Buy that motorcycle.

[catnhatnh]

You know you want to. No-you're not too old and yes you will need to take a course of instruction. Yes, it's a freedom you've never felt,and a whole new way of being. You've ridden in a convertible,right? Picture riding in a convertible on steroids squared. That's not it but maybe comes close. In most states you can try a course for less than $100. Don't let an old dream die. Try it.

[NYC_SKP]

1. OK!

No, WAIT! I want THIS ONE:

[catnhatnh]

2. Go Skip Go....

Y'all ride?

[NYC_SKP]

3. No, actually, not for years anyway.

Still have some nice dirt bike scars to show for the fun, though!

Both the bikes pictured are electrics!

I'm an electric vehicle enthusiast (not yet an owner, but soon).

[catnhatnh]

5. Would love to have you on two wheels

whether gas or electric, you know why. It's about the ride. I'd like you to tell others on the board why the ride is more than transport of a person and why riding is a thing by itself.

[Fumesucker]

4. This one is cool too

[catnhatnh]

9. Y'all make this esoteric. Make it basic...

A little bike and two lane blacktops. This is about cheap transport and falling in love with the travelling. Just for once show a $1000 dollar used bike and how it could be a trip ticket to someplace new. This is how a next summer bike should look now, covered in snow or sitting on Craig's List. My whole point is that every DU person has and deserves to ride a bike within them. Every one of you are just inches away from the most democratic thing I know. Leave aside the museum design freaks- it's a bicycle with a motor!!! And well worth the effort to try.

[Fumesucker]

15. A $1000 bike is gonna need some wrenching

If nothing else the fuel system is probably gunked up, particularly with the enhanced alcohol content in gasoline lately, the alcohol really does a number on older carburetors.

A lot of bike shops these days won't even work on the older bikes that would be the $1K models, parts have become a big issue among other things and they don't want to deal with the headaches. You'll either have to spin the wrenches yourself or find a shop or individual who will and that might not be easy and it's really unlikely to be cheap. My own Honda I had to order an aftermarket CDI ignition from the Czech Republic because you can't get the original parts any more at all.

[catnhatnh]

19. OOH OOH Silver Wing...

But you know they are out there. I never said it was easy. But if you look that $1000 dollar gem exists. There can be a ton of heartache, but for a grand there are rascals that run...

[onehandle]

7. 2008 Night Rod

[regjoe]

45. Scary

Suppressors, lugs, blacked out!
That's an assault bike!

Ban it.

[snooper2]

53. Well I got one of these--

But need one of these

[DreamGypsy]

6. Says James to Red Molly, "My hat's off to you..."

I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems
Red hair and black leather, my favorite color schemes
Then he pulled her on behind
And down to Box Hill, they did ride

[catnhatnh]

14. Really nice post...

Makes me wish I'd met Red Molly...

[DreamGypsy]

20. Ahhhhhhhh. Richard Thompson makes us all...at least all of the male persuasion...

...wish we'd met Red Molly. And maybe some Lady Bikers wish it, too. I'm cool with that.

Said James, In my opinion, that ain't nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a red-headed girl
Now Martins, and Greeves's, and Indians won't do
They don't have a soul like a Vincent '52.
Then he reached for her hand and slipped her the keys,
Sayin' I've got no further use for these,
I see Angels and aerials in leather and chrome
Swooping down from heaven, to carry me home.
And he gave her one last kiss,......and died.
And he gave her his Vincent.........to ride.

[madokie]

41. Please, what is that?

Who makes it? I want one and I haven't ridden in 40 plus years

[DreamGypsy]

46. That, my friend, is a 1952 Vincent Black Lightning...

as identified in the eponymous song by Richard Thompson, which I posted.

Information on Vincent Black Lightnings here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Black_Lightning

The Black Lightning was a Vincent motorcycle designed and built in September 1948 at the Vincent works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK, and produced from 1948 to 1952. At the time the Black Lightning was the fastest production motorcycle in the world.

My understanding is that Black Lightnings occasionally come up for sale at auctions, but they are so expensive that even if you could afford one, you would probably not ride it.

