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M4gic posted:Man it was a rough night to ride in Omaha. A car pulled up along side me and started throwing stuff at me and yelling. Turned an enjoyable ride into an irritating one. Have you guys ever had people throw stuff at you? Had a bunch of guys on strike outside of a bar (were they protesting the bar? I don't know, I didn't read their sign) throw an entire water cooler full of ice into the road right in front of me one time.
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Jul 10, 2010 17:51
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Retard squid on a CBR1000RR with a loose and rusty chain tried racing me at a stoplight. He was the special kind of squid that had his helmet strapped to the helmet lock while riding. As he took off from the light (mis-shifting at 2nd) his sunglasses flew off his head and I "accidentally" ran them over. He pulled over looking confused and I rode by tapping my helmet.
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Jul 10, 2010 18:11
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:his sunglasses flew off his head and I "accidentally" ran them over.
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Jul 10, 2010 23:06
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I didn't dignify him by actually racing him from a stoplight, but that didn't stop him from revving the piss out of it and attempting to launch his bike.
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Jul 11, 2010 05:02
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What part of North Carolina? A lot of the tech jobs seem to be in the Raleigh/Durham area which is where I lived. It's a nice area but the roads are a bit lacking until you go more west. Still, not a bad place to live. Plus you could easily ride all year round if you don't mind being chilly in the mornings.
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Jul 11, 2010 19:34
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Any of you guys around Seattle? I am 90% sure about moving there - how are the roads and the daily ridability? I love riding in the rain.
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Jul 11, 2010 20:08
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BlackMK4 posted:Any of you guys around Seattle? I am 90% sure about moving there - how are the roads and the daily ridability? I love riding in the rain. Drivers are slow, the mountain are beautiful, the rain is persistent, the traffic is bad but the country is awesome.
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Jul 11, 2010 20:46
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A buddy of mine lives in seattle, and yes, traffic is often really bad when I go to meet him (via car). The roads are very hilly with quite a few steep incline/declines, lot of bicyclists out even when the weather is wet. Regardless, he seems to love it, and now that he got his MSF course over with and insured his old '70s BMW bike (can't remember the make, but it's freakin' HUGE), he's been using it as his main mode of transportion for work.
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Jul 12, 2010 05:32
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Lothire posted:and insured his old '70s BMW bike (can't remember the make, but it's freakin' HUGE) I bet it's a BMW.
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Jul 12, 2010 05:37
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Traffic on a bike is no fun if you can't lane split! Unless of course you break the law  Do cops lane split outside of California? I mean if it's not an emergency. Yeah yeah I know cops can do whatever they want.
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Jul 12, 2010 05:52
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Zool posted:I bet it's a BMW. Ah ha, yes, it's all coming back to me. 
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Jul 12, 2010 06:30
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I'm having a great riding season. I ride to work whenever the weather allows and my wife is getting comfortable with me riding in rush hour traffic. She's been super anxious about me ever since the big accident three years ago. Anyway, she and I are on our way to a gathering in Detroit when I see a motorcycle wedged underneath my friend's SUV. The party goers are all hanging out around the accident. One of my friends says, "Hey man, isn't that the same model as your bike?" I go talk to the rider. He's got terrible road rash on both of his arms but otherwise unhurt. I asked him what happened and he stammers out something about losing control of it and how maybe he should have been wearing a jacket. I tell him to go to the hospital and if he won't do that, he better clean the gently caress out of the wounds. Turns out he is some college football player from out of state. Probably his first time on a bike. My friends say he reeked of weed, but he looked like he was shocked/stunned and not high. I still can't figure out how he hit a parked SUV on a one way street. The next few hours I have to hear about how sport bikes are designed to kill their riders. My poor wife... 
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Jul 12, 2010 13:49
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Crayvex posted:I still can't figure out how he hit a parked SUV on a one way street.
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Jul 12, 2010 14:00
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Crayvex posted:reeked of weed...hit a parked SUV on a one way street Explains everything
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Jul 12, 2010 16:53
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 I would seriously consider going for one of these after I get my full license, if they had a larger engine. Such an awesome and fun looking thing. Shame they're only doing 125 versions. I guess KTM are trying to get in on the learner market and compete with the the other 'sporty' 125's. On the other hand, if that RC4 concept/mythical bike ever gets put into production, I'd have one in a heartbeat.  Built by a few KTM R&D guys in their spare time from what I'd guess were some spare RC8/Duke parts and some custom fabricated bits and bobs, to race in some supermono championship. 80hp single, 140kg, looks like a stealth bomber. I might be a bit biased as I love the look of the RC8's, but I'd snap one of them up if they ever get behind the idea and put something out.
