Motorcycle Lovers Thread

[François Pugh]

Twenty years ago sport bikes were King. I'd go beginner if I were you. These days, sport bikes are dead.

Depends on what the buyer is looking for.

Ha ha!

These days, I'd say the beginner-friendly bike. I feel like the sportbike market has been pillaged by all of us getting older, and moving towards ADV-type bikes.

I bet a friendly dealer in your region could give you a good read on this.

Take away... Might as well get the Litre-bike; I would lose as much money on the resell of the 600 as I would have to pay for extra insurance.

Maybe I can avoid squidly behaviour and pushing it until I get it on a track; I have a lot more patience and will power now than when I was a younger man.

 

[Tom K.]

Take away... Might as well get the Litre-bike; I would lose as much money on the resell of the 600 as I would have to pay for extra insurance.

Maybe I can avoid squidly behaviour and pushing it until I get it on a track; I have a lot more patience and will power now than when I was a younger man.

So you're shopping for a fun bike and a fun car? Go Francois!

FWIW, my Dad had a Suzuki GS1000 when I was a young man. I loved it. So when I decided to get a street bike several years ago, I just figured a liter bike was the ticket, and bought an FZ1.

Let's just say that bikes have become a lot more powerful and faster for a given displacement. I quickly sold it. Way too fast for public roads IMO.

 

[François Pugh]

The ridiculous price of fun cars has just about convinced me to get a not quite as nice fun car......and a nice bike.
I'm still undecided. This is worse than choosing a pair of skis!

 

[scott43]

So you're shopping for a fun bike and a fun car? Go Francois!

FWIW, my Dad had a Suzuki GS1000 when I was a young man. I loved it. So when I decided to get a street bike several years ago, I just figured a liter bike was the ticket, and bought an FZ1.

Let's just say that bikes have become a lot more powerful and faster for a given displacement. I quickly sold it. Way too fast for public roads IMO.

One word: carnage

 

[geepers]

These days, sport bikes are dead.

Please say that ain't so!

How come the dorky narrow tire bike can beat those other racing bikes?

Archer vs arrow? The yellow jacket guy looks like he's actually pushing it given the bobbles. The two race bike dudes not so much.

So, you’re saying those things aren’t going to do well at the Isle of Man race?

Corners go left and right at IoM. Those Japanese "samurai" bikes are set up for left turning only - look at the handle bars. Speeds at IoM reach 200mph - would be hard to hang on in such an upright position. In places the IoM track is incredibly rough - does the sb even have rear suspension? The IoM has some seriously fast sections leading in very slow corners - those dinky little brakes are not going to get the job done.

 

[scott43]

Every place is different but I was hearing that Honda sold like 125 sport bikes in all of Canada a few years ago. Just seems to bea dying market at the moment.

 

[James]

Archer vs arrow? The yellow jacket guy looks like he's actually pushing it given the bobbles. The two race bike dudes not so much.

Don’t think so unless they’re not trying, which is doubtful, looking at the comments.

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Number 5 Haruchika Aoki (WGP 125cc World Champion 1995 &1996) Number 2 Nobuatsu Aoki (WGP 500cc & Moto GP Rider 1997~2004)
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Now #5 was apparently on a 600cc 2 speed flat track bike.

———————
For those wondering this is Japanese flat track racing. The guy on the weird looking bike with the shoulder pads is a professional flat track racer, and he's riding a flat track bike, in a flat track race, so yeah, he wins. This was an exhibition race to show the difference between these bikes and street bikes on the track, so this was the expected and intended result.
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I don’t know anything about motorcycle racing. What I find curious is it’s set up for the rider to be on the rear wheel for the turn, and the tires are so skinny. Completely different way of taking a turn, no? Maybe because the speed is relatively constant and acceleration isn’t great you can be back that far? Or the bike is so light?

Now the shoulder pads are another thing. Are they Ben Hur-ing it and hitting each other?

 

[geepers]

Yeah, yellow #5 has a few bobbles - he looks like he's trying.

#2 looks like he's on a Sunday ride with the express purpose of keeping the rear wheel on the same line as the front - keeping in mind he's an ex-500cc GP rider. Those two guys are brothers and looking at Wikipedia Nobuatsu doesn't look like he's been involved in much racing action since 2009. Whereas Haruchika apparently returned to racing in 2016.

Saw an article on this form of Japanese motorcycle racing some time in the 1970s. At that time the riders were wearing samurai outfits. It sort of looks like they now pull a lightweight hoodie over the outfits. Also at that time trackside spectactors could bet on the outcome of the racers. The riders and public were kept completely separate for the race meeting and the racing, gambling and all, were run by the Govt.

Sure is a specialised format.



