motorcycles

[CONCHOKID]

Ive got a 2008 Harley Cross Bones- Ive ridden bikes since I was 11, and have ridden Harleys or custom bikes for 15-17 years. When I was a child I rode endros mostly by Honda.Ive had as much fun off road, as I get from going down the highway. Mostly I like to ride alone and explore the countryside, see new things.Ride what you like or what fits your style. Don't buy into an image of what is suppose to be "cool", in the end its suppose to be about enjoyment, and not what others think.

[Woodsman]

Ive got a 2008 Harley Cross Bones- Ive ridden bikes since I was 11, and have ridden Harleys or custom bikes for 15-17 years. When I was a child I rode endros mostly by Honda.Ive had as much fun off road, as I get from going down the highway. Mostly I like to ride alone and explore the countryside, see new things.Ride what you like or what fits your style. Don't buy into an image of what is suppose to be "cool", in the end its suppose to be about enjoyment, and not what others think.

That's right!

[orangebox]

I currently have a Yamaha TDM900 as my main steed, which I bought as a replacement for a Yamaha YZF600r Thundercat, the latter of which I carelessly threw into the side of an Audi A4 at 40mph, killing said Audi, the bike and lots of bits of my left knee.
I was a die-hard sportsbike fan, and just wanted the TDM to get around on with a buggered knee, but I've grown to love its big-twin pull and once you get used to the long-travel forks it goes like shit off a shovel. :)

Here it is in its winter clothing (for a charity toy-run):


And this is at Brands Hatch race circuit on a trackday

TDM-brands1.JPG (32.98 KiB) Viewed 3520 times

If anyone happens to be around Box Hill (Surrey, UK) and fancies a ride out on some twisties one day, let me know. I lead the odd rideout on a couple of bike forums. :)

[Woodsman]

That is a great choice. For years I have been saying that we haven't been able to get decent bikes here in the U.S. while the Europeans got all the good stuff. I suppose its because it's all about glam here in U.S. and less about utility. That has slowly started to change though. The choices are getting better.

[orangebox]

That is a great choice. For years I have been saying that we haven't been able to get decent bikes here in the U.S. while the Europeans got all the good stuff. I suppose its because it's all about glam here in U.S. and less about utility. That has slowly started to change though. The choices are getting better.

Indeed. Even in the UK, we are predominantly sportsbike oriented and bikes like the TDM are very second-fiddle. We get a lot of GSs, thanks to Ewan and Charlie, and of course the urban centres are filled with street-bikes, but any given Sunday will find legions of faired-rockets with matching riders blatting between hedgerows and looking shiny.
I much prefer riding in France, where the drivers are deliberately courteous to bikers, and there's a more more blended mix of bikes (probably partly because of the 100BHP restriction on French bikes).
:)

I'm toying with hiring some sort of bonkers Buell in Cali next summer; I love the tamed anger that they exude. :)

[marie-angelique]

We get a lot of GSs, thanks to Ewan and Charlie

i dunno, i fell in love with the GS when i saw this bloke's slideshow, circa 1992.

[Woodsman]

I really like the looks and specs of the new 800GS, but I'd really like to ride one prior to judging if it's as good as the specs and videos portray it. The little V-strom has been good to me. Tourance tires not being ideal for the dirt/rock/mud/clay/streams/sand, but a decent compromise (they also come factory stock on the GSers). They're great on the road, wet or dry.

It aggravates me that BMW isn't stating the ground clearance on their newest ride (the 800), but I suspect it's not much different than the 6 1/2" of clearance that my 'strom has. Next time I ride to the Beemer dealer, I'm going to take one for a spin and compare. It might be a better tool for my job - not sure yet.

[Bronco]

Mine:

Yamaha VMAX
1200cc, 145 HP, weighs just under 700 lbs.

I ride to work and back every day I can. That's about 45 miles each way. I'd happily trade off 45 of the horse power for longer range. I have to stop every 150 miles or less, depending on where I am and what I can expect to find in the next 150 miles.
I like the handling, especially up in the mountains where I live. Because of the weight it feels stiff in a curve, but it's faster than anything else on the road. If you want to pass and need blinding acceleration to get you past on a short straightaway it's there. Should you find that you picked up a little bit too much speed it has a collection of disk brakes that can drag you back down to safer speeds. I behave myself on the thing because I know it can wreck havoc if it gets loose.

[marie-angelique]

i see they are recycling the paint scheme of the older, way cooler 800gs

[orangebox]

That yellow/black GS800 looks quite smart.
I played Traffic-tag with one through London last week and it appeared pretty quick 0-60.
And as it's about 4ft slimmer than a 1200GS it's a damn-sight better suited to town riding as well. :D

[Woodsman]

I ride a bright red motorcycle and I would just as soon have a gunmetal blue, flat black (my fave) or dark silver one. The bright colors are like bullseyes for cops looking to write speeding tickets.

The GS in that dark silver color is just the ticket. I spend 90%+ on pave en route to my jobs, so that matters. Then again, we have far less law enforcement efforts out here in the sticks vs. urban areas, but still...

Bronco,

I rode a 88' V-max (the highest h.p. was this original year - with the exception of the new pricey piggy one) with stage 3 jets and headers. It seriously sounded like a late 60s/early 70s era muscle car, only louder (since the cans were so close to the ears) - even with a helmet on. It was very smooth, and fast, but not very fast (125 came up quickly - but the speedo is optimistic, so thinking more like 115 there - check it with GPS - the variance between bikes is fairly large).

Todays 1000cc or larger sport bikes will make mr. max seem very anemic by comparison. It's still one of my favorites however, because it looks and sounds super, super cool and it is the quintessential muscle bike - even though it may not be the fastest of them (because it is piggy). I too wish the under the seat tank had more range. You do realize that there is an aftermarket tank you can get for that bike that covers the air box but adds some fuel capacity right? - also, you can get one for underneath the seat. None of these is as cheap however as 1L nalgene fuel containers (made for white gas backpacking stoves) stored in a tank bag - BUT, you don't have to stop (which is sort of the point). Might be worth it if you ride some distances occasionally.

[Bronco]

I suppose I should have qualified that comment that it's the "fastest thing on the road". There is nothing else on the road between where I live and where I work that will outrun me. Frankly, if they can I will let them. No hard feelings or anything about it, but I usually have some transplanted person from the flat lands who is not used to mountain driving or a sight seer in an RV who is in my way and I like the ability to pass them on the short straightaways.
The New VMAX has closer to 200 HP this year. I have only seen one and it was on a trailer headed to the drag strip.
I think my dream bike would be a Honda Alpine Goldwing, but I'd have to sell some of my other toys to buy one.

[marie-angelique]

That yellow/black GS800 looks quite smart.
I played Traffic-tag with one through London last week and it appeared pretty quick 0-60.
And as it's about 4ft slimmer than a 1200GS it's a damn-sight better suited to town riding as well. :D

i would rather have the 1200gs, but then if i am just scooting around town i ride my bicycle.

my '84 800 is really a dog when it comes to acceleration, but i bought it because it is a fun bike for twisty backroads and offroad :)

i did hit a traffic cone with it once while splitting lanes in traffic, it almost took me down....

[Woodsman]

i would rather have the 1200gs,

Why?

[marie-angelique]

ever notice that old gs bikes sell for more than they sold for when produced?

i just love the way mine rides. i think having that big wide engine down there is like having outriggers.

rare footage of the ultra-secretive nowonmai finally unearthed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FHr7yKDS0&feature=player_embedded