Motorcycle Mayhem

[Conan]

Built the bike below when I was 17, still ride it. Chock full of gremlins, though. It's a '67 Tiger front loop, with a '70 650 bottom end, big-bore kit to 750. It'll scoot, given a looooong run-out to stop...dual drums suck.

Lots of cool bikes here, and glad to see other Triumph owners!
Grew up on dirtbikes. Haven't wrecked the street yet, but we all know the saying...those that have, and haven't. Kyle

 

[EvilEagle]

You use your GS for the track????

I have put it on the track. People get surprised in Deal's Gap when I pass them with all my gear strapped to the back of it.

 

[silver-eagle]

The one I want is from MTT but I've been banned from riding as it is too dangerous. I'll just have to settle for this!
Maybe some day.

 

[Arbiter419]

The one I want is from MTT but I've been banned from riding as it is too dangerous. I'll just have to settle for this!
Maybe some day.

Man, that Silver Eagle 210...Imagine pulling up at a fly in breakfast or something and backing into your parking space. That's style!

 

[housefly]

Learned to ride on a friend's Yamaha 80,13yrs old,
bikes I've owned:
Suzuki 150
Suzuki X-6 Hustler(250cc)
'67 BSA Spitfire MarkIII
presently riding '78 BMW R100/7

 

[Ken Ibold]

My first bike was a 78 Honda 750K. After that I got a 82 VFR700 Magna, which was fast and handled great. Dropped out of bikes in about 84 until 2006, then got a Honda 600 Shadow, which was a full of warts design. Too small gas tank, transmission's gear ratios made no sense, fuel economy was actually poor, some hinkey design choices all around. Traded that shortly thereafter for an 07 Honda Shadow Spirit, with a Mustang seat, tiny Memphis Shades fairing that takes the wind off the chest and neck. I like it fine, though the V-twins are not as smooth at highway speed as I wish they were. Small criticism, though, of a good, bulletproof bike.

 

[PittsDriver]

I went shopping last summer and ended up last August ordering a BMW K1600GT. I picked it up about a month ago and even with the spotty weather have put about 800 miles on it.

http://gallery.me.com/thejonaks#101067

I just happened to be hanging around the dealer like a lost puppy the day it arrived and got those photos of them uncrating it. I'm still pinching myself that this thing is really in my garage. This bike has created a new category - the hooligan/touring bike: it'll power wheelie in first and second gear - all 700 lbs of it.

Wes

 

[cavmedic]

I went shopping last summer and ended up last August ordering a BMW K1600GT. I picked it up about a month ago and even with the spotty weather have put about 800 miles on it.

http://gallery.me.com/thejonaks#101067

I just happened to be hanging around the dealer like a lost puppy the day it arrived and got those photos of them uncrating it. I'm still pinching myself that this thing is really in my garage. This bike has created a new category - the hooligan/touring bike: it'll power wheelie in first and second gear - all 700 lbs of it.

Wes

Looks like an angry Johny 5 from the front ......

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Stock seats on motorcycles are uniformly awful, for reasons that escape me.

I always put Corbin seats on my bikes.

I went to their headquarters in Hollister (put the moto on a pick up truck I rented). I saw a guy with an "Arlen Ness" (?) there and said "copy what he is doing". So my sport bike looked kind of silly but I picked out the black leather and red trim / striping to match my black / red fairings and the inlay stitching with celtic designs was cool:

 

[kimberlyanne546]

(Yes those are red and black suede streamers on my red aluminum bar ends and yes that is a pink bicycle bell)

EDIT: there is also a Hello Kitty sticker on the license plate, a lady bug magnet on the tank that matches the red/black theme, and a keychain with a red bunny.

 

[Anthony]

(Yes those are red and black suede streamers on my red aluminum bar ends and yes that is a pink bicycle bell)

EDIT: there is also a Hello Kitty sticker on the license plate, a lady bug magnet on the tank that matches the red/black theme, and a keychain with a red bunny.

Do you also have a Hello Kitty sticker on your 1% Hells Angels MC jacket? Any bunnies?

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Do you also have a Hello Kitty sticker on your 1% Hells Angels MC jacket? Any bunnies?

Hells angels? It is an icon women's moto leather jacket that reminded me of that movie Michael Jackson was in where they have that animated scene with that rabbit and he pilots a motorcycle through a tunnel.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

My jacket:

MJ's jacket:

 

[DeeG]

I went shopping last summer and ended up last August ordering a BMW K1600GT. I picked it up about a month ago and even with the spotty weather have put about 800 miles on it.

http://gallery.me.com/thejonaks#101067

Wes

~gasp~ pretty!!! I want one.

 

[steingar]

I

Nice bike (the little brother of mine) but those fringe things do NOT belong on a race-bred sportbike. Those are strictly for Harleys.







They show when the Harleys are actually moving.


Do be careful. That's a whole lot of motorcycle.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Nice bike (the little brother of mine) but those fringe things do NOT belong on a race-bred sportbike. Those are strictly for Harleys.







They show when the Harleys are actually moving.


Do be careful. That's a whole lot of motorcycle.

I sold it, that thing scared the crap out of me. The BF was in love with it, it was SO NICE that he'd steal it to ride to work and hide the streamers in his fist so his male coworkers (well ok he's their boss) wouldn't make fun of him. He came home to me one day and reported it "power wheelies" in second gear when you open throttle past 80.

Made me wonder two things:

Where in our small country town the streets had an 80mph speed limit (Windsor, CA)

Why on earth a person wouldn't shift when there are SIX GEARS

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Oh and I hated being tippy-toed in my stiff race boots. I could only flat foot the Ninja. I found very few flat footable bikes and I'm 5'6" - though the BMW GS bikes have a "lowering" option at the dealer. And ABS!

 

[steingar]

I sold it, that thing scared the crap out of me. The BF was in love with it, it was SO NICE that he'd steal it to ride to work and hide the streamers in his fist so his male coworkers (well ok he's their boss) wouldn't make fun of him. He came home to me one day and reported it "power wheelies" in second gear when you open throttle past 80.

Yes, modern sportbikes are breathtakingly easily wheelied. I myself don't partake, as I regard such behavior as juvenile exhibitionism and little more.

Made me wonder two things:

Where in our small country town the streets had an 80mph speed limit (Windsor, CA)

Speed limits? On a sportbike?

Why on earth a person wouldn't shift when there are SIX GEARS

Why shift when you can wheelie?

Despite my outward bravado, I rarely ride like a maniac, and confine most of my more maniac riding to the mountains and valleys of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia.

I know what you mean about not reaching ground level, my 954 is one of the few sportbikes I can have the balls of my feet on the ground. It is a pity you let it scare you though. With a bit of throttle control modern sportbikes are the safest ever made. The greatest danger to bikers is inattentive cagers. Sportbikes have the acceleration, braking, and maneuverability to get well out of the way.

My proviso to all the bikers. You are invisible to most cagers except a small few, who will actively try to murder you.

Sorry if this offends non-bikers, but taken as an aggregate is sadly true. I'd rather have offended cagers than dead bikers, I know too many already. Be safe out there. Bikes are as dangerous as airplanes, or so the statistics say. I've probably posted it before, but it is one of the very few pieces of wisdom I own, and bears repeating.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

I go out of my way to see bikes and avoid them. We have a lot of lane splitters in CA so they ride dangerously close to my car - daily. Sometimes they notice what I'm doing and give me the peace sign (the way sport bikers say hi when they pass each other).

 

[Doggtyred]

Oh and I hated being tippy-toed in my stiff race boots. I could only flat foot the Ninja. I found very few flat footable bikes and I'm 5'6" - though the BMW GS bikes have a "lowering" option at the dealer. And ABS!

Our local pd traded their ABS BMW police bikes after the ABS failed causing an uncommanded brake lock while in motion. Or something uncool like that.

 

[silver-eagle]

....SNIP.... The greatest danger to bikers is inattentive cagers. ....SNIP....

The greatest danger to ANYONE on or near a road are inattentive/distracted drivers. Doesn't matter if you're in a car, on a bike, or walking. Many just do not know the rules of the road nor do they care. They firmly believe they have a God given right to do whatever they want, however THEY want and you just need to get out of their way.

 

[Ted]

Nice bike (the little brother of mine) but those fringe things do NOT belong on a race-bred sportbike. Those are strictly for Harleys.

They belong on the bike of anyone who chooses to put them on. That's the nice thing about having your own motorcycle - you can customize it however you wish.

They show when the Harleys are actually moving.

