Motorcycle nearly ready

No reason you can't wheelie a Connie, so long as you don't outwardly resemble Jabba the Hut. Oodles of power in that engine. Shaft drive will counteract, but not that much. But it's an expensive bike. Don't know really why you'd want to do that to your transmission.
 
No reason you can't wheelie a Connie, so long as you don't outwardly resemble Jabba the Hut. Oodles of power in that engine. Shaft drive will counteract, but not that much. But it's an expensive bike. Don't know really why you'd want to do that to your transmission.
I'll admit I haven't made any efforts to do it - but I really doubt it'll hold a wheelie via power in 2nd gear. Perhaps if you launch it in first around 20 mph and then hold it up through the gear shift. But it's way too damn nose heavy to power wheelie itself in 2nd. Lift the wheel up for a split second? Maybe. But actually get it up and keep it up in 2nd? No way.
 
I'll admit I haven't made any efforts to do it - but I really doubt it'll hold a wheelie via power in 2nd gear. Perhaps if you launch it in first around 20 mph and then hold it up through the gear shift. But it's way too damn nose heavy to power wheelie itself in 2nd. Lift the wheel up for a split second? Maybe. But actually get it up and keep it up in 2nd? No way.

That's a 1.4 liter in-line four that powers it, same engine as the race bikes and as big as the one in my car. More brake HP than my airplane. Can't imagine what's in the front that would weigh it down that much.
 
That's a 1.4 liter in-line four that powers it, same engine as the race bikes and as big as the one in my car. More brake HP than my airplane. Can't imagine what's in the front that would weigh it down that much.
It's not the same engine as the race bikes. It's tuned down. I suspect with some basic mods to bring out the race bike in its genes combined with turning the traction control off you could get a decent power wheelie.

As it is stock, even with traction control off, it's no power wheelie machine. It's a 750 lb bike. Honestly I prefer it that way. I can smoke most 600cc sport bikes without having to worry about keeping the front down.

But as you say, it's too damn nice to do that stuff to it, so I really haven't made any efforts. I used to power wheelie my Bandit all the time and could hold a wheelie through a few gears. But I feel no need to be messing with such things on my four month old motorcycle :)
 
I've never even done a wheelie and don't plan to. Doesn't fit my mission profile. The only purpose I see to it is to show off. Emergency stops and racing turns I'll happily do, either can get me out of a jam.
 
Not to sound like an ass, but a good rider can take twisties on any bike. If you want a comfortable long haul bike then get the stratolounger. I have a HD ultra classic and I can bank over hard enough in turns to scrape pegs. I know a cop with a goldwing police pack that does the same.

The riding posture on the full up touring bikes is what's important for the long haul.

Sure it's just you don't want to be lumped in with the old farts riding wings??

Ok, ya got me there. But I did just two months ago take a Harley Electra Glide Classic, rented from Eagle Rider in Seattle, from Seattle, around the Olympic Pen. and down the PCH all the way to LA and over to Vegas; about 2,000 miles in 6 days on some of the best twisty roads in the world. So, to your comment, sure a good rider can take a twisty road on a pig just like a good driver could do the road in a 1972 Olds Delta 88 vs. a Ferrari too. But it ain't the same experience either. Eagle rider didn't seem to mind me brining the bike back with the pegs, side stand and crash bars all scrapped up and the tires worn out on the sides but I would have loved having any of the sport tourer bikes on that trip. The Harley was comfy and a good stead for a long ride (nice seat, luggage system, cruise, radio, etc) but playmate for fun in the twisties it ain't.
 
I've never even done a wheelie and don't plan to. Doesn't fit my mission profile. The only purpose I see to it is to show off.

Duh... Man, I could wheelie my old Suzuki crotch rocket from here all the way to there. But I started out on dirt bikes, the 4 stroke Honda trail bike kind and could ride a wheelie on that bike for a mile.

Don't get me wrong, stunting a touring bike isn't on my list of needs-to-do but that it has enough power to flatten eyeballs and stretch arms is never a bad thing. I would love to have an S1000RR AND a big ol' full dresser but then I'd never end up being on the bike I wanted to be on at least half the time. That's probably why streetfighter type bikes and sport tourers are enjoying some success.
 