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Jul 12, 2010 17:17
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I know very little about tech stuff, aside from basic maintenance, so don't even quite know what terms to even google to start looking into this question. Can one take a smaller bike, in my case a Honda CB250, and mess with various engine parts, increasing cc's or whichever, in order to get notably more horsepower? That is, can I take a CB250 and turn it into a 350cc bike? Reason I ask: I started on a CB250, using it mostly for urban driving and on some 55-60mph arterials. I had an awesome time on it, it was cheap but reliable, and it was light and nimble. Sold it when I moved and bought a Triumph Bonneville 790cc, which is notably smoother on the highways (where I seldom ride), but finnickier and far heavier. Like from 290lbs to 430lbs. I really like the small/light frame of the CB250, and the 20hp it puts out is sufficient for 80% of the riding I do (gets a bit twitchy over 75mph or in heavy wind), and getting it up to, say, 25hp would cover all my needs in a small, light bike. Is this even slightly feasible?
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Jul 12, 2010 17:34
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Oh god it's gonna be stormy tonight and my bike has to park outdoors. Hope it doesn't decide to take a nap.
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Jul 12, 2010 17:34
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:I know very little about tech stuff, aside from basic maintenance, so don't even quite know what terms to even google to start looking into this question. Since you have no mechanical experience I would recommend just buying something light and around your horsepower goals. Something like a Ninja 250. Hell, even if you had mechanical experience I'd advise against building your own unless you just wanted a project.
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Jul 12, 2010 17:47
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Is this even slightly feasible? Yes, it's very feasible, but given this: TapTheForwardAssist posted:I know very little about tech stuff You're basically getting into what is an expensive hit-and-miss for experienced hobby mechanics, which makes it a daunting, frustrating and very time consuming undertaking for a mechanical newbie. You can tune the CB250 (is it the one that looks a bit like a Triumph?) to get some more horsepower, but it won't be a lot more. You will learn a lot of stuff about working on bikes, but it will take a lot of time, pain and cash. If you do succeed, it probably won't be as reliable anymore. If you want to stick with light and nimble but with more power, sell one or both bikes and get something else. Maybe a DRZ400? maybe a naked SV? Maybe a Ducati Monster? Those are what the CA hivemind usually recommends anyway, but there's tons of other options of course.
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Jul 12, 2010 17:50
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:I know very little about tech stuff Just buy a bike that provides the power you want. Bumping your bike from 250 to 350cc, even if there is a direct piston/cylinder swap out there is a huge undertaking for someone not well versed in mechanics. Getting that bike from 20 to 25 hp is also a large undertaking that will take a huge amount of hit-and-miss work to get working well. Getting your bike to the horsepower levels you want, and having it still be reliable and drivable when it gets there are two very different things. The time and money you would sink into doing this would more than offset the cost of a bike that meets your requirements, after the sale of your old bike. I dont want to discourage anyone from working on their bike, but what you're describing, combined with the experience you have is like trying to climb a mountain before you know how to crawl.
