oh yeah, let's go for a ride - show me your bike [Archive]

Gail O'Rourke

07-17-2007, 10:24 PM

I did a 2 day training a few weeks ago and then applied for my motorcycle lisence - this week, I got my license in the mail and put my new bike on the road... a big week!!! Today - I had my first out of neighborhood experience - bike on the road...

I am hooked... show me yours... oh, and here's mine 2005 Triumph America - 865 cc -

http://www.woodworking.org/photo/albums/userpics/13344/triumph.jpg (http://www.woodworking.org/photo/displayimage.php?pos=-8871)

Gary Keedwell

07-17-2007, 10:28 PM

No siree Gail....too dangerous for me. I think I would rather free hand on the TS then ride on a 2 wheeler.:)

Gary K.

Joe Chritz

07-17-2007, 10:42 PM

How about this one??

They saw me in a parking lot letting a young girl sit on it and I got in BIG trouble because they hadn't had a turn yet. This was the next day.

Joe

Gail O'Rourke

07-17-2007, 10:43 PM

Oh yeah, that's what I am talking about...

John Schreiber

07-17-2007, 10:45 PM

Shiny side up.

Joe Chritz

07-17-2007, 10:50 PM

I like the Triumph's.

If you get a chance to take a class on riding go for it. My class was 80 hours with about 70 riding. Absolutely brutal. They have a civilian version that is shorter but still very good. I highly recommend it.

I've been riding for 20 years and didn't realize how little I really knew.

Saturday I and two other motor officers are leading a motorcycle ride for a scholarship fund set up in honor of a deputy killed a few years ago. I knew him and I consider it a great honor to be the front of the pack.

Stay safe

Joe

Gail O'Rourke

07-17-2007, 10:54 PM

The local rides are great! My husband is a Leatherneck, so I have been on the back of the bike for years. I took a 2 day class which was great, but plan on taking the advance rider when I am reader. Have a good scholarship ride, those are the best.

Brad Schmid

07-17-2007, 11:24 PM

Hi Gail,
I like your Triumph! I don't see many around here. Congratulations! It was a great idea for you to take the training too. I did about 30 hrs myself a year ago and it was worthwhile.

Here's my everyday, back and forth to work ride ('06 1200 Stage 1 HD Sporty w/ D&D pipes). The only thing that keeps me off is deep standing water or bad lightning here in "flatland". Otherwise, rain or shine, cold or heat, I'm riding.

Be safe, and stay alert;)

Brett Baldwin

07-18-2007, 2:22 AM

I like the style Triumph has. It really does have it's own look. Good for you for getting your own ride just watch out for all those yayhoos who are oblivious to anything but themselves.
This is my fourth bike and my daily driver. 4000 miles on it since December and I haven't even gotten to take it out of the valley yet.
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Rob Russell

07-18-2007, 6:52 AM

Jason Roehl

07-18-2007, 7:50 AM

You guys are killing me here. I sold my last bike about 7-8 years ago due to the arrival of my little ones. I've been itching to ride lately...I do have a friend who may be getting deployed to Iraq again soon, last time he offered to let me "store" one of his bikes for him...

I'm not into loud, though. At one point in our last house, there were probably 8-10 Harleys within a one block radius. That got old real quick. My last bike was a '94 Suzuki GSX750F Katana with a few performance mods. Very quick. Now I would just want something that was comfortable to cruise on for hours at a time.

Art Mulder

07-18-2007, 8:31 AM

My 1-way commute is about 8 miles, which is nothing for even a fairly casual cyclist. I do need a new backpack, though.

Ditto, Rob. Except my commute is a back breakingly humongous 4km. :rolleyes: I don't like wearing a backpack, as it makes my back sweat in the summer. Instead I have a rear rack and a pannier to hold my lunch and change-of-shirt.

