Motocycle Wars and Opinions

I've owned everything from a Honda 305 Dream (built before you were born
in 1968) through Honda 350, 450, 550, 750, Yamaha 360 2 stroke dirt bike,
BMW K75C, Ducati 900 SS, Triumph Speed Triple, Triumph T595,
Honda 600 F4, Honda 900, Honda 919, Honda VFR 800, Honda 929, GSXR 1000 K3,
Ducati Monster (air cooled), Yamaha R-1, Yamaha FZ-1, and some I've
forgotten.

I've also spent significant time on the BMW R1100 GS, Harley Fat Boy, Harley
FXDX Sport, Buell Lightening, Suzuki 1000 DL, Ducati 916, and a few I can't
remember.

I've crashed 2 cylinders (Ducati 900 SS - totalled, major injuries) and 4
(Honda 919 - new bodywork - minor injuries) and I've read and posted in
numerous newsgroups over the years.

I've taken track courses, and ridden with excellent instructors, but never
achieved significant track skills or street speed due to comparatively high
fear of injury and death against motorcycle capabilities.

Lately, I've been thinking about whether I want to come back to motorcycles
after a year off.

And if I did, after all of my motorcycles, what would be the motorcycle I
would pick as a long termer (not a concept I've worked with before).

Here's my answer:

It would come down to a Ducati or Harley.

And here's why:

Nothing was faster on the streets than my Suzuki GSXR 1000 K3, but I really
don't have any use for 0 - 60 times in the 2.6 second range, since I can't
process information through turns on unfamiliar roads (or even familiar
roads) that quickly. And even if I could, the inevitible "unexpected
event" is easier to control at slower speeds than higher speeds.

So, for me, it isn't any longer about speed.

Now it's about a feeling.

Ducati, for me, has the spirit and the soul equivalent to the old Ferraris
of the 60s. Ducatis aren't the best at anything, particularly not the
older air cooled Monsters, but the sound is amazingly good, some of the
marque handle acceptably well, you can wheely and stoppy a Monster if you
want to, and you can get from 0 - 60 in about 3.8 seconds which is still
faster than any sports car I've owned. Plus they're more comfortable for
cruising along the ocean, or through the mountains over an 8 hour day,
without losing the "wind in your face" aspect of motorcycling that drew me
to it 35 years ago (that and being so poor I couldn't afford a car, but
could afford $175 for a Honda 305 Dream)

Harley represents camraderie, group rides, and plenty of people to spend
time with. I've ridden, and lead group rides among sport bikes, and
generally the rides became more about speed through turns, than anything
else. The camraderie was at the stops or after the rides. Harley rides
are more about slower moving, (not unlike Honda Goldwing groups, or BMW K
groups) sight seeing, relaxation rides. It is just a different "feel".

For all the Harley bashing I see, I spent 8 hours on a Fatboy, and enjoyed
the sounds, the scenery, and everything except the foot positions (coming
off of sport bikes).

So maybe a Buell can't outun an inline 4 on speed or handling. (It can't).
But so what?

When I think of a nice day of riding with friends now, I don't think of a
Suzuki GSXR 1000 K3 or K4. I think of a Ducati Monster, or Harley FXDX.
And mountains, or an ocean, and a handwarming cup of coffee overlooking the
ocean while my face thaws and a friend orders flapjacks. That friend might
be on an old Norton, or maybe a Honda 954, it won't matter. It won't be a
contest.


Happy Holidays Everyone - particularly to Bob Nixon for being the Miracle of
Christmas this year.

Larry W.

 

On Thu, 23 Dec 2004 16:51:45 GMT, "Brian Wax" <>
wrote:

Anyone who clips everything someone said, including the attribution
and message ID is a complete moron.

 

That means a lot coming from a top-posting wiseass.

 

Didn't actually top post. Top posting is putting comments above and
not snipping a fucking thing below. I put my comment there in this
case to prove a point. Not surprise it'd go right over your pointy
little head.

 

Not so simple, because the twins have 1/2 the power pulses of an inline
4, they can be more rideable and more stable, especially when coming out
of a corner. Those inlines will light up the back tire much more than a
twin. I'm not saying twins won't do it, but they are more
controllable because of the fewer pulses. You probably don't notice it
much when you are watching the smoke pour off of any racebike spinning
up the rear, but the twins tend to spin up less.

You should. I'll be down in July, we can go for a ride together.

Don't forget about your love of the Speed Triple.

Good to hear from you Larry

 

Dear douchebag: Wrong again.

 

Who are you and when did you become the moderator of this unmoderated group?

 

yeah but keeping a bike for 60 days hardly qualifies as the chance to
actually USE it, doncha think Larry?

Considering your average length of ownership, I'm curious as to what
"significant time" means.....

YES! Now THAT is worthwhile experience...posting to the newsgroups. Some
people might think the actual ownership, use and abuse of their motorcycles
qualifies as worthwhile...NOPE....its all about the postings baby!

Hey...buy one...ride it around for a "significant time" ( what is that
anyway...a day or two? ) and then sell it cheap to someone else who doesn't
want to pay new! I always say you are doing the community a favor there
Larry....eating the initial depreciation and all. I applaud your
efforts.....

Boy..you got THAT right...

Well...buying some Hog definitely will keep you from worrying about what to
do at "higher speeds" ( what are those? Anything over 40mph for the average
Hardley? ).

Speed of ownership maybe?

Sounds like an sv650 does all of this and for a helluva lot less money,
maintenance, and much better chance you'll make it home with the bike still
running at the end of the day. I might mention the old EX500 as well I
suppose...but the twins have SOUL! Oops...thats right...the EX500 is a
twin....my bad.

yeah but bar hopping for the entire weekend doesn't have much more to do
with riding than Hardleys have to do with speed...besides, dentists can get
awful boring to talk too after the first bar or two.

Did you really just give me the opportunity to bash your sexual proclivities
or what! Example: So...tell us about how you mounted the fatoby there Larry?
Was it hard? 8 hours...the stamina involved!

Exactly! But then, how many of us trade our 929's for an sv650 to commune
with our more "practical" sides....

Why does it have to be a contest? I plan on hitting at least 2 tracks this
spring with the 650, and then I'm touring off to Sydney Nova Scotia and the
Cabot Trail with it....hopefully by then I will have forgotten all mental
images of Larry mounting a fatboy for 8 hours....

 

Oh yeah, and did you really have to crosspost this into the "weenie of the
world" newsgroups? Now AMS is being flooded with the wacko brigade....

 

Hey Greg!

Merry Xmas!

 

I only suggested moderation once, now I wear asbestos underwear.

 

Might I interest sir in a pair of Nomex longjohns? The
CarbonCarbon plates are an option for protecting areas of
points of impact.


--
Nefarious Necrologist 42nd Degree
Some people ride, some just like to show off their butt
jewelry once in a while.
Dum vivimus, vivamus
<3 )3~ <3 )3~ <3 )~ <3 )~

 

Jeeze, so you're old! When the Alzheimer's sets in for good (next week?)
it won't even matter to yourself, will it?

 

Actually there are plenty of people on this group that know Larry
personally. I am one of them.

 

Larry:

We knew you couldn't stay away.

I don't think you could be satisfied with only one kind of bike,
but I bet you would get the most enjoyment out of one of the new
retro-classic standard-style motorcycles, like the Triumph Thruxton.

Happy Holidays:

Mike Nelson

 

Back at you Larry. Doesn't matter WHAT you ride as long as it still
gives you that thrill. BTW, I'll have to agree the K3 seemed to lack
character at less than full bore -



Bob Nixon
Phoenix AZ
01 Sprint ST "RED" 45K miles

 

Andrew wrote: 3

You too!

FYI there's a ride on the 1st I may make, especially if Santa brought me
Gerbing. Begins in Lynwood with the usual CB hooligans and probably Famous
Marv.

 

What? Nothing more? How about:
"He gave me 5 quarts of his blood when I needed it."
or
"He hired me when nobody else would."
or
"We're ex-lovers and he always treated me with respect."

 

How about I bought a bike from him, does that count?
I flew down to his house in San Jose, and rode it to Seattle. Does that
count?

 

A very fine post! Thanks.