I started on the street. Having always lived in the city, I haven't had that much opportunity for dirt bikes.

I love the power in the 954, but not for wheelies. That much power puts whatever threat I've identified in the rear view mirror fast. 954 is how I spell relief.

I consider myself invisible to motorists, except for the very few who will see me and actively try and murder me. That's how it seems anyway. I actually hate riding the Wing, I can't power out of a jam the way I can on the sport bike. Makes me kind of nervous and twitchy. But I can't do long miles on the sport bike, so the Wing gets rode.
 
Honestly I haven't tried to hold a wheelie to the balance point on the C14 (too expensive if you twelve o clock it.) I'm sure I could clutch it up no problem but I don't particularly care to fry the clutch either.

It it's basically a liter class sportbike (160+ hp to the crank) that weighs a bit more. BTW being Jabba the Hut is an asset when wheelie-ing due to the weight transfer on acceleration.
 
Honestly I haven't tried to hold a wheelie to the balance point on the C14 (too expensive if you twelve o clock it.) I'm sure I could clutch it up no problem but I don't particularly care to fry the clutch either.

It it's basically a liter class sportbike (160+ hp to the crank) that weighs a bit more. BTW being Jabba the Hut is an asset when wheelie-ing due to the weight transfer on acceleration.

Take your word for it. I see the street as no place for wheelies or any other stunt. Makes us all look lawless. Dirt is something else, and if I rode dirtbikes I'd probably pop the things all day long. The clutch and transmissions on those things are beefier, and don't suffer as much than finely tuned sportbikes. If you fall in the dirt it doesn't hurt like pavement. And not a lot of innocent drivers to bang into on the trails.
 
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I don't know how to do this embed thing but here's the Concours...
 
Take your word for it. I see the street as no place for wheelies or any other stunt. Makes us all look lawless. Dirt is something else, and if I rode dirtbikes I'd probably pop the things all day long. The clutch and transmissions on those things are beefier, and don't suffer as much than finely tuned sportbikes. If you fall in the dirt it doesn't hurt like pavement. And not a lot of innocent drivers to bang into on the trails.

Some motorcycle forum guys who I rode with to a poker run (dumb mistake, Harley people hate us crotch rocket types, but nothing happened at the picnic) did wheelies on highway 80, at full speed, and scared me to death. They did it really close to my motorcycle too. We were all in the left lane and I was uncomfortable with how close they were riding to one another, and to me..... never rode with them again and on the way back they actually lost this one motorcyclist we were supposed to show to the freeway because they got impatient.
 
Show the guy making time on the track and I'll be impressed. That slow speed stuff isn't what keeps you alive.

You don't need Youtube movies to impress yours truly with the Concours. It is a very, very nice bike, and if I ever find myself going in that direction it will be a definite contender. However, I am a decidedly long way from being done with my sportbike.
 
Take your word for it. I see the street as no place for wheelies or any other stunt. Makes us all look lawless. Dirt is something else, and if I rode dirtbikes I'd probably pop the things all day long. The clutch and transmissions on those things are beefier, and don't suffer as much than finely tuned sportbikes. If you fall in the dirt it doesn't hurt like pavement. And not a lot of innocent drivers to bang into on the trails.

I agree. What does that have to do with the conversation? I don't wheelie (at least intentionally) on the street either.
 
Show the guy making time on the track and I'll be impressed. That slow speed stuff isn't what keeps you alive.

You don't need Youtube movies to impress yours truly with the Concours. It is a very, very nice bike, and if I ever find myself going in that direction it will be a definite contender. However, I am a decidedly long way from being done with my sportbike.

Actually I do know a couple people that track their connie. I might try it one of these times for ****s and giggles but these days my GSXR 750 is pretty much purely a track bike.
 