I fantasize about one of these
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or maybe these
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But for now I stick with this
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Jeffrey Fusaro

07-18-2007, 8:50 AM

wow! a motorcycle thread! cool!

here's one of my rides (1993 honda goldwing), being modeled by my 18 month old daughter tia. i was washing the bike, and she just had to climb on. never showed her what to do, but she instictively reached for the handlebars.

i also have a yamaha tdm850 parked in the basement (sorry - no pic available). it needs some work and the time and money just aren't in the budget right now. with two little ones at home, there isn't much free time to ride any more. i had four bikes at one point, but it became too much to keep them all going.

good to hear that you took a rider course. best investment that you can make, as a new rider. i taught the safety course for about ten years. we used to perform the state licensing exam and issue licenses immediately after the class. trained and licensed a lot of novice riders in that time.

the experienced rider course would be a good next step.

after you get some experience and confidence with your ride, you should look into taking a "track class". it's not a racing class. but, it allows you to ride your bike at a "brisk pace" in a controlled environment without having to worry about automobile traffic. no stop signs. no speed limits. and everyone's going in the same direction. more fun than can be put into words.

woo-hoo!

Cliff Rohrabacher

07-18-2007, 8:52 AM

Nice bike Gail~!!

I L-O-V-E-D my triumph~!!

Then one day while racing with a guy on a BMW in Route 178 traffic outside Woburn Mass there was an accident.
A biker has lost his leg and the air lift was still in the road.

My race partner and I only saw the stopped cars.

Undaunted I walked my bike in between the stopped cars over to the breakdown lane. Back then there was only a minimal fine for riding the breakdown lane. ( Hey~!! I was a stupid 20 something)

I got up as high as I could to check for traffic in the breakdown lane - - nope nuthin. So I walked my bike into the lane.

!!~~WHAMMO~!!

A drunken (yup stank of booze) sheriff in his own car, out of uniform, off duty, with no lights, no siren, and no horn was howling down the breakdown lane at gawd knows what speed.

I don't recall the impact. I do recall looking up as my body cartwheeled in the air and saw my bike cartwheeling right above me.

!!~~WHAMMO~~!!
I hit the ground cracking my helmet and shattering an elbow. I wasn't feeling it just yet.

!!~~WHAMMO~~!!
The bike hit the ground glancing off my helmet.

The car skids to a stop oh say 80 feet down the road.

I stagger to my feet.

The guy on the BMW is off his bike and heading my way.

The idiot sheriff is yelling at me and shaking his fist.

I have my helmet off and am running full tilt at the guy swinging my helmet at his head when the guy on the BMW tackled me.

I found out he was a deputy sheriff when his buds made statements for the insurance inquiry that they were there with him (he was alone~!) and how he was exercising all manner of due caution.

That was the last time I rode my bike.

Watch your back - and sides and avoid rush hour traffic. People in cars can be really weird.

Jason Boushard

07-18-2007, 9:06 AM

http://www.cyclegenius.com/images/cgx_bb.jpghey ART this is what I ride its great no back or numb hands after a ride I can go all day on it if I want, I want a trike too but cant see spending the cash for it.

Al Willits

07-18-2007, 9:07 AM

Congrats on getting a bike, been riding since early 60's and the one tip I'll give ya is...
Ride like they're out to get ya, every car out there is a potental mishap, they don't see you, don't look for bikes and probably don't care.

I've had many enjoyable miles on bikes and have quit riding only a few years ago when I sold all my drag bike stuff and got out of the business building drag bikes, all because the arthris in my right foot makes riding to painful at times.
A car came out of a alley and tee boned me, don't think he never seen me, never stoped after he hit me, and probably drunk as it was about 2 in the morning on a Saturday near a bar.

So, have fun but BE CAREFUL!

Al......who's lost way to many friends from bike mishaps

Dan Larson

07-18-2007, 9:18 AM

I'll join the nerd brigade and post a picture of my bike...
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Not nearly as fast as a Triumph, but I can really scoot along on the flat Midwestern terrain around here!

Dan

Jason Boushard

07-18-2007, 9:52 AM

nice Dan I want a SWB but settled for the LWB GGX Al I was in Croatia on a deployment and got up to 60 when I was going down the mountain I was passing cars I think they thought the bike was out to get them lol that or jerry lewis was I admit I was not that graceful kinda an oh s#(t moment. I did get a good laugh when I passed the tour bus from my ship and my chief was on it heard about that when I got back to the ship lol.

