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#4477085 - 06/07/19 04:37 PM What I don't get about motorcycles is..  
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How #%&*$# slow they seem to be.
We've finally had a string of nice weather out here so I've been riding around a lot more and using it to commute to and from work. In a car it's only about a 10 minute trip one way. But, in a motorcycle it takes about 20 in the mornings and for some reason the commute home seems to more than double again taking at least 40.
I don't get it, I'm just going to and from work, but the mileage seems to go up as well. Hopefully the weather will continue so I can continue to study this strange phenomenon, you know, for science.

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#4477086 - 06/07/19 04:38 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Haha, well played. Enjoy it!


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4477087 - 06/07/19 04:40 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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Miami, FL USA
I have zero interest in motorcycles due to where I live.

Too much rain, too hot and humid and too many idiot drivers who don't know what they are doing. I would estimate that the average life expectancy for any motorcycle rider in Miami is probably 10-15 years less than non-motorcycle riders.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4477088 - 06/07/19 04:42 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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I stopped riding on Easter Sunday morning, 1989. Never got on a bike again. I won't share the details, as this is a thread to celebrate the freedom of riding. Be safe.


No, now go away or I shall taunt you a second time!
#4477090 - 06/07/19 04:49 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Lifer

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USA
After riding for 49 years I have just quit. Cellphones have convinced me that it is just too unsafe now. Everyone is looking at their phones; eyes only half focused on the road; may register another car but not a bike.

So I’m done.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4477094 - 06/07/19 05:03 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Still riding, don't think I'll give it up, at a few days short of 63 I am still enjoying riding my bike but it's a different culture here and bikes are seen as normal and there is no discrimination against them like I remember having in the UK.

Still toying with selling the FJR1300 and getting something lighter as the FJR is a bit of a heavy weight.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4477103 - 06/07/19 05:26 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Originally Posted by wormfood
How #%&*$# slow they seem to be.
We've finally had a string of nice weather out here so I've been riding around a lot more and using it to commute to and from work. In a car it's only about a 10 minute trip one way. But, in a motorcycle it takes about 20 in the mornings and for some reason the commute home seems to more than double again taking at least 40.
I don't get it, I'm just going to and from work, but the mileage seems to go up as well. Hopefully the weather will continue so I can continue to study this strange phenomenon, you know, for science.



[Linked Image]

#4477104 - 06/07/19 05:32 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Still hanging on after 43 years. I've thought about giving up over the past few years but it's hard to give up the convenience and the cheap running costs.


EV's are the Devils matchbox.
#4477108 - 06/07/19 05:48 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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I rode for about 10 years, but SoCal drivers were just too scary for me. I didn't have an accident or anything, but felt like it was just a matter of time before someone pulled out in front of me, or changed lanes into me. A good friend of mine had that happen and totaled his bike and had some injuries, and he hasn't been back on a bike since. It was his third incident, I think, and he went back to riding the other 2 times, but I think that one was the last straw.

I do miss it, so I envy someone in a place where they can safely ride.


Ken Cartwright

No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.

http://www.techflyer.net

#4477110 - 06/07/19 05:49 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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PanzerMeyer  Online Centaurian
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Miami, FL USA
If I lived in Montana I would get a motorcycle. smile


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4477124 - 06/07/19 06:45 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Rode since 87, had 7 bikes, quit around 10 years ago.

Then I ended up without ANY vehicle for the first time since 87 a couple years ago, and a deal came up on a bike I couldn't refuse. Also, my job is 100 feet away from my house, all my shopping needs are within 3 miles, so the expense of a car isn't really justifiable at this time. Cheaper and simpler to just rent a car a few times a year for when it's needed.

Cellphones have definitely modified my riding. I no longer go to the front at red lights - I go up to the third car. Started that habit after nearly getting T-boned from cellphone red light runners twice in the first month of getting the bike.

I also avoid being the last vehicle in a line of stopped vehicles, and if for some reason I have to be in that position I do a lot more staring at my mirrors than in the past.

I will not ride on Friday or Saturday afternoon/evening/night anymore unless it's absolutely mandatory, in which case I take as many backstreets as possible.

I NEVER look at my speedometer anymore in the presence of cars. I'm also a lot more anal about maintaining distance from any cars than in the past - and on that note I WILL SPEED HARD at ANY time to enforce that policy. The choice between a ticket or my guts on the road is a no brainer...

When I first got this bike I did have serious thoughts of selling it due to how much more unsafe it's become with the cellphones. I don't know, I guess in some ways that's made me a safer rider too though...

#4477130 - 06/07/19 07:00 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Maine is a good place for motorcycles, at least for the 5 or 6 months you can ride them. Traffic isn’t too bad, though it only takes a single car on a 2-lane road to wreck your day. You really have to watch out for moose in the northern & western parts of the state, though. They like to hang out on the shoulders from before dawn until after dusk and mosey across at any time, and their hair reflects absolutely no light. If you don’t see their eyes reflecting or another vehicle’s lights silhouetting them, you won’t see them until it’s too late. They’re BIG, if you’re riding a Harley or something on which you sit upright your head won’t clear their belly but crotch-rocket riders might make it. A full-size pickup will get totaled if it hits one.

Big animals.


Last edited by NH2112; 06/07/19 07:13 PM.

Phil

“The biggest problem people have is they don’t think they’re supposed to have problems.” - Hayes Barnard
#4477132 - 06/07/19 07:12 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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I couldn't see myself riding again unless it was either off-road or there was a nuclear zombie apocalypse.

#4477150 - 06/07/19 08:39 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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wormfood Offline
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When I first got it I lived way out in the country so there was no traffic, just the odd deer or cow.
Now I live much closer to town, but my daily commute is short and I typically use the backroads and empty country roads. It makes traffic not much of a problem.
And when there are other vehicles around, I make the assumption that none of them can see me and I'll never stick in or near any vehicles blind spot for any length of time.

Besides, if I let myself worry too much about everything that might possibly be dangerous, I'd just lie in bed all day and that's probably dangerous too. There's just too much to see and do to get too worked up. The only regret I have about owning a motorcycle is not getting one sooner.

#4477163 - 06/07/19 09:57 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Being retired I don't need to commute to anywhere, all riding is for pleasure.

In the early 70s I commuted 50 miles per day to and from work, summer and winter, first with a Honda CD175 and then a Suzuki GT380M, the Suzuki I put over 100k miles on it in around 5 years, once I had water proofed the electrics it was very reliable.

I had the bike almost a week and got T-boned by a car coming out a side street, can't really fault the guy too much as he was blinded by a truck that had pulled up on the pavement right at the junction to unload into a shop. Police gave the trucker a ticket and the car driver too but he was admonished, still his insurance paid for the repairs to the bike.
If there had been no badge on his bonnet (hood - motorcap) then I would have slid along the bonnet and might have got away with it, but my elbow caught the badge and that pulled my arm which twitched the handlebars which made the bike tuck under and I was left hanging on the badge. Ah happy days smile
But the commute on good days were either much, much, longer or very short indeed, 18minutes door to door - but the fuel consumption was diabolical 16mpg UK (13mpgUS,17l/100km) that's 2 strokes for you smile


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4477164 - 06/07/19 10:11 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Been riding since '66. Another 2-3 years and will be time to give it up One accident, when this dumb female stopped at a yield sign at a traffic circle with no traffic in the circle.


There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB.
The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed.
There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4477221 - 06/08/19 01:39 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Just did some maintenance on the Ultra Limited last week while it rained. New plugs, plug wires, and fuel filter. WOW. I did not realize how much my performance had dropped off. Big Iron was flying down the interstate this morning, since I am working Saturdays this month.
Hey, I commute on the biggest bike Harley has, in Dallas traffic, almost daily. (only bad weather keeps me off) Drivers are good for the most part, but I spend all my time watching out for those that are stupid/distracted/agressive.

Wormfood. none of my Buddies would blame you for 'getting lost/taking a wrong turn' on the way home while you are on that Indian. winkngrin

Last month, my Wife and I and my Buddy and his spousal unit were coming back from riding in Eureaka Springs AR. Beautiful area. I was lead, don't use GPS on the phoie in the mountains, so I looked at the map, and started out.
Bottom line, I came to a fork where it was Road 271 RIGHT or Road 270 LEFT. I couldn't recall exactly, so I thought 270 sounded good. HA. Took us an hour our of the way, and after 25 miles I pulled over and declared my mistake.
But I pointed out to my Buddy that we were at the start of the highway that goes across the mountains, to get back to where we wanted to go! (Talimena Trail across the Oachita Forest Mtns)
No one was mad that I added another hour+ to our ride home (It was a 6 hour ride) because that was on the List of Places to Ride this year.


~Bill

In my defense, I was left unsupervised...
#4477386 - 06/10/19 04:51 AM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Zamzow Offline
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I've decided I'm going to keep on riding. And I'm going to be a real PUNK about it - in terms of RATTING the cellphone drivers.

To HELL with these cellphone #%&*$#.

Going to take the attitude of IT'S MY ROAD, I PAID FOR IT BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.

Yep, a motorcycle CAN win against a car...

#4477632 - 06/11/19 04:43 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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wormfood Offline
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Bill: I don't think there is a "wrong turn" on a motorcycle. That's half the fun is just riding around with no destination.

Currently mine's in the shop to get some a few things looked at. I miss it already, but it's raining the rest of the week so the timing kinda works out.

#4477654 - 06/11/19 08:03 PM Re: What I don't get about motorcycles is.. [Re: wormfood]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
I use a program/app for finding nice routes to ride/drive it's called Best Biking Roads: https://www.bestbikingroads.com/


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
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