Some motorcycle forum guys who I rode with to a poker run (dumb mistake, Harley people hate us crotch rocket types, but nothing happened at the picnic) did wheelies on highway 80, at full speed, and scared me to death. They did it really close to my motorcycle too. We were all in the left lane and I was uncomfortable with how close they were riding to one another, and to me..... never rode with them again and on the way back they actually lost this one motorcyclist we were supposed to show to the freeway because they got impatient.

In 34 years of riding, I've gone on precisely one group ride, and had pretty much the same experience you had. (We rode from Milwaukee to the Sheboygan Brat Fest, in a group of maybe 100 bikes, predominantly Harleys. We were on our then-new Honda Goldwing.)

The Harley attitude seems to be a scorched-earth approach to riding, with wildly unnecessary risks (riding too fast, too closely, next to people who don't know how to ride, swerving in and out of traffic) combined with an alcohol-fueled, asinine, "let's **** off as many motorists as possible" attitude. (Example: Blocking the left lane of a 4-lane divided highway, so no cars could pass, etc.)

Combine this with their penchant for making their machines as annoyingly loud as possible (despite having pathetically little power), IMHO means that Harley riders have become to riding what Walmart shoppers are to shopping.

Also IMHO, and quite conversely, there are plenty of intelligent, competent, and safe Harley riders. Harleys are beautiful machines in their own right, and -- in the right hands -- they are wonderful motorcycles. Unfortunately, there are a disproportionate number of bad riders in their ranks, as described above, who tarnish the Harley reputation with other riders (like me), as well as with all of our reputations with motorists who don't ride and can't tell the difference between a Harley and a Kymco.
 
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I would love to have an S1000RR AND a big ol' full dresser but then I'd never end up being on the bike I wanted to be on at least half the time. That's probably why streetfighter type bikes and sport tourers are enjoying some success.

This is one of the reasons I ended up buying a new Suzuki GSX650F. It's an "old man's sport bike" -- meaning not *quite* such an aggressive riding position (easier on the old back and wrists) -- that is comfy enough for sport touring. (Givi makes some really nice luggage for it.)

My days of riding the big touring bikes trans-continentally are over -- for now, anyway, I just don't have the time -- and I wanted something that I could zip down to the store with, use on short tours up to Austin, as well as for tearing through the twisties. The little GSX fits this profile PERFECTLY. :D
 
This is one of the reasons I ended up buying a new Suzuki GSX650F. It's an "old man's sport bike" -- meaning not *quite* such an aggressive riding position (easier on the old back and wrists) -- that is comfy enough for sport touring. (Givi makes some really nice luggage for it.)

My days of riding the big touring bikes trans-continentally are over -- for now, anyway, I just don't have the time -- and I wanted something that I could zip down to the store with, use on short tours up to Austin, as well as for tearing through the twisties. The little GSX fits this profile PERFECTLY. :D

Umm. 2 points of contention from this Hog Rider.

1). I ride on the left side of the lane cause I own the whole lane.

If a car can't pass safely with me on the left side of the lane then they also couldn't do the same if a car was there.

It's my airspace, so to speak, and I ride like I own it.

2) I've not put loud pipes on my latest bike, but the last one there was a night and day difference in how often people tried to kill me. After loud pipes, the number of folks trying to merge into my lane went from one a day to one a month.

I tried very hard to not make noise at night coming home through the neighborhood. The Harley stock pipes aren't as loud, but apparently do well enough

3). Bonus point. I agree with the group riding gripes. I don't like riding with hotdogs and showboats. I've done a few large organized rides and have come to avoid them. I've limited the folks I ride with too due to boneheaded riding skills on their part.
 
I didn't realize that the connie didn't have cruise control? I'm sport tourer shopping now and have it narrowed down to the K1600GT and the VFR1200F. I can't get a demo ride out of my local Kaw dealer.

So the C14's been good to you so far?

You did not like the FJR? It was, of all the bikes I have owned (sportbikes, cruisers, racebikes) the best all-around bike I have ever owned. Smooth as hell, power out the arse, and the shaft drive was sweet!
 
Umm. 2 points of contention from this Hog Rider.

1). I ride on the left side of the lane cause I own the whole lane.

If a car can't pass safely with me on the left side of the lane then they also couldn't do the same if a car was there.