Eddie Watkins

07-18-2007, 10:08 AM

Gail O'Rourke

07-18-2007, 11:06 AM

Great bikes and interesting stories, thanks for sharing! Yes, I will be careful.

Mike Cutler

07-18-2007, 11:54 AM

I got all excited based on the title of this thread and then saw the pictures. This is basically the bike I'm riding to work these days. My 1-way commute is about 8 miles, which is nothing for even a fairly casual cyclist. I do need a new backpack, though.

Sweet ride Rob. I had a 200sci, and then a 200ems, but I kept breaking the ems frame at the bottom bracket. Switched to a Corima Puma, and Cervelo P3K for time trialing.( if Marty Northstien couldn't break a Corima, I was sure I couldn't!)
I miss that 200 sci. I did a lot of training/racing on that bike, and probably put 50-55,000 miles on it.

Gail.
Nice bike!!;)

Doug Shepard

07-18-2007, 12:36 PM

Here's my pride and joy
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Rob Russell

07-18-2007, 12:44 PM

Sweet ride Rob. I had a 200sci, and then a 200ems, but I kept breaking the ems frame at the bottom bracket. Switched to a Corima Puma, and Cervelo P3K for time trialing.( if Marty Northstien couldn't break a Corima, I was sure I couldn't!)
I miss that 200 sci. I did a lot of training/racing on that bike, and probably put 50-55,000 miles on it.

Gail.
Nice bike!!;)

Mike,

My bike is actually the 200SCi. I'm watching for an EMS fork to upgrade, because it has the older aluminum front fork. It is the Kestrel red which I think is a great bike color.

Rob

Mike Cutler

07-18-2007, 1:56 PM

Mike,

My bike is actually the 200SCi. I'm watching for an EMS fork to upgrade, because it has the older aluminum front fork. It is the Kestrel red which I think is a great bike color.

Rob

Hmmm.... Let me look around when I get home. I may have an EMS fork, or a Look equivalent somewhere in the basement. I used to change forks like socks, based on course requirements. It won't be red though.
The carbon fork will slow down the response of your front end, and has a slightly longer rake angle. You may also have to change your front brake. The crown of a carbon fork is thicker than an aluminum fork.
That aluminum 200 sCi fork was great for crit courses. Strong and stiff, just like coffee should be.;)

Bruce Page

07-18-2007, 2:33 PM

It's a lumpy ride ................ :p

Ken Garlock

07-18-2007, 6:35 PM

I did a 2 day training a few weeks ago and then applied for my motorcycle lisence - this week, I got my license in the mail and put my new bike on the road... a big week!!! Today - I had my first out of neighborhood experience - bike on the road...

What is this stuff about applying for a license?:confused: A neighbor told me that here, in Texas (Indian territory west of the Hudson River,) you have to take a written and riding test including obstacles and you better not let your feet touch the ground. :(

Golly, you people get away with murder up there. :eek:

Anyway, it looks like a nice bike.:cool:

Jim O'Dell

07-18-2007, 6:53 PM

Yeah Ken, Texas is pretty strict. I had a motorcycle liscense when I was 14 in Oklahoma. In OK, when you turned 16, you traded that for a car liscense, which gave you the ability to take a motorcycle out on the streets as well. When I moved to TX for school, I lost the ability to legally ride a motorcycle on the streets unless I took the TX test. I never did it. Haven't owned a bike since I was 16! One wreck was bad enough. Jim.

