Post: #1

Do you have a motorcycle and ride it regularly? Well, you should (weather and climate factored in).

Dames dig motorcycles. It's a risky thing to do and ups a man's alpha cred hugely. It really doesn't matter what brand, it's the risk thing that gets the 'ginas all tingly. Plus, a righteous motorcycle jacket (a real one with all the armor and everything) makes a man look like he's well built.

Also, a full face helmet with a mirrored face shield makes you look a bit intimidating. Some racing-style motorcycle boots along with gloves completes the package. And while the gear is meant for safety, the side benefit is the look.

I ride a Suzuki V-Strom 650 (it's kind of an old man's bike but the girlies have no clue.) Similar to this 2012 model, mine is a 2004 model.

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Li...L650A.aspx

I have an Icon Variant helmet:

http://www.rideicon.com/products/?productGroupId=15

Vanson leather jacket:

http://www.vansonleathers.com/prod-COBRA...-307.aspx?

Fieldsheer gloves:

http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/clo...loves.html

Sidi Racing style boots (model discontinued so no link)

Yes, this gear is expensive but discounts and closeouts are available as well as used gear (how I got my jacket). Getting a motorcycle license does require training but if you can ride a bicycle and handle a clutch (practice!!!), you can get a license.

I'm no two-wheel dilettante. I don't own a car so it's all motorcycle, all the time. I've got over 120K miles on my bike and I bought it new.

Riders, chime in.

Post: #2

Cool bike. I don't ride (rode dirt bikes a little when I was a kid), but have envisioned/dreamed of taking an enduro bike on a trip across S. America. Is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 the type of bike to do such a trip.

Also, nice blog. Gonna check more of it out when I have the time.

Post: #3

(11-02-2012 10:49 AM)Roustabout Wrote:  Cool bike. I don't ride (rode dirt bikes a little when I was a kid), but have envisioned/dreamed of taking an enduro bike on a trip across S. America. Is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 the type of bike to do such a trip.

Also, nice blog. Gonna check more of it out when I have the time.

V-Stroms are considered "adventure tourers" and quite a few are ridden through exotic locales. However, if you're on dirt roads a lot, you might consider a more dirt oriented dual sport. The Kawasaki KLR650 is a good reasonably-priced alternative.

Post: #4

How can you ride a bike in Florida all the time? Bad drivers, heat etc. I do not enjoy riding here on this hot flat land and learned quick to trade my bike game into boat game. I do enjoy building them though. Also the V-storm 650 is kinda beta as far as bikes go.

Post: #5

(11-02-2012 11:15 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  How can you ride a bike in Florida all the time? Bad drivers, heat etc. I do not enjoy riding here on this hot flat land and learned quick to trade my bike game into boat game. I do enjoy building them though. Also the V-storm 650 is kinda beta as far as bikes go.

I just deal with it. My current commute is from Lauderdale by the Sea to Boca Raton and I take A1A to avoid the I-95 craziness but I've had commutes on the Turnpike, I-95, 595, surface roads, all of it. I guess I'm used to it. Usually I take a trip annually up into the southern Appalachian mountains to get the chicken strips off my tires.

Yeah, the V-Strom ain't the pinnacle of alpha, but most dames haven't a clue. A very few will insist on a Harley because of the status thing.

I'd do boat game but I don't want a boat. I owned a 30 foot sailboat in my past (married at the time) and lived on the thing for six months with the wife and a cat. I'm over boating just like I'm over that wife.

Post: #6

Harleys are junk you need a boat like this. The dude who makes them is down your way..

Post: #7

Thanks for the advice. The Kawasaki looks cool.

Post: #8

A leather jacket in florida's heat? insane! I got my motorcycle license sans the motorcycle and I firmly believe a motorcycle is an economical way to commute, especially since only 3 cities (not small towns) in the U.S. have REAL public transportation. Literally everyone in my family is trying to talk me out of it, but Im buying one next december-january if not sooner.

Since I live in Texas Ill go for a Mesh Jacket, Cant Go wrong with a sporty look and you're absolutely right about the plates giving you that Batman superhero look

Post: #9

(11-02-2012 11:47 AM)defguy Wrote:  A leather jacket in florida's heat? insane!

My jacket is made from perforated leather (thousands of tiny holes) so when I'm moving, it's not so bad. I also have a mesh jacket as a backup. And since I ride mostly to commute, I avoid the heat of the day. But yeah, it can suck.

When you start riding, wear the gear ALL the time, no exceptions. ATGATT - all the gear all the time.

Post: #10

(11-02-2012 11:31 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  Harleys are junk you need a boat like this. The dude who makes them is down your way..

Helluva fast boat! I think I've seen them around.

Post: #11

I started riding this year - Suzuki SV650. I'm in my mid-30s and it's a great way to boost one's T-levels. As for the risks etc., I adopted this quote from an old biker I read in an article in the National Review a few months back: "Life is not lived unless it's tested."

However living in my part of Europe means I can only ride for about 6 months - the season is over now. Plus, roads are generally much narrower than in the U.S. and cars drive faster, too, so it's constant watching over my back and trying to figure out who's out there to kill me today. Well, everyone is, although they may not know it.

I plan to ride through the US on a big ass Harley one day.

Post: #12

I spent a few years in India and bought a Royal Enfield. I spent a few months exploring India from Kashmir to Goa and all that's in between. Had so many fucking crashes,not my fault ( mostly ) just crazy Indians with no idea how to drive or rules of the road. Once I was driving from Mount Abu to Udaipur and in a village I plowed into a cow,poor fucker,it went down on it's back making a pained barking noise. I got off to help it when I saw in the distance a group of villagers armed with rocks running towards me. Fuck! I got back on my Enfield but it wouldn't start ( there's a knack to kick starting an Enfield ) and the tribe of trolls was getting nearer to me,it was like in a movie as I desperately tried to start the bike. At pretty much the last second the bike started and I moved off,the problem is that Enfields have no exceleration so I was going at little more then walking pace. The leading chaser who fortunately didn't have a rock,took her shoe off and smashed me on the back with it as I slowly puttered away. Insane place to ride a bike.

Another time about a week after I got the bike I decided to ride up to a temple a 100km's away. I didn't know how to ride properly ( could not get the hang of the gears ) and it was the monsoon period which made roads dngerous. Anyway half way there I saw an Indian dude dressed in a spotlessly clean suit and holding a briefcase. He stuck his hand out so I offered him a lift on the back. The poor bastard was going to a business meeting in a town near where I was going. Anyway we had some disasters.

Firstly a bus stopped in the road to let passengers off. Instead of overtaking like any intelligent dude would I undertook. The result was that a passenger stepped off the bus and inadvertently ( why the fuck would he expect to see a motorbike
there? ) knocked us off the bike,muddying the knees on my passengers suit. My passenger got up and proceeded to beat the poor uneducated villager for knocking us off. Poor fucker got a beating for my imbecilic mistake. We rode off.

I think after that incident and my constant fumbling with the gear pedal my
passenger,let's call him business dude,was rapidly losing faith in my skills to get him to his meeting. Then it got worse. We came to a point where our road was completely washed away and impassible. We had no idea what to do until business
dude saw a young child who was herding goats by the road. He offered him ten rupees to show us a way round the washed away section. So now I have business dude and a young goat boy on the back of my bike. Fuck! Not only that but he directed me off road along this rough goat track. We came to a steep rise which
was proceeded by a sharp turn but I didn't have a fucking clue what I was doing so I revved the bike hard and flew over the brow,unable to take the turn and ended up crashing into a patch of stinging nettles. Business dude now starts
smacking the young goat boy for taking us along such a hard route. Of course it was totally my fault,I was a driving disaster personified. Business dude was now all stained green in patches from crashing into the nettles. He didn't look presentable. He refused to pay goat boy and we rode on following the path,just the two of us. Me highly embarrassed. God knows what business dude was thinking.

Finally when the poor bastard thought it could not have gotten worse for him, we
reached an impass: the road ahead that we had rejoined was completely washed out for 100 meters. The concrete had cracked and was lifted up to a slight angle,only a couple of degrees but enough to be impassible on two wheels in the hands of an amateur like me. Also there was about a foot of water flowing over the road. There was no way around it,we would have to take our shoes off and ride through it. So business dude was unsure but reluctantly trusted me when I reassured him all would be ok. We set off and all was ok,then about half way it got deeper and suddenly we were off,the bike slid out from beneath me. I turned
around to see business dude fully soaked and chasing after his briefcase that was slowly drifting down stream. He returned sodden and helped me right the bike. We decided to push on to the dry road ahead.

When we got there he was transformed from the guy I had picked up an hour earlier. His suit that had been clean and ironed was now muddied,green and soaked. I offered to continue with him but he'd had enough and sat by the side of the road in a daze. I left him but always wondered how his meeting went.

Post: #13

Learned on an 08 Kawi Ninja. Next summer I'm upgrading to a CBR600.

Don't buy them new, there's many garage bikes out there that someone bought an never rode. You can get bike with a couple years on it and less than 10k miles for at least 50-60% cheaper than what you will pay new.

A full face helmet is great. Some states don't require it, but after seeing what a curb can do to your face I reccommend you wear it. I also use it to mount a helmet cam that I wear sometimes. Save the videos on your phone to show females, like swinging a treat above a cats head.

I always put Velcro on my helmet and have a couple of good patches and an American flag stuck on there. I think of my helmet as kind of an extension as myself and like to personalize it. And it's good bait for for females to pick up and play with your helmet to read what you got on it. I was thinking about getting a second helmet and getting some legit airbrush work on it, I might do it when I get my new bike.

I dont normally wear a jacket. I got a mesh one but feel like a try-hard walking around with it one and don't like leaving it unsecured with my bike.

I wear Oakley tactical gloves. They look good, feel great, and have carbon fiber knuckles in case of a crash or an angry boyfriend.

Got a dirtbike too. Get one.

Gas, Grass, or Ass. No one rides for free.

Post: #14

I bought my first bike in '07. I was going to SPI for spring break. To cross a two mile bridge takes 4 hours during friday for college week. Me and my buddies were in my Honda Passport and I seen a few bikes cut through the gridlock to get to the island. I was amazed. That gave me the itch. 4 months later I found a Kawi 500 for 3K. I bought it and it sat for a month straight. My buddy got me to ride it around my apartment complex. 2 months later I hit the highway. A couple months after that I was riding everyday to work. Never had gloves or a jacket.

I deployed in 08-09 and my battle buddy had a 636. I loved that bike. Im 5'6"ish so the seat height was almost perfect. I was looking to buy a bike and ended up buying a Ducati. I wanted the SS because the dual side exhaust but got at 748. I saw a 759 two weeks later and bought that too haha. Sold the 748 a month after I got home.

I love my bike. I probably pulled 7 lizards from bike game alone. My bike keeps me sober on the weekends. 3 drinks max. My bike saves me gas money. I own an '01 Doge Ram. My bike makes me dislike texting and driving. I live in South Texas so I ride year round rain or shine. I miss riding. I went home for 3 days after Mexico in May. I put alot of cash on my bike but only got to ride once. It was worth it. I'll be back in April. Can't wait to ride again.

Post: #15

I've been riding for almost 20 years. I sold my '02 Ninja ZX-6R so I could free up the money to finish the resto on my Porsche. I had actually lost interest in riding by that point so overall, I wasn't too sad to see it go. I really don't like riding in traffic. I was also involved in a low speed collision with a pick up truck that failed to yield and made a left in front of me. I walked away, and the insurance company repaired the bike to flawless condition. The driver of the truck actually asked me why I didn't stop. He honestly didn't realize the concept of "right of way", and that the only time a driver making a left turn has the right of way is at a stoplight when they have the green turn arrow, or when they're at a four way stop and it's their turn to go. Other than some bruising and a battered bike, I walked away. Unfortunately that accident was an eye opener and made me realize how stupid and ignorant of the law most drivers can be. I eventually got to the point where I would get tense whenever I'd see a driver's left turn signal come on.

I'm not saying I won't go back to it. I went out riding a few years ago, and remembered how much I enjoyed it. But I also realized that I prefer to ride at night with little traffic, and I need to get a lot more money before I can justify the purchase of a vehicle that I will only ride at certain times of the day during certain periods of the year.

I can see how some would recommend buying a used bike, because sport bikes especially lose value rapidly. My big concern is I know how so many people treat them. They abuse the shit out of them. They'll redline a cold engine. They drop them. In 10K miles, I only dropped my Ninja once, and that was during the accident. And it was mainly because I was disgusted over some redneck ruining my bike. So I got off and walked away without putting down the sidestand. That bit of damage was also repaired thanks to his insurance company. But most people who fuck up their bikes have shit insurance to begin with, so they pay out of pocket for crash repairs. This usually means they drive bikes with cracked and broken fairings, or they get those fiberglass reproduction parts. They do countless wheelies on their bikes. They put on shitty pipes (D&D pipes suck, Yoshi and Akrapovic are way better) and throw away the stock parts. They cut off their rear fender with a hacksaw "because the stock fender is too big and looks stupid." Congratulations asshole, those rear fenders are expensive and required by law. You made a mod to your bike that won't allow it to pass a safety inspection in most states.

So that's why I'm weary of used Japanese sport bikes. They seem to attract the people who are the most impulsive, destructive, and without the means to properly maintain them.

I used to sell bikes at a new bike dealer. One time, this asshole kid came in and was going to buy a new R6. When he realized that in MD you have to carry full coverage on anything that's financed for over $10K. So he went over to VA where they don't have this rule and bought it there. He came back into the dealership about month later and he was limping slightly and had some cuts and scrapes on his arms. So I approached him. He explained why he bought the bike elsewhere. I didn't care. I was glad he didn't push forward with the sale with us because he was essentially placing his girlfriend under duress to buy it for him. The F&I person even said if that was the case, she would have put a stop to the sale if he had pressed forward. But he went elsewhere so that's all that matters. Anyway, the reason he's in there is because he's asking around at bike shops if anyone has come in looking to purchase a lot of R6 parts. It seems that a few nights before, the little asshole was out and wrecked his new bike. He didn't make a police report because he didn't have a bike license. He parked the bike to walk for assistance. While he was gone, someone stole his bike. His bike that he specifically bought in VA so he could finance over $10K and only carry liability insurance coverage. So he wrecked his bike bad enough that he couldn't drive it, then has the wreck stolen. Now he or his girlfriend have to come up with over $10K to pay it off and have absolutely nothing to show for it.

If I get another, it'll be a BMW. Something with heated grips, heated seat, and a 4 speaker radio.

Post: #16

Im a bike guy to the core.I own a motorcycle shop among other things.Im into GSXR's because they are popular and easy to hot rod which makes for a big aftermarket for cool parts and it makes buying used cheaper.I'm also into ol' skool style Harley's Shovelheads,Panheads etc...I've been in the bike business off and on the last 15 years just about and consider myself to be pretty open to the diffrent brands and what not and I've owned or riden just about every cool bike to hit the market in the last decade.I just like bikes I guess.Although like I said earlier I do have a soft spot for Gixxer's and choppers.

Post: #17

I have a zx6. Easiest day twos possible.

Post: #18

Only motorized two-wheeled vehicle I've ever ridden was a Vespa a couple months ago - and I wrecked it, and it wasn't even mine.

However, I'm not going to let that scare me from bikes - learning how to ride a motorcycle, and being a proficient rider, are on my list of things to do in my twenties.

Cool thread.

Post: #19

Learning to ride is on my list of things to do within the next few years. I can't start now (my mother is dead set against it and I'm still a student under her roof for a while), but it will definitely happen.

I'll second Fujiwara in saying that this is a cool thread, and I am seriously taking notes.

Post: #20

I'm thinking of buying myself a Honda Rebel as a birthday gift. Anybody have an opinion of those? I want to get a cruiser type that gives me bang for the buck.

Post: #21

Harley=vajajay in my area

Post: #22

Got my first dirt bike when I was 5. First Harley when I was 20. Owned two of them, and sold the last one due to being overseas too much. My first Harley increased my game exponentially. Increased confidence, better venues, tight social circles, status, ect. It was like buying 10K Bang books.

I rode hard for 10 years, and pulled down a lot of tail. They key was going to non biker venues to play up the exotic/lone wolf factor. I'd park in front of the door, and sit near the girls bathroom with my helmet on the table. Simple but effective trolling technique. Girls would come up and open me guaranteed. Once they got on the back, it was over. Her place or mine.

Post: #23

(11-02-2012 01:48 PM)Vorkuta Wrote:  I spent a few years in India and bought a Royal Enfield. I spent a few months exploring India from Kashmir to Goa and all that's in between. Had so many fucking crashes,not my fault ( mostly ) just crazy Indians with no idea how to drive or rules of the road. Once I was driving from Mount Abu to Udaipur and in a village I plowed into a cow,poor fucker,it went down on it's back making a pained barking noise. I got off to help it when I saw in the distance a group of villagers armed with rocks running towards me. Fuck! I got back on my Enfield but it wouldn't start ( there's a knack to kick starting an Enfield ) and the tribe of trolls was getting nearer to me,it was like in a movie as I desperately tried to start the bike. At pretty much the last second the bike started and I moved off,the problem is that Enfields have no exceleration so I was going at little more then walking pace. The leading chaser who fortunately didn't have a rock,took her shoe off and smashed me on the back with it as I slowly puttered away. Insane place to ride a bike.

The Enfield is the IRT of the motorcycle world. Basically India imported some in the 50s and said good enough and copied the bike and started selling them. They even make a diesel model which is very beta.

Post: #24

(11-03-2012 12:19 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  The Enfield is the IRT of the motorcycle world. Basically India imported some in the 50s and said good enough and copied the bike and started selling them. They even make a diesel model which is very beta.

The diesel version hit the market when I was there ( must of been 94/95 ). It's an awful idea,the noise on them is incredible,real nasty. Very economical though hence they became the choice of rural farmer types.

The regular Bullet though won't get criticized by me. Carried me all over India and never let me down. It just did it very slowly.

Post: #25

Had bikes for years but the uk just fucking rains all year round and it's a waste of time. I used to ride to work in my suit and only wore the gear of I was out on a mission. I have had some blackbirds a cbr1000 and a fazer. I will probably get an mv Augusta or a 1098 just to get them crossed of the bucket list but having been over 170 mph on the public roads and survived I am pretty sure I am done with that adrenaline junkie stuff.