68 replies to this topic

[Penguin]

Add me to the list of Harley owners. 2005 Softtail Deluxe. I've had some aftermarket work done to it so that it looks and sounds better as well as performs much better than stock. D, you are right, though, they are scary and I've found that rarely is it the actual rider that causes the problem, but instead, the driver of the car or truck that is not paying attention enough to driving to notice the bike. Once a collision takes place, it really doesn't matter because the bike rider never does well.

I prefer back roads and to stay off of highways. I once had an 18-wheeler try to change lanes over the top of me on an interstate.

The one good thing about my move to AR is that it is an abslutely fabulous motorcycle state. Although we don't have a helmet law, I've always got one on my coconut when riding. And to D's point made earlier, I also have a 4WD and a racing ATV and each of those are more dangerous to ride than is my Harley--especially tha racer.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

I quit riding when I became a mom, and for some reason now that she is all grown, I haven't gotten back into it, other than scooters & small bikes on islands. I have a picture in some old scrapbook, I'm about 16 years old on a Kawasaki 250 dirt bike. Lived in southern NM back then, and we used to tear the desert up on those bikes! Ah, the glory days.....

[ScubaFred]

How many SD riders get out in the winter to keep their motorcycle batteries charged?

I got a Yamaha 650 about 1 1/2 years ago and decided I would get out in the freezin' cold at least once a month in order to call myself a real biker. Not that I go very far or very long, but I don't care for winter storage.

I also don't care for a windshield. A friend who has a windshield and faring says it's just like driving a car. Well, what's the point? I drive a car every day. I'll take the wind in my face. I do have a face shield, though, and I'm getting pretty good at not fogging it up on cold days.

[peterbj7]

I'll take the wind in my face

Depends on speed. You try riding the average "naked" bike much faster than say 60mph. But a full fairing usually isn't necessary - a well-designed cockpit fairing can do the job quite well. The best I've ever used was on my Triumph Tiger, where just a tiny fairing surrounding the twin headlamps was effective all the way up to 130mph.

But the best fairing I ever came across was the one fitted to the BMW R100RS. Even in the worst deluge and standing water you stayed totally dry so long as you were travelling at at least 15mph.

As to all-weather riding, my R90S and I commuted 50 miles each way through a foul winter, with three weeks of heavy snow compacted on the roads. The worst time to be riding is when the roads are wet but it isn't actually raining, as there's nothing to wash off the greasy film from your visor and you end up blind. In those conditions I'm stopping every few minutes to clean it. In those conditions as well other motorists really don't see you, so you need to make yourself very visible indeed.

[hambergler]

lynnlchan: CZs were made in the old Czechoslovakia; from what I remember they were mainly two stroke dirt bikes, and mainly motocross bikes. My father's was a 125cc Joel Robert (pronounce it row-BEAR) replica, as Robert had won the motocross World Championship the previous year (1971?).

Bikes I've owned (somewhat in order): Yamaha XS400D (street bike), Husqvarna 360 Automatic (my first motocross bike), two Yamaha SR500s (street bikes), Yamaha YZ490 (motocross bike), Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca (street bike, my daily driver in college, and I even roadraced it once at the old Austin Aquafest in 1985), Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special (street bike, still have it), Yamaha YSR50 (my first real roadracer, and my father and I owned a total of five over the years), Yamaha XJ400 Seca (roadracer), Yamaha SRX-6 (roadracer), Honda RS125R (production roadracer, owned two of them, and they are 100% pure crack on two wheels), Honda CBR600F4 (roadracer), Honda GL1000 Gold Wing (a 1976, street bike garage queen, still have it), Yamaha Riva 50 (scooter pit bike, still have it), two Kawasaki EX250 baby Ninjas (roadracers).

Bikes I've raced (not in order--it was a 20 year addiction to sprint and team endurance racing, and things get hazy): See list above, plus: Yamaha YZ80, Yamaha FZR400, Yamaha FZR600 and YZF600 (not the R6), Yamaha FZ750R (and the same bike with a 1000 motor in its chassis), Honda Hawk 650, Kawasaki ZX-7, Honda CBR600F1, Honda CBR600F2, Yamaha XV550 Vision, Yamaha TTR-125 (motard), Yamaha YSR with an 80 motor, Honda RS with an 80 motor, Yamaha YZF600, and Suzuki SV650.

I got to the point where I'd ride anything that was offered to me, and in endurance racing (especially after you've built a reputation for being fast and not a crasher) I rode for several teams (most of the second set of bikes were ridden in endurance racing, some in the same weekend with different teams).

The preference for Yamaha was because my father worked as a district sales rep for them for many years.

The next bike I'm looking for is a 250 four stroke dirt bike for playing in the woods.

While I used to regularly ride on the street before I started racing, it now scares the beejesus out of me. It's too random and uncontrolled compared to racing, with too much stuff to hit or get hit by, populated by too many morons talking on cell phones, and with too many negative outcomes to falling off (and if you haven't fallen off, you WILL).

[BubbleBoy]

I rode my Piaggio MP3 to work last Friday in 28 deg F temps (not counting the wind chill at 55 mph). It’s the best way I’ve found to wake myself up in the morning.

People make fun of scooters, but, this bike is the most fun I’ve ever had on wheels, and I once owned a Ferrari and a Cobra Replica.

What makes this three-wheeler unique is its ability to lean in turns like a two wheel bike, but stand upright when stopped via a wheel locking mechanism which can be manually activated below 500rpm and 5mph. I don’t have to put my feet on the ground at a stoplight. I just sit there, then take off like a rocket from a sitting position. Even though it’s only has 250 cc, the CVT transmission gets me from 0-60 in about 5 seconds. I also get great traction, braking, and control from the extra front wheel. It’s a much safer ride than most bikes. I’ve got no complaints about the gas mileage either (70mpg).

I do get a lot of strange looks from other drivers, but, that’s part of the fun too.

[lynnlchan]

How many SD riders get out in the winter to keep their motorcycle batteries charged?

I got a Yamaha 650 about 1 1/2 years ago and decided I would get out in the freezin' cold at least once a month in order to call myself a real biker. Not that I go very far or very long, but I don't care for winter storage.

I also don't care for a windshield. A friend who has a windshield and faring says it's just like driving a car. Well, what's the point? I drive a car every day. I'll take the wind in my face. I do have a face shield, though, and I'm getting pretty good at not fogging it up on cold days.

I have friends that make it a goal to ride every month of the year and up here you have to be pretty darned hardy for that. I'm a weenie, park them for the winter.

I think it depends on the windshield. Sportbikes are designed so the wind hits you around the shoulder area - it holds you up at speed keeping the pressure off your wrists/handlebars. I have a bikini fairing on one bike - not that functional but I like the look.

[lynnlchan]

I rode my Piaggio MP3 to work last Friday in 28 deg F temps (not counting the wind chill at 55 mph). It’s the best way I’ve found to wake myself up in the morning.

People make fun of scooters, but, this bike is the most fun I’ve ever had on wheels, and I once owned a Ferrari and a Cobra Replica.

What makes this three-wheeler unique is its ability to lean in turns like a two wheel bike, but stand upright when stopped via a wheel locking mechanism which can be manually activated below 500rpm and 5mph. I don’t have to put my feet on the ground at a stoplight. I just sit there, then take off like a rocket from a sitting position. Even though it’s only has 250 cc, the CVT transmission gets me from 0-60 in about 5 seconds. I also get great traction, braking, and control from the extra front wheel. It’s a much safer ride than most bikes. I’ve got no complaints about the gas mileage either (70mpg).

I do get a lot of strange looks from other drivers, but, that’s part of the fun too.

That looks like a h#ll of a lot of fun. Is that you leaning in the second picture????

Racing never ceases to amaze me for that reason. You see those guys ride and wow, it's captivating.

[lynnlchan]

lynnlchan: CZs were made in the old Czechoslovakia; from what I remember they were mainly two stroke dirt bikes, and mainly motocross bikes. My father's was a 125cc Joel Robert (pronounce it row-BEAR) replica, as Robert had won the motocross World Championship the previous year (1971?).

Bikes I've owned (somewhat in order): Yamaha XS400D (street bike), Husqvarna 360 Automatic (my first motocross bike), two Yamaha SR500s (street bikes), Yamaha YZ490 (motocross bike), Yamaha XJ650RJ Seca (street bike, my daily driver in college, and I even roadraced it once at the old Austin Aquafest in 1985), Yamaha RD400F Daytona Special (street bike, still have it), Yamaha YSR50 (my first real roadracer, and my father and I owned a total of five over the years), Yamaha XJ400 Seca (roadracer), Yamaha SRX-6 (roadracer), Honda RS125R (production roadracer, owned two of them, and they are 100% pure crack on two wheels), Honda CBR600F4 (roadracer), Honda GL1000 Gold Wing (a 1976, street bike garage queen, still have it), Yamaha Riva 50 (scooter pit bike, still have it), two Kawasaki EX250 baby Ninjas (roadracers).

Bikes I've raced (not in order--it was a 20 year addiction to sprint and team endurance racing, and things get hazy): See list above, plus: Yamaha YZ80, Yamaha FZR400, Yamaha FZR600 and YZF600 (not the R6), Yamaha FZ750R (and the same bike with a 1000 motor in its chassis), Honda Hawk 650, Kawasaki ZX-7, Honda CBR600F1, Honda CBR600F2, Yamaha XV550 Vision, Yamaha TTR-125 (motard), Yamaha YSR with an 80 motor, Honda RS with an 80 motor, Yamaha YZF600, and Suzuki SV650.

I got to the point where I'd ride anything that was offered to me, and in endurance racing (especially after you've built a reputation for being fast and not a crasher) I rode for several teams (most of the second set of bikes were ridden in endurance racing, some in the same weekend with different teams).

The preference for Yamaha was because my father worked as a district sales rep for them for many years.

The next bike I'm looking for is a 250 four stroke dirt bike for playing in the woods.