Randy Denby

07-18-2007, 7:01 PM

I took my my motorcycle riding exam and test at 15 yrs old. It was 1971 and limit for 15 yr old riders was 100cc. The first time out, we were almost back to the Del Rio,Texas DMV, my dad was driving the trooper behind me (my dad was US Customs and ex trooper himself). It started raining and at the very last stopsign, I didnt put my foot down when I stopped. I was just balanced for a moment. They failed me and I had to retake the riding part over. I learned to really animate my looking left /right/stops etc so the trooper could tell what I was doing. And since I have helped several motorcyclist get their license over the years, I always stress this too them.
I have ridden dirtbikes since '68 and street bikes since 71....I own an '03 KTM 300exc and '04 Suzuki V-strom 1000. I'll try and dig up some pics.

Gail O'Rourke

07-18-2007, 7:02 PM

I did take a written test and a obstacle course test - the training facility which administers classes also tests students for their liscence. And no, you cannot put your feet down.

Per Swenson

07-18-2007, 9:45 PM

Congratulations Gail,

Now ya need a taboo tattoo... They may look at you funny,

not to many Triumph tats out there, but I have seem em.

Oh yeah, you need a license? I always thought they were,

you know, optional. I mean it's not like they can catch you.

(ease up there Joe) I'ma funnin.

Any way in the NY/metro area, riding one today is akin to traffic roulette.

Just a matter of when. Heck 'round here the up armored F350

ain't safe either.

So today I consign myself to the woods.

Yes there are woods 35 miles outside of NYC.

Matter of fact, you can just about get to Canada if you map it right.

And this isn't legal 'round here either.

Per

Gail O'Rourke

07-19-2007, 7:35 AM

Oh, the show me your tattoo thread is my next one.. (I have 2)

Ralph Barhorst

07-19-2007, 2:14 PM

Gail,
Really cool bike! I had a Triumph 650 many years ago and I loved it. Later I converted a Harley Hummer into an electric motorcycle. It had two 12 volt batteries and a 24 volt motor. Its top speed was 31 MPH and it had a range of 20 miles on a charge. I mainly used it to get to work and back. In town, of course. It was really quiet since the only sound was the chain. I usually had to hit the horn when I passed kids on bicycles so that they would not accidently turn in front of me. I never had to pass cars, I couldn't go fast enough.

Ralph

Brett Baldwin

07-19-2007, 2:55 PM

Hey Per, I learned to ride in north Jersey so I have an idea of what you're talking about. Come to think of it, Phoenix drivers aren't any better but at least your sightlines aren't blocked by plants here.

Robert Miller

07-19-2007, 5:08 PM

I started riding motorcycles when I was 14 years old. I'm 53 now.
Here's my current ride, 2001 Suzuki Intruder 1500 LC.

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g148/robmill54/frontpage_01_2006.jpg

Kurt Strandberg

07-19-2007, 6:32 PM

This is our 2001 GL1800 and our Aspen Classic camper, if we are not riding the ATV's we are riding cycle, a little over 72,000 miles since we bought it

Chris Padilla

07-19-2007, 7:16 PM

I got all excited based on the title of this thread and then saw the pictures. This is basically the bike I'm riding to work these days. My 1-way commute is about 8 miles, which is nothing for even a fairly casual cyclist. I do need a new backpack, though.

Awesome, Rob and good for you! I have a 14-mile one way commute so I'm doing about 140 miles per week on my Trek 6700 MTB. I set it up more for the road with semi-knobby tires, a road cassette, and a real nice suspension seat post from Cane Creek called a Thudbuster--check it out.

Chris Padilla

07-19-2007, 7:17 PM

Oh, the show me your tattoo thread is my next one.. (I have 2)

:o Are they in a, uh, 'showable-for-a-family-forum' place? :o

Frank Guerin

07-19-2007, 7:24 PM

I quit riding when panheads, rigid frames amd kick starts went out. Is the brake still on the left on the turnips?

Bruce Boone

07-19-2007, 10:08 PM

Like a few of the other guys, the horsepower of my bike depends what I had for breakfast. Even though I used to make bike parts and even worked at a bike factory, I haven't had a new bike for a LOT of years, so I decided to go all out. I love this thing. 16 pounds and stiffer than snot!

Randal Stevenson

07-19-2007, 10:41 PM

Has anyone here built a bike or trike?

What about riding a trike verse bike?

