OT: Motorcyclists on DFO?

[theneonguy]

Looks like more than a few drummers hereabouts also ride a motorcycle. I sold my GoldWing in the erarly 90s, right after our first kid, my son, was born. That's what usually happens. Guy gets married, starts a family, kids are born, bike goes away. Who can continue the high risk behavior when the wife and children are depending on you? Then, years later, the kids are off to college, the nest is empty, and the motorcylce ads beckon.
So I picked up a nice Yamaha Venture Royale, full dresser, with the V-Max, V4, double overhead cam engine, 1200cc, and got it at a giveaway price too. Was able to get it fired up, after some quick maintenance, fresh gas, and a new battery, and rode it home. This bike will be a project for my son and I to restore and repaint, though it doesn't look bad right now. The best part of it is the mechanical: it runs great, and no leaks!
So, what two wheeled jet planes do you guys/gals stick between your legs and why? Ride/Rock ON!

 

[dcrigger]

Wife and children? Heck, I just always liked playing drums too much. So I was never willing to partake in the high risk behavior for fear of repeating the 6-8 week break I had to take from drumming when I broke my arm when I was 11. And that was a clean, simple, easily recoverable, single fracture - nothing like the manglings I witnessed bikers taking not that infrequently in LA.

 

[Lazmo]

David... you're just a wimp.

 

[OZjazzer]

Like it or not motorcycles, like cycling and horse riding are high risk pastimes. Very few people who engage in these pursuits have not had a 'fall'. That's a fact. The only variable is the extent of the resultant injury. At best it's a few bruises, at worst it' death and quite often it means a lifetime of compromised health. I loved motorcycles and rode one back in 60's. So did my best friend. He died a month later. I sold the motorcycle.

Like everything in life, riding a motor cycle is a gamble. As much as I loved it, it wasn't one I was prepared to take.

You can be killed driving a car or walking the streets but it's much easier to get killed, or seriously injured riding a bike or motorcycle.

My wife is a nurse. She spent some time in A&E. One of her first cases was a guy who came off his machine and slid for 100 meters on his arse. He now doesn't have one. It was ground down to nothing by the road surface.

I think about it whenever I see a beautiful motorcycle.

 

[lperdomo13]

i've been riding motorcycles since i was 13. i'm 55 now and still ride. my current bike is a 2013 h-d road glide.

 

[Declared Outlaw]

Had a succession of bikes up til last year: Yamaha Virago 1100, HD Sportster 883, HD FXR poked to 1500 (handled like a school bus), Triumph Daytona 990 (sweet Heavens- what a death machine) and finally an HD FXDC. Sold the last one off last November in order to better afford the insurance cost ofhaving several kids driving these days. Miss them bikes some days, but I have more time to smack my drums around, now.

 

[theneonguy]

Outlaw, that 1500 Harley sounds bad a**. Handled poorly, though? The Yamaha, I found out, does not handle as well as my good old GoldWing. Center of gravity is pretty high on it. The thing resists leaning into turns as well as I'd have liked, at least at first. Takes some getting used to. I only drove it about ten miles.

 

[ballad kid]

Racing, sport riding, Ducatis, KTM and Husky Supermotos, high lean angles and dicing it out make my adrenaline run. 40 years, no real damages (no broken bones, no layups), been lucky. Adrenaline junkie I guess. And I love the racing machinery.

 

[crash]

Been riding since I was a kid. Dad raced flat track, uncle raced and owned Bellflower Triumph.
Been thru a lot of bikes, but keep ending up on Ducatis. Here's the current one, #4. It's a Multistrada.(broken attachment removed)

 

[florian1]

a 1500 cc Harley is still smaller than their current 103 motor (roughly 1700 cc). I ride a Bimmer K1600GTL and have ridden just about every marque since I was 14.


F

 

[thenuge]

I rode on the back of my friend's Honda 50 on trails as a kid. Some of the most fun I ever had. Saw this..true story..good movie

 

[doctor dirt]

I sold my 1994 H.D. FXR-P full stroker last year and miss it terribly. I got old, it didn't! Sprocket set up lifts it to 119 horses, street set up at 96. We eat rice!
Currently ride a 2000 H.D. FLHRC (road king) slow as hell but comfortable!