It's my airspace, so to speak, and I ride like I own it.
I pick the part of the lane that makes sense at that time. It is seldom always one side or the other. Some of the factors that go into the position are the type of road, condition of the pavement, oncoming traffic, etc. I do not choose a lane position to claim "ownership" or any other aggressive driving technique. If the car is going to push you out of the way getting into a urination contest about who owns the lane seems like a dumb thing to do when you are on the bike and will lose the battle.
 
Umm. 2 points of contention from this Hog Rider.

1). I ride on the left side of the lane cause I own the whole lane.

If a car can't pass safely with me on the left side of the lane then they also couldn't do the same if a car was there.

It's my airspace, so to speak, and I ride like I own it.

2) I've not put loud pipes on my latest bike, but the last one there was a night and day difference in how often people tried to kill me. After loud pipes, the number of folks trying to merge into my lane went from one a day to one a month.

I tried very hard to not make noise at night coming home through the neighborhood. The Harley stock pipes aren't as loud, but apparently do well enough

3). Bonus point. I agree with the group riding gripes. I don't like riding with hotdogs and showboats. I've done a few large organized rides and have come to avoid them. I've limited the folks I ride with too due to boneheaded riding skills on their part.

I've never been able to hear pipes in my cage over the radio. The only time I get people merging into me in the left lane is when I'm gong too damn slow. Easy to do on a Harley.
 
For you guys that have owned Harley's for any significant number of miles, how reliable were they? The guy at Eagle Rider told me the late model Harleys are great bikes with solid reliability when low mileage but they've learned to swap them out before the mileage gets advanced.

As I mentioned, I'd never spent any time on them until that PCH ride. The riding position is unlike anything I'd ever ridden before with my feet way out in front of me, floorboards, and that big rear brake pedal. I got used to it and after a couple of days found myself riding it up near the limits in the twisty bits once I got in touch with what I called "my inner tractor driver" - you know, plowing road at 2000 rpm :) I felt like I could switch directions on it quicker than I could the Goldwing I'd rented for a while. I guess it's just less mass on the Hog. On the highway, for the couple of hours we spent there, it was a dang nice ride with the feet out front and leaning back against my luggage I had strapped onto the rear seat. But I just can't see myself banging out a bunch of interstate miles on anything I own. I'd just as soon ship the bike there as do that. One the PCH ride, we did one 16 hour day getting up before dawn for a ride through the Avenue of the Giants at sunrise and ending the day in Santa Cruz and I have to say that I could have kept on going on that big comfy Hog. Could I have said that if I'd been on the VFR or the K-bike? Dunno.

The FJR looks to me like yesterday's news. I'm sure it's a fine bike and certainly fits the profile and has the essential tools of a sport tourer but it seems like less of everything that the latest bikes like the Concours or the K bikes - and I can't find a place that'll let me ride one here for any length of time. I thought about renting one in Atlanta while there recently but my schedule didn't work out. The price on the FJR and the C14 make them hard to dismiss and the K16 is nearly $10K more or the price of a naked play bike.
 
I pick the part of the lane that makes sense at that time. It is seldom always one side or the other. Some of the factors that go into the position are the type of road, condition of the pavement, oncoming traffic, etc. I do not choose a lane position to claim "ownership" or any other aggressive driving technique. If the car is going to push you out of the way getting into a urination contest about who owns the lane seems like a dumb thing to do when you are on the bike and will lose the battle.
It's not about getting into a urination content Scott. It's about stopping drivers from using your lane. If you are in a position that doesn't give them room to decide to use your lane they generally don't. Of course they might not see you then you need to be ready to get the hell out of their way.

When one rides all the way on the right side of the lane it's very common for cars to suddenly decide that they can use your lane too. I've never udnerstood wtf they're thinking but they do it. It's not that they don't see you - it's that they see enough room to maybe squeeze their car in there and they do just that.

I've had a lot less issues with people not seeing me on the Concours. It's big. On a smaller bike you can't go anywhere without someone trying to run you down. On that it happens one every few weeks.
 
