[quote]
Honestly I don’t really care as long as I’m riding. [/quote]
As long as you’re riding a motorcycle I happy to include you as someone who rides. Even though they have two wheels and a motor, I’m sorry, but I won’t include any kind of scooters or mopeds.
That is the way I started out and I’d recommend it. I’d even go back and take the same course if I had the time and money too again. When I took it it was about $75 to $100 I think. Now it is over $200+.
Nice. I haven’t undertaken anything that ridiculous. I’m not that strong of a rider…the only reason I can keep up with group rides is that Atlanta is the right kind of hilly enough that if I manage to just barely not blow up on the climbs, I can pass a lot of people on the descents and corners. Most people don’t know how well their bikes can turn.
People do look at me weird when I keep up with traffic though…which is weird, because I couldn’t keep up with myself if I were somehow riding and driving at the same time. But, I also wouldn’t have to reach over my handlebars and close my own door if I were getting out of my car in a parallel parking space.
……that probably didn’t make any sense, did it?
In general, most guys who ride road bikes (bicycles) have next to no actual bike handling skills, its just V02 max comparisons and trying to beat each other up hills. Its pretty bad, but not as bad a triathletes, thats another level of terrible rider…
You can make up a lot of time on a road bike on a technical descent, its odd that most roadies don’t focus more on going down a hill quickly.
Cars for sure… Something about making over 2,000lbs look sky high that just gets me all warm and fuzzy. I had a GSXR600, it was balls quick, but the rush just wasnt the same as it was in the car..
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I’m sorry and I don’t mean to offend, but I wouldn’t even consider a Harley or any chapped a real bike, they are made for style, so u can look good, not for the passion or thrill because they can’t take turns or go to fast and the clutches always seem to be to heavy.
I actually am not old enough to ride on the road yet, sadly 
but I race road bikes around a track.
Does anyone else race ??
Why does that not surprise me 
Definitely take the course. I’m asked at least every couple of months to be an instructor for the MSF, but that would take up one of my two free weekends a month and it’s a week long school to get trained so I’ve always said no. The money’s pretty good though so I probably will eventually.
Are you serious? you’re not old enough to ride on the street yet you’ve already decided that a whole segment of motorcycle isn’t a real bike even though it’s more closely related to original motorcycles?
I raced dirt, but quit a couple of years ago. Living in Texas and trying to drive around doing any kind of series enough to be competitive in points was just way to expensive.
Agreed. I was taught to ride by a mountain biker. I’ve ridden a lot more road than mountain, but mountain’s almost more fun even though it’s slower. Something about seeing a 6-food vertical ascent and not being worried…
I’d love to actually ride cyclocross at some point. That looks like the kind of fun only stupidity can bring.
You can pick up a Ninja 250 in the $2000 pretty easy. Keep it for six months learning to ride on the street then sell it for nearly what you paid for it. Learning throttle and clutch control on a bigger bike is harder to do when you’re already nervous.
I was thinking the same thing after I read mr.drummer.boy.'s response. However, he is young so he’ll learn. Just sayin - I wasn’t always an HD fan but have learned to appreciate them a lot more through the years even though I’ve never ridden one yet.
I’ve seen Harley’s do all those things in the videos that you posted except for the cop on the HD police cruiser. Wow, that impressed the hell out of me! I had no idea you could turn and control a bike that big like he did.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Most of my rider friends recommended about the same thing…either that or an old naked honda, because that’ll also teach you how to work on them.
The annoying part is knowing that I won’t be happy with it…but that’s mostly because Kawasakis always sound broken to me…I know they’re not. I really respect them, but the engine sound just screams “this engine is about to fall apart.”
Google police motorcycle competition. I’m sure you’ll find one close to you to go watch.
I completely understand about that. You could also look for an older 80’s bike that would have a little less power but still be a bigger bike. Your ROI won’t be as good with that I think though and you could potentially have to dump some money into it.
Haha, well I think this discussion has come up. Plus I’d be lying to say if there wasn’t a little redneck satisfaction that goes with fast and loud cars/trucks..
It all comes down to flavor though. Digital vs Vinyl on the street, haha. Whatever makes you happy do it. Just make sure it’s FUN!
Yeah…but older cafe racers are just pretty. If I could find a 400ish CC Honda or something from the right era, that would be a lot of fun.
Hell, yes. Oddly enough, I think it’s more relevant than auto vs. manual transmissions…because I kinda think that everyone should have to ride a bike/motorcycle on the street at least once to have a taste of what we choose to deal with…maybe then they wouldn’t be such self-absorbed asshats.
photojojo says, “if you don’t ride in the rain, you don’t ride.” I say, “if you haven’t hammer fisted someone’s driver’s side window…you don’t ride much.”
For the record…bitch was about to push me into oncoming traffic at 30mph…she just didn’t look before she changed lanes.
I just dislike the idea and concept of Harleys and choppers, although I do respect the flat track bikes that run Harley motors.
But superbikes is the way to go for me, personally I have ridden a Harley and didn’t like it. Right now I have a super moto setup and a Honda rs125
Bike defy gravity.
Cars just suck.
Club racing was probably the best thing I ever did in my life, really really miss the buzz.
I’ve always been a huge fan of enduros. I still have my first bike that I got when I was 15 and am 27 today, which is a 94 honda xr250l.
Some things I have done to it: bored the cylinder out to 280cc, wiseco forged aluminum piston, race cam, oil cooler, uni filter, cobra exhaust, ported the head and header welds, colder plug, plug wire resister delete, moose clutch springs, renthal chain and sprockets, dunlop d606 tires, ims 4 gallon tank, custom seat cover, acerbis plastic, bar risers, renthal aluminum bars, moose levergaurds, grip heaters, renthal grips, adjust on the fly clutch lever, wider foot pegs, swapped the battery for a capacitor to save weight, and probably a bunch of other stuff I am forgetting.
My car is an extremely rare awd turbo 5spd 1987.5 subaru xt.
Things I have done to it: added a ford top mount intercooler, high flow filter, straight pipe exhaust, replaced the pulley driven fan for electric, blaster coil, brembo disc brakes, kyb struts, 2" lift, 15" chrome nissan truck wheels, 28" general grabber mud tires, and many other non performance related parts like axles, radiator, starter, clutch, battery, and other boring stuff.
So pretty much I like to offroad my car and bike. The subaru does better offroad than most toyota 4x4s and jeeps due to the fully independant front and rear suspension and subaru’s awesome 4wd. But usually I like to take the bike out when I don’t plan on taking anyone else with me wherever I’m going. Oh, and I do ride year round, hence the grip heaters.
The bike (before I added the oil cooler)
[/IMG]The car (as I was fitting up the tires)
[/IMG] [/IMG]This takes the title of the thread literally. If you still want a bike after watching this then you have the bug. 
Moral #1: Scooters have no torque.
Moral #2: Asians can’t drive. How many of those were people just driving straight into things?
