OT: Motorcyclists on DFO?

[dimag333]

I rode when I was living in fort wayne, way to dangerous in NJ to, oh yeah and I never could pass the written test!

 

[doctor dirt]

I probably should have added that in March of 2010 a young fellow ran a stop sign and drove through a median on a sunday morning at 10 am and ran me down.
It was the same run I've ran for 21 years coming home from having coffe with a few friends. I was pronounced dead twice that morning as I was helicoptered into Ft. Myers Fl. trauma ward.
Two broken collar bones, fractured wrists, damaged T's in my back (5) broken tibia below my knee and above my ankle with multiple fractures all over the tibia.
De-gloved heel (removed) and multiple fractures around my left orbital. A bunch of other little things.
Rehabed for a year in a wheel chair, then 2 months on crutches and still use a cane today. My left leg is an inch shorter than my right and I'm unable to walk without my ortho shoes and special inserts.

The boy who ran the stop sign was found guilty and paid a 510.00 fine and lost his license for 90 days.
This happened on Rt. 41 that runs the west coast of Florida and has some very tough intersections to navigate.
He was just in a hurry and theres nothing in Florida to be in a hurry about.

There are people killed sitting in movie theatres these days, that's scary to me!!!

2 up be safe!

 

[RogersLudwig]

my dad had a war surplus Indian scout when I was a kid. When I turned 15 1/2 he bought me a Honda sport 90, soon to be replaced by a BMW R26 250cc single. Then I upgraded to a Royal Enfield 750cc Interceptor in college. Now i ride a 2010 Triumph Bonneville SE 865cc. I'm totally stoked when I ride, but I spend a whole lot of ride time checking out the folks in cars while they text, run stop signs and red lights, eat, talk on the phone, apply makeup, and generally pay no attention to others on the road, particularly motorcycles. Three accidents in 50 years. The worst was a broken collar bone in two places requiring a metal rod and six screws. My fault. no other vehicle involved.

Took the rider safety course at the regional Honda center in Colton, CA in 2008. Extremely valuable course. They have a street track and a dirt track for various safety and riding classes.

 

[Ron Bullard]

I began riding in 2007-8 after taking a rider safety course in Oregon. I later became an instructor for Team Oregon, and after moving to LA I became an MSF RiderCoach, coaching nearly 2,000 people over 2-3 years. I love riding, and ride daily, although most of my riding now is for straight commuting and not so much for pleasure. Dangerous? Sure. Oh well, everything has a risk to it, it just depends on how you manage that risk. Here's me and my SV on a few trips I've done in the last few years.

En Route to Dallas, 2013:

The Grand Canyon, 2013:

Route 66 in Southern California, 2012:

San Francisco, 2012:

Mt Shasta, 2011:

Keeping the SV safe, Seattle 2011:

 

[Lazmo]

Apologises to David… … if I was 10% the drummer he is, I would have stopped riding too.

But no, apparently I am an avid risk taker… motorcycles – trail/road/track, cycling, mountain bikes – xc/am, bmx, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, ripstiking, etc … and hopefully, for my families sake, I will survive my adventures. And to this end, I have really seriously slowed down, and will not own any sports bikes anymore, instead only riding for fun in the hills, on a couple of vintage bikes… and mainly focussing on mountain bike.

I started dirt riding on the farm when I was 8 years old and am 57 now, so 49 years on two wheels, having owned Hondas, Yamahas, Suzukis, Triumphs, BMW’s, Moto Guzzis and Ducatis.

I have had quite a lot to do with the motorcycle press in Australia, with my best riding buddies working in that field… so I have test ridden many other bikes by many other marques.

Here’s a pic of my favourite bike, a very tricked up (suspension-wise) 1989 Ducati 900SS, at a Broadford track day.

 

[zildjian@consol]

I have had bikes,and they have me.Got the racing jones again.Raced Expert in my 20's on a RM 250.Raced again in my 40's on a YZ 250 ,Kx 500, and KDX 220.Had a ton of fun,and even cleared a 100' triple step-up.I would like to race the 55+ class in Hare Scrambles.

 

[AJMcHardy]

I'm a lapsed rider. Love everything about bikes and riding them but the "what if?" got into my head and I can't do it anymore.
Stories like Doctor Dirt's don't help either (glad you're still with us Doc).
Safe journeys to all you DFO people on two wheels.

 

[yzfr6i]

Started riding when I was 16, raced in my 20s, took a few years off in my 30s, was back on the track when I turned 40. I don't see myself ever not being on a bike.

 

[Castnblast]

Been riding bikes for 35 years. Nothing like it

 

[piccupstix]

I love reading this thread. Comes up at least once a year.

- '99 Suzuki Intruder VS1400
- '75 Honda CB400Four Super Sport (in and out of coolness through the years, currently cool )

 

[CaptainCrunch]

When I was in my late teens, my BSA/Triumph fanatic dad traded some work to a bar owner buddy of his for a '78 or '79 Yamaha XS650 ("best British twin I ever saw", he frequently declared). I probably put 5000 miles on it tearing all over the backroads of Michigan for an entire summer. My mother hated every second of it, but I was spellbound. I left the bike when I moved out (couldn't swipe my old man's chariot), but I never forgot. Fast forward past 18 years of "Uhhh, maaaybe someday" and "So you mean you plan to buy one after I DUMP YOU AND YOU'RE LIVING IN A CARDBOARD BOX?" girlfriends. I was just shy of my 35th birthday, which is how old my dad was when I (3rd of 4) was born and he was forced to sell his Porsche 356C (the old man had good taste). I was reading a story of a forum mate who had just gotten back into motorcycling at the age of 78, who joked "Well, I spent a lifetime waiting to get younger so I could get a bike. Turns out I just needed to get old enough to start forgetting I wasn't 18 and never would be again." I basically marched out to the living room and loudly announced to my dear and loving wife "EXCUSE ME HONEY I'M THINKING ABOUT BUYING A MOTORCYCLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I'M BASICALLY GOING TO DO IT ASAP I THINK A LOAN SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO GET I'LL PROBABLY ACTUALLY DIE IF I DON'T BUY ONE SOON THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE A REALLY NICE LADY."

Three weeks later I was the proud owner of a Bavarian Tractor - a 1976 BMW R75/6 with a '78 R100S engine swap. This Teutonic farm implement allows me to accelerate from 0-60 in a very competitive time for a city bus. The handling rivals an unusually agile fat man on roller blades. The braking is almost better than just falling over. It's the perfect "Don't-make-the-wife-too-nervous" bike simply because it's fun-but-not-TOO-fun, comfortable on the passenger seat, and built to be taken apart and put back together on a lift while accomplishing nothing besides drinking beer.

There are other bikes I'd really love to own (Ducati 900SS, Vespa w/sidecar, Harley 48, MV Agusta Brutale, first-gen KTM Duke, etc) but I cannot ever foresee not owning this. It's probably the most honest mechanical thing I've ever met.

To all the negative nellys in this thread. Yes, we know. Riding a motorcyle is not as risk-free as watching "American Idol" while laying on the couch eating a BigMac ValueMeal and writing out a WalMart shopping list and filling my Depends. But the bum tickers that run in my dad's family are statistically what's going to kill me, not idly farting my bike up the Lake Michigan shoreline to the Wisconsin border on my MURDERSICKLE.

 

[Imposing Will]

When I was in my late teens, my BSA/Triumph fanatic dad traded some work to a bar owner buddy of his for a '78 or '79 Yamaha XS650 ("best British twin I ever saw", he frequently declared). I probably put 5000 miles on it tearing all over the backroads of Michigan for an entire summer. My mother hated every second of it, but I was spellbound. I left the bike when I moved out (couldn't swipe my old man's chariot), but I never forgot. Fast forward past 18 years of "Uhhh, maaaybe someday" and "So you mean you plan to buy one after I DUMP YOU AND YOU'RE LIVING IN A CARDBOARD BOX?" girlfriends. I was just shy of my 35th birthday, which is how old my dad was when I (3rd of 4) was born and he was forced to sell his Porsche 356C (the old man had good taste). I was reading a story of a forum mate who had just gotten back into motorcycling at the age of 78, who joked "Well, I spent a lifetime waiting to get younger so I could get a bike. Turns out I just needed to get old enough to start forgetting I wasn't 18 and never would be again." I basically marched out to the living room and loudly announced to my dear and loving wife "EXCUSE ME HONEY I'M THINKING ABOUT BUYING A MOTORCYCLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I'M BASICALLY GOING TO DO IT ASAP I THINK A LOAN SHOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO GET I'LL PROBABLY ACTUALLY DIE IF I DON'T BUY ONE SOON THANKS FOR UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE A REALLY NICE LADY."

Three weeks later I was the proud owner of a Bavarian Tractor - a 1976 BMW R75/6 with a '78 R100S engine swap. This Teutonic farm implement allows me to accelerate from 0-60 in a very competitive time for a city bus. The handling rivals an unusually agile fat man on roller blades. The braking is almost better than just falling over. It's the perfect "Don't-make-the-wife-too-nervous" bike simply because it's fun-but-not-TOO-fun, comfortable on the passenger seat, and built to be taken apart and put back together on a lift while accomplishing nothing besides drinking beer.

There are other bikes I'd really love to own (Ducati 900SS, Vespa w/sidecar, Harley 48, MV Agusta Brutale, first-gen KTM Duke, etc) but I cannot ever foresee not owning this. It's probably the most honest mechanical thing I've ever met.

To all the negative nellys in this thread. Yes, we know. Riding a motorcyle is not as risk-free as watching "American Idol" while laying on the couch eating a BigMac ValueMeal and writing out a WalMart shopping list and filling my Depends. But the bum tickers that run in my dad's family are statistically what's going to kill me, not idly farting my bike up the Lake Michigan shoreline to the Wisconsin border on my MURDERSICKLE.

20+ years without a motorcycle here...until this past April. Bought 4 pit bikes (3 SSR 110 semi autos, SSR 125 manual) for the wife, kids, and myself. Best money I've spent in recent history.
I blew out my knee last March standing in an attic pulling CAT5 cable...decided then and there that I was running out of time if I wanted to ride. Figured dirt (and getting the family involved) was the best option. So far, so good.
Just bought a Piranha 140 motor for my bike. Hoping to get it in the bike soon-more torque!!!

 

[brianb]

I'm 45 and I got my first motorcycle when I was 8 years old. A Honda Elsinore 50. I haven't stopped riding since and for about 20 years I worked at Harley dealerships and independent dealerships. I was GM for the Harley dealerships and owned two independent shops after that. I've ridden, raced, and built bikes all my life and have had several featured in magazines. I guess it's my other passion besides drums. I currently have a 2013 Harley FLHX (Street Glide).

 

[Spongebob]

1994 Honda CBR 1000F

 

[Mr B]

I freely accept the risk.

And in regards to the OP, here’s my personal favorite-

I built it from a wide assortment of 70 to 100 year old parts with new bits in between- It’s fragile and slow, and I spent as much time fixing it as I do riding it...

Never the less it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on 2 wheels! In the last 3 seasons I’ve put nearly 1900 miles on it just leisurely cruising the back streets of my town.

-Kirk

 

[Lazmo]

I built it from a wide assortment of 70 to 100 year old parts with new bits in between- It’s fragile and slow, and I spent as much time fixing it as I do riding it...

Never the less it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on 2 wheels! In the last 3 seasons I’ve put nearly 1900 miles on it just leisurely cruising the back streets of my town.

-Kirk

Kirk,

Love your creations... the one in Imposing Wills pit bike thread is also fantastic.

I too have been leisurely cruising the backstreets on a vintage bike, OK it's only a youngy at 1967... but I have done almost 5,000kms on the little red Honda in two years, and have seen more of my local suburbs, side streets, lanes and hills back roads than I knew existed. The looks you get from the kids playing is priceless, as I putt putt by.

I've also got the barrels back for my '71 Guzzi and did the genny fix last night... so I can start assembling the top ends now and hopefully it should be running soon.

 

[theneonguy]

I especially like the Cap'n's post. I'm a Beemer man myself. Love their bikes and their late 80s model cars, like the 535i. Rock on, and cruise on, brothers.

 

[crash]

I especially like the Cap'n's post. I'm a Beemer man myself. Love their bikes and their late 80s model cars, like the 535i. Rock on, and cruise on, brothers.

Been thinking i need another. Luv my Ducati, but miss the simple, relaxed feeling of my R60.....

 

[garysym]

Soooo- after seeing this thread, I realize I need a really, really big garage so I can store more motorcycles, and a big dedicated music room to keep more drums and instruments!

Or better yet an insulated, heated barn for all of that stuff (like a few of you guys out there).

 

[crash]

I'm liking the. Barn idea. There's a bike collector down in Ojai that's got just that for his large collection of Italian bike. Looks like a barn, open it to tiled floors, special bikes on risers, gallery lighting and soft opera playing! Google Guy Webster barn and it should turn up...