, if I ride up there sometime maybe I could detour.
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I disagree that any increased mandatory training will significantly reduce motorcycle stupidity, I mean accidents. There is too much regulation in the world already. What might decrease stupid behavior would be more severe punishments for the stupid, be they on motorcycles, cars, using guns, carelessly using other dangerous tools or recreational items, etc. Then make sure everyone knows the penalties for their stupid behavior if they are not responsible with their actions. Individual responsibility should be taught to all young people in school and parents must be responsible for the actions of their children, until they are old enough to be responsible for themselves.
I am now 53 years old and ride my Suzuki 400 DRZ super moto pretty well after not being on two wheels for about 25+ years, but I must admit that the first month of riding again, I had a little incident. I was riding the Kawasaki KLR650 to work one morning, probably the 4th or 5th time on a bike after the long gap of not riding. I was at a stop light in traffic and was surprised by the light change, as I was expecting the left turn light coming towards me to activate first, so I was not prepared to move. I sort of paniced and ended up popping the clutch and pulling the highest and longest wheelie of my life all the way across the intersection. So high that I had to take my feet of the pegs and lay on the seat and tank to prevent from going all the way over. I managed to get the front wheel back on the ground and drag myself back onto the seat and make it to work safely, but it was an extreme adrenelin rush and not something I ever want to repeat. My Suzuki 400 DRZ with aftermarket performance exhaust and a couple of other mods has the same, or more horsepower as the 650 Kawasaki did, but it is much lighter and more fun to ride on the twisty mountain roads.
I don't know if I will ever be a big heavy bike rider, like the harley's and over 1000cc japanese, or german bikes. My very first bike at age 16 was a 175 CZ trials bike.
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Ok, these guys that are swerving in and out from lane to lane are the 1-2% that give the rest of us a bad name. Not to worry though one day they will be the subject of someones horror story, or a red stain in the road.
I ride fast, but not crazy. I lane split (no law against it in Cal), but I do it with common sense. Ive been riding for 40+ years, and best I can say about the crazies is there is a level of performance in most sport bikes that most can just not comprehend. When you get a 20 something on one of these bikes, they just feel they are on another level above any car.
But I agree with Wayne, these are a small % of the total population of bikes out there.
Also to look at from the other side, there WAY more bone heads out there driving 6000lbs steel coffins weaving in and out of traffic, while talking on the phone, drinking their coffee, radio blasting, ect.
But I don't think all car/truck guys are crazy nut cases, just 1-2%..
boB
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I agree with dave partially, Punishment for certain things can help, but only so much. A lot of these guys do not fear getting hurt or incarcerated. How do you punish that?
Amigadave: Quote [I was at a stop light in traffic and was surprised by the light change, as I was expecting the left turn light coming towards me to activate first, so I was not prepared to move. I sort of paniced and ended up popping the clutch and pulling the highest and longest wheelie of my life all the way across the intersection. So high that I had to take my feet of the pegs and lay on the seat and tank to prevent from going all the way over]
Dave, first you should never ride while you are see inanimate objects (stop light) come toward you.
Second, You should never keep throttle open while sitting at a traffic light. Its a bummer when you let the clutch out.
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......Dave, first you should never ride while you are see inanimate objects (stop light) come toward you.
Okay, I should have typed stoplight, not stop light, but it was not coming toward me.
Second, You should never keep throttle open while sitting at a traffic light. Its a bummer when you let the clutch out.
I did not have the throttle open while sitting at the light, but in my rush to get out of the way of the morning traffic that I had snaked my way through to get to the front position in between lanes at the stoplight, I gave the bike a little too much throttle and the clutch slipped out of my hand too quickly.
I would have given almost anything to be a bystander with a video camera at that intersection that morning so I could have caught it on tape. It must have been very impressive to some and hilarious to others.
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@Boglo: you have me beat by about 7 years. I am also in California, I would agree with what you said 100%.
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@amigadave, I am sure now if you did something like that someone would have it on youtube, haha...
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At the mo. I only have the dirt bike. Working on another 1200cc Sportster though, as money trickles in.
I've been riding since 1964 - bought the first new bike in 1966.
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Well, Wayne- I live about 55 miles north on Monteagle Mountain. Lets just get some people together and ride... If you'll be seen around a Harley that is...
Ah, Enduro.. the Hybrid of motorcyclists. The ones who can't really figure out where they fit in, so try to do a bit of everything when they can. Schizophrenics we used to call them back when I was a youngun...
:)
Seriously, Enduro riders barely even factor into on-the-road driving around here, so I simply forgot. I cannot remember ever seeing one driving down the roads here as a matter of fact.
Wayne
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@amigadave, I am sure now if you did something like that someone would have it on youtube, haha...
It was only about 3 years ago when it happened. Scared the $#!t out of me, but I am feeling comfortable riding once again. It just took me a few months of riding to get the hang of it again. :roflmao:
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Upload the pictures to your own personal gallery, then on the Group page, you'll see a line below the members that says "Add Pictures" where you can add group photos from your own album.
thanks Wayne..added a few pics :-)
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Ah, Enduro.. the Hybrid of motorcyclists. The ones who can't really figure out where they fit in, so try to do a bit of everything when they can. Schizophrenics we used to call them back when I was a youngun...
:)
Seriously, Enduro riders barely even factor into on-the-road driving around here, so I simply forgot. I cannot remember ever seeing one driving down the roads here as a matter of fact.
Wayne
hehe ..well I know where I fit in..usually between a tight trail and very large trees !!!...up here in Canada there are quite a few of us 'enduro' riders and the bikes re regular seen on the roads...