Motorcycles

[ChesterKV]

I rode an '85 BMW R65 city bike for a year or so around nine years ago. Great experience, loved the sensation of the wind passing over my helmet

One day I suited up (which takes a hell of a long time), walked over to the bike, stared down at it with my helmet on and suddenly thought, "that's it." I knew my luck was about to run out. Except for riding it fifteen miles to the consignment shop I never rode it again and haven't ridden since, and never will.... ever. About an hour after walking away from the bike that day, I turned on the radio and the first thing I heard was the traffic report with the lady saying, "there's a collision between a motorcycle and a big rig on highway..........."


To this day I feel I got off lucky,

Chester
_________________
1984 Wolfsburg 7-passenger stock sunroof
1992 Subaru Legacy EJ22 boxer motor installed.... van is now sold.... currently playing with a 1987 Toyota MR2 with 1.6 liter twin-cam motor. Better than the Subaru boxers....... I'm impressed. Well, okay, in an "apples and oranges" kind of way.

[manxcraig]

I've ridden for 35 years and never been hurt on a motorcycle.

1. I ALWAYS ride sober.
2. I've taken and passed the MFR riders class twice.
3. I've taken and passed the MFR advanced riders class.
4. I ride a big "ugly" Harley dresser with lots of lights on it. Make sure they can see you.
5. I don't ride sport bikes, sooner or later you'll act stupid. Speed kills.
6. I ride like an old man who knows he's not bullet proof.
7. I don't ride to work anymore, rush hour traffic is the worse.
8. I've been VERY lucky, I know that and give thanks for that.

Having said all of that, I've lost severial friends on bikes.
_________________
69 Meyers Manx II on 65 pan, 1 owner !
WANTED, Meyers Manx license plate frames, repo OK, don't like the new smiles per miles ones.

[15 windowdelux]

Coad I hope it ain't Marla's Husband!!!! Hopefully they've ridden before. My first bike was a Harley, I can't say I had really ridden anything else before, (mini-bike and a 250 yammie enduro- didn't belong to me) People thought I was crazy getting a Harley for my first bike. They are right. Tell him to take Manxcraig's advice. Riding school, no drinking, and be afraid of everyone else on the road. I haven't been on my current bike much because of two "incidents"( one my fault being stupid) this summer where I almost ate asphault.
_________________
My last fortune cookie said:
"A short saying oft contains much wisdom."
Why is it all I can think about now is George
Carlin's "Seven words you can't say on television"????

[Culito]

I resurrected an old Honda 500 a few years back. Never ridden before - I just taught myself by tooling around the parking lot at work, then ventured out onto the service road, then around some neighborhoods. The FIRST time I took it into heavy town traffic, I was nervous as hell, and some idiot turned left RIGHT in front of me. My reaction time was slow and I missed his back bumper by inches.
That was a good lesson...people just don't see motorcycles. Ever since then, I've always been super conscious of everything going on around me.
_________________
Copyright CJ Industries, Inc.
'64 standard w/2.0L type 4
'62 bug

[Mr. Loaf]

Had my first bike before I ever had a car at the age of 15. That was in 1970. Took and passed a motorcycle safety test and learned to always drive on the defensive. I always rode off center of any lane and kept my eyes peeled at least 2 blocks ahead. Thought then that vehicle driver's were crazy and after 2 years gave up the bike. Fast forward to 1995.......Bought a Heritage thinking that with more bikes on the road that vehicle driver's would be more aware of bike riders. Wrong! I actually think that over time it had gotten worse. Sold that bike a year later, the day after a woman turned left from the right lane in front of me. I think that at an early age you do not think about the consequences of riding a bike but as you get older you do seem to get wiser. Just a thought, I see a lot of "older" people riding 3 wheel Hondas, the loaded Gold Wing types. Never seen one of those down. Any opinions?
_________________
Never drive faster than your Angel can fly
$24,100 was too hard to resist.................

[Brezelwerks]

[abgwin]

ya know, my brother recently sold his bike. it was kinda sad, as he had saved up for years to get it. after only a couple of seasons, he sold it (at a pretty big loss). he said it was because he had the same reservations - too easy to get hurt, he had big responsibilities now, and a close friend of his was in the hospital because of a wreck on his bike.

the truth? his wife decided it was too risky.

[manxcraig]

[manxcraig]

[66busman]

[Traveling Writer]

Simple common sense, never pushing yourself or your machine, always pretending you're invisible to others, proper bike maintenance, ADVANCED RIDER TRAINING COURSES SAVE LIVES. I live in Hungary, and have ridden my Kawasaki KLE 500 all over this part of the world, usually very off-road and with full camping gear attached, in thirty mile an hour crosswinds, torrential downpours, rain, snow and even hail once (that was awful). My worst injury was a hornet embedded in my inner thigh! At highway speed, that SUCKS! And in the summer, much to my embarrassment, I ride in shorts and sandals...here's a snap from a long tour of Bosnia:

Okay, the shorts will bite me in the ass eventually, but the Advanced Rider Courses have been keeping me upright for many thousands of hard miles!
_________________
Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[mustard_madman]

[jmsmilin]

Rode sport bikes for a year or so and then quit. Too dangerous, especially with a family. Too many friends and a lot of military get hurt and die. Animals and people pulling in front of you was my biggest problem. That and one day the speedo cable came on done and was flapping in the breeze an inch from my wheel spokes-didnt even notice still I stopped, that was a scary thought. I was riding with a group of out of control people that would meet at the local sonic and go cruise and decided thats it for me-these guys are nuts.

Its also selfish to have all these toys I think. One or so is enough, a boat is good then the whole fam can enjoy it. We havent give up our ATVs though. Been riding too long. Got the kids into it but am very watchful of them-both have speed control units on them, one I had to custom make and it looks factory.

Been in a few scrapes but nothing major, flipped the ATV a few times, side swiped some trees etc. After you crash you count your blessings because it could have been bad, and thankfully we always wear helmets. I never do anything out of control but things tend to happen. You hit a stump you didnt see etc.

Im almost thinking of getting rid of the fast one and downsizing. The small ones pull us thru the woods just fine and its still fun. Right now the fast one hates going slow and I need to go slow with the kids. Dang thing has been in my family since 93 bought new and I just cant let it go.
_________________
Der Schmutzige Süden.

(o\ ! /o) | o \/ o | (o)=|=(o) [o\|_|_|/o] \m/

[Meyer]

I've been riding for years, no problems so far.

My rule is that I almost never ride with a destination in mind. I usually do big circles in the countryside, looking for twisty two-lane roads. I live right on the edge of the more urban areas, so I don't have to go through city traffic to get where I'm going. And I treat other vehicles as though they were radioactive point-sources.

And yes, people are stupid on the road. They treat near-death experiences like everyday occurrences. Its amazing to me that there aren't smoking wrecks on the side of the road everywhere you go. But then, when its your time, its your time. It could be an auto collision, a flight of stairs, a potato chip, or driving a certain 3-wheeled Messerschmit I can think of...

I guess at some point as you insulate yourself from all risk, you begin to stop living.

 

[calebmelvin]

[jroymcd]

I have had many motorcycles. I gave it up when I had kids. Got another one a few months ago and already sold it.

Few people I know have been killed. They had been riding all their life. They wore full gear, took all the safety classes and never drank. I went down once, had full gear. I was able to walk away.

In the S.F. Bay Area there is at least one rider down on the freeway every morning. Hear about a fatality almost every weekend in the mountains.

I love it, just not worth the risk with kids
_________________
www.cultwagen.com

[56Cabrio]