Who else rides?

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:49 pm

Have we talked about this before? I can't remember, but I'm excited because today I bought a 1999 Honda Rebel 250 with 800 miles on it! Here it is-

What do you all ride? I know Will is dyin' to post a pick of his...

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:30 pm

Here is a picture of Luke with our bikes we rode to Alaska a couple of years ago. Taken somewhere in Alaska. I was on a Suzuki DL1000 and he rode a DL650. I still have the 1000 but we sold the 650.

This spring we took a little time and rebuilt this KTM 950 which Luke rode some this summer. Nice fun motorcycle with lots of power. In case you didn't notice we like the v-twins.

Actually both my Suzuki and the KTM are going up for sale shortly. I just don;t ride enough to justify keeping the Suzuki and Luke decided not to take a bike to college this year.

Just make sure and ride careful, like all the cages are out to get you! They don't mean to run you over but they just don't see you. Your not what they are looking for.

Have fun on the Rebel. They are nice bikes and get about a gazzillion mpg.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:34 pm

Nice looking ride Chad.

While I still think about getting another road bike from time to time, I get my two wheel fix in the dirt. Nothing beats slammin around in the roots, rocks, trees and mud in the North East.

Here's me on my new (at the time) CRF450

Womack2005 · Post by **Womack2005** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:19 am

Chad, nice bike! You have to post your milage with that thing

I have been riding since I was 6 years old. My first bike was a GT80 that my dad welded training wheels onto. Then I went through the entire line of Yamaha YZs. First street bike was a 650 Maxim. I currently ride a 1980 XS1100 special (pic on another post). My Aunt and Uncle have owned the Yamaha shop in Manitowoc, WI since I was born so I have never owned anything else.

Ride safe

Post by **Spike** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:42 am

I just recently stopped riding as it was competing with the RV for time and money. I started out with a SECAII, then upgraded to the RT.

I put 60K miles on that one, and then Patti got her own.

which meant I didnt need such a large bike and I sold the RT and picked up this beast

We didnt ride a whole bunch last year because of the move and work, so we decided to just dump the bikes and take a break a while to concentrate on the new house and the RV. Sometimes I really miss riding, but life is choices and comprimises. Ill be on two wheels again. Got to work on that RV in the mean time though.

And my obligatory speech as a previous MSF coach, wear the gear, wear the gear, wear the gear.

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:50 am

Spike wrote:And my obligatory speech as a previous MSF coach, wear the gear, wear the gear, wear the gear.

Amen! Dress for the crash, not the ride. . .

Now, if I could just get those trees to stop jumping out in front of me I'd be all set

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:54 am

Spike! You rode freakin' Bimmers and a Ducati!!?? SWEET!! That Ducati is a bad a$$ ride! Oh, and I learned to ride on a SECA II several years ago. That was a cool bike too!

I ALWAYS wear the gear. Even on the scooter. Everytime. I probably looked ridiculous on the scooter in mid summer temps of 95 degrees with pants, leather jacket, leather gloves, and a FF helmet! I didn't care, I was being safe! HOT, but safe. Plan to do the same on the Rebel. I'm gonna take my time, and ride around the neighborhood for a while to get the feel for it. The plan is to take an MSF course, but they are all booked solid until the end of the season in October. Don't know what I'm gonna do about that.

prestwich · Post by **prestwich** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:30 am

I had a Honda 305 when I was 22; my first bike. I had a helmet but no other gear. I rode in shorts and t-shirt. I'm just flat out lucky to have lived through the experience. After about a year, when second gear burned out I didn't have the money to fix the thing so I threw it in the dump. But for a while there I thought it was a lot of fun to drive 90 mph down crowded city streets lined with parked cars, blind intersections, and pedestrians.

Then when I was about 45 I had another bike for a while, a Yamaha 750 I think it was. I figured I was mature enough to ride sanely by that time. I was wrong. I quickly realized that the only thing I liked about motorcycles was going wicked fast. I felt like the little old lady from Pasadena who couldn't keep her foot off the accelerator. There just didn't seem to me to be any appeal to bikes except speed. After a few months of risking my life on a daily basis, I decided the odds were stacking up against me and I sold it on eBay.

I see bikes on the freeway blasting past me at 120 or so and I think about some guy dialing a cell phone and drifting six inches into the adjacent lane at an inopportune moment. One of my co-workers is a guy my age, wife and two little kids, and he's a total maniac on two wheels. I hope he stays lucky.

I know there's a lot of ways to die in an airplane, but maybe by the time I'm done building, my brain will be bigger than my balls and I'll be OK. Actually I don't think there are too many activities that are inherently dangerous in this world. I learned that picking a fight with a bigger and drunker guy in a dark parking lot is one. I don't think aviation is inherently dangerous -- almost all accidents are pilot error. But - I'm sure I'll get some disagreement, I think motorcycles are, even in the best of circumstances. I woudn't even attempt to dissuade anyone, but I'm glad to hear you guys are wearing the leathers.

aparchment · Post by **aparchment** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:51 pm

Yep, I'm wih Pwich. I'm much too much of a speed demon to trust myself on a bike. Planes it is!

Antony

papakeith · Post by **papakeith** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:10 pm

yup, it's the main reason I went back to the dirt. I had an "Oh God" moment on some nice twistie turnies.

Lets not forget the kid who does a standup wheelie at 80mph and starts weaving in and out of traffic all the while wearing nothing but a 600$ helmet, a tank top, khaki shorts and some killer kicks.

Still I have to fight the urge to get another one every spring

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:48 pm

Man! You guys are scarin' me just talkin' about that stuff! I'm a chicken rider. If I get going too fast, I have to slow down. Makes me nervous. I probably will never take this thing on the highway. Maybe some country roads where I can run 55 or so, but that's it. If I want to go fast, I'll jump in an airplane.

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:37 pm

I would love to, but after the scooter wreck last year and the stuff I see routinely in the ER I haven't been able to get up the courage to get a bike.
If there were never any other cars on the road I would ride without a second thought ... I just see too many idiots in cars every day and I don't trust them not to hit me on a motorcycle. Sometimes no matter how careful you are some moron in a car can still ruin your day...

Thomas

cjensen · Post by **cjensen** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:46 pm

tshort wrote:Sometimes no matter how careful you are some moron in a car can still ruin your day...

Thomas

Yep, regardless of whether your on a bike, in a car, or walking down the sidewalk.

What about the guy that fuels your airplane, works on it, the radar controller that didn't tell you about the traffic...

Nothing is as safe as staying home and typing away on Rivetbangers...

Not an argument by any means.

Wicked Stick · Post by **Wicked Stick** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:49 pm

I had my motorcycle permit and was riding to get to work before I had my auto license. I started out on a DT175B Yamaha (on/off) 2 stroke dirt bike. From that I went to a 500cc twin, and then bought the first water cooled, shaft drive "Vision". It never really took off as they only made a few years of them. It was for me a great stepping stone to the 600 ninja, which was my first ride when I started club road racing. I raced for about 4.5 years, starting out as a novice, and ended up as an expert rated club racer. The last couple of years of racing I had a GSX-R 750.

After I quit racing, I had a hard time going slow on the street, and figured it was time to sell them and move onto something else. A few years later I got into flying and only occasionally do I miss the 2 wheels, leaning in the corrner, draggin my knee thing.

Racing on the track, did make me feel a lot safer on the street though, as it taught me to learn how to brake and turn hard and fast, so I felt a little more comfy knowing the limits of my bike while on the street.

If I ever did buy another bike, It might be a chopper or cruiser, cause I know I wouldn't want to go the speed limit on a pocket rocket

One day last year I got to borrowing a friends Hybusha (spelling ?) and managed to get it up to 160mph pretty darn quick on the interstate. That bike could definitately kill a novice. Whenever I ride, it's full face helmut, leather jacket, and boots for me. I have a full set of racing leathers and spine protector stored somewhere down cellar, but I'm almost positive it won't fit me anymore

This is a picture of me and my wife going fast on a friends Triumph.

A few years ago Deb went out and got her own motorcycle license, so that Christmas, I bought her a 250 Ninja to learn on. She cried when she first saw it on Christmas day. I still call it a "moped" compared to what I'm used to, but it's perfect for her.

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:00 pm

Wicked Stick wrote: managed to get it up to 160mph pretty darn quick on the interstate. That bike could definitately kill a novice.

It will kill an experienced rider too if respect is not shown.

That is the main reason I went to the big dual sport type bikes. Just to easy to go to fast on the sport bikes. Plus I can go pretty much anywhere I want.

Our motto is ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time), its not if it is when.

Spike and Patti, nice bikes yo uhad there. Luke and I had a couple of BMW 650 Dakars for a while. That Duc is nice, I've always liked the STs.

Looks like I'll be selling off all the bikes to help fund the airplane. In January we had 6 bikes and are down to two now. Probably be down to none in the near future,

Just don't have time to ride between flying, building and working.

If anyone is intersted (probably not, but you never know) here are some pictures of Luke at the last race he rode way back i n'03 before tearing up his knee in track at school. It is the first race of the year and he got 2nd in the B class. Slick and cold.
http://www.r2-racing.com/keithsburg2003/luke/index.php

captain_john · Post by **captain_john** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:26 am

TTT

WS just refreshed some pics here and wanted everyone to see them!

CJ

AX-O · Post by **AX-O** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 5:45 pm

I used to race here in California until I got this idea that I wanted to build a plane. No more $$$$.

Post by **Spike** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:55 pm

Welcome!

That is what happened to me. I decided to really commit to building and the money went away so the bikes had to follow.

BTW, great upper body positioning on your corners

- John

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:57 pm

Dave, nice photos. I like the one with the wife and the Christmas present, Good job capturing the moment.

AX-O, Nice shots. What bike is that? Looks like fun!

AX-O · Post by **AX-O** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:17 am

Spike wrote:Welcome!

That is what happened to me. I decided to really commit to building and the money went away so the bikes had to follow.

BTW, great upper body positioning on your corners

- John

Thank you! I worked on it a lot. I was on the race track every other weekend and sometimes during the week too. Now I am building a -8 and can not support racing. It was fun however, I am looking forward to building the plane.

RivetBangers.com

Who else rides?

Who else rides?

speed!!!!