<NA> Motorcycle photo thread

That’s why I want to go see it. It is authentic. I hear there’s a day where spectators can ride their bikes on the course.
 
It is called Mad Sunday; they shut down the roads to two way traffic and people ride on the course often from pub to pub. I would be afraid to ride on Mad Sunday.
The TT is is authentic and the whole Island is from a bygone error.
I was qualifying on a local friends bike (Honda CB900F)because mine was stuck in Detroit and a mechanical problem cause the front wheel to lock. I left the road and ended up in a ditch. Out of nowhere came an elegantly dressed white haired lady with a silver tea service and offered me a cup of tea. When I explained I was qualifying she dropped the tea service and helped me push the bike out of the ditch. When I cam back around she was standing waiving covered with mud. When I brought the bike back it was the worse for wear and the owner found a picture of me sideways at Braddan Bridge and would not accept payment for the dammage beyond a signed photograph. There are thousands of stories from the TT.
 
A recent acquisition. I hadn't owned a bike in a number of years. My son worked at KTM and used to bring factory demo bikes home. When he left KTM, i'd gotten the itch to ride again so I had to do something. So this was it. Yamaha FJ-09. Since the picture, I've installed a Sargent seat and a larger windshield. My old butt needed more padding under it and more wind protection out front. Crash bars have been added as well.

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A recent acquisition. I hadn't owned a bike in a number of years. My son worked at KTM and used to bring factory demo bikes home. When he left KTM, i'd gotten the itch to ride again so I had to do something. So this was it. Yamaha FJ-09. Since the picture, I've installed a Sargent seat and a larger windshield. My old butt needed more padding under it and more wind protection out front. Crash bars have been added as well.

View attachment 100883

Nice bike, triple, right? May you enjoy many good times!
 
A recent acquisition. I hadn't owned a bike in a number of years. My son worked at KTM and used to bring factory demo bikes home. When he left KTM, i'd gotten the itch to ride again so I had to do something. So this was it. Yamaha FJ-09. Since the picture, I've installed a Sargent seat and a larger windshield. My old butt needed more padding under it and more wind protection out front. Crash bars have been added as well.

View attachment 100883


Very nice!!
 
My wife's Street Glide came without leg fairings. Finally ordered up a set - $60 Chinese knock-offs on Amazon and they seem every bit as good as the OEM ones on my Ultra Classic. Then threw on my tall windshield and took it for a spin to see how it all worked:

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She hasn't ridden a ton recently and one of her comments when she has ridden is too much wind on the bike and helmet buffeting (poor Harley aerodynamics). With the leg fairings and the windshield I found it to not be very windy at all. She's had very short windshields which look cooler, but tend to cause more buffeting on that bike. So I told her she should try it with the tall windshield, see what she thinks, and then we maybe get her one if she likes it.

Her bike has also always had buzzy floorboards, I think I have a fix for that figured out.
 
Batwings look cool, but I could never totally get rid of the helmet buffeting on the Street Glide I owned. And I tried many things...
 
Supposedly fangs are helpful with buffeting. I havent tried them on my Ultra, so no first hand experience.
 
Batwings look cool, but I could never totally get rid of the helmet buffeting on the Street Glide I owned. And I tried many things...

The best thing I found to reduce buffeting was the KlockWerks windscreen. I tried all combinations of tall, medium and short Harley windscreens without success. I ordered a taller screen and cut it down to my height and that helped tremendously. I have an Ultra and found that removing the leg fairings and the little "winglet" hinged things attached to the fairing helped also. I get almost no buffeting at all.

I didn't use the bags much so I removed them too.IMG_0519.jpeg IMG_0818.jpeg
 
Supposedly fangs are helpful with buffeting. I havent tried them on my Ultra, so no first hand experience.

What are these "fangs" you speak of? I was thinking of trying VGs.

The best thing I found to reduce buffeting was the KlockWerks windscreen. I tried all combinations of tall, medium and short Harley windscreens without success. I ordered a taller screen and cut it down to my height and that helped tremendously. I have an Ultra and found that removing the leg fairings and the little "winglet" hinged things attached to the fairing helped also. I get almost no buffeting at all.

Interesting. I have a Longrider shield and that has definitely helped quite a bit. I haven't tried it without the small extra deflectors and leg fairings, but I like those and don't want to remove them.

