[quote]EZrider wrote:
My winter project…2005 Road King. [/quote]
Is that an animal on your seat? lol
james
I just upgraded my Kawasaki Vulcan 900C to this bad boy. Yamaha Midnight Warrior with Rinehart Racing 2 into 2 pipes. I love it so far, much bigger, faster, and easier to ride on the highway.
[quote]cyruseven75 wrote:
Finally getting my bike licence and learning to ride. During my 2wk vacation in May I’m taking the Harley safe rider class, thereafter I think I’ll start w/ a suzuki 50c —Boulevard is a big frame 800cc bike.
[/quote]
My first bike was a Honda 750. I don’t have any pictures but I remember it being a total piece. On the other hand I was only 18 years old so it’s all I could afford.
2nd bike was a Suzuki Boulavard 800, great bike. Great cruiser and the best part about it for a starter bike is if you make a mistake and set it down you’re not out a ton of value. I remember setting mine on its side (while stationary) and scuffing the engine guard. When it came time to sell it the kid that was interested didn’t seem to care. If that was a Harley it would have been a $1000 mistake at a minimum.
[quote]cyruseven75 wrote:
anything else, pearls of wisdom maybe? [/quote]
Yes, if buying a used bike take a friend with you that knows what he is looking for. When it comes time to cut the check do it, “contingent on inspection”, and make the final deal at a motorcycle shop after they thoroughly inspect the bike. Yes it will cost you an extra $100 but getting ripped off is rampant in the used bike world. Any normal “joe” won’t mind if you want to pay to have his bike inspected unless he is hiding something.
[quote]atypical1 wrote:
[quote]bond james bond wrote:
The magic doesn’t start till the 2:00 mark. The one Mike Hailwood raced is worth cajillions. Ridiculously loud.
Here’s a great article on that Honda. There’s also a vid where they actually start it indoors. Just magical.
james[/quote]
Man I love that bike. Thanks for posting that up. That article and vid should be mandatory curriculum to every first year Tool and Die apprentice.
[quote]atypical1 wrote:
[quote]aussie486 wrote:
A Buell, most reviews reports it as Harley Davidson on steroids, great fun.[/quote]
I tested a couple of Buells. They had a great chassis but I can’t wrap my head around that motor. Not only does it want to be everywhere at once it hits redline well before I’m ready for it. It’s a tough sportbike to ride for that reason but it handles exceptionally well.
james
[/quote]
Hear where u r coming from with the Buells, mate has a Aprilla RSV and we take it for track days at the motorcycle grand prix track we have here, its flys and brakes like nothing else, brillant motorcycle.
It has 130hp, mate yours with 150hp would be off the dial to ride hard.
[quote]atypical1 wrote:
[quote]EZrider wrote:
My winter project…2005 Road King. [/quote]
Is that an animal on your seat? lol
james[/quote]
No, just sheepskin made to look like wolfskin. I never dreamed it would be so comfortable…I love it.
Here’s an animal on my bike…at least she turns me into an animal…has for 37 yrs. She looks good for an old grandma, doesn’t she? We love riding together but I don’t scrape the pegs when she’s on with me.
[quote]bond james bond wrote:
Man I love that bike. Thanks for posting that up. That article and vid should be mandatory curriculum to every first year Tool and Die apprentice.
[/quote]
I do disagree with the article though about the lack of engineering over at Honda and I think it shows a lack of knowledge of the racing world. Honda has the best GP bikes going and are 100% committed to their race teams. It’s just that bikes have changed now and the electronics are where the real frontier is right now. And you can see that when Marquez rides and the amount of trust that he’s putting into his electronics.
james
[quote]aussie486 wrote:
Hear where u r coming from with the Buells, mate has a Aprilla RSV and we take it for track days at the motorcycle grand prix track we have here, its flys and brakes like nothing else, brillant motorcycle.
It has 130hp, mate yours with 150hp would be off the dial to ride hard.[/quote]
I love the RSVs. Just a beautiful bike and the booming sound of that twin is exquisite. You ride Phillip Island? I’m really jealous of you being able to ride that beautiful track. We don’t have anything remotely as nice here in California. But we do have plenty of tracks though just not super nice ones.
I’m really looking forward to getting the Tuono on the track. Hopefully sometime in the fall or even early summer if I can swing it.
It’s actually easy to ride hard. It’s got levels of traction control which really help and the handling is superb just like your mates RSV.
james
[quote]EZrider wrote:
No, just sheepskin made to look like wolfskin. I never dreamed it would be so comfortable…I love it.
Here’s an animal on my bike…at least she turns me into an animal…has for 37 yrs. She looks good for an old grandma, doesn’t she? We love riding together but I don’t scrape the pegs when she’s on with me.[/quote]
LOL…wives hate it when you scrape the pegs when they are on the bike.
Does the sheepskin got hot? It would seem that in the summer it would be a bit much.
james
They say that it is actually cooler in the summer…I guess I’m getting ready to find out. It’s been a long cold winter and I’m ready to ride.
I would love to hear of some of your favorite places to ride. We take a long road trip or two every year and then several shorter rides…one or two day trips. We’ve been to some great places and have some superb riding in southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas. My favorite is still the “Tail of the Dragon” Hi 129 at the Tennessee / North Carolina border. Yellowstone is unbelievable on a bike…another must ride. Of course everyone should do Mt. Rushmore and the needles highway while checking out Sturgis and Walls Drug. We did the million $ highway in Colorado this year and caught the Black Canyon,(first 16% grade I’ve ever been on), and then did Mesa Verde…also rode the Silverton Train while we were in Durango.
If you want to go south the “Pig Trail” - highway 23 going out of Eurika Springs, AR is a blast and the Talamina Trail is worth the time to check out…be sure and eat at the Hateful Hussy while in Talaheena. Lot’s of good riding around Harrison, Hot Springs, Eurika Springs, etc. all in norther AR
I’ve done the Eureka Springs riding and that’s a cool area. We went out to Push Mountain too which was a lot of fun.
There’s a LOT of great riding out here in California. Most of it isn’t crowded either which is most surprising. Every year or so I do a lap around the state and it’s always a great time.
We rode through Hill Country in Texas which was fun but it was more about BBQ than killer roads but that’s cool. My favorite part of Texas is around the Big Bend area and that had a lot of beauty.
Agree on the $ dollar highway. It was a lot of fun. Have you done the Going to the Sun road? It’s packed but very beautiful.
Favorite ride of all time though is probably the 1 from Fort Bragg to Leggett. It’s just a perfect section of road through beautiful scenery. Of course I love the mountain passes through the Sierras too…
james
Let me know if you ever back in the Eureka Springs area. The Bikes, Blues, & BBQ is becoming a huge attraction in Fayettville, AR in October…nearly as many bikes as Sturgis.
I haven’t made it that far west yet but it’s on my bucket list…would love to ride the coast all the way to Canada.
Anyone ride in the Hoka Hey?
If you make it to colorado I recommend Gore pass, McClure pass, and Independence pass. As EZ said million dollar highway is pretty nice too. I ride an old touring bike that has traveled those roads often. Short riding season here so watch the weather. This weekend has been the first one safe enough to get out.
What kind of “old touring bike” do you have hkd?
Have you or anyone else ever ridden “The Devils Highway”? It’s Route 666 in Arizona and I think it goes into New Mexico. It is also known as the “Coronado Trail”. I lived out there as a kid and we would drive up it on weekends to picnic and stuff. All I remember is all of the switchbacks you could see below you and all of the cars that had gone over the side with no way to retrieve them. If it’s still there I am hoping to ride it soon.
I have a 2000 Electra glide classic. Still an 88 and five speed. Stage 1 kit and that is about it. There have been vast improvements by HD since then. 6 speed tranny and 103 motors seem to be standard now. It is still fast enough to get me in plenty of trouble. I have not ridden 666 but it is on the bucket list. Ridden in CO, UT, NM, and TX. Still a lot of country I want to see.
You’ve got a classic ride hkd and your right, you don’t need any more power than that 88 to get into trouble. The bike in my avitar is a 2010 Ultra Classic CVO. It has the 110 and then I put some Vance & Hines monster ovals on it and dyna tuned it…man it just woke that motor up and made it sound a lot better.
Here’s a map of the Tail of the Dragon. I would recommend ordering one of the videos so you can study it before you ride it.
[quote]EZrider wrote:
You definitely don’t want to end up on the tree of shame at Deal’s Gap.[/quote]
Almost all of the pieces came off of Japanese bikes. More than 110 hp.