View Full Version : I know a lot of people don't like motorcycles, but....
firebird
06-26-2008, 04:19 PM
Diesel is out of control. It takes $170.00 to fill my Dodge, and if I am lucky, it will last a week. That is $680.00 per month at the going rate. Nuts I tell you. So, I bought a bike and I just love the thing! It is like getting out of your box and being free. But the best part, I drove around Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and ran my errands for work. I also have a 40 mile round trip commute daily. I filled up on the way home Wednesday and it was 2.8 gallons of gas! I would have used 15-17 gallons in the Dodge! I am stoked.
Vipper
06-26-2008, 04:21 PM
I love bikes... I am trying to convince my Fluffy Hubby to let me get a scooter, since adults should not play with toys they can't pick up I have to opt out of a Harley LOL...
Kath
hunybee
06-26-2008, 04:21 PM
i am jealous!
I have had my eye on the Triumph Bonneville T100, it's a classic two lunger with good horsepower for the city. It sells for $8300 which is a good price for a bike that big. It is a 865cc with 65bhp and I read it gets around 50mpg. My wife is scared to death of me on a motorcycle though and so far I have yet to convince her that I won't kill myself on it.
http://www.lonestarcycle.com/triumph/images/bonnt071.jpg
Kimber
06-26-2008, 04:34 PM
This is "the bomb".
Sorry for trying to be hip.
Anyway,
http://www.imz-ural.com/gearup/
David
dreadstalker
06-26-2008, 04:41 PM
So who cares if others don't like motorcycles? They don't like them then they don't have to ride one.
firebird
06-26-2008, 04:41 PM
I have had my eye on the Triumph Bonneville T100, it's a classic two lunger with good horsepower for the city. It sells for $8300 which is a good price for a bike that big. It is a 865cc with 65bhp and I read it gets around 50mpg. My wife is scared to death of me on a motorcycle though and so far I have yet to convince her that I won't kill myself on it.
http://www.lonestarcycle.com/triumph/images/bonnt071.jpg
Mine is a Kawasaki Vulcan Mean Streak 1500. Tons of torque so you can short shift it. I have begged my wife for 20 years to ride again and I finally did it. I did take the motorcycle safety course before I got on it. Scored a 100% in the course too! Only one other person did that and he was a long time rider. If she lets you do it you will be thrilled.
My DH had been considering a motorcycle (not that we could afford one, but the price of gas makes one consider things anyhow)....but just this past week, two different motorcyclists died when they hit deer in our area. I hit a deer with my car about a month ago, and DH hit a deer earlier this year. With those kinds of odds, in our rural area, I'm thinking a car might have to do....I had thought about accidents/motorcycles, but until recently the thought of "what if a motorcycle hits a deer" had never crossed my mind...
firebird
06-26-2008, 04:47 PM
I too live rural and watch for deer daily. They are a menace. I drive slow and cautious which comes with age and because of the safety course training. I'm just not in a hurry and I like to relax while riding.
AnnieOakley
06-26-2008, 04:51 PM
This is "the bomb".
Sorry for trying to be hip.
Anyway,
http://www.imz-ural.com/gearup/
David
My husband has a Harley Sportster and I am not afraid of him killing himself....I'm afraid of the other guy killing him.
Slotback
06-26-2008, 05:12 PM
One of my colleagues damn near got himself killed on his motorcycle last week. And it might have been based upon AnnieOakley's legitimate concerns. The other guy almost eliminated him from this world.
Kimber
06-26-2008, 05:18 PM
Annie,
I'm afraid of someone killing me as well. But, I still don't wear bike helmuts. It's an individual choice, in consultation with his or her spouse.
David
This is "the bomb".
Sorry for trying to be hip.
Anyway,
http://www.imz-ural.com/gearup/
David
Sidecars are cool! Here's a SC website that is pretty informative.
http://www.sidecar.com/
With high fuel prices, more Americans will venture out on motorcycles. And that's a good thing! The public will be more aware of cyclists.
Congrats, Firebird!
HS-LD
06-26-2008, 06:28 PM
I bought a Kawasaki KLR in April of 2007. 50 mpg, on/off road, I love it. I rode tons of miles when I was young and stupid. Now that I'm old and stupid, I took the motorcycle safety course and got my endorsement.
It's as safe as you ride it. Pilot error accounts for a lot of the mayhem.
At first I wanted to just save a bit of money, the way things are going, I may be riding it because it's all I can afford!
1911user
06-26-2008, 06:30 PM
Glad it's working out for you.
Was the class a big help or waste of time?
Summerthyme
06-26-2008, 06:32 PM
Just remember... about half the drivers will never see you! Driving a bike, you really have to assume someone *doesn't* see you, instead of the normal assumptions you make while driving a bigger vehicle. (where you are a bit cautious *just in case* they didn't see you- but realizing that the vast majority DO see a car turning, or coming towards them).
My second son is an amazing driver... he has avoided a couple of horrendous wrecks, and reacts in split seconds to any threat. (one example- a deer jumped off a steep hill directly into the windshield of my brand new Subaru Impreza. He saw the deer in mid air, realized there was no possible way to avoid it, so steered just enough to keep it from hitting HIM... it went through the passenger side. Very nearly totalled the car, completely gutted the deer - IN the car!- but he escaped with a small cut on his head. Cops could not believe he survived, much less didn't have any real injuries)
Anyway... he drove a bike for several years, and even was doing some dirtbike racing. He doesn't drive onroad any more. As he put it... he got tired of being a target for idiots who obviously never saw him. He had to lay the bike down more than once, and he really didn't think it was worth the risks.
There's a reason they call them "donorcycles" in the ER.
Just be careful riding, and enjoy it.
Summerthyme
AnnieOakley
06-26-2008, 06:39 PM
Annie,
I'm afraid of someone killing me as well. But, I still don't wear bike helmuts. It's an individual choice, in consultation with his or her spouse.
David
I love the sound of the Harley when my husband starts it up..but I can't forget back when I graduated from high school and my first job at a small town hospital. I was working for the summer in ob dept when over the weekend there was a motorcycle accident where 2 guys were hit by a drunk driver. Both their left legs were torn off and the EMTs brought the legs to the hospital and they were put in the icechest where we stored placenta. What a frightening site for a gal just out of highschool...one I will never forget.
firebird
06-26-2008, 06:53 PM
There are almost never any motorcycle accidents around here and virtually never a death. There are lots of car accidents and deaths. One of the bigges problems around here is the bicyclers. I call them the spandex Evel kneivel's. They never obey traffic laws and are getting killed all the time.
firebird
06-26-2008, 06:54 PM
Glad it's working out for you.
Was the class a big help or waste of time?
The class was a huge help. July 1st it becomes law in Florida that you have to take it regardless. It made me a better driver even in my truck. There are now so many motorcycles on the road around here that you can't help but notice them. Even scooters are now everywhere.
It's about time they made it a law.
I keep telling myself that I'm going to ride out to the DOT station one day and see if they changed the layout of the test from when they first started giving it. It was impossible to ace it with a big bike back then.
Jbuck
06-26-2008, 07:44 PM
Take the motorcycle safety course and or the advanced course if you have ridden before. Not only will it make you more aware of what is going on, but you generally get a break min your insurance.
Both my DW and I rode bikes for a long time until health measures forced me to sell my bikes, ultra classic and Kawasaki. Now she won't ride without me and sold her bike, Honda and Vulcan.
JBuck
"once you ride a bike, you will know why dogs hang their head out the window"
Tweety
06-26-2008, 10:39 PM
I was Sept 9, of last year that my 38yr old was hit by a car that that gave no room to get out of the way. Yet Wayne had the right of way. God was watching over him that day. He had his very good expensive helmet on and that saved his life. If he didn't have it on --he would not be with us today. He is still in recovery mode. Broken left femur on top of a reconstructed knee from the military. Broken left wrist. Injured right kidney that was bleeding . Broken jaw that was wired. They had to airlift him to a Trauma hospital here in Alb. NM. He doesn't remember the accident. In Iccu for 10 days. Was in the hospital for almost a month. Thank God he is a post Vet. The hospital bill was outragious. Yet today he still want a bike again. He wants to go back to work so bad---still has about a month more to go. He also lost quite a few teeth. Getting dentures at the moment.--VA. He was a mess. Would not want to go through that again.!!!
I was Sept 9, of last year that my 38yr old was hit by a car that that gave no room to get out of the way. Yet Wayne had the right of way. God was watching over him that day. He had his very good expensive helmet on and that saved his life. If he didn't have it on --he would not be with us today. He is still in recovery mode. Broken left femur on top of a reconstructed knee from the military. Broken left wrist. Injured right kidney that was bleeding . Broken jaw that was wired. They had to airlift him to a Trauma hospital here in Alb. NM. He doesn't remember the accident. In Iccu for 10 days. Was in the hospital for almost a month. Thank God he is a post Vet. The hospital bill was outragious. Yet today he still want a bike again. He wants to go back to work so bad---still has about a month more to go. He also lost quite a few teeth. Getting dentures at the moment.--VA. He was a mess. Would not want to go through that again.!!!
Sorry to hear of your son's accident, and glad he's recovering!
I had a riding buddy in Houston who was a true biker! He rode "Clyde" everywhere. Then one day on the elevated section of the Eastex freeway near downtown Houston, he hit a diesel spill doing 80+ mph. No helmet, and he thought he'd bleed to death before help arrived. After Clyde was repaired and he healed up, he asked me to take a last ride with him. We took a short run, then he parked Clyde and sold him. He wanted to prove he wasn't afraid, but with two young sons, he needed to stay around for them.
I hated to see him quit riding. But I didn't try to change his mind. If I had, I'm sure his mama and wife would have shot me.
New riders, just be careful. Every car, 18 wheeler, etc. is your worst enemy. Pair up with another biker as often as you can.
firebird
06-28-2008, 12:50 PM
Filled up today and got a hand calculated 63.1 mpg!!!!
Wow! That's great mileage. Isn't your bike a 1500?
firebird
06-29-2008, 08:01 AM
Wow! That's great mileage. Isn't your bike a 1500?
Yes, and it has a ton of torque. You can short shift those kind of bikes and get great mileage. I also rarely get past 60 mph. Usually cruise at 55.
blackknight
12-12-2008, 05:48 AM
I have been looking at getting a Triumph Speedmaster myself this year. I want to get a Sportster but you have to get it lojacked because of all the 1%'s up here who live to steal bikes. I'm not sure if I like the idea of having anything lojacked to be honest.
RENMAN358
12-12-2008, 02:16 PM
GOOD for you firebird !!! A year ago i finally arm twisted my better half into
riding on nice days.. Now she arm twists me to ride on the not so nice days,,
cause she loves it so much.
RIGHT ON 1911 and all others that are promoting the safety courses!!!
If anyone is new to two wheels you will never ever regret taking a course.
Its a big help to be able to spot the problems before you get there!!
My wife started out on a zuki savage thumper (650) but now wants to gradiate to a nightster. HMMM ,,, let me look in my wallet>>>>>>>>
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