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Jul 12, 2010 20:28
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Ola posted:You're basically getting into what is an expensive hit-and-miss for experienced hobby mechanics, which makes it a daunting, frustrating and very time consuming undertaking for a mechanical newbie. Yeah, that's about what I guessed. My mechanical aptitude at this point is limited to being able to maintain small arms and crew-served weapons, and I brought a Honda moped back to life by taking it all the way apart and reassembling. But those are pretty basic ops: the first gained through repetition and the second by assiduously following a printed out instruction sheet and turning a 20min procedure into multiple hours. quote:You can tune the CB250 (is it the one that looks a bit like a Triumph?) Here's me on AYB:  quote:Maybe a DRZ400? maybe a naked SV? Maybe a Ducati Monster? Those are what the CA hivemind usually recommends anyway, but there's tons of other options of course. The only downside is that most bikes that weigh where I'm hoping for ~<370lbs dry, and have enough HP (ideally 30-50), are sport bikes. I'm just rather fond of sitting straight up vice bending forward over the tank. The DRZ seemed pretty cool at first glance, and it's light and has a rep for being agile. But I'm not sure how I feel about thumpers, and when I saw the 35" seat height I knew I was hosed. I have a 30" inseam, so a Bonneville is right at the limit of what I can keep upright, and that's not even totally flatfooted. The naked SV650 is a bike I've always admired in terms of cool lines, seems to have a good rep, light weight, etc. It is a little swoopier-looking than I'd prefer, though some people apparently manage to make them look a little more retro. EDIT: Huh, apparently this is a niche group of folks building "modern cafe racer" retro-hybrid bikes onto SV650s. Again, I would like to sit up a little higher, and I could use a bit longer of a back seat for easier 2-up riding (is that stock or aftermarket on the above pic), but I can shop around and see what parts are about. At the risk of, yet again, asking a really dumb question, can you put slightly higher bars on an SV650 to get a more erect posture without it looking like some bastard mutant? In all honesty, I really like the looks of the old 1970s UJMs, and those were all the rage in Austin when I lived there (my CB250 actually got a lot of compliments for a beater, tiny bike), but I hold back from those due to the maintenance issues, and 400ccs that weight as much as modern 800cc bikes. I love the looks of the Bonnie, but it's heavy and takes some babying. At this point my gut response is to either look into getting a beater SV650 and doing a few mods to "de-swoopify" it, or just getting a CB250, doing a few minor mods to maybe slightly improve performance, and just knowing that I shouldn't go anywhere where I have to run with big trucks or hold over 65mph for long. EDIT2: What model of bike is this? It seems to say "YX" and "400" or similar, but I'm not finding that on Google. EDIT3: Ah, it's a "V". VX800? Probably more weight and muscle than I need. Looks comfier than the SV650 though. 
TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 21:41 on Jul 12, 2010 |
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Jul 12, 2010 21:36
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I don't know about comfier, but it'll be a lot harder to find than a SV naked.
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Jul 12, 2010 22:15
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Retarded Pimp posted:I don't know about comfier, but it'll be a lot harder to find than a SV naked. A streetfightered (streetfought?) Ninja 500 seems rather similar:  Pretty cool aesthetic, and the position is a little more upright, and more level seat.
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Jul 12, 2010 22:41
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There's a VX800 that parks outside the courthouse next to where I live. Those lawyers love their oddball bikes. In addition to being harder to locate, it will definitely have a limited aftermarket compared to the SV. The SV has excellent aftermarket support and you can get handlebar risers or differently shaped handlebars to suit your desired riding posture. Unless you go for ape hangers, it will not look dumb. You might have to get new throttle, clutch and brake lines though. That, and general maintenance, is well within your mechanical aptitude given a military background and QAing this forum.  If you want a no-mods-needed ride, perhaps you could check out adventure bikes such as the Suzuki DL650 V-strom. Similar engine to the SV, but the seat height is about 33" which would be manageable but not within your preferred range. It's a bit heavy as well, but weight isn't something to be that bothered by. All bikes claim to carry their weight low, but adventure bikes, old style Triumphs and UJMs are top heavy if you compare them to cruisers and BMW boxers with low ride height. Even so, a top heavy 480 lbs UJM is fairly easy to handle if you take the time to practice a bit. If you don't practice, shaving off 100 lbs doesn't make it that more unlikely to drop anyway. A japanese cruiser will give you lots of choice, easy maintenance, low seat height and actual low centre of gravity even if they weigh more than you like. As for comfort, I suppose an upright SV might be quite good, not cramped with a 30" inseam, the pillion seat would be ok for Sunday tripping and so on but perhaps not so good for 2-up long range touring.
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Jul 12, 2010 22:51
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:The only downside is that most bikes that weigh where I'm hoping for ~<370lbs dry, and have enough HP (ideally 30-50), are sport bikes. I'm just rather fond of sitting straight up vice bending forward over the tank. did they sell the '06+ Aprilia Pegaso in the US? Ok it's a thumper, but it's Italian. I ride one and it's ace for backroads and city riding, and does the job on motorways. Tucked with feet on the passenger pegs it'll do 100mph no problem, though the gas mileage is poo poo at that speed.
