Motorcycle Mayhem

[Capt.Crash'n'Burn]

Any other motorcycle enthusiasts here? And by motorcycle, I mean REAL motorcycles made in Europe or Japan, not those loud, heavy, slow, clumsy things that Hardly Duminson makes.

I have a Nighthawk 750 that I ride everywhere. Commute to work, take it on long road trips and I've even done some limited off roading with it.

I've also got a 78 Yamaha XS650 project bike that I'm building as a vintage cafe racer. B)

 

[fgcason]

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.

 

[Old Geek]

I commuted for a year and a half on an old Honda Silverwing. And I've restored a Honda S90, my first love.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Yup, there is a good selection of riders here.

I have a 09' Honda Shadow Aero 750 for my commuting and solo riding. Last year I put just over 6k on it. We also have a 07' Kawasaki Nomad 1600 that my wife and I take trips on occasionally but always use when we ride 2-up to events or get-togethers. Did about 2k on that last year between july when we purchased it used and the New Years Day ride.

I'm taking the Nomad to Oshkosh this summer, should be a fun trip!

 

[CFI-Guy]

Any other motorcycle enthusiasts here? And by motorcycle, I mean REAL motorcycles made in Europe or Japan, not those loud, heavy, slow, clumsy things that Hardly Duminson makes.

I have a Nighthawk 750 that I ride everywhere. Commute to work, take it on long road trips and I've even done some limited off roading with it.

I've also got a 78 Yamaha XS650 project bike that I'm building as a vintage cafe racer. B)

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.

 

[TripleZ]

Triumph Speed Triple. Track mostly now, used to do lots of touring, but gave that up after witnessing a couple crashes.

 

[Ted]

Hmm. Well, let's see my collection. It's been...

-'84 Kawasaki KZ700 (bought with 100k miles on it)
-'97 Suzuki Bandit 1200S
-'00 Yamaha VMax
-'05 Honda Interceptor 800i
-'08 Honda VTX 1800

Currently, my wife and I own:

-'00 Honda RC51 (for sale)
-'05 Yamaha FJR1300
-'08 Triumph Daytona 675
-'05 Harley Sportster 1200 (also for sale)
-'09 Harley Ultra Classic
-'07 Harley Street Glide

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.

 

[flightmedic]

I rode a Honda Goldwing for many years. I still have a my 2003 Goldwing but am thinking of selling it. On the goldwings I have owned, I have about 150,000 miles ridden.

 

[cavmedic]

I ride a 07 YZF600R. I have only put on about 400 miles in the past two years due to another back surgery , buying a house, remodeling said house and any other excuse I can think of .

 

[Sac Arrow]

A Nighthawk 750 was my first "real" bike. I currently ride a Kawasaki Concours C14. I had quite a few track days on the GSXR 750.

 

[jesse]

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

Now I have:
'11 Kawasaki Concours 1400

 

[cavmedic]

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

Now I have:
'11 Kawasaki Concours 1400

That was on my list of options recently. I had it narrowed down between that and the yamaha FJR. The problem I have is short legs. Even wearing my lineman boots , seat in lowest position , was still tiptoeing. So I opted for flight training instead.

 

[steingar]

I currently run an '83 Goldwing GS1100 and an 03 954rr Fireblade. Not a huge fan of Harleys, but they're as real as any other bike if not a little bit more so (aren't things with more mass more "real"). I've ridden more than half my life.

 

[DaleB]

And by motorcycle, I mean REAL motorcycles made in Europe or Japan, not those loud, heavy, slow, clumsy things that Hardly Duminson makes.

Sigh... Whadda maroon. I have the same opinion of people who make this kind of noise that I do of the unwashed, mullet-sporting Harley riders spouting off about non-Harleys.

 

[Ghery]

I rode for 5 years in college. And I've got the screws in my left ankle from an idiot running a stop sign and hitting us broadside to prove it. That was 38 years ago. Wife hasn't been on one since that night.

If you ride, wear a helmet. As Yoda would put it, "Save your life, it can!"

 

[Challenged]

I've owned the following:

• Kawasaki KLR250 Dual Sport
• Yamaha FZ1
• Yamaha YZF-R1
• Yamaha Star Raider S.

I currently have the Raider, shown below, for sale if anyone is interested (gotta pay for an engine monitor for my airplane ) It's got a Yamaha factory windscreen and a Vance & Hines 2-to-1 exhaust. It's a 2009 model with about 4,000 miles and in mint condition.

 

[steingar]

A Nighthawk 750 was my first "real" bike.

I rode that bike's predecessor, an '86 Nighthawk 650, for tens of thousands of miles. That Nighthawk was easily way ahead of its time. It sported a shaft drive, easily adjusted valves, and even had a gas gauge. My current bike, which is almost 20 years newer, doesn't have any of that.

I also had a 92 Nighthawk 750, and rode it for tens of thousands of miles. It was not a chip off the old block, however, as it lacked a lot of the niceties that made it's predecessor such a good care-free bike. But for a basic bike, it did what it needed to do.

What I want:

 

[Sac Arrow]

I rode that bike's predecessor, an '86 Nighthawk 650, for tens of thousands of miles. That Nighthawk was easily way ahead of its time. It sported a shaft drive, easily adjusted valves, and even had a gas gauge. My current bike, which is almost 20 years newer, doesn't have any of that.

I also had a 92 Nighthawk 750, and rode it for tens of thousands of miles. It was not a chip off the old block, however, as it lacked a lot of the niceties that made it's predecessor such a good care-free bike. But for a basic bike, it did what it needed to do.

What I want:

That 1000R looks like a nice bike, but an unfairinged supersport with an upright seating position isn't the most comfortable ride when you open it up. I rode a friend's FZ1. Fun at up to freeway speeds. Not so fun after that.

 

[steingar]

That 1000R looks like a nice bike, but an unfairinged supersport with an upright seating position isn't the most comfortable ride when you open it up. I rode a friend's FZ1. Fun at up to freeway speeds. Not so fun after that.

I had the same problem on Nighthawk number 2, the wind blast can be murder. With luck one will be able to pick up an aftermarket bikini fairing. If you can get the wind off your chest (which is all the fairing does on the super sport) it can be loads better.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

My very first bike (after taking the MSF course and getting my M1 license) - a beater Red Kawasaki Ninja 500R:

My first dirt bike, eventually sold to my boyfriend (actually, technically, I bought it for him one Christmas long ago but it was in my name) - the little putt putt Honda XR-200:

My second bike after selling the beater (I was tired of looking at all the shiny fast bikes at our weekly "bike night" moto meetups at the coffee house on Thursday nights) - the Honda CBR 600F4i (could power wheelie in second gear sooo powerful):

A friend who let me ride his Ducati around a parking lot:

 

[fgcason]

If you ride, wear a helmet. As Yoda would put it, "Save your life, it can!"

Full face helmets only. Everything else is just a hat.

 

[AirDC]

I've got two -

BMW r1200c Phoenix for trips and cruising around on nice days
and a
Buell Blast 500cc thumper to get around in the city

 

[dillardrg]

1998 Honda Shadow 1100 ACE Tourer here.

 

[Jay Honeck]

My Suzuki GSX650F:

Before that was a Goldwing that lasted from 1988 to 2010 -- and then I gave it to my brother-in-law, who is still riding it.

Before that was a Kawasaki 750 LTD.

First bike was a '66 Honda 160.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

My Suzuki GSX650F:

Before that was a Goldwing that lasted from 1988 to 2010 -- and then I gave it to my brother-in-law, who is still riding it.

Before that was a Kawasaki 750 LTD.

First bike was a '66 Honda 160.

Nice matching outfit!

 

[cavmedic]

My very first bike (after taking the MSF course and getting my M1 license) - a beater Red Kawasaki Ninja 500R:

My first dirt bike, eventually sold to my boyfriend (actually, technically, I bought it for him one Christmas long ago but it was in my name) - the little putt putt Honda XR-200:

My second bike after selling the beater (I was tired of looking at all the shiny fast bikes at our weekly "bike night" moto meetups at the coffee house on Thursday nights) - the Honda CBR 600F4i (could power wheelie in second gear sooo powerful):

A friend who let me ride his Ducati around a parking lot:

 

[cavmedic]

My baby in all her sexyness

Some shots of my Buddy Nick's bike and mine . He is also a Pilot

 

[brcase]

Yup, there is a good selection of riders here.

