Motorcycles in general

If you have a motorcycle or want to ride one, this is the place for you. Just start talking about your experiences or what you think! Please, no trash talking other motorcycles, we all think our bike is cooler than others.

I have never ridden a motorbike in my life. Family reasons, let's say. But the one bike in all history I would have loved to have ridden, given the training to do so, was the immortal Suzuki Katana, ever since I first read about them in the Eighties.

The engine alone blew my tiny little mind. One point one liters of cubic capacity, when most British cars with four doors, four wheels and five seats had less just made me go "Awwww, want that!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Katana

Yeah, those are cool. I ride a Kawasaki Ninja 250. Almost all the males in my family ride. My dad (before he got a huge bleed in his leg and couldn't ride anymore, but he's working to get back to it), my Dad's youngest brother (introduced to riding by my dad), my mom's brother and dad, and my Poppa and Grandma used to, too.

I bought a motorcycle!◊ Woo!

That's a nice bike, Talby. Just be careful on that thing when you are out on the roads. Some drivers REALLY do not like bikers. At all.

I had one run me off the road when I was on my push bike once, another did a u-turn right in front of me when I was battering along the road at around thirty miles per hour in top gear and he didn't even bother looking at what was coming up behind him before he made the manouvre, and I only missed hitting the fucker by about two metres or so by swerving like a mad thing.

Yeah, I've heard about how some motorists have it in for motorcyclists. My mum was a biker and got into a few scrapes because of angry car drivers.

I bought my bike mostly as a commuter, (and for fun) but I'm pretty new to riding so I plan to practice in low traffic areas for a while before hitting the freeways. I don't know what the laws are like elsewhere, but here all you need for a riding permit is to pass a one day riding course and off you go.

edited 28th Mar '13 3:56:11 AM by Talby

BUMP.

So I bought a helmet that looks like this, and people keep assuming I ride a Vespa.

No offense, but that helmet looks kind of girly.

Now, guys I dont know about you but I kind of prefer Choppers to lighter bikes. If my dream of getting a bike ever materializes I will go for a heavy reliable bike. Not a Harley though.

You should get either a BMW or a Ducati.

edited 16th May '13 12:29:28 AM by Rosvo1

I like the Honda Gold Wing. That bike has looked gorgeous for years.

My dad, before he had a bleed, used to ride a Victory. He still has it but just can't ride it. He intends to get it triked.

"a bleed"?

He's a hemophiliac.

Oh hell, that sucks mate. How's he dealing with it now?

He's been basically bed and wheelchair confined for about 5 or so years, he can't use his left leg see. But he hasn't let it get him down, the one thing he misses most is riding his Victory. That's why he wants to get it triked, so maybe he can use it before he is able to walk again.

Hope it works out for him.

Me too.

@El Rigo, what's girly about it? Well, I decided I'm going to upgrade to a full face helmet for extra protection, anyway.

I'm not too keen on huge hulking choppers, I prefer smaller road bikes. Not a fan of sports bikes, though.

@The Answer, I hope everything works out OK with your father.

Thanks. I'll be sure to tell him.

Welp, I took a bit of spill the other day when I made the mistake of braking only with my front brake when stopping at an intersection. When it was raining. On uneven ground. With gravel strewn about. No permanent harm done, though.

Ouch. Still, at least you are alive to learn from that mistake.

That sort of happened to me the second day I got my motorcycle, I was just practicing on the hill where we lived, I was used to bicycle brakes, I felt I was going too fast and wasn't used to a back brake, big mistake on a dirt road. I grabbed the front brake and locked the wheel up and fell over, I hurt my ankle and it hurt to walk properly for a while. It has happened/will happen to all of us, even the people you see out on the freeway, they did a similar thing once. But the important thing is that none of us get seriously hurt and learn from it.

edited 7th Jun '13 5:46:24 PM by TheAnswer

I watched bakuon!! And honestly I really want a motorcycle now just to cruise around at night or near sunset.

I used to know this guy we called "The Mad Motorcycle Man." He had six BMW bikes. Not all of them ran, of course. He had one taken apart in the living room, one taken apart in the kitchen, one taken apart in the basement, one taken apart at his parents' house, and two more that he rode around.

Whenever he rode, he always wore a full-faced helmet and a full-body touring suit, even in the sweltering heat of summer. He looked like the Stig, but this was two decades before Top Gear. His suit had a big patch on the hip where he had taken a spill. He'd say, "Yes, my suit is patched. I'd rather have my suit patched than have my body patched."