While I used to regularly ride on the street before I started racing, it now scares the beejesus out of me. It's too random and uncontrolled compared to racing, with too much stuff to hit or get hit by, populated by too many morons talking on cell phones, and with too many negative outcomes to falling off (and if you haven't fallen off, you WILL).

WOW, what a list. I had to read it a couple times. I still have a YZF600R - not R6 or R1. Hot in it's day when you were probably racing it but now it's an old folk's sport bike, great for cruising around. You must have started racing as a kid. Do you still do it?

Czech bikes??? Wasn't it the Czech that stole cycle plans from BMW after WWII and started building the Ural? Or am I confusing my stories? Thanks for the CZ and Joel Robert lesson.

[BeachJunkie]

I have had a number of bikes and quads over the years (listen to me... over the years haha) I started with quads, Suziki 250R, yamaha blaster, and then added a yamaha wolverine and a polaris. Then added dirt bikes, YZ125 x 2 and a Suzuki 250. Also picked up two uh... hell I don't even know what they were. 70's era rattle can painted huge 400cc dirt bikes off some old farmer for like 500 bucks. At 18 I got my first street bike. Yamaha R6. Rode it every day to and from work then with my roommate for another two or three hours a night. I put almost nine thousand miles on it in a little over 6 months. The next season I picked up a Gixxer 750 and used that for stunting. Had a +18 rear sprocket, crash cage, 905 12 o'clock bar (so you could do a wheelie and park the bike on the subframe standing up) Beat the hell out of that bike. Loved it to death. My roommate ended up flipping it end over end at about 60 mph learning how to do wheelies. Never saw a dime in return. But he was fine so that was parment enough. Makes for a funny story these days. Picked up an R1 after the 750 bit the dust and started using the R6 as a track bike. Got a little honda cr50 for a pit bike with big boy bars and changed out the suspension on it. Had a blast with that little thing. Sold my last bike before comming on this deployment in hopes of crossing over to the dark side. I want to build a bike. I had originally budgeted to build a WCC CFL. It would have been a great bike... but I think all that money I was going to spend on the bike is now going towards a diving internship in thailand. We'll see if I ever get around to owning a bike again. Maybe I'll get one of those little death scooters when I get to Thailand. Who knows.

[Harleyguy1963]

My latest bike is a 2006 harley softail deluxe. Big bore kit. Being in Alabama mean the riding year is never really over. That being said i hate riding in cold weather.

[dive_sail_etc]

My Navy budget has kept me on riceburners my entire riding life (since 14). Most recently (1989) I picked up a VT800 Shadow to get around while my car crawled back across the Atlantic from a posting in Spain. Water cooled, shaft drive, and oddly, 4 speed tranny. I still have and regularly ride it, though she's lost a bit of her original luster.



Great for getting around town or for Sunday country rides; not so hot for distance cruising.

[hambergler]

The Red Army took all of BMW's tooling and equipment as war booty and started building Urals. My father has a 2000 Ural Tourist with a sidecar, and it's essentially a 1940's era BMW with updated electronics and carbs.

I started riding at about age 5 on a pull-start Briggs & Stratton minibike. My father has a photo of me at about six months old, sitting on his dirttracker, with my grandfather hunkered down behind the bike holding me up; I had a big grin on my face. My brother and I dirttracked some in our early teens, but I didn't buy my first bike until I was 19 (bought it behind my mother's back and kept it at a friend's house--she found out about it a year later, and almost threw me out of the house).

I roadraced for 20 years up until this past year; it was going to be my last full season until April when I fell off & got run over by the guy I had just passed, and spent 12 days in the hospital. As I finally allowed them to cut my leathers off of me while I was flopping around on the ground like a beached trout, I decided that I was done as a racer (most racers will endure extreme agony to keep their precious expensive racing leathers in one piece--I have seen it--but I decided I was done and told them to go ahead and whip out the surgical shears).

I got DM certified in anticipation of ending racing, so as to have another expensive hobby to fall back on.

Oh yeah, I also had a Honda XR100 with a 120 kit, set up for flattracking after I attended Danny Walker's American Supercamp, where they train you to get full lock sideways on ANYTHING on two wheels at ANY speed. It was a total grinfest, and my legs were so sore from sticking them out while sliding (we went clockwise and counterclockwise) that I couldn't walk right for a week (they call it "The Supercamp Shuffle").

[Victoria]

[...]
It would have been a great bike... but I think all that money I was going to spend on the bike is now going towards a diving internship in thailand. We'll see if I ever get around to owning a bike again. Maybe I'll get one of those little death scooters when I get to Thailand. Who knows.

Whaddya mean "we'll see if I ever get around to owning a bike again"?? Silly ground pounder! Of course you will! Hell, it's been 20 years since I last owned a motorcycle, but I fully intend to acquire another!

[Houston Squid]

I have a 2005 Harley Softail Deluxe. I have had EXTENSIVE aftermarket work done as she now has about 100HP. Here are some pics down memory lane as my Chrome Addiction took hold:

I think you guys will appreciate the license plates:



Me cruising into Sturgis out of Sundance, Wy.



Here is back near Sundance. Most of you should recognize the location:



Here are two more RECENT pics with the latest mods. Sorry they were took with an Iphone: