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babyeatingpsychopath posted:I don't really know what you're trying to say here. Understood--if it's a business trip where you're going to be locked in a consulto-cube for 10 hrs a day, there's hardly any point to having it during the week anyway. I was thinking more along the lines of a weekend run. Not applicable here--my point was, they're available all over the planet. What would Kawasaki charge for an upscale sportbike rental if they were insane enough to take on this business model? The CL beater idea is way more appealing to me personally. Make it double challenging and use it for the return trip home.
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Mar 15, 2012 22:05
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Marv Hushman posted:Understood--if it's a business trip where you're going to be locked in a consulto-cube for 10 hrs a day, there's hardly any point to having it during the week anyway. I was thinking more along the lines of a weekend run. Not applicable here--my point was, they're available all over the planet. What would Kawasaki charge for an upscale sportbike rental if they were insane enough to take on this business model? Unfortunately, I have to pitch these ideas up to the business office, who signs the paycheck to the company credit card. So "hey man, can you just auth me a grand or so to buy a bike on craigslist" cannot possibly fly. I was trying to get them to sign off on a commute on MY bike, but they didn't OK that one, either. Fly there. Budget Rent-a-car. Fly back. Everyone, everywhere does this. Why do you have to be different? "Because cars suck" apparently isn't valid. If I could validly get a $1000 CL bike that would make an 1800-mile trip, I'd try to float it by my wife and just scam the company CC somehow. To make the deal something that the number-crunchers would look at seriously, it'd probably have to be a $500 bike, and that is starting to really hurt my chances. They WERE cool with me renting a Ural for $970 for the month, but the place that rents them only has one to rent, and weren't keen on putting another in rental status just so I could have it for a month.
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Mar 16, 2012 01:00
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I talked my job into paying for me to rent a motorcycle on a business trip to Paris last year, but renting any bike of interest in the city turned out to be almost impossible so I shelved the idea until next time. Snuck a trip to Iceland in on the way home instead, and then used the rental car as more of a rally car than anything else. Good times.
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Mar 16, 2012 01:05
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Or accept you are on a business trip and scamming the company is a crime. I've been on a ton of business trips where I wanted badly to rent a bike but the sad truth is the logistics suck. I mean just flying with a motorcycle helmet is a pain.
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Mar 16, 2012 01:06
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I get paid mileage to commute on my bike  Its good times.
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Mar 16, 2012 02:47
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Unfortunately, I have to pitch these ideas up to the business office Foiled by a classic pincer movement. You can't expect risky behavior to be endorsed by the most risk averse forces in your life. No one wants the job or the expense of feeding someone applesauce and reading them Curious George books for the next 50 years. Can you blame them? You're pretty much on your own, and that would include financing the endeavor. Corporate card/expense account shenanigans will end in tears.
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Mar 16, 2012 05:32
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Olde Weird Tip posted:I get paid mileage to commute on my bike Do they ever wonder why your bike fuel consumption is higher than the cars?  "My commute is 300km long through UNFORTUNATE twisties!" "But you live around the corner.."
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Mar 16, 2012 09:23
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Shimrod posted:Do they ever wonder why your bike fuel consumption is higher than the cars? As mentioned above, messing with expense accounts/mileage/corporate cards is a recipe for unemployment, so I just take my good fortunes at face value and do my regular commute on the bike rather than in the car.
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Mar 16, 2012 14:31
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I have a Ninja 250 with 14k miles on it and the air filter had never been touched. I went to replace the air filter today and the old one was a bitch to get out because it literally fell apart in my hands. Everytime I grabbed a piece of the old filter it fell apart into a soggy mushy oily mess. Eventually I removed the entirety of the old filter and put the new one in. I'm guessing the previous owner just oversaturated the filter or something, would a filter soaked in oil have caused any problems to the rest of the bike? The Shep fucked around with this message at 23:44 on Mar 16, 2012 |
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Mar 16, 2012 21:18
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I'm honestly looking to phase out my car since I never use except for when it's raining (and only because I have leathers and not a touring setup yet). If I am to have one motorcycle for everything, meaning twisties, commuting everywhere, groceries, and 400-500 mile trips every so often, what are my options? I am happy with my SV650, but I'll say that it's pretty cramped, especially for long distances. This won't happen for at least a year or so, but I might as well start research now. I figure I'll have about $6k. So far, the best candidate I have found for this is the Honda VFR800ABS non-vtec, but any insight would be awesome, including "keep the SV, get Givi cases and bar risers and a higher seat for your lanky rear end"
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Mar 17, 2012 02:40
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6k gets you a nice BMW R. My wife has a 2002 R1150r and it is a flawless torque machine. Nice factory luggage options and easy maintenance too.
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Mar 17, 2012 02:51
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Xovaan posted:I'm honestly looking to phase out my car since I never use except for when it's raining (and only because I have leathers and not a touring setup yet). If I am to have one motorcycle for everything, meaning twisties, commuting everywhere, groceries, and 400-500 mile trips every so often, what are my options? I am happy with my SV650, but I'll say that it's pretty cramped, especially for long distances. With that want list and your size, have you given any thought to the bigger Sport Tourers - the ST1300, FJR, Concourse 14, etc? The only thing they don't do really well is lane split and they tend to be on the heavy side of the scale, so I don't know if that is much help.
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Mar 17, 2012 06:10
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I'm pretty much addicted to lanesplitting in all the bad ways. It's like living real life with noclip. I'd prefer something I could remove the side bags on and have no issue lane splitting in traffic/up to stoplights when I'm just around town but still have the option for side bags when necessary, hence my idea of the VFR800. My friend has a newer Concours 14 though and that thing is super nice and the ST1300 doesn't look half bad either. The R1150R looks pretty interesting, but aren't BMW's in general extremely expensive to maintain? How much is insurance on sport-tourers versus standards? As it stands, my car is only $18/month to cover so it's almost nothing to keep around, but it gets 16/city and 23 highway. 
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Mar 17, 2012 10:49
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Xovaan posted:am happy with my SV650 I use my SV for everything other than Sam's Club runs because I buy too much poo poo. I have soft bags for travel, once piece suit for comfort in pretty much any weather Tennessee has and a corbin seat for comfort. I've done 800 mile days on it, sure it isn't a nice touring BMW but it wasn't that bad. If I was looking to make the next step up I'd be looking at a VFR or FJR personally.
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Mar 17, 2012 15:37
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Tuono 
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Mar 17, 2012 18:00
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The Tuonos are goddamned sweet. But what's the real difference between the V4R and a 1000R with the new Rotax engine they put in? And aren't they even more expensive to maintain than BMW's?
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Mar 17, 2012 22:05
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Hey dudes, picked up a Yamaha FZR-R 250cc bike, and my google-fu is failing me - is there a difference between the FZR and the FZR-R? The only FZR-R I could find via google was a 400cc version of the FZR.  e:The FZR250 was produced from 1986 to 1988. 1989 to 1994 models were called FZR250R and gained Yamaha's exhaust power valve technology - EXUP (EXhaust Ultimate Power). I swear I checked Wikipedia earlier ... Thanks anyhow. Shimrod fucked around with this message at 10:02 on Mar 18, 2012 |
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Mar 18, 2012 09:58
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More Rs in the name, more  in the game.
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Mar 18, 2012 10:24
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Ola posted:More Rs in the name, more If that's the case, it kind of surprises me that people don't turn their Busas into HayabusaRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
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Mar 18, 2012 10:32
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Shimrod posted:HayabusaRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR The sound of the welds breaking on a poorly-extended swingarm.
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Mar 18, 2012 12:26
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Bucephalus posted:The sound of the welds breaking on a poorly-extended swingarm. The sound of a checking account being overdrawn to buy a 300mm rear tire that will be ruined in a burnout within 15 minutes of install
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Mar 19, 2012 01:06
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I decided to entirely remove my electric starter and associated hardware. Now I have an unused pushbutton on my handlebar that closes a circuit carrying 12 volts at a couple of amps. What new, fun thing should I connect it to?
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Mar 19, 2012 01:22
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Sagebrush posted:I decided to entirely remove my electric starter and associated hardware. Now I have an unused pushbutton on my handlebar that closes a circuit carrying 12 volts at a couple of amps. What new, fun thing should I connect it to? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmaMNZTNEZY
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Mar 19, 2012 02:05
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echomadman posted:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmaMNZTNEZY You may want thicker gauge wiring, or re-use the existing solenoid relay system, before you do this. This kit says it draws 23 Amps at 12 volts. I used my existing starter button as a secondary horn button when I did my complete rewire. Honking with either hand has come in handy for... ahem... expressing my current attitude to other drivers when they do something shitfuck stupid.
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Mar 19, 2012 03:02
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Anyone have a link to a good article on starting out on a 250? I've got a friend back in the States who wants to get into riding, she's already got a helmet and jacket. All the bros she talks to have told her to skip getting a 250 and start on a 600, because she'll "outgrow it in a few months". She's about 5'7" and pretty slender, I imagine it'd be at least a 60-75 pound weight reduction from your average dude off the bat. She just enjoys being on a bike and isn't into riding like a maniac. Olde Weird Tip posted:I get paid mileage to commute on my bike I just started, looking to pocket about $100/mo in savings over the bus fare. I've had the bike for a while, but my contracting organization didn't want me riding to work (despite having no legal right to make that kind of restriction, and they also told me I couldn't get one to ride on the weekends either, again without legal basis). I tried being a nice guy and working something out with them for months, but despite being 0% in the right they wouldn't budge and continued to dick me over at every opportunity for no good reason, so now they get nothing out of me, compromise-wise. Since I've re-upped my contract they can't really do anything to me for another 18 months if/when they find out, and the law is on my side anyways. I doubt they'll find out unless I let them know, I work an hour away from them and my schools have no reason to mention it. I guess this would sound egregious to most people (I work in Japan), but aside from my actual bosses in the prefectural government, everything else at my job i Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Mar 19, 2012 |
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Mar 19, 2012 04:23
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I guess this would sound egregious to most people (I work in Japan), but aside from my actual bosses in the prefectural government, everything else at my job i Can we have a moment of silence for Pompous Rhombus... ...and a HELLS YEAH for the ninjas that just snuck in and killed him stone cold silent dead mid post.
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Mar 19, 2012 04:50
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Anyone have a link to a good article on starting out on a 250? I've got a friend back in the States who wants to get into riding, she's already got a helmet and jacket. All the bros she talks to have told her to skip getting a 250 and start on a 600, because she'll "outgrow it in a few months". She's about 5'7" and pretty slender, I imagine it'd be at least a 60-75 pound weight reduction from your average dude off the bat. She just enjoys being on a bike and isn't into riding like a maniac. The 250 is lighter, easier to handle, easier to pick up if it gets dropped, still does 0-60 in 5 seconds, and will make those guys look like assholes after she gets comfortable riding it. And it'll do ~105 mph, so it's no slouch either. And 60mpg. And cheap, and if she buys one that's used and has already been dropped, she can probably sell it for what she bought it for when she upgrades, if she upgrades. There's no losing with the drat things.
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Mar 19, 2012 07:10
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I love my little 250. I have zero plans whatsoever to upgrade to a bigger bike.
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Mar 19, 2012 07:44
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Y'all are gonna have me talked into an EX250 if I ever find one for next to nothing.
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Mar 19, 2012 10:27
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Bucephalus posted:Y'all are gonna have me talked into an EX250 if I ever find one for next to nothing. I'd love a 250 exup, the only reason I can see buying another bike over 600 cc's is for riding 2 up. Lightweight, small bikes are so much stupid fun to ride.
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Mar 19, 2012 17:57
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So how many of you actually stop for the police on the highway? When I am trying to bang a buck-fifty most of them don't even bother to put their lights on if I roll past, especially speed traps.
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Mar 19, 2012 18:59
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Oh, this will go well.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:05
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Sagebrush posted:Oh, this will go well. http://i.imgur.com/T9M6W.gif
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Mar 19, 2012 19:09
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Apple2o posted:So how many of you actually stop for the police on the highway? When I am trying to bang a buck-fifty most of them don't even bother to put their lights on if I roll past, especially speed traps. Go away
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Mar 19, 2012 19:10
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Apple2o posted:So how many of you actually stop for the police on the highway? When I am trying to bang a buck-fifty most of them don't even bother to put their lights on if I roll past, especially speed traps. Dont even try. Mootmoot was a better troll than you ever will be
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Mar 19, 2012 19:19
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Apple2o posted:So how many of you actually stop for the police on the highway? When I am trying to bang a buck-fifty most of them don't even bother to put their lights on if I roll past, especially speed traps. I'm going to open myself up for ridicule and I deserve it. In 2009 I was heading up to Paso Robles from San Luis on the 101. I was doing around 80 in the left hand lane in a 65 zone. I saw the cop and knew he was going to come after me, but he was on the other side of the interstate and had to wait for traffic to make a turn across. I went around a corner about 10 seconds after I passed the cop and lit it up. (I was on the R1) I was doing around 165 on the interstate up the grade for about 4 miles. I looked back down from the top of the mountain and didn't see the cop so I backed off it down to 80 mph. I turned around not 45 seconds later and he was right on my rear end. He didn't ever catch me running at high speed, I got a ticket for 80 in a 65, wearing earbuds and expired registration. I don't know if he ever realized I got on the gas and ran away, but he didn't say anything. Afterwards I realized how stupid I had been and how dangerous it was for everyone on the road. I swore I would reign my speed in and if I couldn't I would get rid of my ability to speed. 2 months later I sold the R1 and bought a truck that tops out at 65mph. I won't ever go back to a literbike for full time riding, I know I can't be trusted with the power. Next time you're feeling like a badass and thinking about running, remember cop cars aren't normal cars. They are very worked over and can hit speeds in excess of 140 mph. The cops have taken several hours of driving classes and you can bet that even if you outrun the one on your tail, you can't outrun a Motorola and you won't even know the chopper is there. Tickets annoy, but speed kills. Don't end up being a statistic please.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:30
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Ponies ate my Bagel posted:I'm going to open myself up for ridicule and I deserve it. Acknowledging a mistake and learning a lesson does not open you up to ridicule.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:43
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Xovaan posted:The R1150R looks pretty interesting, but aren't BMW's in general extremely expensive to maintain? Rs can be fiddly if they're out of tune but on the upside, the valves are the most accessible imaginable, and the throttle bodies are super easy to sync. The wife complains about parts cost but the routine stuff is simple enough that she does all her own work.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:51
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orthod0ks posted:Acknowledging a mistake and learning a lesson does not open you up to ridicule. Yeah, but being young and stupid is only OK if you survive to old age. heh I did learn my lesson though and I've already geared the DRZ down. You know you have an issue when a stock DRZ is going to make you lose your license on speed alone.
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Mar 19, 2012 19:54
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I thought I'd post this here too since the tire thread is a bit of a backwater -- Do you have to use inner tubes with exactly the same dimensions as your tire, or is there some leeway? For instance, my front tire is a 19" 90/100, but I can't find that size, only a 70/100 and 100/90. The rear is an 18" 110/80, but I can only find 110/100s. On my bicycles I always just go for "close enough" and pick the smaller size, but I don't know if that's appropriate for a motorcycle.
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Mar 19, 2012 20:25
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