It depends on the Harley, but I find that they really look better on the old Indians (or the new Indians, which are supposed to look like old Indians). I wouldn't put them on my Ultra Classic, and don't think they'd look good on it. But some of the older Harleys might do alright.

 

[steingar]

The greatest danger to ANYONE on or near a road are inattentive/distracted drivers. Doesn't matter if you're in a car, on a bike, or walking. Many just do not know the rules of the road nor do they care. They firmly believe they have a God given right to do whatever they want, however THEY want and you just need to get out of their way.

Yeah, but if they hit you while you're in the car, odds are you have a fender bender and an insurance claim. If they hit you on the bike, you might earn yourself permanent trip to the cemetery.

There is an extra issue bikes though. People often don't see what they aren't expecting, they just don't. People for the most part don't expect bikes.

 

[Ted]

Yeah, but if they hit you while you're in the car, odds are you have a fender bender and an insurance claim. If they hit you on the bike, you might earn yourself permanent trip to the cemetery.

There is an extra issue bikes though. People often don't see what they aren't expecting, they just don't. People for the most part don't expect bikes.

This is an accurate summary. You can do whatever you want to make yourself more visible on a bike. In my case, I have lots of lights, a loud horn, etc. That doesn't mean that people will see me. In fact, I'm pretty well certain most people won't.

Now, on the two-lane road that I drive back and forth to one of my airports, the motorcycle has the advantage of being narrower and thus needing less space to pass. Someone even halfway into my lane if I'm on a motorcycle means I have space to squeeze through, whereas in a car I won't. But in the car I have a much higher probability of surviving an accident.

I limit the majority of my riding to day VFR conditions.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I ride assuming people can't see me and they are trying to kill me, I don't rely on visibility and horns. I use the smaller size and superior maneuverability of a bike to offset the lack of protection. It's kept me alive for a very long time. 90% of my riding is in heavy traffic, with lots of lane splitting.

 

[jesse]

I just try not to crash into anything and try to avoid those crashing into me. There is certainly a degree of luck involved in street motorcycle operations.

 

[N801BH]

I ride assuming people can't see me and they are trying to kill me, I don't rely on visibility and horns. I use the smaller size and superior maneuverability of a bike to offset the lack of protection. It's kept me alive for a very long time. 90% of my riding is in heavy traffic, with lots of lane splitting.

You claim to be a "defensive" rider.. and then go on to admit to lane splitting ...

Sounds counterproductive to me...

Ben.

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

There are quite a few of us here. I ride a honda cb650 in places it probably shouldn't go.
I don't do nor am I associated in any form with pirate poser wannabe stuff.

I'm thinking of trading my 750 Nighthawk for a 650 because of the shaft drive.

The only maintenance those bikes need is oil changes!!

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

I had a 78 Yamaha XS750SE once, nice 3 cylinder bike, smooth engine. Currently have a 92 Yamaha VMax which I use other than in the winter and not as frequently as I would like. Not a great seat for long rides though madie it to Rolling Thunder last year.

Don't they make Corbin seats for the V-Max?

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

I like all the bikes for their different purposes. And if you don't consider Harleys as real bikes, you probably shouldn't consider any of the planes we fly real planes with real engines.

On the contrary, most planes out there are competent machines that serve their intended purpose fairly well. You can't say that about most Harleys, they're heavy, underpowered and overpriced. They've made a few good bikes here and there, but those seem to be the exception. Buell had the right idea to take a Harley V-twin, boost the power and put it in a lighter machine.

My 750NH, on the other hand, is a very competent, general purpose machine. It's comfortable to ride long distance, has adequate power, has good handling (obviously not as good as a sport bike though), requires minimal maintenance and only cost $2000 in very good condition. Harley only made a few machines that compare with the basic CB750 and they were much more expensive.

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

I've had:
'85 Honda Nighthawk 700S
'01 Suzuki Bandit 1200S

Now I have:
'11 Kawasaki Concours 1400

Those are all good bikes. I like the CB700S for the shaft drive.

 

[fgcason]

I'm thinking of trading my 750 Nighthawk for a 650 because of the shaft drive.

It depends on the year model. My 650 has a chain. Actually I don't want shaft drive because of the maintenance hassles and expensive/more difficult to find parts involved. People think I'm crazy because of it but whatever.

The only maintenance those bikes need is oil changes!!

And even that's almost optional for the entire CB series.

 

[silver-eagle]

I've owned 3 different bikes and rode quite a number of others. One of my buddies and all his kids ride so I get to test drive all their new toys. Don't laugh, but here they are. My first was a Harley... Yeah, the AMF one.

 

[Sac Arrow]

You claim to be a "defensive" rider.. and then go on to admit to lane splitting ...

Sounds counterproductive to me...

Ben.

I very PROUDLY "admit" to lane splitting. CHP motor cops have zero issue with it either, and in fact they expect motorcyclists here to do so. It is both legal and frequently practiced in California. I wish they would allow it in the other 49 States. I feel much safer between the lanes that I do in the "sandwich zone" following behind cars. I can move and/or stay out of the way of laterally moving vehicles much more easily than I can get out of the way of a rear ender.

There are times in the Bay Area and LA that if you don't lane split, you don't MOVE. The ability to do that and use the HOV lanes when I'm by myself is the #1, primary motivator for me to ride vs. take the car. The time saved on a long Bay commute can be in the order of HOURS.

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

I'm looking for a good second-first bike. I bit off a little too much for the first one.

I'm thinking of a Honda Shadow... any other recomendations?

I'd seriously consider the Kawasaki Versys 650. It's a standard bike that uses the same parallel twin engine as the Ninja 650. It would make a good long distance bike.

 

[Ted]

On the contrary, most planes out there are competent machines that serve their intended purpose fairly well. You can't say that about most Harleys, they're heavy, underpowered and overpriced. They've made a few good bikes here and there, but those seem to be the exception. Buell had the right idea to take a Harley V-twin, boost the power and put it in a lighter machine.

Spoken like someone who has never ridden a Harley, and has no understanding of how they actually ride, behave, and operate.

My 750NH, on the other hand, is a very competent, general purpose machine. It's comfortable to ride long distance, has adequate power, has good handling (obviously not as good as a sport bike though), requires minimal maintenance and only cost $2000 in very good condition. Harley only made a few machines that compare with the basic CB750 and they were much more expensive.

Sounds good. When you go to join the Iron Butt and get extremely uncomfortable only a couple hundred miles in, I'll be happily doing 1000 miles in a day and keep going. Have fun!

 

[steingar]

You claim to be a "defensive" rider.. and then go on to admit to lane splitting ...

Sounds counterproductive to me...

Ben.

One of the advantages of splitting lanes is if you can find an area free of cars, you can get to it. That, and its harder to hit a moving target.

Actually, lane splitting at a safe velocity is far safer than standing in traffic. You can very easily be hit hard from behind in stop and go traffic, and it can be hard to monitor your six all the time (impossible on the sport bike). Splitting, you're watching ahead. If you do run into something, it's only at 10 mph if you're being responsible. You won't die of such a collision, though you might damage your bike. Might not. You minimize your exposure to cars, and your exposure to the elements, which can be quite debilitating upon long exposure while wearing protective clothing.

 

[DeeG]

I sold it, that thing scared the crap out of me. The BF was in love with it, it was SO NICE that he'd steal it to ride to work and hide the streamers in his fist so his male coworkers (well ok he's their boss) wouldn't make fun of him. He came home to me one day and reported it "power wheelies" in second gear when you open throttle past 80.

Made me wonder two things:

Where in our small country town the streets had an 80mph speed limit (Windsor, CA)

Why on earth a person wouldn't shift when there are SIX GEARS

lol.

Spouse was taking my 'new to me' Guzzi Scura for a test ride before we bought it. He came back after about 30 minutes or so with a big ole grin on his face. First thing he says is, "Did you know, that when you're at 85 mph and you shift into 6th and give it throttle the front wheel comes off the ground?"

And I understand about the not shifting thing. We have a couple of bikes that never see anything higher than 4th unless we're doing 70+.

 

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

I sold my NH and got an '07 Suzuki V-Strom 650 with 12k miles on it.

So far I love the Strom. It gets good gas mileage (60+mpg when I can keep my hand out of the throttle) and it has a 5.8 gal tank which gives it almost a 350 mile range. I've got Barkbuster handguards, heated grips, 12V plug in, crash bars, skid plate and highway footpegs for mine.

It's a great machine for long highway trips and can do dirt roads with ease with the right tires. Since I only own one motorcycle right now, this is the one to have because it can do almost anything.

 

[kgruber]

Yamaha Roadliner "S" dressed like a Stratoliner, Ultimate seat. Why do factory seats suck so?