I have two motorcycle experiences (one was a facsimile of a motorcycle so it don't count). The experience that counts has left me off of one for years. It involves being told to take one for a test run (guy had been restoring a dirt bike). I took it out and he hollered something (couldn't hear it), I about lost it coming around, and did loose it when coming to a stop over by them (with it going airborne and landing tailpipe on me).
He was hollering, "I forgot to tell you, it has no rear brakes yet!"

Now I am MUCH older, and have been thinking for years, about building a trike. I'll trust it a little more since I will know the mechanics of it.

Art Mulder

07-20-2007, 7:49 AM

Has anyone here built a bike or trike?

What about riding a trike verse bike?

Do you mean a motorcycle or a bicycle?

I built a recumbent bicycle back in '95 (http://www.imaging.robarts.ca/%7Eamulder/bikes/mybent/)-- at the time I had a friend who was really into bikes and bike-building, and he taught me a little bit of brazing and helped a lot in getting it built. Was a lot of fun
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I've never done it since, as I don't have any welding gear myself, and I would rather spend my limited spare time on woodworking.

I've ridden a tadpole-style (two wheels at the front) recumbent trike once or twice. My 5-minute view is that they're lots of fun. But you'd want to give one a test ride for sure, as the steering is a bit different than expected, and you want to be sure it is comfortable for you. kind of cool that it can't tip over

Bruce Boone

07-20-2007, 8:47 AM

Art, I assume Randall was talking about a motorcycle trike. My mom had one built from their Honda Gold Wing after crashing on loose pavement when touring the country. They pulled a nice trailer with clothes and stuff. It was very nicely done.

Another bike more similar to your recumbent is this one I've done. The aero body helps it go a lot faster. I used to race these. At one time, we got it to 53 MPH on the Indy race track. The record for these now stands at 81 MPH. It has to be level ground and no wind assist.

Al Willits

07-20-2007, 9:27 AM

Randall, I built drag bikes for a few years and if your a beginner, I'd suggest looking for kit trike or contact a builder and see if they can work something out with ya.
I know a good friend of mine (Extreme Custom Choppers) offers a 2 wheel bike kit, but not a three wheel version, maybe check with the custom builders.

Good luck, some of the new three wheelers look pretty comfortable.

Al

Joe Chritz

07-20-2007, 9:47 AM

A trike will keep you from falling over at slow speeds. I haven't gotten any updates on the handling characteristics at speed, but I intend to as I have been seeing several around here. (I do accident investigation so it is important)

FWIW, if you can get confidence back, a motorcycle is the only vehicle that can actually exceed full drag factor of a roadway while performing evasive or stopping maneuvers. This assumes a trained rider.

Maneuverability, visibility and vehicle dynamics off set some of the dangers. Gravel, sand, debris and lack of training negate this somewhat.

I would be worried about stability in a high speed (35+) evasive maneuver, but this must have been designed into the vehicle. I'll so some checking and post back.

Joe

Jeffrey Fusaro

07-20-2007, 10:38 AM

... a motorcycle is the only vehicle that can actually exceed full drag factor of a roadway while performing evasive or stopping maneuvers.

joe--

what does this mean? i have not heard this statement before.

This assumes a trained rider.

Joe

amen to that!

Maneuverability, visibility and vehicle dynamics off set some of the dangers. Gravel, sand, debris and lack of training negate this somewhat.

Joe

even bigger amen to that!

Al Willits

07-20-2007, 10:58 AM

"""""""""
I would be worried about stability in a high speed (35+) evasive maneuver, but this must have been designed into the vehicle. I'll so some checking and post back.
""""""""

Earlier trikes like the Servicart and such from Harley had little if any suspension in the rear, and were quite dangerous at speed if a direction change was in order, leaning the bike into the turn was not possible and usually the inside wheel would leave the ground first, then they'd tip over.
Not what I'd call a safe way to ride.

Newer ones like with VW rear ends in them had a suspension in them making them a bit safer, I see a lot of trikes with Goldwing motors in them, don't know how they ride as I've never rode one or talked to someone who had them, but rumor has it that they are better.

