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I was riding in the mountains today, putting along behind an F-150 who was going downhill. I smelled a funny smell I really hadn't smelled since my Autocross days. Briefly, I was worried it was my bike, until I realized it was the F-150, cooking his brakes down this mountain. I love that feeling of relief.
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Mar 10, 2013 00:27
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| # ? Jun 10, 2024 18:20 |
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The weather crossed over 40°F today in northeast Ohio, bringing out a few early season riders. I do feel bad for the 2 or 3 cruiser riders I saw that may have misjudged how cold it really was once you add in the windchill from moving down the road. At least I got to test our my new thermal layers and cold weather gear.
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Mar 10, 2013 00:56
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After a bunch of overtime racked up over the past few weeks I've rediscovered my love for riding in town in the very early hours of the morning. Some time between the last drunk goes home and the first road sweeper wakes up is a magic hour where the road is mine, and makes me start thinking about the truly ridiculous poo poo I used to get away with in my stupid years, and worry that I might return to them.
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Mar 10, 2013 01:01
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I brought my scooter back to life to take advantage of 40~ degree chicagoland weather. Usually I wait longer but I just couldn't stand waiting anymore! New thing to love the poo poo out of? Riding around while theres snow on the ground with the visor up until your face gets red and numb! I quite enjoy the sensation, I'll have to make a note to capitalize on cold weather riding in the future!  me: on WOT
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Mar 10, 2013 01:08
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It's 50+ in SE Pennsylvania right now, which means the season has an early start and everybody's coming out on their bikes, squids and harley riders sans helmet. It's warm guys, but it's not that warm. That wind chills gotta sting. Also last Tuesday night some squiddy killed himself ripping down a main city road in Coatesville in ~30 degree weather under some light rain. Of course he wasn't wearing a helmet. Way to get a jump on the season guy.
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Mar 10, 2013 23:25
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I really don't understand how people can ride without helmets, especially in the cold. With my visor open my eyes water like motherfuckers when I get over 30mph to the point I can't see anything. Edit: Just remembered about the massive stone my visor stopped the other day. That would have made a huge mess of my face and probably would have ended not so well for the bike either. And then bug strikes when it's warm 
ReformedNiceGuy fucked around with this message at 12:23 on Mar 11, 2013 |
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Mar 11, 2013 12:21
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Clearly you haven't conditioned your eyes and face to the raw blast of FREEDOM
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Mar 11, 2013 12:59
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Being able to get off and stretch when the inevitable DC traffic means we will be going nowhere for the next 2 hours. Bet you wish you could stand up Mr. Guy in minivan.
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Mar 11, 2013 14:21
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ReformedNiceGuy posted:I really don't understand how people can ride without helmets, especially in the cold. With my visor open my eyes water like motherfuckers when I get over 30mph to the point I can't see anything. This is a huge thing for me too, my eyes can't handle the freedom winds. I mean if I have to wear something I might as well wear a helmet since I look doofy in most sunglasses that aren't wayfarers and those stop wind about as well as aviators.
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Mar 11, 2013 14:22
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I love the poo poo out of living in an apartment complex with other motorcyclists. Everyone yesterday was getting their bikes ready for spring, so you could walk around and every bank of garages had at least one garage open with people working on a motorcycle, myself included. That's a good way to make friends, too: work on your bike with the garage door open. People will come up and talk to you about what you're doing with your bike, what they've been doing with their bike, etc. Bikes. Love em.
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Mar 11, 2013 14:23
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Strife posted:That's a good way to make friends, too: work on your bike with the garage door open. People will come up and talk to you about what you're doing with your bike, what they've been doing with their bike, etc. There's a few on my street. One caught me signing Born to be Wild under my breath while underneath it, laughed, and said "don't worry, I do that too". He then kindly came back with some of his tools to help me, I'd not known he was going to and had switched to Baby it's Cold Outside...
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Mar 11, 2013 15:57
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This one comes up again and again in the thread, but there is nothing that plasters a grin on my face faster than seeing a little kid wave at me. Doubly so when I wave back and they flip out and start waving even harder.
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Mar 13, 2013 00:31
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DJ_Ferret posted:This one comes up again and again in the thread, but there is nothing that plasters a grin on my face faster than seeing a little kid wave at me. Doubly so when I wave back and they flip out and start waving even harder. Mom look a motorcycle man!
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Mar 13, 2013 17:12
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Covert Ops Wizard posted:Mom look a motorcycle man! Yes dear. Don't tell your father.
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Mar 13, 2013 17:31
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Tamir Lenk posted:Yes dear. Don't tell your father. /me wheelies the DRZ off
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Mar 14, 2013 18:44
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Covert Ops Wizard posted:Mom look a motorcycle man! I was sold on bikes from a young age due to a couple of experiences as a kid, but one really stands out. A lot of my family had cruisers which lead my lovely 5-year-old self to yell 'GET A REAL BIKE!!!' at any sport bike rider I saw, but occasionally I'd mix it up with 'DO A WHEELIE!!!'. One day walking home from school a sport bike was riding by and it was a wheelie day. When I yelled it the guy instantly wheelied on command... which of the countless times I did this was the first time it actually worked. Encouraged by the applause of me and my friends he zipped up and then did a stoppie. There was no applause in response to that, but instead mouths wide open with a chorus of 'WHOOOOOOOOOOA!' None of us had ever even heard of such a thing before, much less seen it. He then flashed a peace sign and zipped off. Never to be seen again despite keeping an eye out for him every day for at least the rest of that school year. That was the day I came home and promptly said 'Mom, when I grow up I'm getting a sport bike!' Keep waving at kids bros. You really are making their week.
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Mar 17, 2013 15:11
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And for current events.Purgey posted:I brought my scooter back to life to take advantage of 40~ degree chicagoland weather. Usually I wait longer but I just couldn't stand waiting anymore! I went riding out yesterday in this same lovely Chicagoland weather to Lao Sze Chaun in Downers Grove, which IMO is the best Chinese restaurant this side of the burbs. I pulled into a parking space when one of their chef's was having a smoke in the back, and when he saw me pull up he leaned inside and yelled out something in Mandarin. Several kitchen staff showed up outside and started laughing and talking to each other in Mandarin, and one made an obvious 'BURR!' gesture. They eventually noticed my noticing of them and filed back inside, with one or two popping their head back out to have a second look at this fool on a motorcycle in this weather. Makes me wish I understood Mandarin so I could be sure if they were amazed or mocking, but either way it's kind of nice to get such a reaction just because it's a little cold outside.
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Mar 17, 2013 15:23
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Halo_4am posted:Keep waving at kids bros. You really are making their week. wheelies4kids. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing some kid watching you and just hoisting a little wheelie past them as they freak out. 
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Mar 17, 2013 16:41
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Some day I'll have a bike that can do wheelies. 
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Mar 17, 2013 17:18
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Halo_4am posted:
I was about to leave work the other day, sitting on my bike letting it warm up while I put on my helmet and gloves. As soon as I had turned it on, a little kid about thirty feet away stopped slackjawed and did the "look mommy look" thing. I waved and continued putting on my gear. Once I was done I pushed in the choke, looked up and he was still there waving! Since this was obviously the coolest kid (and mom) around, I rolled straight over to him and stopped to do all sorts of silly revving shenanigans. He clutched his mother's leg and jumped up and down in joyous terror, and his mom had the biggest smile. I think it made my day more than his. I wonder if she was a single mother
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Mar 17, 2013 18:19
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Fifty Three posted:Some day I'll have a bike that can do wheelies. Don't you have a Ninja 250 or something? Start practicing! If I could do a wheelie (by accident) on a moped in front of my whole school, followed by a twelving and subsequent crash that left me pinned under it  , you can do it on a 250.FAKE EDIT: Here's a vid of a brodude doing it even: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xl8RPFu4Gk
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Mar 17, 2013 18:50
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Nidhg00670000 posted:Don't you have a Ninja 250 or something? Start practicing! If I could do a wheelie (by accident) on a moped in front of my whole school, followed by a twelving and subsequent crash that left me pinned under it I've found that just because a bike can do a wheelie does not mean it can do a wheelie intentionally in a controlled manner. /me wheelies into traffic on a 14hp, 28 year old Yamaha
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Mar 17, 2013 18:53
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Nidhg00670000 posted:FAKE EDIT:
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Mar 17, 2013 19:16
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Nidhg00670000 posted:Don't you have a Ninja 250 or something? Start practicing! If I could do a wheelie (by accident) on a moped in front of my whole school, followed by a twelving and subsequent crash that left me pinned under it If this guy can do it, you can: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbHVVKxW0S8
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Mar 17, 2013 21:07
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75 degrees, perfect spring blue sky, absolutely no cars on the road. Caffeine pill, Spoon, and WOT on the scenic way home. loving incredibly day. Happy St. Patrick's Day! (I think?)
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Mar 17, 2013 21:24
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Yeah, brilliant day for riding here as well. Took a nice 135 mile round trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the summit of Mount Mitchell. poo poo I love about that? Feeling the bike get its power back on the way down the mountain, 6,000ish feet of elevation drop. 
MonkeyNutZ fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Mar 22, 2013 |
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Mar 17, 2013 22:01
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God it was hellishly cold today. I'm jealous. Add college kids retardedly running across the street because they're so drunk they cant even conceptualize the idea of traffic and I think I probably should have kept the bike in the garage.MonkeyNutZ posted:Yeah, brilliant day for riding here as well. Took a nice 135 mile round trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway to the summit of Mount Mitchell. poo poo I love about that? Feeling the bike get it's power back on the way down the mountain, 6,000ish feet of elevation drop. Where'd you get that gold lever from? Is that one of those chinese jobs?
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Mar 18, 2013 00:34
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It was on the bike when I got it, pretty sure it's an older CRG roll-a-click lever but if it's a Chinese copy they've really stepped up their game.
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Mar 18, 2013 01:36
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https://www.rideitmoto.com They have stepped their game up. The only issues I've found out of the 15 or so sets I've seen from here are cosmetic--like they don't do a slow pass on the CNC to get all the tool marks out or have worn out bits. The surface is smooth but you can see machining marks. It might be a dyeing issue after they adonize, I'm not sure. They're mechanically tight. gently caress paying $200 for levers, that is ridiculous.
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Mar 18, 2013 05:13
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Nidhg00670000 posted:Don't you have a Ninja 250 or something? Start practicing! If I could do a wheelie (by accident) on a moped in front of my whole school, followed by a twelving and subsequent crash that left me pinned under it
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Mar 18, 2013 05:35
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And on the eighth day, God created heated grips. ...it was a cold morning.
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Mar 25, 2013 17:47
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clutchpuck posted:And on the eighth day, God created heated grips. I thought heated grips were a good thing, until the first time I rode with them on. My palms were fine, but my god the back of my hand was freezing cold. I almost would have rather just had a totally cold hand than half and half. Heated gloves are where its at.
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Mar 27, 2013 13:19
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I've got this week off of work, and have been loving getting out on the XLR (not allowed to ride or even drive to work) every day. Being able to lanesplit rules so hard. Today it was raining all morning, once it cleared up I took a friend's wristwatch out to him (he'd left it somewhere and it was given to me to give back to him) about 25 minutes away, then just wanted to keep riding so I tried out a new route and made a superfluous trip to a secondhand store to pick up a ridiculous shirt I'd seen earlier and posted on a friend's Facebook wall (he really wanted it, I was gonna be out that way a few days later and it probably still would have been there), which was 25 minutes the opposite way. Yesterday I rode about 110kms to the nearest big city and back to pick up a ¥180 part for my camera because 1) I'm impatient and 2) I just wanted to ride. This week also marks my third month of having the bike (I've ridden a bunch previously in Southeast Asia on ~125cc bikes, but this is the first nice-ish one I've owned, and the first one I've had a license for). I went through a lot of grief (time, money, mountains of bullshit from my employer) to get the license, only to have to wait another 4 months for the PO to find a car to replace the bike with (I could have bought something else, but it was exactly what I wanted and we had a verbal agreement)... and it was all so, so worth it. At the end of most rides, the part of me that's the most sore is my face, from smiling so drat much.
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Mar 27, 2013 14:26
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Pompous Rhombus posted:not allowed to ride or even drive to work
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Mar 27, 2013 15:25
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It sounds like he's working in Japan as an English teacher or something, and the companies that run those things universally do not allow you to use a motor vehicle (liability, I think). If they find out that you've been doing it, you're fired.
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Mar 27, 2013 15:48
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IIRC he's in Japan as a teacher and some previous teacher boned something up so now they say no riding or you're fired and then deported. Japan isn't the friendliest place for foreign labor. E:f,b
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Mar 27, 2013 15:51
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New favorite thing! Slipping past "Road closed" signs on a curvy road and riding to where it's actually closed to see what they're doing. Then zipping off when angry construction workers start yelling at you from a 1/4 mile away and riding the twisties back.
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Mar 27, 2013 16:09
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Be really loving careful when you do this. A guy I know did that and he ended up at the bottom of a three feet deep hole in the road they'd dug (changing sewer lines or something) because they'd covered it with some kind of textile cover that looked exactly like one of those big metal plates they usually cover those with. Only it didn't agree with being riden on like those do.
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Mar 27, 2013 18:52
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Nidhg00670000 posted:Be really loving careful when you do this. A guy I know did that and he ended up at the bottom of a three feet deep hole in the road they'd dug (changing sewer lines or something) because they'd covered it with some kind of textile cover that looked exactly like one of those big metal plates they usually cover those with. Only it didn't agree with being riden on like those do. I knew where the work was being done and if I didn't I'd probably go really slowly. I just like to poke my nose where it doesn't belong...
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Mar 27, 2013 19:04
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| # ? Jun 10, 2024 18:20 |
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Sagebrush posted:It sounds like he's working in Japan as an English teacher or something, and the companies that run those things universally do not allow you to use a motor vehicle (liability, I think). If they find out that you've been doing it, you're fired. Snowdens Secret posted:IIRC he's in Japan as a teacher and some previous teacher boned something up so now they say no riding or you're fired and then deported. Japan isn't the friendliest place for foreign labor. Soooorta. I'd heard of other people having similar restrictions from private companies (Japanese employers are on the hook for worker's comp if you get whacked on your way to work), but I'm a public employee and on a sort of exchange program that operates at the national level, which explicitly says I'm normally allowed to drive to work (only exception is special work-related stuff like conferences, monthly meetings, etc). My individual contracting organization has decided they're special and get to ignore that part of the contract we both signed, also to tell us we're not allowed to drive at all, even on the weekends, our entire first year (thus rendering our international driver's permit's useless). This supposedly makes us safer drivers  Theoretically I could drive to work and tell them to go hell (it's really hard to get fired from my job and expensive to replace us, also they'd have no legal grounds to do so and it would probably expose their lovely illegal policy), but they've made my life really stressful over far, far less. It's not worth it. There's probably going to be a happy ending though. I've looked into having the matter... legally dealt with, and it looks like once I get the petition drawn up, it should be pretty straightforward. The guy at the Labor Relations Board couldn't comment officially (he couldn't handle that aspect of my case due to my employment status, but was referring me to some places that could), but he said it looked like a slam-dunk for me. May take several months if not longer, but I've got another year and a half here. In the meantime, I'm also really happy we're getting out of winter... starting to get enough daylight on either side of the workday to take the bike out for pre/post work jaunts  Nidhg00670000 posted:Be really loving careful when you do this. A guy I know did that and he ended up at the bottom of a three feet deep hole in the road they'd dug (changing sewer lines or something) because they'd covered it with some kind of textile cover that looked exactly like one of those big metal plates they usually cover those with. Only it didn't agree with being riden on like those do. WTF? Does your area sub-contract the road work out to Wile E. Coyote?
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Mar 27, 2013 23:31
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