I didn't use the bags much so I removed them too.View attachment 100935 View attachment 100936

I've considered trying removing the top bag, although that's the one I use the most so I'll probably leave it alone.

Gonna have to get these out and dust them off. View attachment 100939

Which variant of that bodystyle is that Ducati? I've lusted after a 996/998 for years...
 
One is a 1991 900 SS.

I had one of about that vintage as well.

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You guys’d hate my bike. No windshield. No fairings. Just basic in your face in the wind fun, just like a motorcycle should be. You need that big a windshield drive a car.
 
You guys’d hate my bike. No windshield. No fairings. Just basic in your face in the wind fun, just like a motorcycle should be. You need that big a windshield drive a car.

If I’m riding your supposed sport bike on a long highway trip, you’re right, I would hate it. That’s not what it’s designed for and not what it does well. I’ve ridden a liter sport bike 8 hours in a day and I hurt after.

Different bikes for different missions, a concept I don’t think I’ve ever seen you demonstrate a capability to understand.

When I want to ride something fun with no windshield, I’ll take the Guzzi. And I love it for what it is. When I want to go put some miles on the highway on a motorcycle, Harley it is.

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Not a motorcycle photo, but maybe something that will produce a motorcycle photo.

On the RV trips I find myself more and more wishing for a motorcycle along…
Maybe the only thing I would consider is something like a cruiserlift swivel wheel.
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I bought this in April and have put 7800 miles on it, including a teip to Colorado from Florida. It’s my third Goldwing (first one I had for 16 years, the second for nine - rode a Concours and a Road Glide at different times as well) , and the best one yet. Honda has done everything that I wished they’d do with them. The bike is comfortable (ergonomically nearly perfect for me), handles like it’s a hundred pounds lighter and faster and more nimble than any previous Wing. It’s more of a sport-tourer.

I’m going to have this one for a long time.
 
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45 out this morning and I had some luggage on my 50 mile ride. Beautiful morning to be out and with the heated seat, heated grips, and wind protection it was super comfortable. And of course proper gear.
 
View attachment 100966

45 out this morning and I had some luggage on my 50 mile ride. Beautiful morning to be out and with the heated seat, heated grips, and wind protection it was super comfortable. And of course proper gear.

If you don't already have some kit in the forks I recommend the Racetech kit. It can also be used as a lowering kit. I have a 21" front wheel, but I didn't lower the forks. I wanted the increased height (I also have longer rear shocks). The RaceTech kit really helps the forks. Still not as good as Showa or Kayaba, but not as horrible as stock Harley.

https://racetech.com/download/IP FLEK S38_Rev.pdf
 
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I bought this in April and have put 7800 miles on it, including a teip to Colorado from Florida. It’s my third Goldwing (first one I had for 16 years, the second for nine - rode a Concours and a Road Glide at different times as well) , and the best one yet. Honda has done everything that I wished they’d do with them. The bike is comfortable (ergonomically nearly perfect for me), handles like it’s a hundred pounds lighter and faster and more nimble than any previous Wing. It’s more of a sport-tourer.

I’m going to have this one for a long time.

I like your ideas and wish to subscribe to your newsletter...

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If you don't already have some kit in the forks I recommend the Racetech kit. It can also be used as a lowering kit. I have a 21" front wheel, but I didn't lower the forks. I wanted the increased height (I also have longer rear shocks). The RaceTech kit really helps the forks. Still not as good as Showa or Kayaba, but not as horrible as stock Harley.

https://racetech.com/download/IP FLEK S38_Rev.pdf

I have done absolutely nothing with the forks since I bought that bike, other than greasing the steering head the other day (it works a lot better now…).

What’s the improvement? Handling? Comfort? Both? I am interested in both.
 
I have done absolutely nothing with the forks since I bought that bike, other than greasing the steering head the other day (it works a lot better now…).

What’s the improvement? Handling? Comfort? Both? I am interested in both.

Usually both. What Racetech does is put a valve in damper rod forks that simulate the action of a cartridge fork. Aka, allows much better control of both low and high speed damping. Combine that with fork springs matched to your weight and riding style, and you get both.
 
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Usually both. What Racetech does is put a valve in damper rod forks that simulate the action of a cartridge fork. Aka, allows much better control of both low and high speed damping. Combine that with fork springs matched to your weight and riding style, and you get both.

I’ll have to look into that then. Really for what this thing is it handles pretty decently and is pretty comfy. But it could be better. Plus it’s 12 years old with original shocks and forks.
 
I’ll have to look into that then. Really for what this thing is it handles pretty decently and is pretty comfy. But it could be better. Plus it’s 12 years old with original shocks and forks.

Bill pretty much sums it up. What I noticed most was the stock suspension had little to no damping. I recall it bottomed out pretty easily (but it was a long time ago). I think the forks would top out also, but I might be making that up. The stock dampers are just a tube with a couple holes drilled through it to meter the oil. That was pretty much the standard in the 60's and 70's but suspension has moved way beyond that. The forks are never gonna be great because the triple clamps are flexy, but so is the frame and swing arm. Sounds like you'd have no problem installing the kit yourself, so it's pretty cheap to upgrade.
 
I’ll take a look and if it’s not too expensive, I probably will go for it.

I have the stock rear air shocks on it right now. Any suggestions for upgrades there?
 
I’ll take a look and if it’s not too expensive, I probably will go for it.

I have the stock rear air shocks on it right now. Any suggestions for upgrades there?

Those things are horrible. I got some of the progressive HD shocks for the Ultra (forgot the number maybe 412?). They are not great but they are way better than the air shocks and they were somewhat reasonable ($300-ish?). I would have liked to get Ohlins but they are really expensive and unless the swingarm mount is upgraded I think they're probably overkill. I bought a bit longer shock for additional clearance on the floor boards. The Street glide shocks I think are 1" shorter than Ultra shocks, so if the low look is desired that's an option.

I still get the "death wobble" on some freeway sweeping corners.
 
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In my effort to add a downsizer to the stable, after some searching I found a T-Dub and farkled it up a bit. Now need to get out and get it dirty and drop it a few times9A34088A-8FEF-4822-A9C8-3E9CAD5F0EE8.jpeg
 
I've always wanted a TW. It just never fit in to the garage. But sure looks like fun. Back country trails would be a blast on that, I think. But my old DRZ400 is what I have for that. The Africa twin is just too much of a pig for anything more than mild jeep roads. Even the DRZ can be a handful at times.
 
I've always wanted a TW. It just never fit in to the garage. But sure looks like fun. Back country trails would be a blast on that, I think. But my old DRZ400 is what I have for that. The Africa twin is just too much of a pig for anything more than mild jeep roads. Even the DRZ can be a handful at times.

Adventure bikes are interesting. The ones that are comfortable on road are heavy and have tires that make dirt a challenge. The ones that are good off road are horrible on road and only really good for short distances to get from one trail to the next. My ultimate adventure bike is a pickup truck and a KTM350EXCF. Pickup is great on road and it's 4x4 so will go on fireroads/gravel roads. When it gets more challenging I just unload the bike.

Mostly just kidding. I'd love a TW, a GS or a Ulysses but don't have the room.62405812898__BE2713BA-7F6B-4D20-B242-5DC7292EB216.JPG
 
This weekend we spent some time going by a couple of different dealerships thinking about what we want out of motorcycles and seeing what’s out there. Ions result: I have a good idea for what I think I want to buy, and it will take the place of the Moto Guzzi as well as the BMW.

Of course the BMW isn’t mine so I’ll be returning that to my friend. But I’m going to be putting the Moto Guzzi up for sale. I love it for what it is, but I’ve also had my fun with it and ready for something different.

Now to find a buyer…

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This weekend we spent some time going by a couple of different dealerships thinking about what we want out of motorcycles and seeing what’s out there. Ions result: I have a good idea for what I think I want to buy, and it will take the place of the Moto Guzzi as well as the BMW.

Of course the BMW isn’t mine so I’ll be returning that to my friend. But I’m going to be putting the Moto Guzzi up for sale. I love it for what it is, but I’ve also had my fun with it and ready for something different.

Now to find a buyer…

View attachment 101029


I’ll trade you a race car for it. My half of the deal is done. :D
 
I have not ridden much this year. But got out today. The WX was really nice, the aspen leaves are mostly gone, but still a nice day. Thought Id throw a couple of pix. A couple are from previous rides. One my wife forced on me.
 

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