It's not about getting into a urination content Scott. It's about stopping drivers from using your lane. If you are in a position that doesn't give them room to decide to use your lane they generally don't. Of course they might not see you then you need to be ready to get the hell out of their way.

When one rides all the way on the right side of the lane it's very common for cars to suddenly decide that they can use your lane too. I've never udnerstood wtf they're thinking but they do it. It's not that they don't see you - it's that they see enough room to maybe squeeze their car in there and they do just that.

I've had a lot less issues with people not seeing me on the Concours. It's big. On a smaller bike you can't go anywhere without someone trying to run you down. On that it happens one every few weeks.
And I have had them squeeze to right of me when I am in the left part of the lane. If they want the lane they will take it. But to say "I ride on the left side of the lane cause I own the whole lane " does not really make a lot of sense.

You pick lane position to see, to be seen and to avoid road hazards. Sometime the far right is better than the left and sometimes it is not. Sometimes it is right down the middle and sometimes it is not. That was what I pointing out to Dave. His claiming ownership is aggressive. I make sure I have an escape route. If some car is going to push me out of the lane I get out of his way and let him continue being an ass but being an ass without causing me to wreck.
 
Scott said it. Escape route. One always has to be aware of what is around one, and where one will go when the cager does something stupid. Sooner or later, they will. The one reason I really like the sport bikes and sport tourers is they have some oompff to get you out of trouble. My Wing, not so much, though the new ones, with their 2 liter engines, probably do so with alacrity, burning more gas than either of my cars.

Someone tries to "share" my lane, they can have it. Sorry, by then I'll be way up in front.
 
On a two lane road, my normal lane position (barring circumstances that might dictate otherwise) is left, for visibility - both for me and the other drivers.

On a multi-lane road, I normally ride either in the right hand side of the #1 lane or the left hand side of the #2 lane so I'm in a position to split if traffic slows, plus that generally gives me the best escape route of something goes South. I do NOT like to ride in the left hand side of the #1 lane but I'll do so for stagger purposes if I'm following another bike, or if I'm being followed by faster bike in a lane splitting situation to allow him to pass.

That said I don't rely on size/visibility etc... to keep me out of trouble. I assume that I'm invisible and people can't see me, so I generally avoid going in spots where cars CAN go, and anticipate their movements.

I had one of those "that was stupid" moments last week. There is a lot of construction on the freeways in my area. I was riding in the #1 lane, which had a temporary concrete barricade completely blocking the left hand median. I found myself slowly passing a long bus on the right of me, and there was no traffic in front of me or behind me within the length fo that bus. If he decided to move over for whatever reason, I would have been TOAST.
 
Depends what the shoulders are like on where I ride. That escape route might be on the other side of the solid yellow or white stripe, and not on the dashes.
 
]Umm. 2 points of contention from this Hog Rider.

1). I ride on the left side of the lane cause I own the whole lane.

I couldn't figure out why you were making this point, until I re-read my post. I have corrected my mistake -- we were on a FOUR-lane, divided highway, and the "leaders" of the ride were moving into the left (passing) lane to block cars from passing our 100-bike-long parade.

In other words, they weren't just riding on the left half of the lane -- they were riding in the left lane, purposefully to block cars from passing.
 
Here is my current touring bike:
2402557840031302330S600x600Q85.jpg

I took this picture at four corners on my way to Farmington NM in June. Rode there from Las Vegas NV for work. Great trip. Airplane would have been faster, but it's hard to beat riding a motorcycle through Zion park.


Mike
 
Today I ran my Shadow Aero 750 from Lansdale PA (just above Wings Field) to Baltimore for work. Mostly down 202 and Rte 1, but a little on 95. I ride position 1, left tire track for the cagers, and hold my lane.

On one instance on Rte 1 where it's expressway, I had a Blue BMW come flying up on my rear end and try squeaking to the left of me infront of a truck,.. I was doing 55, speed limit 45, and he flew up on me quick. :yikes: I used my second set of eyes and quickly swerved to the right (position 3 or more) and he nearly clipped that truck as he went to the left lane. The horn blasted on the truck, and if I didn't move, I wonder where I would be right now. This was on a long left curve with the sun at my back,... so I don't think he saw me till right away....

At the next light, the trucker motioned to me like,.. "you believe that guy!" and I was still trying to slow down my heart rate.

Always watch your 6....

On a nicer note, here's my bike as I crossed back to PA on the Mason Dixon Line,.. mile marker 0. :)
 

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So Jesse, I curious why you decided to swap out the seat on your Concours? Was it a height issue or a comfort issue or what?
 
So Jesse, I curious why you decided to swap out the seat on your Concours? Was it a height issue or a comfort issue or what?

Most of the seats that come with sporty bikes are planks. Can't speak for Jesse, but I've heard it from lots of others. Sergeant and Corbin make aftermarket seats that are considerably more comfortable. The seat would have to be in order for Jesse to do the ride he's contemplating. I run a Corbin on mine, not that it's better, but I found it for cheap on a biker web site. Can't ride that far on that bike, but I couldn't ride as far on the stock seat.
 
So Jesse, I curious why you decided to swap out the seat on your Concours? Was it a height issue or a comfort issue or what?
The stock seat was way too soft and the foam sucked and was too thin without much support. Therefore it was comfortable when you first sat on it but you discovered quickly that it planted all the weight in pretty much one spot.

The Sargent seat has higher quality denser foam that offers way more support and distributes the load better. It does "crowd the boys" a bit but it's still way more tolerable. It's also *really* comfortable on the back now which makes for a happy Danielle which makes for a happy Jesse.

Sometime this winter I'll probably get a custom Russel Day Long seat made.
 
The Harley attitude seems to be a scorched-earth approach to riding, with wildly unnecessary risks (riding too fast, too closely, next to people who don't know how to ride, swerving in and out of traffic) combined with an alcohol-fueled, asinine, "let's **** off as many motorists as possible" attitude. (Example: Blocking the left lane of a 4-lane divided highway, so no cars could pass, etc.)

Jay:

Around here (Dallas), the only motorcycle riders who gather as a group and cause trouble and danger, are the crotch-rocket guys who gather and ride around on the freeways at really, really high speed. They do it weaving in and out, and sometimes, have buddies in cages who create a rolling roadblock so they can play on "their" roads. It is staggeringly dangerous.

I like this one - closing Central Expressway (one of the busiest roads in Dallas):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6tPBKTDxNo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfhSLqMd4J8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eNVIlb4e7o&feature=related

Here is long vid, showing them arriving and setting up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqNm_UaNOAU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OOJruTdBtg

No better way to remember a departed friend, than abusing and defacing public roads, and causing danger for every other user of the highway.
 
The rest of us call those guys squids. My favorite Youtube movies shows them crashing. Because of tools like that, the average life expectancy of a liter sport bike is measured in weeks.
 
Later models are supposed to be better. I've only got 11000 miles on my 2010 ultra classic. Unfortunately I haven't got many friends who have high mileage hogs. They tend to be hangar queens. Gorgeous ones, but queens.

On the flipside. I have seen a 5 year old wing with 180,000 miles on it.

Keep it lubed up and should be fine.

As for the other post, with regards to aggressive riding.. I do ride aggressive. I ride line everyone is trying to kill me. I stay out of blind spots. I tend to move faster or slower than existing traffic, never the same speed, so I'm a moving target relative to the cagers.

And I own the lane. But always have an out. ALWAYS.
 
Depends what the shoulders are like on where I ride. That escape route might be on the other side of the solid yellow or white stripe, and not on the dashes.
Oh certainly and that is exactly what I was saying. The rule to lane position is that there are a lot of factors to take into account to pick your optimal place in the lane. There is not a hard and fast rule that states you should always be in the left part of the lane.
 
Oh certainly and that is exactly what I was saying. The rule to lane position is that there are a lot of factors to take into account to pick your optimal place in the lane. There is not a hard and fast rule that states you should always be in the left part of the lane.

Is there an appropriate location to put ketchup on a hot dog?

Middle of the dog, left or right?

What if you turn the hot dog around? :) :) :)
 
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