The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

[Blind_Io]

I went out riding yesterday and I had an epiphany - major handling break-through. I finally got to a point I felt comfortable getting my weight off the seat and moving my body off the center of the bike (instead of just leaning my upper body). Dear god, what a difference! I was hitting 35mph corners at 70+mph and feeling like I could have rolled on even more power. A look at my tires at the end of the day showed that I was using the entire tread area.

God it felt good. I'm sore today from essentially being in a squat for several hours, but I feel fantastic. The suit is starting to break in a bit and I'm feeling less constricted which is one of the reasons I can move around on the bike more.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

I went out riding yesterday and I had an epiphany - major handling break-through. I finally got to a point I felt comfortable getting my weight off the seat and moving my body off the center of the bike (instead of just leaning my upper body). Dear god, what a difference! I was hitting 35mph corners at 70+mph and feeling like I could have rolled on even more power. A look at my tires at the end of the day showed that I was using the entire tread area.

I had the exact same epiphany a few months ago. The difference is amazing. Not only can I go a lot quicker around corners, but I feel a lot more in control and comfortable at "cruising" speed. I just have to be a bit careful with it as I keep grinding the toe of my boot and my pegs but I can't use my knee as I don't have knee sliders (nor do I really want them).

[Blind_Io]

I just found this site: http://www.rockthegear.org/

A good message for all riders. If you guys have time, please contribute a review or story.

[Redliner]

Nice find!

[mmap]

YEY

Got my bike out of winter storage today... She's purring beautifully! It's a bit cold still, but man I'm gonna be riding that thing everyday.

[British_Rover]

Guy still trying to sell that FZR got some smack talked back to him...

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/1145284019.html

[hansvonaxion]

Bought some new gloves today.

A little pricey, but they're a nice blend of comfort, looks and protection (I think).

I'm absolutely skint so the boots might have to wait.

[Blind_Io]

Good looking gloves, it looks like armor under the knuckles? They look like a good summer glove with all that perforation.

These are the ones I use:


Lots of extra carbon armor, kangaroo leather palm and inner fingers, and good venting. Not so great in the cold, but some glove liners fixed that. Also, the fourth and fifth digits are connected. In a crash it's not uncommon for your fifth finger to be torn so badly that it requires amputation, it's the first thing to hit the ground on your hand and the smallest and weakest. Many racers solved this problem by joining their two fingers.

[hansvonaxion]

These ones don't have armour, it's rubber on the knuckles. The next model up had some carbon on the knucles, but I preferred these.

Good point about the joined fingers, but is that strip of leather enough to hold if you're talking about enough force to rip off a finger?

Oh, and mine are short whereas yours are long. They're more of a summer glove but I prefer thinner gloves as the thick ones deaden the feel.

[smib]

Originally Posted by British_Rover

Guy still trying to sell that FZR got some smack talked back to him...

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/mcy/1145284019.html

Lulz.

On a related note, it turns out that no matter how hard I wished it, affording a bike just isn't in the cards for me this summer. Maybe next year or later this year if an unbelievable deal comes to my attention, but for now I will remain sad and bikeless.

[shad_68]

Argh! Why is Yamaha apparently the only one of the Jap4 to have the decency to offer their enduro/dual-sport bikes in Germany (dunno about the rest of Europe)?!
The new KLR? "Nope, not avaible." DRs? "Sorry, we were too busy offering 10 cruiser variants." Honda? "Uh, sorry, too bad for you."

And what little there is on the used market is often painted in truly horrifiyngly revolting colours. Like this or this.

[efoolution]

Don´t want to spoil the fun here or anything ... but I witnessed a horrible motorbike-accident this week. The rider and his pillion rider (likley girlfriend/wife) were badly injured. Didn´t hit anything just lost controll of his bike (at least from what I could tell) on a straight road but both people weren´t wearing full gear (both only helmet and jacket) and I estimate the speed at something like 80km/h (b-road). Don´t want to go into the details to much (recalling it is actually rather painful for me, even just as witness) but the wounds these two suffered were worse than anything I could have imagined at that speed without hitting obstacles (massive traumata to legs, big ones to the head, hands).

So be reminded ... All the gear, all the time. "Jeans" doesn´t protect you for shit ...

[British_Rover]

Saw this out in front of the LaSalle Market in Collinsville. Pretty good looking bike and sounded awesome.

[Redliner]

Oh yes. Very nice.

[BlaRo]

Just took the bike out of hibernation today - after I installed a new brake lever, it started right up.

And then I get to ride it home to MA in 2 days...woo.

[BlaRo]

And in other news...anybody here ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? If not, I suggest you buy a copy immediately. If you have, then you'll be impressed as I am at this rare collection of color photos from the cross-country trip itself, undertaken in the early 70s.

http://www.atimetoget.com/2009/05/or...n-and-art.html



Author Robert Pirsig and his son Chris on their Honda motorcycle, specifically a 1964 CB77 SuperHawk.



Their friend John and Sylvia on their BMW R60, who accompany them at the beginning of the book.

[hansvonaxion]

Read that books years ago, thanks for the pics.

I'm itching for a long ride again. My mates always trying to talk me into Northern India on Enfields but I never have the money. I'm sure it'll happen eventually.

[Redliner]

I did read that book.
Thanks for the pictures!

[British_Rover]

Just got this awesome jacket from new enough on close out.

MSRP 300 bucks paid 109 dollars plus shipping.

http://www.newenough.com/closeouts/b...le_jacket.html

[BlaRo]

Right now I'm in a motel in the Berkshires after riding 180 miles from Syracuse, NY. It's the farthest I've ever ridden at one time and the first time I've ever gone long-distance.

Some things I've realized:

I desperately need a new helmet. My current one pinches the top of my head to the point where it's absolutely unbearable. I can only ride for 10 miles before it starts to hurt like hell, even though I can usually bear it for 50 miles. And it's XL already, so what am I, a human bobble head?

I have new respect for Iron Butt riders. Being on a bike for this long was definitely harder than I ever thought.

Maybe it was an especially windy day today, but the crosswinds managed to scare the hell out of me. I may have done 70 on some straight back roads just fine, but the 3 exits I had to do on I-87 were harrowing, for some reason. What riding jackets help reduce the effects?

The wave: I feel like a dick if I don't notice and respond. I got waves from old guys on Goldwings, squids on GSX-Rs, sportbike riders with their girlfriends, some old UJMs, and one guy on a sweet old Triumph. But out of the 12 dozen fat guys on Harleys I saw, I only got one response. Sheesh, how antisocial are those guys?

Anyway, it's storming like crazy outside so my parents and I are staying in a motel. I have about 120 more miles to go before I'm home, so I have all day tomorrow. Should be fun.