Now I have a confession to make: I am participating in this thread under false pretenses. I an not a motorcycle aficionado. Any dreams I have about riding or owning any such beautiful machine are exactly that...dreams. My riding experience is limited to a single instance when I was around 10 or 11. My older sister's high school girlfriend Gail had a boyfriend, the boyfriend had a motorcycle that Gail could borrow...some little Honda as I recall, probably more of a scooter than anything. I rode once tandem in the neighborhood on that bike. As we approach the first turn at slow speed, Gail leaned right and I, apparently feeling the bike start to tip, leaned left. We hit the curb across the street. No injuries.

However, I do still feel the allure of those beautiful machines and the romantic notions of freedom and power that they embody. I will live out my fantasies in the Richard Thompson song and its artful combination of love, crime, tragedy, redemption, and a 1952 Vincent Black Lightning.

[madokie]

50. thanks I appropriate it

Cool looking bike for sure.

[Tsiyu]

51. Aw! Fissin ta go jam with friends

and I was thinking of that song,

My Harley ridin' friends love when I perform that one.

"But he gave her his Vincent to ride...." just a beautiful song I really enjoy playing

But I gotta say, logged on recently to one of those singles sites to view pics of my cousin's new Harley, and I've never seen so many bike pictures in all my life!

Have no idea what the single men who own bikes actually look like, but every other guy sure does have a nice ride!

[Bake]

59. I like Del McCoury's version of that tune!

Bake

[DreamGypsy]

63. Everyone is entitled to a favorite version of a song

Hey, Bake,

I like blue grass, have a few Del McCoury disks. Bunch of other artists. Space grass, too.

I found Del's version on UTube and ...well, it unequivocally did displace RT's version(s) which I must have heard a thousand times.

Richard Thompson's guitar work on the song is iconic. The rough British vocals...after all Vincents are British bikes. And then there's the persona of James Adie..isn't he someone who looks like this



or maybe this



and not quite so much this



although this might work



What makes life interesting is differences of opinion. Maybe I'll go back and listen to Del's cover again; perhaps it will grow on me.

[Fuddnik]

8. I've had various Harleys for 35 years now.

But, my wife was still a little more than pissed off a couple of months ago, when I came home on a different bike than the one I left on.

Hey, the price was right, and they gave me what I wanted on the trade-in.

And I love it! 2003 100th Anniversary Super Glide, that only had 6700 miles on it.

[RedCappedBandit]

10. Nothing quite like riding.

[frylock]

11. did that just last year..

bought my dream bike a few months ago.

[freshwest]

12. Owned something similar to one of these back in the eighties:

[catnhatnh]

13. And was that riding?

You bet your ass it was. You should do that again and so should a thousand others here. I'm betting about 300 would walk away after owning one. Another 200 might ride little bikes forever. The rest will move up in size and of those half will be "lifetime" riders. When the smoke clears the one unifying thing will be "WOW that was a special time". It's something I'd like to see all of us at least try.

[B Calm]

16. Watched a guy trying to stuff the brains

back into his friends head one day on the interstate.

Several Harley drivers just passed me and one of the motorcycles front wheel started wobbling. He lost control and laid the bike over. I pulled over on the shoulder and ran up to see if I could help. One of his buddies tore off his bandanna and was trying to stop the bleeding coming out of his ripped off arm, while the other guy was crying and stuffing the brains back into his head.

I sold my motorcycle and haven't driven one since.

[catnhatnh]

21. Valid as Hell

and though I've not been there friends of mine have died that way. I'm 59 now and I've seen friends die older and younger than I. Once his brain came out he was dead. Just like a stroke or heart attack or cancer dead, and becoming dead suck. The thing I know is that 30 seconds before he was dead your friend was loving life. Maybe you should consider both that and riding again.

[Separation]

17. This one is close to what mine looks like.

[img][/]

Except my pipe and bullet air intake are black and my paintjob is a gun metal grey. It's a Honda Fury and I love it, except haven't been able to ride it in almost a year.

[alittlelark]

18. well......... we can always use more organ donors.......

Honestly, not to be obnoxious, but they are dangerous. The riders may have 'mad skills', but of the 99.5% the other ppl (in 4 wheeled vehicles) on the road w/them I doubt 5% have 'mad skills' - they are INTO cars and wanted them - the rider NEEDS them (I hope they have them)......

That other 94.5% are likely to not see you, drink too much, not use turn signals, need better glasses, have a small blind spot in their eye, have a large blind spot in their car, raging at spouse on phone, texting, texting rage to spouse , looking for their phone/sunglasses /their spilled 7&7/ Goggle map/lost cd/fallen taco........

I had 2 classmates die before HS graduation....

Made husband get rid of it until kids got out of HS. (Look at life insurance rates w/a motorcycle).

I DO know they are fun... personal experience.


Just not safe w/4 wheeled vehicles sharing the road.

[catnhatnh]

22. Not to be Obnoxious?

But you are. Wow and Holy Cow! Even by your post "THEY" are not to be faulted . You tell me that cars can be dangerous to us, which they can. Therefore, should I ride, it's my own damn fault??? Your description is of drunken,myopic, distracted idiots which may be true. But surprise! Even knowing that-I choose to ride. When you read about a dead cyclist keep in mind just what he had to avoid just not to die sooner...

[alittlelark]

23. Please, please, ride on roads w/ little to no traffic.

WE ALL KNOW that my depiction of the other traffic on the road is at least 10% true (hyperbole from me).... do the math....
If you have kids get a GREAT insurance policy.


.... yeah, it will never happen.... but when it does you are F*ked - no air bags, no frame over your body...... only you skidding under a car, into a sidewalk, into oncoming lanes of traffic, over a car on fire, .....hopefully into some bushes, you will likely be OK then.



PS - the 'dead cyclists I spoke of died before age 18..... I guess they could have died sooner in a gun-related accident. One w/ an identical twin left, the other VERY alone.

[jambo101]

24. Getting too old

After riding an eclectic assortment of bikes for over 35 years i finally hung up the helmet about 10 years ago as i was starting to have too many close calls involving motorists who were totally unaware i was even on the road.
Yes biking can be an amazing feeling of fun and freedom,wear all the safety gear and drive defensively..

[LadyHawkAZ]

26. Already done.

This is my beloved:

[catnhatnh]

27. Nice...

45 or 65? And having ridden a few the 45 is plenty.

[LadyHawkAZ]

28. 65

Full disclosure: it's more bike than I really need. And it needed a bit of modification so that a medium-sized female could ride it at all.

Oh but it does kick ass so hard once you get it on the open road...

[meaculpa2011]

36. It makes my heart sick.

I lost my beloved 1984 Magna in the Sandy flood. Bought it new and rode it lovingly for 28 years. Weaved in and out of NYC traffic every day and only touched the pavement once. Sat in the emergency room with four cracked ribs and a broken collarbone until a twenty-something ER doctor came with my X-Rays.

"How did this happen?"

When I told her she yelled: "What's a man your age doing on a motorcycle?"

I asked her politely: "What's a girl your age doing being a doctor?"

I probably shouldn't have been indelicate to the person who had my broken bones in her hands.

Thankfully the bike only needed some bolt-on parts.

I'll be eligible for SS in four weeks, but I'll have a new bike before then.

And please, spare me the stories about "I know a guy who had to be scraped off the pavement with a putty knife." I used my confirmation money to buy my first bike at 13 and I'll be riding until they shovel dirt in my face.

There is no life without motorcycles!

[LadyHawkAZ]

60. I'm sorry to hear that

That sucks.

[Blecht]

29. The Onion hit the nail on the head about motorcycles

http://www.theonion.com/articles/breaking-friend-who-just-got-motorcycle-already-de,29685/

[Brother Buzz]

47. Pete's younger brother, who inherited the bike, has also already died

[SWTORFanatic]

30. Hats off to anyone who wants to ride, but not for me

My deal is sports cars.

What I don't get about motorcycle riders though is the no helmet thing. Safety gear = a doo rag and a pair of sunglasses.

For my modified 500+ horsepower car I spent $700 alone on a piece of safety equipment called a "scattershield" (this is so that if there is a transmission related failure the 12 pound flywheel or clutch won't come through the car and cut my leg off as a 3,000 rpm buzz saw).

[catnhatnh]

31. Smart shit...

I've seen a '56 Chevy with a clutch hole through the roof. I'm a helmet guy but just like you I don't get to set the other guys standard.I ride switching helmets. 3/4 during the heat and full when it's cooler. Obviously the odds of injury are constant???

[alittlelark]

32. Why switch? The one designated for safety should be #1.

the #1 and only if you have kids (?).

[SWTORFanatic]

33. I've seen some stuff online. Drag cars and a tractor cut entirely in two. A vide of a guy with a

trans am that had the clutch explode at 5 mph - it almost cut a 17 year old kid's leg off who was standing nearby. It also cut a large piece of the engine block. Another in car dragster video where the clutch exploded on launch.

Not just smart shit scary shit. I once had a friend accidentally over-rev my car when it was at near stock power levels but no scatter shield. Over rev to 9000 rpm (Redline is 6000). Thank god the clutch didn't let go.

As for the helmet thing, again, their choice if they want to not wear one but jeez you have to be an utter fool not to.

[Go Vols]

56. go to 2:30

[SWTORFanatic]

66. Yep seen it. I have essentially the same car (a camaro z28), though it does have the

older style engine.

There was a different video of that car where you see a large piece of the clutch almost cut a kid's leg off who was standing nearby.

Check this one out:

[In_The_Wind]

34. Better yet:

Buy a trike.
I started riding a motorcycle when I was 18.
Changed over to 3 wheels 10 years ago. I love it. [img][/img]

[MrYikes]

35. mine is a 72 honda 350 and its enough for me. nt

[quaker bill]

37. Had a bike

It was all the fun reported. Unfortunately I had a couple of near death experiences with it. Only luck and really fast reaction times kept me out of the ICU. The fun evaporates in bad traffic. When I move out of here, I may consider getting another. In this town having lots of steel around you with air bags has benefits.

[IDemo]

39. My latest:

I've been riding for 35 years off and on. Here's my 2008 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 at the Snake River canyon south of Boise.

[bemildred]

40. Something like this it was (before I started messing with it):

But it's been awhile, and I don't expect to do it again.

[Buzz Clik]

42. Buy some warm clothes, too. It's 28 degrees outside. Windchill on the way to work? -5

[IDemo]

44. 28 is right around my cut-off for riding

It's 3 degrees at my house right now, with snow and ice on the road. Looking forward to Springtime!

[stultusporcos]

43. My in laws who both worked in hospitals call motorcycle riders Organ Donors

Happy riding!

Oh yeah please check the donation box on your license too, someone’s life may depend on it!

[wtmusic]

62. Yep...ask anyone who's been in a motorcycle accident

if they can still talk.

[JaneyVee]

48. Thats my main way of transportation. I ride a 2 seater Sym Symba with a basket on front

Its easy to get around NYC and finding parking spots. I do have a car for snow/rain days or longer trips. But I ride the Sym to and from work almost every day.

This is what it looks like with the 2 seats (not mine)



but mine also has a front basket, like this but the blue is lime green:



Outstanding gas mileage.

[tledford]

49. 2012 BMW R1200RT -- I love it. :-) eom

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

52. Because it's almost spring,

here's a photo of mine from May 2011 ..

[cloudbase]

54. I've got three Guzzis.

I got the second one hoping they'd reproduce, and damned if they haven't! I'm anxiously awaiting more arrivals.

[AngryAmish]

55. I also encourage the young to drive motorcycles

I am getting on in years and it is inevitable that I will run into health issues as I get older. I need the organ banks full lest I ever need a liver or kidney.

[TheManInTheMac]

57. I rode a bit in the late '80's. I'd be scared to death to ride one now.

[Romulox]

58. I prefer mountain bikes: 1/2 the cost of a motorbike, all the thrill, and healthier after each ride

(provided you don't crash, which I do.)

[wtmusic]

64. I am avoiding that sport with all my might

because the last thing I need is another time/money sink.

And it's very tempting.

[Romulox]

65. I bet you'd love it. It's ridiculously expensive, though. And you need about 4 or 5 bikes

to cover the different "disciplines", (or at least I do!)

The latest craze is fatbiking in the winter. Tons o' fun!

[wtmusic]

61. Thanks but for me, internal combustion is hardly "freedom".

This is freedom: