Someone explain motorcycles to me

Couldn't you substitute "bicycle" or "running shoes" for "motorcycle" and ask the same question?

 

Ah, nostalgia. Things have changed a bit over the years.

No more speed weave when you hit a pebble at 75?

No leathers?

No stray dogs darting in front of you?

Yes, I yearn for the open road, the freedom of power, the wind through my freak flag.

Alas, every time the urge gets strong enough to take action, I spy the bottle of Ibuprofen and remember the throbbing in my ankle as I tried to fall asleep. If I need further help, there is the black and white in the top drawer from '69 of the wrecked and ruint BMW on Crown 11.

Good thing that section into Atikocan wasn't paved at the time. Thankful for leathers and a helmet.

Just saying.

 

yeah ... we've had probably a half-dozen car meets bicycle stories this year ... think one or two motorcycle accidents. though I did see yesterday that a woman checking her mail was struck by a car ... so add that to the list of unsafe activities.

 

Everyone I know who's ever bought a 250 Ninja or similar as a first bike has wanted to move up extremely quickly due to the lack of power and comfort. Now, the 500 Ninja is interesting but the 650 bikes are more along the lines of something you can hang onto.

Forgot about the Blast (492cc single).

The Versys is indeed a tall person's bike.

Cruisers ... eh. Damn things are heavy.

Kleeda, I'm curious: What's your opinion of the Can-Am Spyder?

 

Forget motorcycles, get a Vespa!

 

I'm a big fan of Princess Vespa.

 

2MCM, I haven't ridden the Spyder, but the reviews have been good and it's a very solid company. It's on my to-do list and we have a few dealers around here. I'll report back when I do.
And cruisers are a good option for our shorter brothers and sisters, but I won't ever have one.
I'm going to buy a new bike for the first time since 1981, and so far my three finalists are Yamaha FZ6, Moto Guzzi Breva 750 and Kawasaki Versys. I'm a serious Guzzi-phile and the Breva is a good next bike for the missus.
Even at 6-3, 300 bills, they're big enough for me and small enough for her (except maybe the Versys). A good previous generation Concourse is the wild card.
And your take on EFI and shaft drive is dead on.
Remember, helmet, gloves, jacket and boots no matter what. And armored pants aren't a bad idea either.

 

Motorcycles just bring a lot of speed and mass to a collision scenario, with a disproportionate lack of protection. I know all riders believe themselves to be exceptionally skilled and careful, but even if that's true, you're only ever half the scenario. That's what has kept me off motorcycles -- watching other people drive.

 

Most serious motorcycle accidents involve some combination of youth, speed and bravado -- not all by any means, but the majority.

Accidents can happen to anybody at any speed, especially when the rider is only half the equation. If some jackoff is going to pull out in front of you, it's going to happen and you just have to be prepared.

But for every motorcycle crash story we run, the ones where someone is killed or seriously injured involve the rider being under about 35 and himself doing something stupid in most cases. You rarely read of an older guy just riding around town on errands doing much worse than tipping it over on himself (I say with crossed fingers while whistling past the graveyard -- bad choice of words).

 

Most motorcycle accidents aren't the fault of the person on the bike, although if you're going 65 on a city a street and break both of your legs, you get what you deserve [/bitterexgirlfriend]

 

A motorcycle is a two-wheel mode of conveyance powered by an internal-combustion engine.
I didn't think it was possible for somebody to not know that.

 

Most serious motorcycle accidents involve some combination of an inattentive automobile driver not having enough visual acuity to either see the oncoming motorcycle or gauge the distance before they turn left in front of it. That driver is then stunned that the motorcycle was actually there.