Personally if I was building one because they look easier to ride, I'd look elsewhere, as in two wheels, but if your building one just to build it, have fun. :)

Al

Randal Stevenson

07-20-2007, 11:27 AM

In about 15 minutes I am headed in for 7, 12 hour days, so First Thanks all, and second, I won't see anymore of this for a week.

Yes a motorcycle (I like bicycles but more for the exercise, asthma/lungs kept me from ever running or a lot of other things).

Just one example, In the movie Cherry 2000, there was a trike that was out for a short time (have seen a few others WAY out of my league). Front engine and Front wheel drive. THAT is the style I want to build (something a bit different). Still thinking of a VW engine, because they are simple to work with, and I do have access to a machine shop (that builds hot rods and planes). So I may try to do this in another couple of years (no time right now, but watching for parts).

Craig D Peltier

07-20-2007, 6:43 PM

Hey, this is my beaut, she doesnt do alot of riding, Its only comfy for maybe 250-300 miles. I cringe thinking of putting a windshiled an bags on her. So I stay fairly local.
Shes a 2005 Honda VTX 1300 C model, highly modified out of Vegas. I wish I had time to do more riding.When riding gets good I get too busy it seems like.:(

I also had an 05 Honda VTX Retro 1300 but I sold it and bought this. The retro has big flairy fenders and some even have whitewalls an spokes.

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Craig D Peltier

07-20-2007, 6:48 PM

Oh yeah,

Heres what my wife rides!

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This is us on a family trip to disneyworld.

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And finally my grams and gramps in Boca!:D

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Joe Chritz

07-20-2007, 9:44 PM

[quote=Joe Chritz;624770
a motorcycle is the only vehicle that can actually exceed full drag factor of a roadway while performing evasive or stopping maneuvers.

Joe[/quote]

If you take a car and lock up all 4 wheels it will stop in X distance. Depending on the speed of the vehicle at the start you can figure a drag factor. That drag factor is based on gravity and the skidding surface. A car can generate one drag factor (f). A motorcycle, because of the vehicle dynamics, weight transfer and center of gravity, can generate over one f.

What that means is that it can turn faster and stop quicker than a car. At least if the machine is operated correctly.

Most accidents I have reconstructed involving motorcycles had a high side. The rider locks the back break during an emergency stop and then lets go when it starts to slide. The motor realigns to straight and the rider gets tossed off.

We did 45 MPH rear wheel skids in my motor class. They are really scary. A police motor operator/instructor who was in the motorcycle reconstruction class I took did a 25 MPH front wheel skid. That was really really scary and I wasn't riding. :eek:

Joe

Joe

Jeffrey Fusaro

07-23-2007, 8:47 AM

If you take a car and lock up all 4 wheels it will stop in X distance. Depending on the speed of the vehicle at the start you can figure a drag factor. That drag factor is based on gravity and the skidding surface. A car can generate one drag factor (f). A motorcycle, because of the vehicle dynamics, weight transfer and center of gravity, can generate over one f.

What that means is that it can turn faster and stop quicker than a car. At least if the machine is operated correctly.

Most accidents I have reconstructed involving motorcycles had a high side. The rider locks the back break during an emergency stop and then lets go when it starts to slide. The motor realigns to straight and the rider gets tossed off.

We did 45 MPH rear wheel skids in my motor class. They are really scary. A police motor operator/instructor who was in the motorcycle reconstruction class I took did a 25 MPH front wheel skid. That was really really scary and I wasn't riding. :eek:

Joe

Joe

thanks, joe!

and no thanks, on the front wheel skid thing! yikes!!!

i'd like to see some of the practice attempts that were made in the process of perfecting that demo.

i wish i had some video clips of some of the stunts that i witnessed while teaching the beginner rider course. it's amazing what you can make a motorcycle do when you have no idea how to ride one.

made many fifty yard sprints after run-away riders... "PULL IN THE CLUTCH!!!! PULL IN THE CLUTCH!!!!" :eek: