Any 2-wheeled riders here?

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Picked up my first bike two weeks ago, an '04 DRZ 400.

 

Took it out to Johnson Valley CA last week for the King of the Hammers offroad race.

 

What a blast.

[slngsht]

Why is Johnson Valley giving you the finger?

http://www.astarasoftware.com/images/johnsonvalleyfinger.jpg

[Mike Rohaley]

I would guess that there is a higher percentage of riders on this forum than the general population. I ride casually with my dad on one of his cruisers but I have an vintage 2 stroke Suzuki GT250 street bike that I ride solo. We have Honda Metropolitan scooters for when my wife and I go out together, they are in many ways more fun than the 'real' bikes (4.5 HP and 43MPH top speed with aftermarket variators and roller weights, watch out Hyabusa owners).

 

I really enjoy the act of riding well even though I do it well below the limits of the vehicle in question. Focusing on smooth shifting and controled weight transitions is the most enjoyable part of riding for me. After a day on the bikes the 7 feels as safe as a Mercedes in traffic.

[V-Robb]

I haven't thrown up a rooster tail in decades, though that's how I learned to ride motorcycles. Bought the V you see in my avatar in ought 2, and have punched out over 100k already. My 7, coming in the next couple weeks, is the first new car purchase ever for me. Before that was the V, also purchased new and first vehicle I ever purchased new, too.

But I digress...

[powderbrake]

I used to ride a lot of enduros. here is a picture from the local paper, dated May 8 1966. That's me, 44 years ago, the "late finisher" wringing out my socks. My son is the left kid in front of me, and my wife is holding my daughter in the background. I was running a Honda 250 Scrambler, no wonder I got stuck in the creeks.

 

The next year I traded the Honda on a 500cc Triumph Jack Pine model. That was better, but it was heavy. I did put a Bates seat on it, and fabricated my own fenders, so it would not load up with mud. Then I got a Husqvarna 360cc 8 speed Enduro model. I put a 400cc motocross upper and crankshaft in the 360 and kept the small carb, and it could idle up hills. I replaced the fenders, and put a larger rear sproket on it, and better shocks. I also became a better rider, having learned the fundamental rule when you are about to get in trouble...."grab a handfull of throttle, and wick it ON"

 

Unfortunately, I broke it one weekend at the local sand dunes, and I borrowed a Matchless 500 single to ride. What a foul handling bike. I did an endo over the bars at about 50mph, and broke my right leg in 7 pieces. After lots of operations, I was back on the Husqvarna, but I had to weld up a different shifter pedal, as I could not lift my toe on the right leg to shift it for a couple years.

 

My son, the one in the pic, now has the Husky, and rides it occasionally on his farm.

[TLRracer]

Lived in Japan for 20 years/raced as a sponsored rider (amateur) for Koshikawa Yachiyo Motors

 

Roadraced 250cc two strokes/NSR250RR

750cc two valve twins/Ducati 750

unlimited superbike/TLR1000R

[slngsht]

I used to ride a lot of enduros. here is a picture from the local paper, dated May 8 1966. That's me, 44 years ago, the "late finisher" wringing out my socks. My son is the left kid in front of me, and my wife is holding my daughter in the background. I was running a Honda 250 Scrambler, no wonder I got stuck in the creeks.

 

The next year I traded the Honda on a 500cc Triumph Jack Pine model. That was better, but it was heavy. I did put a Bates seat on it, and fabricated my own fenders, so it would not load up with mud. Then I got a Husqvarna 360cc 8 speed Enduro model. I put a 400cc motocross upper and crankshaft in the 360 and kept the small carb, and it could idle up hills. I replaced the fenders, and put a larger rear sproket on it, and better shocks. I also became a better rider, having learned the fundamental rule when you are about to get in trouble...."grab a handfull of throttle, and wick it ON"

 

Unfortunately, I broke it one weekend at the local sand dunes, and I borrowed a Matchless 500 single to ride. What a foul handling bike. I did an endo over the bars at about 50mph, and broke my right leg in 7 pieces. After lots of operations, I was back on the Husqvarna, but I had to weld up a different shifter pedal, as I could not lift my toe on the right leg to shift it for a couple years.

 

My son, the one in the pic, now has the Husky, and rides it occasionally on his farm.

 

What a great pic!

[DeanG]

One race at Rockingham through WERA on a 1982 Yamaha 350RD LC. I figured that I was too slow a learner (behind the curve of skill vs. speed) and would get myself seriously hurt. The street seemed too slow after my track time.

[locost7018]

I've rode M/C's since 1963. I rode motocross on Yamahas and Carabellas in the early 70's. I switched over to Observed Trials in 1974 and still compete to this day at 60 yrs young. Drove on the street on a Yamaha 750 triple (POS) for a few years in the mid 70's but the street is too dangerous now. Too many idiots texting while driving. Russ

[andrew7]

I started out 7 yrs old on a 50 cc Benelli. I was on dirt bikes all through high school. I later tried a 6x6 and a quad but came back to bikes. My 35th birthday I bought a 426 and last spring sold my rm250 pinger. As Russ said and Mazda found out in his Yukon their are a lot of stupid people out there. An oak doesn't jump out in front of you while on the phone. The new bikes are faster than people realize, 50hp in 250#, grab a hand full of throttle and you'll be on your back if your not careful. Play safe.

 

Arya if your out west again try Cave Creek Arizona, Extreme Arizona does many different rides.

[powderbrake]

Check out the difference between the rear travel of the new bikes (Ayra's) and mine from the late 60's early 70's.

 

We had maybe 4" of travel if we were lucky, and the new bikes have 10-12". makes a BIG difference when trying to ride over logs and big rocks.

 

The new bikes are so much better, they must be like riding on a cloud. Of course back then we wore kidney belts (along with shin guards, shoulder pads, mouth guards and hand guards). In those days the Men were Men, and we hit a lot of trees and fell off a lot. (We also walked 20 miles to school each day, in snow up to our hips, and it was uphill both ways) :jester:

Edited February 19, 2010 by powderbrake