OT: Motorcycles and Consumer's Poor Taste

etp777

etp777

Joined
Aug 12, 2002
Messages
2,259
What is with everyone trying to pretend they're driving an ol dcruiser. I can't find a bike I like anymorel, as Honda has discontinued booth of th Cruisers I might like, the Magna 750 and the Shadow Spirit 750. I can understnad the Magna, as it was a rather unique bike, that while there are diehard fans, wasn't the biggest market(for those who don't know, it was Honda's cross between a cruiser and a sport bike, up to Honda's typical high standards of engineering, and probably didn't have much of a profit margin, with things like a 16 valve V4, v cylinders and 4 exhaust chewing up profit margin). But they also discontinued the Shadow Spirit 750 in favor of the Aero 750. These are basically the same bike, near as I can tell, frame, power plant and drivetrain wise. The problem is, the Aero is the "classic" style, with the big, and to me, ugly(unless it's an original odl cruiser) fairings/fenders. Why does everyone suddenly think these are cool, or good looking again? It's obvious to anyone who knows the bike your'e not really riding an old bike, just a new knockoff. It's like Buying one of the Valkyrie/VTX "custom" bikes from Honda's custom shop and claiming it's a chopper. Guess what guys, it's not, and eveyrone knows that. Amazing bike, great quality, great engineering, but no chopper was ever made with a 6 cylinder engine.

Argh, ok, done ranting, just sick of going into Maxey's(local shop) and being told every bike I want has been discontinued for this year.

The sad thing is that I can't really afford a bike right now, and will only buy one if I break my truck, but hate that the ones I would want aren't even available to buy if I could.

And no, no interest in an 1100, too much bike for someone who hasn't been on one in years(and believ ethey're all classic style anwyays). The VLX 600 is alright looking, but no tenough bike for my taste.

OK, rant really off now. :)
 
I shoulda got the Triumph 440 cc thumper I saw new in the showroom in the early 70's.
 
does my CZ 250 count?

howabout this?
29759863.jpg
 
:)


I'm done ranting now anyways, looks like I found two, maybe three other options(two kawasakis and one Suzuki). Not exactly a Honda(which is mostly in my head), but could definitely be happy with a Kawasaki, and probalby with a Suzuki.

Course, with my luck my pickup will keep running for next ten years and won't give me excuse to buy a bike anwyays, but at least I know which ones I can get, and know where closest shop is for each of them. :) Just need to get my license now
 
you might just love it.

http://www.verrill.com/moto/kbikebuyingguide.shtml


AND

even if you don't buy a bike, think about taking the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course.

They have the two day course for riders who have been away for a while and a one-day experienced rider course. The two-day course has motorcycles provided and is about 50/50 classroom/range work. Used to be about $35.00

Pays for itself, depending on the state. Some reimburse complete tuition, others do not, BUT....you usually get an automatic 10% reduction in premiums for cycle insurance.

REALLY a great deal...all ages, sexes, bike types...


Kis
 
I second the suggestion of taking a MSF course. They are very good.

Lots of crazies in cages out there. Ride safe.
 
I too was wanting to buy a Spirit 750, but as you mentioned it was
discontinued. I did found a nice "replacement" in Yamaha's line up.
It is the V Star Custom it's not a big bike, but it has the bobtail fender
and drag style bars and is a 650. I have yet to actually make the
comitment. I believe this is a suitable bike for me, a novice rider.

Chris "Joker7037"
 
Have forms for my Motorcycle safety course right here. NOticably more than $35 bucks(150 here in OK), but is two full days, 70% of time on bikes, they provide bikes, insurance, helmets, etc, and it gets me out of riding test on getting my license.

I haven't been on a bike in 10 years, and even then was just riding little mini dirt bikes around on street. Figure definitely want to take this class before I even think of getting bike, and even if I don't get bike, it's like driving stick shift. My parents forced me to larn stick shift, on the idea that you never know in an emergency what car might be avilable,a nd stick shift may be your only choice. I ended up loving it,a nd that's all I drive now if I have a chioce. So now same thing with motorcycles. I may never buy one, but never know when something might comeup where I HAVE to ride one for some reason, and I'd rather be well trained and safe(safer, anwyays) about it.
 
"Don't ask me, I ride a Harley..." ---Nasty

Ditto:)
but good luck with your search!

~Jake
 
It's a free Country....

but:

It was about 89 degrees in Wisconsin, and humid as Alabama. A friend had contracted MS and I often visited, just to talk about stuff, and do a few things around her farm. It was about an 8 mile ride on county roads.

I went to the shed, started the R90S I'd been working on, picked up a Chicago cop's "shorty" helmet, with leather straps over the ears and under the chin...cuz, damn it was hot...then..

Put it down and put on a full-face Nolan helmet. I already had on an Aerostich jacket, deerskin gloves, and levis.

I visited, and left her farm for home, drove down the paved farm road to the state highway, stopped for the stop sign, looked both ways (several times), walked the bike a little further forward because of a curve to my left on the state highway, then slowly gave it gas to get over to My lane heading to the left....

There was freshly spread gravel at the cornerof the farm road and the state highway, so I was very gentle with the throttle getting over to my lane.

That's the last I remember.

Turns out, a 20 year old man working as a farm equipment hauler, with a 6-ton straight truck, was coming back from a tractor delivery. The accident recreation folks say, he was doing about 60 mph, and was four feet over the double yellow line into my lane as he came around the blind turn and hit me head-on.

Even if I had had the opportunity to move the bike, I was going so slow that it would have been hard to maneuver. Dunno.

The skid marks show he braked when he hit me, then skidded about 60 feet. The indentation was about 3 feet in on his front bumper where the bike hit head on. I went flying like a chip shot in golf, my left arm, rib-cage, shoulder, and head hitting the grill, hood and fender.

The bike went down and was dragged by the truck for it's 60 foot slide.

I remember bits of the next day in hospital, and bits of the next two weeks.
My daughters came up to help me until I could stagger around a bit. It literally changed my entire life since then.

I still have the helmet. The chin piece and forehead area of the Nolan are deeply (maybe 3/8ths of an inch) chipped. I had a severe concussion for ...dunno...as long as you can and stay conscious. Tests still show I lost about 10 IQ points. There have been other consequences.

The accident recreation guy said if I had not been wearing the full-face helmet, my chin would have been in my brain pan.

No moral to the story...there are a thousand and one miniscule things that could have been different and nothing might have happened...from a second cup of coffee, to accerlating fast from the stop, to the driver looking up a second sooner....and on and on and on. Or, I could have been wearing the Chicago cop's shorty helmet.

I DO know when I went looking for a new helmet...I inquired about the flip-up chin pieces and was told they were "wind deflectors" and not part of the helmet protection system.

I wear a full-face Shoei whenever I ride.

Your mileage may vary.


Kis
 
Good story. Actually of course, horrible story,b ut does bring up an important point. Was looking at helmets yesterday, hadnt decided on style, and didn't really know what I was doing. Looking at all of them at the shop, realized I really needed to do more research, as I had know idea what to look for(like on bicycle helmets I know you want one with ANSI and SNell safety stamps), etc, and since that one thing can be so cruical towards saving your life, decided just to buy gloves yesterdya, and not get a helmet until I could do a lot more research. Good thing too, as one I was linterested in was not Snell aproved, jsut DOT sticker, and various other things. So still shopping for a helmet, but not until I learn a lot more. And still thinking of full helmet, yeah. DOn't particularlly likes looks as much, but just too important to shortchange yourself on.
 
Sometimes helmets save lives, sometimes they break necks.

I rarely wear a helmet. I think it should be each person's right to choose.
 
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