I have a 09' Honda Shadow Aero 750 for my commuting and solo riding. Last year I put just over 6k on it. We also have a 07' Kawasaki Nomad 1600 that my wife and I take trips on occasionally but always use when we ride 2-up to events or get-togethers. Did about 2k on that last year between july when we purchased it used and the New Years Day ride.

I'm taking the Nomad to Oshkosh this summer, should be a fun trip!

Sounds about like my set up. I commute on the 2002 Shadow 750 Spirit. My wife ridew the 99 Roadstar 1600. She likes the long rides. Me, while I can sit in my sailplane for over 7 hours, anything over about 90 minutes on either bike is about all I can stand.

Brian

 

[fgcason]

You mean my bucket is not cool enough ?

Depends on what is defined as cool.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Depends on what is defined as cool.

OMG do you still have your face?

 

[fgcason]

OMG do you still have your face?

Why wouldn't I? Think about it.

That's not my helmet however yes I've done the same exact thing only slower than that guy did with pretty much the same results. You will never ever forget the view or sound or forces of the angry Earth grinding away at the other side of the visor and chinbar trying to get to your face while feeling it tearing at your crash gear.

And yes, if you are INSIDE the helmet with the visor down, that happens to the helmet, not your face. If you're not wearing full crash gear, that will happen to your arms, and legs, and feet, and body, and hands, and anything else the ground can get to.

ATGATT

<--- Full member of the Faceplant Club - walked away unharmed

 

[N801BH]

Depends on what is defined as cool.

Aww. That will buff right out...

 

[L.Adamson]

Full face helmets only. Everything else is just a hat.

On the serious side of things....

A full face helmet did save my life, or at least brains, a year and a half ago. I owned a 1522cc. Honda Valkyrie, that I bought new in 1998. Have rode motorcycles for nearly 45 years. I didn't always wear my helmet on cross country rides. This time I did. I hit a large leaping suicidal deer at 65 mph. Had less than a second to think about it.

At impact, I was thrown off the bike. I tumbled end over end, down the highway, and the bike (approx 700 lbs.) followed. The full face shield flipped down, and took a lot of abuse. The left side of the helmet was ground down into the fiberglass, and the watch I was wearing on my left arm, was almost ground all the way through. My left arm looked like it had been burned. My collarbone was most likely broke by the helmet pushing downwards. It required a titanium plate for repair. All ribs on the left side were broke, as well as the shoulder blade. The Honda was totaled. Severe road rash everywhere, as I wasn't wearing any special clothing. But, my head was unscathed, and still functioning throughout the ordeal. BTW-- no real sense of pain. Morphine in the ambulance took care of pain that was about to come.

I'd ride cycles again. Felt okay on my brothers Harley. And yes, I do like Harleys. 2nd best sound in the world, next to a P51 Mustang's Merlin. Have owned numerous Hondas, Yamahas, and a 67' Triumph Bonneville 650. Still wish I had that one, since it's a classic, these days.

L.Adamson

 

[MadseasoN]

I commuted on a CBR600 for two years - from one side of Houston to the other. Put about 40K miles on it during that time.

Also had a CBR600 trackbike and a motard racebike which I raced for a couple of years. Did several trackdays also. I burned myself out on bikes but I still miss it sometimes.

 

[bfergie10]

Me and my FZ1 at Potts Mountain on VA311.

Me on my first bike, an SV650 on US129 - Deal's Gap. I wish I still had that bike.

 

[ateamer]

Gold Wing. I bought my first Wing when I was 22 and rode it for 16 years. In between Gold Wings, I had a Concours for three years, then went back to a Wing. My current ride is a '99 GL1500SE that I bought in '08. It's my daily driver. I've been to 32 states by motorcycle, 103,000 miles ridden, no end in sight.

 

[EvilEagle]

I've got an '07 BMW R1200GS Adventure and a '00 Aprilia RSV Mille R. One for the road trips and one for the track.

 

[Turboz1r]

Hi all,
I am a retired LEO SGT and was in charge of the Motor Unit/Emergency Services Unit. I have a pretty good collection of bikes including a 70 Triumph, couple of BMW's, Ducati, Goldwing and a 200 HP and 300 HP Turbo bikes.

They all have a different purpose, and I ride them accordingly.

Ride safe,
Mike in NJ

 

[Turboz1r]

One more and probably the one I ride the most.

Mike

 

[bigred177]

The white one's mine. 93 Honda VFR750