[quote]Professor X wrote:
PGJ wrote:
Sport bikes are for kids who want to go real fast, show off, and die young. Cruisers are for adults who are secure in their manhood/womanhood and understand that speed kills (although some spend a lot of $$$ trying to soop-up their 800lb cruisers). Sport bikes have no character. All that colorful plastic and the euro-trash riding suits are super cheesie. I bought my fist bike in 2000, a Yamaha V-Star Classic 650. My non-riding friend took one look at it and said it looked like a piece of art. Sport bikers give bikers in general a bad reputation. I would love to see accident statistics that separate sport bikes from cruisers. I bet the SB’s crash about 10X’s more frequently than cruisers. Youth + speed + inexperience = organ donor.
I ride a Yamaha V-Star 1100 Custom. Big, fat and slow. What’s the hurry?
That’s funny. Speed doesn’t kill. Stupidity kills. I ride a sportbike and am secure in my manhood. Should I pretend not to be so I can fit into your stereotype? None of the people I ride with act like what you just wrote out. If they race, they hit the track for it. Many of them are in their late 30’s. Perhaps it is a cultural and racial difference. Most of the black guys I know ride sportbikes and most are not “young and immature”. The guy I learned the most from is in his 40’s. If some of you really want to see how the culture has exploded, look up “ruff ryders motorcycles” in a search engine. I can’t access it here at work considering the scantily clad women that populate the pictures.
[/quote]
There are exceptions to every rule, but I’ve never seen anyone wipe out doing a wheelie or endo on a cruiser. Do you disagree with my accident theory above? FOR THE MOST PART my above statement stands. Kids want to go fast…real fast. I’ve seen too many kids on big sport bikes racing and weaving on open streets. Never seen that in the cruiser crowd. Sport bikes are fun, no doubt, but they attract kids. I’m sure you know plenty of safe riders.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
There are exceptions to every rule, but I’ve never seen anyone wipe out doing a wheelie or endo on a cruiser. Do you disagree with my accident theory above? FOR THE MOST PART my above statement stands. Kids want to go fast…real fast. I’ve seen too many kids on big sport bikes racing and weaving on open streets. Never seen that in the cruiser crowd. Sport bikes are fun, no doubt, but they attract kids. I’m sure you know plenty of safe riders.
[/quote]
Kids go fast no matter what they are driving or riding. That is like saying you are against cars because teenagers race them. You simply have a bias against sportbikes for some reason when there is an entire culture surrounding them. I don’t race on streets. If I am going to race, we plan to go to the track for it.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Yeah, they just HATE sportbikes.
Paid models. I could get them to pose on my riding lawnmower for the right price.
[/quote]
LOL, very true.
Different women have different opinions, you should have no shortage female admirers with either a sport bike or a cruiser. The key is to have whatever you enjoy riding. Arguments about subjective preferences are stupid in my book, like arguing about which foods taste better. The thing with sport bikes is that people see that one idiot with no helmet, wearing a t-shirt and timberlines, doing 110 cutting in and out of traffic just about to clip someone’s front end and die (just like my sisters prom date on the morning of her prom). This idiot makes people think anyone who owns a sport bike does this.
[quote]4est wrote:
deanec wrote:
The latest in a long struggle with an addiction to two wheels…
That looks a lot like my Dad’s '68 Norton Commando. Too bad I never fixed that thing up. It was just sitting in a barn with less than 11,00o miles on it.[/quote]
It is a 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100. I also have a 1970 Daytona 500. It is amazing how similiar they look.
That Norton up the page is sweet, but I think they want almost 20 grand for one…
[quote]deanec wrote:
4est wrote:
deanec wrote:
The latest in a long struggle with an addiction to two wheels…
That looks a lot like my Dad’s '68 Norton Commando. Too bad I never fixed that thing up. It was just sitting in a barn with less than 11,00o miles on it.
It is a 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100. I also have a 1970 Daytona 500. It is amazing how similiar they look.
That Norton up the page is sweet, but I think they want almost 20 grand for one…[/quote]
For the triumph lovers out there, my dad use to race in the 60’s (asphalt flat oval tracks) in those days you rode what you raced, his favorite track bike was his Trident 750 triple, Which he still has. But the real beauty is his 1974 Triumph 750 triple Hurricane all original with less than 20k miles on it, very few of them in the US, i don’t have a pic but i will try to get one.
I am impressed by anyone who can get a bike and go flying up down the freeway. When I was a little kid, my uncle and cousin were killed on a motorcycle. After that my dad refused to let my brother and I to have anything to do with motorbikes. That fear he instilled in me still holds to this day. My neighbor has a small collection of bikes and he is trying to get me comfortable on them. I just got to the point where I rode one all alone for about 5 miles. Pretty thrilling and scarey at the same time. Someday!
[quote]Professor X wrote:
…I would imagine it is all about what you are exposed to. Most women who grew up in the inner city probably wouldn’t be that into cruisers. Sportsbikes have pretty much taken over that scene along with a significant portion of the Hip Hop crowd.[/quote]
You’re probably right in that a lot of it is what you are socialized with. I don’t live in the inner city, and Hip Hop definitely isn’t my thing. All I know is that I’d take a man on a cruiser over a man on a sportbike ANY DAY. I like cruisers because they’re old school, classic, incredibly masculine, and sexy. I don’t view sportbikes the in the same way. Each to his or her own. It can be left there.
Every time cruiser guys and sportbike guys together it devolves into a debate about who sucks and why.
I have a 2002 SV650 and I love it to death. It’s metallic black, has no fairings and is considered a girl bike by most people. I wear full leathers when i ride, because the thought of sliding across asphalt with bare skin makes me upset. Skin is important to me, as is keeping my pretty face in tact.
[quote]morepain wrote:
deanec wrote:
4est wrote:
deanec wrote:
The latest in a long struggle with an addiction to two wheels…
That looks a lot like my Dad’s '68 Norton Commando. Too bad I never fixed that thing up. It was just sitting in a barn with less than 11,00o miles on it.
It is a 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100. I also have a 1970 Daytona 500. It is amazing how similiar they look.
That Norton up the page is sweet, but I think they want almost 20 grand for one…
For the triumph lovers out there, my dad use to race in the 60’s (asphalt flat oval tracks) in those days you rode what you raced, his favorite track bike was his Trident 750 triple, Which he still has. But the real beauty is his 1974 Triumph 750 triple Hurricane all original with less than 20k miles on it, very few of them in the US, i don’t have a pic but i will try to get one.
[quote]deanec wrote:
morepain wrote:
deanec wrote:
4est wrote:
deanec wrote:
The latest in a long struggle with an addiction to two wheels…
That looks a lot like my Dad’s '68 Norton Commando. Too bad I never fixed that thing up. It was just sitting in a barn with less than 11,00o miles on it.
It is a 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100. I also have a 1970 Daytona 500. It is amazing how similiar they look.
That Norton up the page is sweet, but I think they want almost 20 grand for one…
For the triumph lovers out there, my dad use to race in the 60’s (asphalt flat oval tracks) in those days you rode what you raced, his favorite track bike was his Trident 750 triple, Which he still has. But the real beauty is his 1974 Triumph 750 triple Hurricane all original with less than 20k miles on it, very few of them in the US, i don’t have a pic but i will try to get one.
Love to see the pics…[/quote]
I will try to get some and send them to you i will be going over there this weekend.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
PGJ wrote:
There are exceptions to every rule, but I’ve never seen anyone wipe out doing a wheelie or endo on a cruiser. Do you disagree with my accident theory above? FOR THE MOST PART my above statement stands. Kids want to go fast…real fast. I’ve seen too many kids on big sport bikes racing and weaving on open streets. Never seen that in the cruiser crowd. Sport bikes are fun, no doubt, but they attract kids. I’m sure you know plenty of safe riders.
Kids go fast no matter what they are driving or riding. That is like saying you are against cars because teenagers race them. You simply have a bias against sportbikes for some reason when there is an entire culture surrounding them. I don’t race on streets. If I am going to race, we plan to go to the track for it.
[/quote]
You are correct. I hate those “need for speed” movies with young dudes in super hyped-up cars zooming through traffic like it’s cool. Stupid, completely rediculous, and kids do try to emulate it. The whole “stare at the passenger and drive thing” in not only irresponsible, but childish. There is a culture around sport bikes… and it is speed, wheelies, endo’s, more speed, street racing, shorts and flip-flops, crash-and-burn. Cruiser culture is all about leather (stylish and protective), riding slow, chrome, and raising money for kids. EVERY charity ride I have ever been on was about 50-1 cruiser to sportbike. Never seen a charity sportbike ride. Very different cultures. Just my humble observations.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
You are correct. I hate those “need for speed” movies with young dudes in super hyped-up cars zooming through traffic like it’s cool. Stupid, completely rediculous, and kids do try to emulate it. The whole “stare at the passenger and drive thing” in not only irresponsible, but childish. There is a culture around sport bikes… and it is speed, wheelies, endo’s, more speed, street racing, shorts and flip-flops, crash-and-burn. Cruiser culture is all about leather (stylish and protective), riding slow, chrome, and raising money for kids. EVERY charity ride I have ever been on was about 50-1 cruiser to sportbike. Never seen a charity sportbike ride. Very different cultures. Just my humble observations.
[/quote]
Well, some of those pics I posted were from a charity bikini bike wash. Now you can’t claim you never saw one. Beyond that, it shouldn’t be hard for someone who lifts weights and subjects themselves to pain for the rush of accomplishment to understand the rush from being on a sportbike. Even just going 60mph on a sportbike is like flying. I have also seen some people in cars act as if they are pissed simply because a bike can get around obstacles easier. I think much of any hatred you have is your own perception and not the result of the actions others. My riding jacket in the summer is mesh and matches my bike…just like most sportbike riders. You made it sound as if cruiser alone are about being “stylish and protective”. I think some older guys are just completely disconnected from anyone under the age of 35. It might help to open your eyes some. While I usually hype sportbikes, some cruisers are now gaining popularity because of shows like Orange County Choppers. Shaq owns a HUGE cruiser. I would get on a West Coast Chopper before I ever got on a Harley though. It is about style and Harley’s have been pretty much taken over by the middle aged crowd who think they are too good to even wave at a sportbike on a freeway.
What about the dual sports / dual purpose? Someone mentioned KTM, so they gotta be close…
I’ve been looking into the Kawasaki KLX 250S. I just haven’t decided whether to pour the money this summer into one of those motorized deals, or another pedal one…
[quote]PGJ wrote:
Sport bikes are for kids who want to go real fast, show off, and die young. Cruisers are for adults who are secure in their manhood/womanhood and understand that speed kills (although some spend a lot of $$$ trying to soop-up their 800lb cruisers). Sport bikes have no character. All that colorful plastic and the euro-trash riding suits are super cheesie. I bought my fist bike in 2000, a Yamaha V-Star Classic 650. My non-riding friend took one look at it and said it looked like a piece of art. Sport bikers give bikers in general a bad reputation. I would love to see accident statistics that separate sport bikes from cruisers. I bet the SB’s crash about 10X’s more frequently than cruisers. Youth + speed + inexperience = organ donor.
I ride a Yamaha V-Star 1100 Custom. Big, fat and slow. What’s the hurry? [/quote]
It’s funny how no matter how logical, the argument both sides feel they are right. Actually they are since it’s all about preferences. I ride a RF900 been riding over 15 yrs & I am over 35. I live in LA & ride with a crew: Mayhem Street Riders. We are 80 deep just in LA.
As far as the argument about sport bikes not having a community that a bunch of BS. I have stopped along the side of the rode to make a phone call & a fellow rider (sport bike) pulled up along side me to make sure every thing was OK. I didn’t even know the guy. We have toy rides, feed the homeless etc. We are trying to change the negative image of sport bikers. We typically acknowledge each other when passing whether on the freeway or surface roads. A few months ago we had a picnic & basketball tournament. We invited all the local crews over 200 bikers showed up along with girlfriends, wives & kids. Everyone had a good time!
There were no fights or confrontations. They only drama we had was with the police & bike parking since there were so many bikes. But even that was resolved without any problems or anyone getting tickets. This invited was multiracial & cultural. There were Mexicans, Blacks, whites, Cuban & various other Latin races there all hanging out & getting along. Why? Cause we all share a love of riding. I betting if a bunch of guys on Harley?s would showed up they would?ve been welcomed.
Also what I haven’t seen in this thread was affordability. The fact that Harley’s typically cost more than sport bikes. Which may also be a factor as to why sport bike are more appealing to younger riders.
To all my fellow riders out there… ride safe so you can get home to your loved ones.
[quote]PGJ wrote:
There are exceptions to every rule, but I’ve never seen anyone wipe out doing a wheelie or endo on a cruiser. Do you disagree with my accident theory above? FOR THE MOST PART my above statement stands. Kids want to go fast…real fast. I’ve seen too many kids on big sport bikes racing and weaving on open streets. Never seen that in the cruiser crowd. Sport bikes are fun, no doubt, but they attract kids. I’m sure you know plenty of safe riders.[/quote]
That’s because cruisers are so freakin heavy and stuck in such backwards technology that they simply don’t have the power to pull a decent wheelie. And if they did, they’re so poorly balanced that attempting to control a wheelie is just asking for pain and suffering.
Yes, squids get sportbikes because they DO go fast and have excellent control. Or to put it another way, cruisers are such bloated cumbersome pigs that they don’t bother.
But anyone who has an ounce of logic understands that you can’t guarantee the corollary from that fact alone. People who ride sportbikes aren’t all squids. Or haven’t you read a word ProfX has written? Sportbikes are ridden by a diverse group of people, including gasp gurrls!
So to rephrase your argument for you: “I ride a cruiser because I need a bike with lower limits to prevent me from hurting myself, because I can’t handle something with more power and heightened capabilities.” Does that sum it up for you?
I tire of this shit. It?s a motorcycle, ride it, and stop ripping on others for choosing something you?re not comfortable with.
[quote]morepain wrote:
deanec wrote:
morepain wrote:
deanec wrote:
4est wrote:
deanec wrote:
The latest in a long struggle with an addiction to two wheels…
That looks a lot like my Dad’s '68 Norton Commando. Too bad I never fixed that thing up. It was just sitting in a barn with less than 11,00o miles on it.
It is a 2005 Triumph Bonneville T100. I also have a 1970 Daytona 500. It is amazing how similiar they look.
That Norton up the page is sweet, but I think they want almost 20 grand for one…
For the triumph lovers out there, my dad use to race in the 60’s (asphalt flat oval tracks) in those days you rode what you raced, his favorite track bike was his Trident 750 triple, Which he still has. But the real beauty is his 1974 Triumph 750 triple Hurricane all original with less than 20k miles on it, very few of them in the US, i don’t have a pic but i will try to get one.
Love to see the pics…
I will try to get some and send them to you i will be going over there this weekend.