Here's the thing on the tires. Despite being skinny they give the max sized contact patch apparently - as it it only gets used at a particularly inclination.

 

[Snowfan]

Great ride to ballpark on RT. 66. Us bike guys get good parking spots easy.

We lost 20-6 tonight and going back day after tomorrow for another game.

 

[Snowfan]

Great game last night. Losing 4-0 in bottom of 8th...Grand Slam . Tied up in bottom of 9th....walk off win! Snagged a ball

Cops riding 114's...

 

[Snowfan]

Rough map. Biggest lifetime trip plan....camping off bike....and hotel now and then. Leaving in a week+-. Will try to work off laptop but no prob if I can't. 2500 miles. I used to live in Lander, WY. managing Radio Shack in 80's. I'm so stoked....dirt roads welcome. I'll stay 200' from bison. Love'em. https://ridebdr.com/ will be the routes I take.

 

[Ogg]

A friend of mine has been riding forever. He sold his road bike and now he only rides dirt. He usually rides a 250 but has this 500 for when he wants to scare himself.

 

[Snowfan]

Ordered Shinko 705's for trip. Now can hit https://ridebdr.com/ dirt roads for most of trip. My biggest dream is Black Bear Pass ride facing fun giggle danger...I am a former motocross fan so this will be fun... I don't quite understand the struggles these guys have....slow fear is worse than just blasting it trusting tires. First and second gear is cool...)

 

[James]

Rough map. Biggest lifetime trip plan....camping off bike....and hotel now and then. Leaving in a week+-. Will try to work off laptop but no prob if I can't. 2500 miles. I used to live in Lander, WY. managing Radio Shack in 80's. I'm so stoked....dirt roads welcome. I'll stay 200' from bison. Love'em. https://ridebdr.com/ will be the routes I take.
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That’s pretty cool!
Years ago I went from Boulder to Steamboat on almost all trails and fire roads. About a month before, we scoped out the beginning outside Boulder. I can’t remember the name, but there was a short old mining tunnel at the end of a ridge you went through. Well when we came back the day of the trip, that had been walled off with concrete. We attempted to walk the bikes up and over the ridge. But even using the motor, with the loose shall it was pretty much impossible. So we went back down to the bottom, and took the “no motor vehicles allowed” trail up past the ridge and rejoined the road.

It was a very cool trip. Only time on paved roads wss for some miles coming into Steamboat. I think we just didn’t have time to make a lengthy dirt section around.

 

[geepers]

Seen a few race rides that were riveting watching. The type of thing that makes people sit up and take notice in same way as Franz Klammer's 1976 Innsbruck DH charge.

A couple of of favorites:

Some pretty insane wet weather action.



Australian Anthony Gobert taking an underpowered Kawasaki by the scruff of the neck and winning. Unfortunately Gobert's control of his personal life didn't match his control of a motorcycle and he never fulfilled his obvious talent.



Anyone else got favorites?

 

[Bill Talbot]

This old girl still gets it done and looks fantastic! Great woods bike.
My enduro-ized '89 Honda CR250Re

Another favorite from the 80's is this '85 Honda XR350R (one year only bike)

 

[Snowfan]

Texas to Jellystone bike camping. 60/40 tires installed.

 

[Tom K.]

A friend of mine has been riding forever. He sold his road bike and now he only rides dirt. He usually rides a 250 but has this 500 for when he wants to scare himself.

Service Honda CR500?! Astounding bikes!

Seen a few race rides that were riveting watching. The type of thing that makes people sit up and take notice in same way as Franz Klammer's 1976 Innsbruck DH charge.

Anyone else got favorites?

Oh yeah! For me, Kenny Roberts dirt tracking a TZ750: "They don't pay me enough to ride this thing!"

 

[Bill Talbot]

Texas to Jellystone bike camping. 60/40 tires installed.
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You're carrying tires for the road trip home?
I've always found less is more no matter if hiking, biking or moto tripping. Couldn't you ship them to a place at the end of the fun and deal with it from there?
What pressures are you riding off road? If you are carrying a pump of some kind you will find traction/comfort gains with lower pressures. On my Honda CB500x RRL3 for mixed terrain I go down to about 28psi and she works well.

 

[Tom K.]

What pressures are you riding off road? If you are carrying a pump of some kind you will find traction/comfort gains with lower pressures. On my Honda CB500x RRL3 for mixed terrain I go down to about 28psi and she works well.

QFT. Being an avid mtb rider, I'm always pretty conscious of tire pressure. It really makes a difference. Even in our van the ride quality is hugely improved with less pressure in the rear tires. The thing has a cargo capacity of around 2,500 pounds, and we probably travel with about 750 pounds, so there is no need for the OEM recommended six billion psi in the rear tires.