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Jul 12, 2010 23:01
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yeah.... UJM's run the spectrum from "nice and low CG" to "the weight is at my ears" GS's in general have the weight pretty low. The bikes with the spar frames, carry it high. If a bike has the motor as a stressed member, the weight is gonna be higher. The worst culprit I found was the yamaha XS400 SECA I had. Now... the VX800 is an expensive bike ot find body parts for. But the engine and drive are from a suzuki cruiser that's very common. so engine and drive parts are cheap. it's got 70-80hp. Much the same as the SV, but with 800cc's you're getting GOBS more torque.
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Jul 12, 2010 23:02
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Spiffness posted:Drivers are slow, the mountain are beautiful, the rain is persistent, the traffic is bad but the country is awesome. I was bored so I scouted routes... is the 101 around Olympic National Park as cool as it looks?
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Jul 12, 2010 23:18
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BlackMK4 posted:I was bored so I scouted routes... is the 101 around Olympic National Park as cool as it looks? Yeah, pretty much the entire peninsula is great
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Jul 13, 2010 00:29
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This is going to be loving awesome... now to get that job at Boeing.
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Jul 13, 2010 00:33
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Try not to miss 112 & 113(north of crescent lake) like I did. Still a beautiful view on that road, but not as twisty.
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Jul 13, 2010 00:39
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Stuff about CB250s I'm not sure where I read it, but I heard that the CB250 is jetted super lean from the factory and going up a main jet size or two will get you 5-10mph more top end. I'll have to see if I can find out where I found that info but if it's true it would make it a lot more viable as an occasional freeway bike.
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Jul 13, 2010 06:50
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:The only downside is that most bikes that weigh where I'm hoping for ~<370lbs dry, and have enough HP (ideally 30-50), are sport bikes. I'm just rather fond of sitting straight up vice bending forward over the tank. Not 100% sure about the seating angle but you want a Honda NT650.  As do I.
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Jul 13, 2010 07:19
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:In all honesty, I really like the looks of the old 1970s UJMs 90's Kawasaki Zepher 550: quite upright, 440lbs wet, and 50hp. I would totally get a Zephyr if I they were available in the states  Pictured with a 1977 Kawasaki for reference (both 1100cc models).
UserNotFound fucked around with this message at 07:46 on Jul 13, 2010 |
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Jul 13, 2010 07:44
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Bike stuff Did they sell these in the USA? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_XBR500
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Jul 13, 2010 09:05
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tzam posted:Did they sell these in the USA? The answer to that question is usually the inverse answer to the lead-up question: "is it cool, creative effort by the japanese that would make an excellent all rounder with lots of character?" Yes. So no.
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Jul 13, 2010 11:14
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UserNotFound posted:90's Kawasaki Zepher 550: quite upright, 440lbs wet, and 50hp. I would totally get a Zephyr if I they were available in the states The Zephyr is (was) absolutely available in the US and routinely makes my short list. Hard to find, but use the craigslist aggregator of your choice and I'm sure you'll find one in your region. I believe we got both a 550 and 750 version in blue and red.
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Jul 13, 2010 14:39
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Ah, just stick a turbo on the 250.
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Jul 13, 2010 15:36
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GS500 nekkid. 380 lb weight (dry?), 45-50hp, cheap, plenty-full, upright, boring.
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Jul 13, 2010 17:31
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Get a http://www.pcxhost.com/store/st7/tp...8&source=launch
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Jul 13, 2010 17:46
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:The DRZ seemed pretty cool at first glance, and it's light and has a rep for being agile. But I'm not sure how I feel about thumpers, and when I saw the 35" seat height I knew I was hosed. I have a 30" inseam, so a Bonneville is right at the limit of what I can keep upright, and that's not even totally flatfooted. I'm 5'10", 235#, 36/30 pants, and Z3n can attest that I had *no* problem with Bunway Airline's 35" seat DRZ400SM, and my current bike it a KLR650 with a seat height of a whopping *37* inches. Yes, to get on it, I have to straight-leg kick my right foot up and put it on the seat, then hop forward a couple times to get my right leg over to the other side - but my little ridiculous 'mounting dance' is over and I'm actually on it, I'm very comfortably on the balls of both feet. Likewise, I rode WildWanderer's SV650 when he came through town, and for being a 'sport bike' and being MUCH smaller than I expected one to be, it was really VERY comfortable - all the controls were just exactly where my body parts expected them to be. They all fell naturally to hand/foot. Kenny Rogers fucked around with this message at 19:07 on Jul 13, 2010 |
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Jul 13, 2010 19:00
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