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Z3n posted:In retrospect, I shouldn't have said "minor wiggles". I should have said "the bike may move around, but the total effect of the gravel on your line will be minor". This can get thorny in the case of a Michigan U, which you occasionally have to enter coming down from 50+, swinging around into an imminent stop or throttle up. It is possible to get "escorted" into them at speeds you wouldn't ordinarily select. Combine this with the occasional right turning traffic from the other side of the road, and the fun never stops. They're gravel pits and collection points for car accident detritus, and never get cleaned. You're right, it doesn't represent an automatic drop, as long as you're scanning for it--usually because you're once bitten, twice shy.
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Jul 14, 2011 19:12
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| # ? Jun 8, 2024 22:40 |
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My success with gravel is more due to my not seeing it than anything else. As in, I come around a turn and hit some, the rear end steps out and then gets back in line before I can even react. Thus I'm on the gas the whole time.
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Jul 14, 2011 20:47
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I was at a gas station the other day when someone came up and asked if I was in the hells angels.. on a supermoto?
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Jul 16, 2011 14:17
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Niven posted:I was at a gas station the other day when someone came up and asked if I was in the hells angels.. Sonny Barger rides a Victory Vision. Your supermoto is ten times more badass and gangsta.
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Jul 16, 2011 15:51
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Niven posted:I was at a gas station the other day when someone came up and asked if I was in the hells angels.. The proper answer when anyone asks you this is "gently caress off".
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Jul 16, 2011 16:28
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Marv Hushman posted:Sonny Barger rides a Victory Vision. Your supermoto is ten times more badass and gangsta.
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Jul 17, 2011 15:36
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I finally had a good one that happened the other day. I live in a 4 plex and one of my neighbours is this fairly ghetto black guy, but he's drat cool and really a nice guy. Anyway I pull up in our driveway on my DRZ and he's standing out front smoking a cigg.  : Whatup  : Hey man : That's a sweet bike ya got there, 2-stroke right ? Nah, its a 4-stroke Awww yeah, could tell by the chain.  The chain? Yup, its a Ducati right? Suzuki, its a DRZ 400 from 2007 Yeaaaaah 2007 that was a good year for motorcycles, anyway cool bike. Thanks!
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Aug 6, 2011 01:28
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*pops gas cap Mmm, it's an '07, good year 
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Aug 6, 2011 03:01
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AncientTV posted:*pops gas cap Haha that's exactly what I was thinking walking inside. Did he just compare my bike to wine?
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Aug 6, 2011 03:48
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This is from a while back, but still amusing to me: When I still had my V-Star 250, my friend was helping me swap out the handlebars. His girlfriend took a photo and posted it on Facebook with the description "The guys working on the bike." Her ex's little brother commented "Pff That's not a REAL bike!" (or something to that effect.) This coming from a kid who doesn't actually own a bike, he just borrows his brother's GSX-R. That is until said brother flipped it trying to do a stoppie and broke his (I believe) collar bone. Pretty sure that was the second or third bike he wrecked, too. Kid's learning from the best! I was going to respond, but she removed the comment before I did.
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Aug 8, 2011 19:47
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Guys you are absolutely brilliant. Thanks so much for this thread. I found out I may lose my job to budget cuts today and was extremely  .... This thread has made me grin and smile every time I've had a few calm minutes to look at it.So as not to just be a postwhore I "laid'er down" a few months back due to gravel and a DUI driver... I was taking a wonderful left switchback while scrubbing in new tires (Battle-axes....) when a white Escalade with a drunk college chick in it went screeching over the center line just as I had started to scrub my toe slider. (I was going up hill she was coming down and it was a very steep incline.) She was sliding completely into my line and was about to whack me pretty much head on. I decreased my lean and went wide right into a thick patch of gravel in the shoulder. I kept my throttle consistent and made it out of the gravel, but was almost completely sideways at this point. All I could think of was that when my wheel regained it's traction I was going to do one of two things: a. shoot to where I was currently pointed which was off the side of a mountain. b. the traction was going to snap me upright hard when it came back and I was going to high side because of how much I was leaned. So, I "laid'er down" and she slid about 10 feet before hitting the edge of the rain ditch and rolling a few times on it's way in. I have no doubt my gear absolutely saved my life. That's another point in the favor of CA. I come from a squid family, my uncle wear's T-shirts & shorts while popping wheelies at 65+ mph. I grew up riding that way. Reading here about Z3n's track days and several of the mishaps really convinced me that the gear was not optional. I spent more on my gear than I did on my bike see awesome custom title... and it paid for itself that day by saving my life and my body. Team Z3n! (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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Aug 12, 2011 22:39
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A new rider acquaintance of mine texted me annoyed and questioning why the speedo on his Virago 535 goes to 115 but he can only get the bike to around 90. Text is an annoying place to explain to someone their 535 v-twin 5 speed isn't going to break any land speed records, and that gauges are just gauges. High school must have been the last time I heard someone brag about their cars top speed based on where the speedo topped out, everyone's car in highschool could do 130-160  .
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Aug 13, 2011 00:05
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Ponies ate my Bagel posted:Guys you are absolutely brilliant. Thanks so much for this thread. I found out I may lose my job to budget cuts today and was extremely This post + the one where z3n talks about laying her down at the track = Peak Cycle Asylum. Hang it up fellas the final stone on the poo poo pyramid has been placed. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST) (USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)
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Aug 15, 2011 05:36
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If we have a Team Z3n can I start a Team Tsaven?
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Aug 15, 2011 05:39
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HNasty posted:This post + the one where z3n talks about laying her down at the track = Peak Cycle Asylum. Hang it up fellas the final stone on the poo poo pyramid has been placed. Glad to see we could finish the job you started all those years ago.
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Aug 15, 2011 06:55
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Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:If we have a Team Z3n can I start a Team Tsaven? Team Jack The Smack all the way. Poppin wheelies and collars all the way to the bar.
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Aug 15, 2011 20:48
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Team BoJ. No one puts us dumb, talentless Americans in our place like he does.
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Aug 16, 2011 14:14
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Slim Pickens posted:Team BoJ. No one puts us dumb, talentless Americans in our place like he does. On the downside you have to pay 10 bucks every time you say 'team BoJ'.
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Aug 16, 2011 17:19
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Well tonight offered up a serving of stupid motorcycle poo poo. I finished rehabbing my WR250R after my Alaska trip and went to rip it up. I was also looking for an empty parking lot for gymkhana, so I went to the local state university. I found a small lot with only one entrance and started my practice routine. With a new map, FMF pipe, and big rear sprocket it went something like this: wheelie, slide, turn, wheelie, slide, turn, wheelie, stop, full throttle, slide, turn, wheelie, slide, etc. In short, I was riding like a total dong. I was somewhere between turn and wheelie when I saw a car go by. Instantly I rolled off the throttle--before even consciously registering the lightbar and slanted amber indictators. In that moment I was reminded that humans are mammals, and descended from a long lineage of prey animals going all the way back to prehistoric rodents. When I see those lights, my rodent brain stem flashes a scene somewhat like this, except instead of a Saurornitholestes eating a Multituberculate it's a dickhead in a Crown Victoria writing me a ticket.  As my brain stem activity gave way to higher cognitive function I quickly determined that I needed plausible deniability fast. I slowed to a crawl and started doing the most controlled circle drills I could muster. I bet you could calculate Pi to scientific precision on those circles. I did this until the university cop turned into the parking lot, stopped, and turned on the flashing lights. I figured the show was up and it was time to face the audience. I stopped, turned off the engine, and began to remove my gear as the reptilian in uniform walked over and started talking to me. I got my glove off and, apologizing, finally gouged an earplug out so I could hear him. He frowned. "You're only allowed to have one earplug, not two."
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Aug 18, 2011 06:20
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I don't understand this nonsense. I'm mid ~5000km roadtrip and I get constant grief from people when I stop and take off my helmet and they see earplugs (or noise isolating earphones). Just random people will vault across the parking lot to warn me how dangerous it is for me to protect my hearing and despite how I try to explain my windscreen and where it dumps all the turbulent air (really honda? on a bike meant for touring?) they just aren't interested. "How can you hear cars?" "I can't regardless, only wind" "But what if a car -" "All I hear is wind" "But if there's a car next to you ..." Also on a sidenote of stupid poo poo, I'm decked out in full textile gear and passing through some pretty warm weather, every time I stop for gas inevitably some guy on a cruiser or some squid will saunter over and offer up a "Heh.. you must be pretty warm". Yes, I am, thanks.
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Aug 18, 2011 17:12
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Niven posted:I don't understand this nonsense. I've been riding on the street off and on for the better part of 20 years and I've yet to have that happen to me. Maybe I just look like an rear end in a top hat and people don't want to talk to me. 
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Aug 18, 2011 17:35
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MotoMind posted:"You're only allowed to have one earplug, not two." I woulda said "Fine" and flicked one of them at him like a cigarette.  I've been using earplugs every day with my new commute and it is glorious. I left them out for a short ride and couldn't believe how goddamn loud my bike is. Aftermarket exhaust, -1+2 and turning 8k at 80mph...christ how do people still merge into me?
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Aug 18, 2011 23:14
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Gnaghi posted:I woulda said "Fine" and flicked one of them at him like a cigarette. I've noticed that the sound is pretty directional on the highway. I've been in my car and had bikes with straight pipes get almost up to my door before I heard them, and as they get in front of me the volume picks up. I'm still waiting for someone to do a somewhat legitimate test if loud pipes make your bike more noticeable. It'd be an entertaining Mythbusters episode.
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Aug 18, 2011 23:58
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Its been done and they don't. Id dig up the study but I'm on my phone. High vis and a headlight modulator is where it's at.
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Aug 19, 2011 00:02
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Z3n posted:High vis and a headlight modulator is where it's at. The ninja's headlight bracket was bondoed from the original owner's crash and has come apart since so I've got one of those down. Maybe I should go kawi green to get the other. 
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Aug 19, 2011 01:51
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Deeters posted:I've noticed that the sound is pretty directional on the highway. I've been in my car and had bikes with straight pipes get almost up to my door before I heard them, and as they get in front of me the volume picks up. Yeah, loud pipes only make you more noticeable to people behind you, and your neighbors at 3am.
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Aug 19, 2011 03:22
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Gnaghi posted:I've been using earplugs every day with my new commute and it is glorious. I left them out for a short ride and couldn't believe how goddamn loud my bike is. Aftermarket exhaust, -1+2 and turning 8k at 80mph...christ how do people still merge into me? Deeters posted:I've noticed that the sound is pretty directional on the highway. I've been in my car and had bikes with straight pipes get almost up to my door before I heard them, and as they get in front of me the volume picks up. My wife and I have been using the car instead of the bike to commute to work lately since she can't take the heat on the drive home, and I can assure you that no, you really don't hear a bike until it's right next to you. Sometimes not even then. Modern cars with all their insulation and sound proofing do a fabulous job of blocking outside noises. Our car is a 2003 Maxima, so it's not even all that new, but on the interstate we both have noticed that neither of us can hear Mr. Loud Pipes till he's right along side of us, and if the radio is up loud, forget it, we probably won't hear him at all. This morning we had the windows up, the AC on, with traffic/talk radio on at low volume while my wife and I talked at a stoplight, and we still barely heard the Ducati Diavel that pulled up next to us.
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Aug 19, 2011 03:22
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I had kind of a weird one today. I bumped into an in law who also rides and was less than thrilled when he had seen me riding without dedicated pants/boots earlier. "So did you finally get all geared up?" "Boots, but no proper pants yet" "What about a holster?" "...a holster?" "Yeah man, people see you riding and they're going to assume you're packing. And you don't want to disappoint them, ya heard?" No, I'm sorry, I've never seen a guy on an 80's Honda scooter and thought "yeah, that guy's definitely got a gun."
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Aug 19, 2011 03:42
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Blinken posted:I had kind of a weird one today. I bumped into an in law who also rides and was less than thrilled when he had seen me riding without dedicated pants/boots earlier. I got that too. I was relating about a guy who merged into me, and my coworker said "you should have just pulled out your gun." "What?" "You own guns. You ride a motorcycle. Why don't you carry a gun? I thought all bikers had guns, for road rage stuff." "...." Is this a stereotype that is in our favor?
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Aug 19, 2011 20:51
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Raven457 posted:Modern cars with all their insulation and sound proofing do a fabulous job of blocking outside noises. Our car is a 2003 Maxima, so it's not even all that new, but on the interstate we both have noticed that neither of us can hear Mr. Loud Pipes till he's right along side of us, and if the radio is up loud, forget it, we probably won't hear him at all. Yeah man, some rear end in a top hat kids smacked the driver's side mirror off my civic (this is why my motorcycle lives at mom and dad's) and I took the door panel off this week so I could remove the old sad triage amputee remains and now there is a tiny little circle of just open air in the frame, no bigger than a quarter and when I drive, even with my windows rolled all the way up, I can hear like 300% more outside noise than before when I'm driving around waiting for my ebay mirror in the mail. I really had no idea poo poo was that airtight before.
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Aug 19, 2011 21:48
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I drive my jeep around with no doors right now. I can tell when someone is in my blind spot by their tire noise. Loud pipes are still hard to hear until they are in front of me.
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Aug 20, 2011 14:48
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EightBit posted:Yeah, loud pipes only make you more noticeable to people behind you, and your neighbors at 3am. Bullshit, the bit I emphasized. Sure, at highway speeds maybe it doesn't have much effect. In the city though, people sit up and take notice. I've just went from my loud as hell Dnepr to my nearly silent Zephyr, and difference is huge.
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Aug 20, 2011 18:12
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Backov posted:Bullshit, the bit I emphasized. Doesn't your dnepr have a sidecar attached to it?
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Aug 20, 2011 18:49
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Z3n posted:Doesn't your dnepr have a sidecar attached to it? Have you heard the sound a sidecar makes when you lanesplit?
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Aug 20, 2011 19:24
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Z3n posted:Doesn't your dnepr have a sidecar attached to it? Nope.
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Aug 20, 2011 20:30
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Backov posted:Nope. Ahh, right, just the crazy car tire.
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Aug 20, 2011 22:31
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Z3n posted:Ahh, right, just the crazy car tire. Yes, although that's not long for this world - the rear hub decided to lose all of its teeth at once.
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Aug 21, 2011 08:57
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Backov posted:Bullshit, the bit I emphasized. Different? In what way? Like perhaps you can hear your own thoughts? People aren't trying to push you off the road to shut your bike up? People no longer muttering "douche" when you make babies cry? 
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Aug 21, 2011 13:58
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My favorite line, which I've actually shouted is "TURN YOUR BIKE DOWN"
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Aug 21, 2011 16:12
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Christ, my friend's trading in his 250 rebel (an unusually responsible choice for his MSF-refusing rear end), and someone on facebook responded "May I suggest one without training wheels this time".  Hey douche. Stop trying to get my already irresponsible friend killed, thanks.
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Aug 22, 2011 08:09
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