Bikers post here.

Ready? No...

I'm not getting into a pissing match with you. A biker to me is a person who rides a motorcycle.

Now take your negativity elsewhere.
 
Just completed my almost annual New Year's Day Ride. 170 miles. Temp got up to about 50. Also rode about 150 miles yesterday in the 30's & 40's. Heated gear is good stuff!
 
Oh yeah! I need to get some heated gloves.

I've been riding here lately in light to medium rain and temps from 35 to 45 degrees lately. My leather coat, and long johns under my jeans, and my helmet of course have been knocking the cold down to where it's bearable. But my hands are freezing when I get to where I'm going. My gloves are gauntlet style heavy duty leather too. They just seem to do nothing against the cold.
 
Might've been a little chilly for me at night...at about 60 degrees:D:
[youtube]2qqGfmIqQPs[/youtube]
 
I rode , grew up on dirt bikes, got a ninja 250 when I could get a license (14 or 15) I believe. Anyway at 18 my parents bought a gsxr 750 for graduation and I loved that bike rode,it until I joined the Army . During my years in the military I acquired a lot of tats and a bad attitude. I was medically discharged (another story) , and I arrived home same attitude , and I started riding again but the gsxr didn't do it for me anymore. I was an angry young man, angry someone tried to kill me and my friends , angry I couldn't do anything about it, Depressed because every male in my family had went as far as they wanted to go in the military except me, and by this time thanks to my injuries I had an opiate addiction. All the above and having PTSD ,and at the time I thought I was weak if I talked about it so I would just ride and ride it was my escape. Traded the Crotch rocket for a Harley and I was in love. Through riding I met other Vets that helped me not only get clean but had been through what I had and they got it.

The "bikers" I knew were stereotypical bikers , but the brotherhood between these guys was amazing , they had my back and they knew what I was going through, If i thought of relapsing I gave one a call and we went on a ride. Anyhow , my girlfriend (who was with me when I was overseas) became my wife and one day she broke down and told me she knew I would get killed on my bike(s), by this time told me how she felt everyday I was deployed. I parked the bikes and promised her not to ride again. When she became pregnant she asked me to sell my bikes , and I did without a second thought. I owe my life and sobriety to that group of bikers who took me in. They got me straight and focused and I'm grateful to them for what I have now, long story I know just felt like it needed to be said.
 
2013-05-06094632.jpg

2006 1200 XLC
Born, raised and mostly lived in the Daytona Beach FL area.
 
I miss riding quite a bit, but I'm still deciding if ii'll ever get another bike. There are just too many bad drivers out there.

I was on my way to a funeral on Feb. 28, 2013, one block from the cemetery when a left-turner got me. I went through the windshield and got a couple nice scratches.
 
madman44 said:
I miss riding quite a bit, but I'm still deciding if ii'll ever get another bike. There are just too many bad drivers out there.

I was on my way to a funeral on Feb. 28, 2013, one block from the cemetery when a left-turner got me. I went through the windshield and got a couple nice scratches.
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I hear ya buddy, a good friend got some Suzuki bike back in 07-08 and he didn't know how to ride so we put it on a trailor and took it to his house.

He wanted me to drive and him ride double sausage, after about 10 no's he asked me if I wanted to take it around the block so I did . A guy pulled out in front of me, I bailed and tore the van slap up, I got a nasty case of roadrash ,and nearly got another case for having an encounter with stupid .

Year later a coworker was DUI on his bike, he ran for 25 miles until a couple pulled out in front of him he was running 120+ killed all 3 instantly. I've seen 2 fatal crashes on bikes and layed mine down a few times with only minor injuries. Don't get back on unless the fear of crashing is gone. Be safe.
 
Been on two wheels since I was 5, my old man was a mechanic and at 5 I had the only minibike capable of 60mph. It had a custom bored out, 7 1/2 hp tecumseh racing motor. Got my first motorcycle at 8, a 68 Suzuki 2 stroke 150 street bike.

Had Suzuki RMs, Kawasaki KD, KX, Yamahas, and even a Jawa. First legal street bike was a 76 Honda CB500T, 69 and 71 Norton Commandos, Triumph and a BSA. then came the crotch rockets, KZ 650 KZ1000, Z1R Turbo, 2 stroke Suzuki 380, Kawasaki triple, Honda CBR750, 76 Liberty edition AMF Harley Sportster, a couple of BMWs and finally a vintage 86 Yamaha 1200 Venture I affectionately refer to as my Road Sofa.

I consider myself a biker and always have, I don't belong to any club but have had quite a few friends and still do who are. Bikers are some of the best people I've ever met, I've never had one pass me up when I've run outta gas or broke down, my wife and daughter have been helped many times by bikers that I didn't know.

Like anything else in life there are good and bad bikers and good and bad enthusiasts, there is a difference between the two and in my eyes what you ride and why you ride don't matter, just the fact that you ride anything is good enough for me. I've ridden with vintage bikes, modern bikes, dual purpose, dirt, cruisers, touring bikes and racing bikes, (GSX1100) and the only difference I've found is there are those who ride because it's fashionable and those that ride just for the wind in our face and the sun at our backs and that's me.

The difference between a biker and an enthusiast, when it rains a biker just gets wet. Now that I've subscribed to this thread I'll be doing back with stories and pics. I didn't ride this year at all due to shoulder surgery but I was there in spirit. I usually ride year round in NEPA the only thing that keeps me off the road is snow and freezing rain. I'd rather be on two wheels than anything else.

Stay safe, watch for cages and keep the oily side down and the shiny side up. The Mad Hungarian... :)
 
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Allen R. said:
I hear ya buddy, a good friend got some Suzuki bike back in 07-08 and he didn't know how to ride so we put it on a trailor and took it to his house.

He wanted me to drive and him ride double sausage, after about 10 no's he asked me if I wanted to take it around the block so I did . A guy pulled out in front of me, I bailed and tore the van slap up, I got a nasty case of roadrash ,and nearly got another case for having an encounter with stupid .

Year later a coworker was DUI on his bike, he ran for 25 miles until a couple pulled out in front of him he was running 120+ killed all 3 instantly. I've seen 2 fatal crashes on bikes and layed mine down a few times with only minor injuries. Don't get back on unless the fear of crashing is gone. Be safe.
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That is very sad to hear and I could never understand how people could ride under the influence. I too have lost friends to irresponsible behavior while riding/driving.

After my accident, I missed riding so much that I took up cycling. I learned it was just as dangerous after I was yet again hit by a car. This time is was a right-turner.

Both times the drivers were ladies, haha.
 
texas gun person said:
I have a Yamaha R6. :D first ridea was a Honda Shadow.

Ride year around. 3-4 days a week. Just depends on how much crap I'm hauling for work and where I'm going. I'm straight up paranoid about thieves when it comes to leaving it places. People like to jack sport bikes and especially the super sports. :/

Most of my buddies have Harleys. I always pick fun at them about being able to walk them in every gear.
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I envy you. I wouldn't mind having a '03 or '04 R6. Seems like they had nice ergonomics.

I used to ride a '99 CBR600, and my wrists carried way too much weight. It was still a very fun bike.

Before that, Suzuki Bandit 600. Never had a bike bigger than 600.

I haven't ridden in several years, because people in mini vans talking on cell phones doing 70 in a 45 zone, bumper-to-bumper. That's Lake Shore Drive in Chicago.

I never understood the hate people threw at Buell. I liked the way they looked. Maybe they weren't the best performers, but still awesome IMO.

It's not what you ride; it's the way that you ride it. I know an insurance salesman who used to take his stock Suzuki Bandit 1200 to track days, and he did laps quicker than anybody on any ride, including Ducatis.
 
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How to make a Harley into a V-8. :D

[video=youtube;7E6KglXPmTs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E6KglXPmTs[/video]
 
madman44 said:
That is very sad to hear and I could never understand how people could ride under the influence. I too have lost friends to irresponsible behavior while riding/driving.

After my accident, I missed riding so much that I took up cycling. I learned it was just as dangerous after I was yet again hit by a car. This time is was a right-turner.

Both times the drivers were ladies, haha.
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My older brother got hit by a right-turning delivery truck while he was riding a bicycle. He needed lots of stitches in his face and suffered a traumatic brain injury, but lived to tell about it. Yes, he was wearing a helmet.

I remember being forced out of my lane three times in the six years that I rode motorcycles. Two of those times, I glanced over and saw the driver with a cell phone on their ear.
No matter how careful you are, there are still dickweeds out there.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Been on two wheels since I was 5, my old man was a mechanic and at 5 I had the only minibike capable of 60mph. It had a custom bored out, 7 1/2 hp tecumseh racing motor. Got my first motorcycle at 8, a 68 Suzuki 2 stroke 150 street bike.

Had Suzuki RMs, Kawasaki KD, KX, Yamahas, and even a Jawa. First legal street bike was a 76 Honda CB500T, 69 and 71 Norton Commandos, Triumph and a BSA. then came the crotch rockets, KZ 650 KZ1000, Z1R Turbo, 2 stroke Suzuki 380, Kawasaki triple, Honda CBR750, 76 Liberty edition AMF Harley Sportster, a couple of BMWs and finally a vintage 86 Yamaha 1200 Venture I affectionately refer to as my Road Sofa.

I consider myself a biker and always have, I don't belong to any club but have had quite a few friends and still do who are. Bikers are some of the best people I've ever met, I've never had one pass me up when I've run outta gas or broke down, my wife and daughter have been helped many times by bikers that I didn't know.

Like anything else in life there are good and bad bikers and good and bad enthusiasts, there is a difference between the two and in my eyes what you ride and why you ride find matter, just the fact that you ride anything is good enough for me. I've ridden with vintage bike, modern bikes, dual purpose, dirt, cruisers, touring bikes and racing bikes, (GSX1100) and the only difference I've found is there are those who ride because it's fashionable and those that ride just for the wind in our fade and the sun at our backs and that's me.

The difference between a biker and an enthusiast, when it rains a bitter just gets wet. Now that I've subscribed to this thread I'll be doing back with stories and pics. I didn't ride this year at all due to shoulder surgery but I was there in spirit. I usually ride year round in NEPA the only thing that keeps me off the road is snow and freezing rain. I'd rather be on two wheels than anything else.

Stay safe, watch for cages and keep the oily side down and the shiny side up. The Mad Hungarian... :)
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Right on, brother! :thumbup:
 
This and the '37 Knucklehead are my two grail bikes, there are many others I'd love to own but if someone said you could only have one other bike it would be...

Specifications
Make: Vincent HRD
Model: Series C Black Shadow
Engine: 998 cc (84 x 90 mm bore and stroke) 50° OHV V Twin, 7.3:1 CR, polished conrods
Carburetor: 2 x 1.125 inch type 29 Amals
Gearbox: Burman 4 speed, triplex chain primary, wet multiplate clutch
Tyres: 3 x 20 in front, 3.50 x 19 in rear
Front forks: Vincent Girdraulic forks, 3" travel
Brakes: Twin drums, 7 in diameter in front and rear, single leading shoe 7/8" wide.
Weight: 455 lb - 206 kg [Wet - 500 lb (227kg)]
Wheelbase: 56.5 in. (1435mm)
Performance: 125 mph / 201 km/h - 55 bhp at 5500 rpm (Back in 1951 :eek::cool:)Manufacturer: The Vincent-HRD Co. Ltd., Great North Road, Stevenage, Herts

51vincent_black-shadow_lg.jpg
 
"Said Red Molly to James, that's a fine motorbike..." What's the difference between the Black Shadow and the Black Lightning? Not that it matters, it's still a beautiful machine. Matt
 
Basically they were the same bike but the Lighting was more of a race bike and there were far less produced, it's a rare bike.

From Wikipedia...

Available to order, a standard Black Lightning was supplied in racing trim with magnesium alloy components, special racing tyres on alloy rims, rear-set foot controls, a solo seat and aluminium mudguards. This reduced the Lightning's weight to 380 lb (170 kg).[citation needed] The 998 cc (60.9 cu in) air-cooled OHV pushrod V-twin specifications were always based on standard parts but upgraded with higher performance racing equipment. The Black Lightning had higher strength connecting rods, larger inlet ports, polished rocker gear, steel idler gears, racing carburettors, a manual-advance magneto and was available with compression ratios between 6.8:1 and 12.5:1. This resulted in 70 bhp (52 kW) and a top speed of 150 mph (240 km/h). Only 31 Black Lightnings were ever built before production ended in 1952 because of Vincent's financial problems.

Journalist Hunter S. Thompson wrote that, "If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die.
 
About 12 years ago I was stopped at a gas station in Custer, SD. While filling up my truck two motorcycles pulled in....I only caught a glimpse of them as they came in and they parked out of sight behind the pumps, but they had a different sound than the usual Harleys that one sees in that area so I was curious. After I finished fueling, I walked over to check them out. One was a Honda GB500, the other a Vincent Rapide. The couple who owned them were from Ohio and he told me that he belonged to a Vincent Club there but he was the only one who actually rode his bike..."They all just want to sit around and talk about them instead of riding." Sadly, I didn't have a camera with me that day. While I had previously seen a couple of Vincents at shows, I imagine that day was the only time I'll ever see one actually being used.

As far as 'grail bikes' go, a Brough Superior SS100 is high on my list.
 
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