I want a motorcycle - Page 3

livius drusus · #51 04-09-2006, 01:49 PM

Gosh, that bike looks so tall, pesci. Mounting it must be like getting on a horse. :eek:

Congratulations on the new baby, Kev. May your swagger increase proportionally. :victory:

ceptimus · #52 04-09-2006, 02:48 PM

Inspired by this thread, I took my blackbird out for its first run this year today. I visited the local Royal Enfield dealer to have a look at one of those single cylinder bikes, but being Sunday the dealer was closed, and I couldn't even see one of the bikes through the window.

On the way back, I had a quick blast up to 140mph which is the fastest I've been this year, not counting riding on commercial jets.

:motor:

Kevlar · #53 04-09-2006, 03:50 PM

140! Jesus, Joseph, and Mary! Now that's the way to start off the riding season.

Many years ago, I spent a few years riding in helicopters, and the Huey that I was on only topped out at 130.

It's now time for me to ride!

viscousmemories · #54 04-09-2006, 05:08 PM

I've always wanted to learn to ride, but I'm afraid! I took my friend's BMW for a quick spin in a parking lot once and found it very difficult to master the whole foot-operated clutch concept and it was therefore pretty terrifying. I'm sure I could get it eventually (I can drive a car with a manual transmission and I can handle mopeds and such just fine) but I don't want to die trying. Any tips?

Kevlar · #55 04-09-2006, 05:22 PM

Most community colleges offer a training course. The ones here cost about $125, and they provide everything you need including the motorcycle. It takes one weekend and it counts as the driving portion of the state license test. There are proper techniques for shifting, braking, and turning, and they are not intuitive, so it's best to learn from a professional. I haven't taken the class yet, but I'm going tomorrow to sign up. It's been years since I've ridden, and I need a good refresher.

Motorcycles can be very intimidating and that's the way it should be. They are much harder to drive than cars, and are not nearly as forgiving. A good rider will be cautious and always put safety first.

Here's a link to help find a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCourse

viscousmemories · #56 04-09-2006, 05:27 PM

Ah, cool. It hadn't even occurred to me that a community college might teach it. Thanks for the tip.

Kevlar · #57 04-09-2006, 05:29 PM

I just edited my previous post with a link that might be helpful.

pescifish · #58 04-09-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Gosh, that bike looks so tall, pesci. Mounting it must be like getting on a horse.

It's on the centerstand in that photo; it was much closer to the ground when off stand. But, yeah, it was tall and I had it lowered (changed the suspension to drop it a couple of inches) at the first service.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

I took my friend's BMW for a quick spin in a parking lot once and found it very difficult to master the whole foot-operated clutch concept and it was therefore pretty terrifying. I'm sure I could get it eventually (I can drive a car with a manual transmission and I can handle mopeds and such just fine) but I don't want to die trying. Any tips?

You could do what I did: trade in the vehicle you drove to the dealership on when you buy one and learn to ride on the 8 miles home.

The NSF course is excellent and a lot of fun, too. I highly recommend it!

Dingfod · #59 04-09-2006, 08:46 PM

Honda built something very much like that Royal Enfield back in the late 1980s, called the GB500 Clubman Special.

Somewhere on the internet I read of a guy that rode a new India built Royal Enfield from the East Coast to California without any problems at all. Stick to the backroads though, even though it will go 75 mph, it isn't much fun at speeds over 55-60 mph.

Kevlar · #60 04-09-2006, 09:32 PM

Yeah, that's what I saw at the dealership. I don't think it was for sale, just on display.

All the way across country, eh? Maybe the bike didn't have any probems, but I'll bet his ass and back did.

viscousmemories · #61 04-09-2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescifish

You could do what I did: trade in the vehicle you drove to the dealership on when you buy one and learn to ride on the 8 miles home.

Ballsy!

By the time I was done reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance I was ready to build my own bike from the ground up. Unfortunately I was incarcerated at the time, and by the time I got out I had lost the inclination.

pescifish · #62 04-10-2006, 03:05 AM

You might enjoy building a motorcycle from the ground up. I know some guys who spend their weekends tinkering with their bikes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescifish

You could do what I did: trade in the vehicle you drove to the dealership on when you buy one and learn to ride on the 8 miles home.

Ballsy!

Yeah, I learned how to drive a manual car via the same method: the first car I bought on my own was a stick shift and I had the guy at the dealer test drive it for me. When I went to pick it up, he gave me the keys and I had to drive the 45 miles across LA to get home.

I figured if the sales guy was able to drive it, I could suck it up and get myself home. The salesman had lost his right arm at the shoulder and during my test drive, he had given me the best verbal explanation/instruction of how to drive a stick that I had received up to that point in time.

pescifish · #63 04-10-2006, 03:07 AM

Ok NC_Kev -- did the weather cooperate today for a good ride? I want to get my vicarious thrills!

Dingfod · #64 04-10-2006, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescifish

You might enjoy building a motorcycle from the ground up.

A touch on the expensive side, there's Bike in a Box. By expensive, I mean quite a bit more money than the Honda NC_Kev just got. Cycle World magazine had an article in the latest issue about building one. Theirs was a beautiful red and gray one.

viscousmemories · #65 04-10-2006, 06:22 AM

There's really no way I could build a motorcycle - I'm not that mechanically inclined. I can build a computer and do trivial home maintenance and improvement tasks, but after a point I'm all thumbs. My brother completely disassembled his Yamaha 750 in our basement when he was about 16-17, cleaned every tiny little part and then put it all back together from memory. I doubt I could've gotten it apart with a sledgehammer, much less reassembled it.

Kevlar · #66 04-10-2006, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescifish

Ok NC_Kev -- did the weather cooperate today for a good ride? I want to get my vicarious thrills!

Yes it did pesci! Thanks for asking. Yesterday and today are beautiful Spring days here in the NC piedmont. I put a good 100 miles on it yesterday, would have done more but took a little time to go see 'V for Vendetta'.

It was 35 degrees F here this morning, but I still rode to work. Can't wait for my windshield to get here. I'm not sure what the windchill is at 35 degrees with a 70 mph wind, but I can tell you it will wake you up.

Kevlar · #67 04-10-2006, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

There's really no way I could build a motorcycle - I'm not that mechanically inclined. I can build a computer and do trivial home maintenance and improvement tasks, but after a point I'm all thumbs. My brother completely disassembled his Yamaha 750 in our basement when he was about 16-17, cleaned every tiny little part and then put it all back together from memory. I doubt I could've gotten it apart with a sledgehammer, much less reassembled it.

And on top of just having the parts of the bike, you'll need tools, garage/shed space, stands, jacks, time, etc... If your like me, you would probably get halfway though the project... a month of busted knuckes, grease under the fingernails, wife and/or girlfriend incessantly complaining... then the half-built bike and various unassembled parts would sit it your garage for years making a fine place for dust to rest.

Dingfod · #68 04-11-2006, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viscousmemories

I doubt I could've gotten it apart with a sledgehammer, much less reassembled it.

pescifish · #69 04-11-2006, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC_Kev

It was 35 degrees F here this morning, but I still rode to work. Can't wait for my windshield to get here.

The way I read this, it almost sounds like your windshield simply decided to stay home in the warm garage while you took your bike out to torture it.

I'm glad you had good weather for Sunday's ride.

Kevlar · #70 04-11-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pescifish

Quote:

Originally Posted by NC_Kev

It was 35 degrees F here this morning, but I still rode to work. Can't wait for my windshield to get here.

The way I read this, it almost sounds like your windshield simply decided to stay home in the warm garage while you took your bike out to torture it.

I'm glad you had good weather for Sunday's ride.

My windshield is somewhere in a warm FedEx truck, it's supposed to arive on Thrusday. Until then, I'll be riding "old school".

livius drusus · #71 04-12-2006, 03:27 PM

A little heartwarming story for all you biker types. :aww:

Dingfod · #72 04-12-2006, 08:11 PM

I had one of those once. I bought a beat up Yamaha RD350 for $100, proceeded to beat it up some more, then sold it for $100. It was fun while it lasted, at least it was up until I hurt my back because of it.

Dingfod · #73 04-13-2006, 09:59 PM

My Corbin seat came in today. It took some doing, but I got it put on Moby the Great White Frigidaire. It looks like this one:

Smilin · #74 04-17-2006, 02:44 PM

Kev,

We just got a motorcycle yesterday. A Suzuki 120, dirt/street bike. Not as nice as some of the ones posted here in your thread....but hey...WE'RE LOVING IT!

Gotta get me a marquee dirt bike now for my signature thread...lol

Kevlar · #75 04-17-2006, 06:05 PM

Hey, that's great Smilin, those little bikes are a lot of fun. Do you have a teenage son that you got it for?

I finally took some pictures of my new bike, and here it is: