I can now ride a motorcycle

Joel, In my limited experience I have had two near death experiences, Or near mamed at least. One was definitly my own stupidity. I attribute my success of surviving both with me and the bikes unscathed to them being small enough for me to "throw around" and save my a$$. Also i observe pilot rules on alchpl use. 8 hours bottle to throttle.

M3,
It's another totally addicting hobby!
Be careful though, my nauti turned into this:

At least I'm getting a lot more use out of the bike, but boy do I miss my boat!

75 Tique wrote: OverMyHead wrote: Get the motor running.... head out on the highway.... looking for adventure.... on the rental bike.... Born to be mild. there was that, but there was also this guy. How many of you out there my age (mid 50s), didnt watch "then came Bronson" and were convinced that when you got older you were going to buy a Sportster and go out and see the world. I never got beyond the little 250 Yamaha I had to get to and from school, but a bunch of kids my age had the dream back in the late 60s. Still a cool bike and as I understand it a lot of guys out there still who have similar bikes (color, chrome, "all seeing eye...) and still pretend they are Bronson. (kind of pathetic actually for old men...but I'd still take one)

I was just ribbing Dave a little, but the fact is he is out there riding and I am not, I would love to rent a bike and go with him.

My Savage was considered a "chick bike". I was willing to take some crap fom anyone with something better, but a non-riding co-worker tried to harrass me one day. I inguired if riding the savage made me a girlyman, what did riding nothing make him?

Andy -

My wife rode a Yamaha 250 in the late 70's and early eighties - Ha! Sweet lil' bike; she said she'd love to have it back.........

Our bike days are done now..... we need room for the boats in the garage..... and lower insurance payments!

+3 on Bronson I've had a kajillion motorcycles and I rode to school in 11th&12 on a 1970 DT250 yamaha had 1425 KZ drag bike that would go 9.0s with a 250lb pilot. I've made a couple of laps around this rock (with the help of Uncle Sam) the most "Koolest" place was the South Pole several times "what a spot" but never "turd" the USA on 2 wheels,guess life got in the way. I ride a 1200 Buell X1 Lightning now on short little rides never more than a couple hrs.

+1 on Bronson

Ive been riding a long time. As Kevin said: ride like you're invisible. As C-Bass noted: speed is for the track
And I will offer this: Dress for the crash, not the ride.

   Riding a motorcycle will make you a much better driver when you get in the car as well. I mostly ride dual sport now. I get to ride all the Harleys I care to at work.
   Enjoy- motorcycling is a "great way to get away from it all."

   Be safe out there
     Mike

Got my Heritage Softail rental reserved for Friday. Can't wait to get to get the motor running, and head out on the highway looking for some adventure!

Gary,
Would that be the old two stroke triples that kawi used to make? I have ridden an rd350 and was pretty impressed with the performance of the little old bike, but I always wondered what the big two stroke triples would do.

Congrats on the endorsement oel. I started with a yamaha exciter 250 cc, but sold it a year or two after because it did not like to go over 52 mph. In 2000 I bought a brand new 1997 suzuki savage, cool little bike, it was a big single with a nice rumble, but very light, like riding a ten speed, I sold it a few years later for $100 more than I paid for it. Hope to get another one someday when it makes sense.

I too am a frequent renter. Always thought I would ride a lot, I have had my sisters bike in the garage (HD Street Bob - for sale, she is moving up) for the last 4 weeks and have yet to take it out for a spin. Guess that tells you something. If rent, then I know I am going to use it. Saves big on cost of bike, insurance, cleaning it, etc. Guess, I'd rather take the fam on the boat

Yeah, that's a "no-brainer". Besides protecting my brain I can't imagine taking a Junebug to the cheek, or, the MOUTH. Ugh.

I ride. I started as a kid on minis, dirt bikes, then moved to a 48' Indian (left hand throttle, foot clutch, hand shift) Cheif. I had a Harley Sportster 1200 bar hopper and now a 2003 Anniversary Road King with a fairing and tourpack. My only advise is ride like you are invisable and no one can see you. Anticipate the worst moves others can make because they usually will. Stylish or not I believe in helmets. (real ones) Even if your a rider take the course.

Took the NIU basic motorcycle skills class this weekend. 6-10PM Friday and 8AM-6PM Sat and Sun on a prime summer weekend. Totally free course, bikes and helmets included. Put 25 miles on the bike in the parking lot over the 2 days we rode. I have to say the program is amazing and I really loved it. At the end they do a DMV rider assessment and written test. I passed.

Not sure when and if I'll ever get a bike as I was raised that motorcycles = sure death. After taking this class and learning how much being an actively alert driver can help prevent crashes, I'm feeling better about the concept. It would be nice to own another BMW product as I've admired those bikes for years.

Who rides? What do you ride? Thoughts on the topic?

NIU Rider Course