Selling a 1997 (first year) H.D. Heritage Springer with a 49' Panhead Nostalgia Kit. Theres pics of it in the For Sale section here.

I've owned them all from Norton's to Guzzi to BMW to Honda but there's nothing that rides and sounds like a Harley, everyone else is just imitating.

 

[DanC]

In the last 5 years I have witnessed 2 bikers being killed on the road.

Florida is very dangerous for bikers, the people down here have questionable driving skills. I always wanted to get a motorcycle; not any more...

 

[mlayton]

ive owned and ridden bikes for forty years now. just something about them that I really enjoy. ive got two currently. one is a 2006 black road king with the 95 inch big bore kit and different cams/pipes. ive got it dressed up with some neat nostalgic parts from older bikes. my other is the first street bike that I ever owned which is a early 80's Honda v45 magna. riding is in my blood. seems the cooler the temo is the more I like to ride. 12 degrees has been the coldest so far. that's about as cold as it gets here anyway.

mike

 

[strumdrum]

I worked in a hospital most of my career. My dad (physical and rehab medicine) and uncle (surgeon) were MD's and were radical about the dangers of motorcycle riding. Of course being a rebel, I had two bikes, a Kawasaki Z1 when they first came out (fastest production bike at the time but relatively poor handler) and a Yamaha enduro. I rode the hills and dirt trails of Idaho and rode to open spaces in the Pacific Northwest loving it until a friend was killed. He raced flat track and was the best rider I knew. HIs death was the result of some completely unrelated to his skill or ability. I started paying attention to the data. If you ride, the statistical probability is that it isn't IF you are going down, it's WHEN are you going down. A friend from Australia said down under they refer to motorcyclists as temporary citizens. Our ER staff referred to them as donor cycles. Givien the risks and data supporting it, it is impossible to build a logical data driven argument to support riding a motorcycle. However, we only think we think and the brain can justify anything if the origin of the desire rests in the emotional centers. Riding a bike is so much fun. I long for it and see bikes I would love to own but refuse to give in to the strong possibility that the outcome is likely being seriously injured, crippled and or death. My brother in law lost his leg in a slow speed accident while riding a Harley. His life changed for the worse as a result. Once the facts are given to a rider, the struggle is between belligerent defiance and or denial - no one is going to tell me what to do - and reason. We had hospital ER staff who rode, that is the power of the allure. That's my view, take it or leave it.

 

[jwaldo]

Learned to ride in a friends backyard in the late 60's on a Hodaka Ace 100. Paper route money spent on a '69 Honda Z MiniTrail. Still have it. Rode the crap out of a 1965 Honda 150 Benly; it's the baby 305 Dream. I have since been given the Benly as a restoration project. Rode a Hodaka Super rat for a bit too. After the Z, I jumped up to a Yamaha MX360 and started racing(kinda'). Moved on the a full blown motocrosser with the purchase of a Suzuki RM 250 in '76 that I raced for 4 years. In '78 I was riding a Suzuki 750 ES, and then in 1980, I bought an '80 Suzuki RM250. It was at that point I realized that I wasn't healing as quick as I used to, so I got out of the racing business. I rode that 750 for quite awhile before giving it up for family. In the early 2000's I found a 1983 1200 Goldwing Interstate that I rode for a year or two, but sold it when a 1996 Goldwing 1500 SE presented itself. I had a 1976 Yamaha TY250 in there too. Last fall I completely rebuilt the front end of the 1500 with progressive springs, bushings, seals, steering bearings and fork brace. I upgraded the rear speakers and put new tires front and rear. Over $1k in work that I did myself. Can't imaging what a shop would charge. I still have that bike, but it is for sale. In the fall of 2011 I retired and decided to start looking for a different bike. I have never liked HD. Friends had been riding them for years and they were a maintenance nightmare; junky and clunky. Well, the HD Street Glide caught my attention and I began looking. What I found was a 2011 Electra Glide Classic. I didn't get out of the parking lot on the test drive before I noticed that the HD was light, nimble, and nowhere near the HD's of old. I bought it with the intension of riding the Wing and the Glide. As I stated earlier, the wing is for sale. 44K. @ $6500.

 

[Rockin' Billy]

Riding 50 years, started at age 5. All Yamaha(last road bike was a 84 Venture Royal that I went all over the states with.) Currently riding a 2009 HD Electra Glide Classic(prior had an 05 as I always wanted a HD so got it out of my system. My opinion not worth the money)

A little story about DR.'s opinions on riding.

1996 I fell 2 stories as fire escape collapsed...should have been dead and only thing Dr.'s said saved me was being in great shape. Pelvis fractured in 5 places...jaw broken both sides....right hip exploded from impact...both sides of jaw broken...sternum broken. Air lifted to Westchester medical....5 weeks getting put together, 3 months in house rehab learning to walk again and use left shoulder...2 years outpatient rehab. I worked very hard and it paid off but still pain every day and new hip installed 2 years ago. Surgeons exact words were that he put me together so I couldn't ride any more. Neurologist wanted to take me to head injury trauma center to show me results of motorcycle accidents. Any one in the medical field I have been in contact with seem to be against riding motorcycles it seems. Yes, more of a risk and concern. I wasn't stubborn but had to give up so many other things I couldn't do I really like the relaxation it gives me to ride. No more 'touring' but still very enjoyable short rides.

Just be safe and observe and absorb your surroundings. Hope you didn't fall aslepp reading. : )

 

[garysym]

I, too have been riding many years. I understand the risks and try to mitigate them by riding smart and alert. On the CA freeways, I've witnessed some unbelievable driving: while texting, eating, reading books– you name it. I observe everyone's driving and try to anticipate what a driver will do. I just enjoy it so dang much, I'm not going to stop! Even my [SIZE=14.3999996185303px]wife, who is a [/SIZE]Physical Therapist, enjoys riding on it.

And last year I got my Ducati Multistrada 1200 S Touring, with 4 riding modes, fully adjustable electronic suspension, ABS, traction control, heated grips, etc. In "Sport" mode, it runs all 150 horses and changes the ABS and traction automatically. In Urban mode it runs at 100HP and softens the suspension, etc. I really love this bike.

Here's a pic of the same model, sans panniers.

 

[flamaqueII]

Been riding all my life. Last 10 years over 200k miles and in most states. Like drumming it takes all four working limbs and your head out of your ask me how I know.

Cutting up a salad in your kitchen can be a life threatening experience if the cutter is completely devoid of basic knife handling skills and respect for life in general.

We choose activities that have an element of risk to them with a proven probability of success. This helps satisfy our human need for adventure as we break away from our mastered routines and comfortable environments. Enjoying a thrilling event or activity invigorates us, and a safe return gives us a sense of accomplishment.

I believe we're created with an innate hunger for adventure and activity that soft modern living just doesn't stroke.

Despite the pain, difficulties - and yes, even potential tragedy - associated with risk-taking behavior, isn't it worth the pleasure you get from it?

When a non-rider says, "I don't understand why you enjoy doing something that's so dangerous," I say, "That's okay - you don't have to understand."

A study linked the mutations in one or both of specific chromosomes to those more inclined to seek risks.

 

[garysym]

Been riding all my life. Last 10 years over 200k miles and in most states. Like drumming it takes all four working limbs and your head out of your ask me how I know.

Cutting up a salad in your kitchen can be a life threatening experience if the cutter is completely devoid of basic knife handling skills and respect for life in general.

We choose activities that have an element of risk to them with a proven probability of success. This helps satisfy our human need for adventure as we break away from our mastered routines and comfortable environments. Enjoying a thrilling event or activity invigorates us, and a safe return gives us a sense of accomplishment.

I believe we're created with an innate hunger for adventure and activity that soft modern living just doesn't stroke.

Despite the pain, difficulties - and yes, even potential tragedy - associated with risk-taking behavior, isn't it worth the pleasure you get from it?

When a non-rider says, "I don't understand why you enjoy doing something that's so dangerous," I say, "That's okay - you don't have to understand."

A study linked the mutations in one or both of specific chromosomes to those more inclined to seek risks.

Well said, Mr. Flamaquell!
In my case, Sport Mode on the Duck is all I need to feel "adventurous"!
BTW- what's your ride, sir?