The Motorcycle Thread

Discussion in 'Cars, Motorcycles, Boats, Airplanes Talk' started by OJneg, Feb 12, 2016.

  1. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    You scared or are there cams in your country that can catch you from the back?
    I think nothing beats 1000cc superbike or fighter at ultimate fun. There is NO substitute to going at 200+ kmph in a nice curvy empty road with a bike that can. I should add that in Estonia police is pretty scarce and our population density is pretty darn low.
    Enduro and dirt bikes are fun too, but these aren't triggering my adrenaline that much anymore. Enduro is fun in it's intended environment: hills and gravel roads.
    In a city environment nothing beats a light supermoto though. I think 525 to 690 is sweetspot. But then if one can manage big one like Superenduro or BMW HP2 should be awesome.
    Superbike is silly in city. Ghostriding will get one killed sooner or later. I am lucky (smart) that I got out in early stage. I had a few close ones.

    Ideally, if I had the funds I'd own two KTM-s: 1290 SuperDuke for high speed fun and 950 SuperEnduro for going 200 on gravel. Both can be tweaked for some additional 20% gain in power which is great, I have yet to try something with too much quality power.
    I had a Honda SLR 650 which I tuned to some 80 hp that had lots of power for its cc but not that great response. Massive torque from first stroke and no or all power at once. It was the only bike I managed to powerslide into ditch, on asphalt. R4 or V2 is better at controlled delivery.
     
  2. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    I have one additional source of adrenaline that I built with my brother and father:
    I'm doing 200+ in the straights here. Superbike mid-engine, no differential, very light space frame chassis, around 300hp/ton with me in it. Simply superb handling, total control even at top speed on loose gravel. Except at this stage it had almost no brakes, so you see me handling this part with gears an throttle :p.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2016
  3. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    Me personally - if I wanted to scratch that adrenaline gland - I'd just get a mental second hand track monster, maybe a Yamaha R1 with slicks, ohlins and uprated brakes. And then I'd get a cruiser for the road, but that's me. :p

    But the Ducati is hard to beat for cheer beauty I'll give you that. BTW - have you tried the BMW 1000RR? The engine on that thing is insane, hardest pulling bike I've ever ridden.

    Yupp - I'm scared. I don't want to be doing +100 mph on the road anymore, too much shit that can happen. On the road I prefer naked middleweights and super motards since it's fun to wring their necks at somewhat reasonable speeds. Nice buggy btw :)
     
  4. Priidik

    Priidik MOT: Estelon

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    That would be the most sensible and mature way, I agree. My gang I used to co-hooligan with has done just that. Brains catch up with age.
     
  5. Torq

    Torq MOT: Headphone.com

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    I really do not deserve my fiancé ...

    When we sat down to talk, properly, about the options I raised here ... she said, and I quote:

    "If you can figure out where to keep them, you should get all three. Just promise me you won't go crazy with the Panigale* on the street. And maybe check out that "D-Air" system you were talking about."

    As tempting as that is, I won't do that; just felt compelled to comment on how sweet she is.

    (*She delights in pronouncing this "Pan-IG-a-lee".)
     
  6. beemerphile

    beemerphile Friend

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    I did some restructuring of the motorcycle stable. The Honda NC700x is gone. In it's place is a 1993 BMW K1100RS...

    [​IMG]

    The 2004 BMW R1150R is gone to a friend (sniff!) replaced by a 2013 BMW R1200GS Rallye...

    [​IMG]

    I should note that the incomparable 1992 BMW R100RS remains...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 3, 2016
  7. BioniclePhile

    BioniclePhile The Terminal Man - Friend

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    Well, I done got a 91' Zephyr 750 for my first bike. A little old, but I'm gonna clean the carbs and do a pretty thorough checkup on it this winter before I go to Cali.
    I duno, something about nakeds and standards, especially air cooled ones just really checks off all the sexy boxes
     
  8. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    @BioniclePhile

    Nice - I love nakeds and when I close my eyes and think of naked motorcycles something like the Zephyr 750 pops up. I like it more than the Hondas and Yamahas from the same time period. More character I suppose.
     
  9. bumrush101

    bumrush101 Acquaintance

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    My first naked! Love the look of these. Don't really dig the Transformers looking bikes these days...

    2005 Hyosung Comet (GT250)
    Only 400 imported in the whole country!
    40% do not pass GO anymore!
    Lapse in support for 7 years by Hyosung!
    Spare parts next to nil!
    Mechanics who can work on them within 1000km? Count on one hand!
    Super comfortable! Can accommodate more than stick figure girls or one's pet squirrel!
    Cruiser level warp speed! ( too much Dolemite x Huf back in the day)
    First serious bike!
    In over my head? Probably, but that was the draw - planning long trips and getting some hands on experience in repair is the goal.
    Passion project!
    Love it though...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

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  10. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    @bumrush101

    A lot of people in Europe or the US are going to look down on a 250, and a lot of people who own 250's are dreaming of bigger bikes. However - I've ridden basically every kind of bike there is and on a windy road a naked 250 v-twin is about as fun as it gets. I'd think I'd almost rather have a naked 250 v-twin than a BMW R1200R, I'm fully serious.
     
  11. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

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    A 250 is the perfect sized city bike. Lightweight, agile, great gas mileage, and quick enough to deal with traffic situations.
     
  12. Case

    Case Anxious Head (Formerly Wilson)

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    My Motorcycle Story.

    I was 17 and had left high school early. Thinking myself some kind of rebel, I started riding my dad's hand me down Kawasaki 440. One night, I was riding and espied a hot chick in a white leather (maybe pleather) mini-dress at a phone booth. Giving her my best "hey good lookin', be back to pick you up later" look, I failed to notice the station wagon stopped in front of me and rammed into it, with lustful thoughts turning into fretting about my insurance rates.

    My femur cracked, I spent the next few weeks in traction where the next hot chick I saw was the nurse, saying, as she scrubbed my butt, "No matter how much I wipe, it just won't get clean." I think that was the first time I thought about voluntary celibacy.
     
  13. bumrush101

    bumrush101 Acquaintance

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    1st lesson learned: How to actually drive a motorcycle. 2nd lesson: How to fight the urge to jump off and strangle a**hat drivers - It's like a brownian motion/pinball experience out here. Is that a chicken crossing the road? Yeah, I think that's a chicken. Is it going to move? NOPE definitely not moving...where to bail? I drive much slower these days...

    Yup, It's a good compromise for me, as I only learned to ride a bike after moving here a few years ago from the US. The roads have improved a lot since I started, and the highways are as good as anywhere else between the major cities. I could have gone for a beastier model, but this is my first borderline sports bike, and I'm not looking for a super fast and cool body mangling apparatus atm. A friend told me it's more fun to push hard on a lower CC bike, than have to go slow on a bigger engine. This tops out at around 160 kph, and that's alright with me :)

    @Wilson lol, and thanks for sharing - I had my first and only accident (luckily and thankful for) 2 weeks after getting confidence to take it out into traffic. Checking out a chick, walking my way, didn't notice the bus changing lanes into mine nearing a bus stop, slammed into it with my shoulder, bike fell over and then under the bus, because the whole back end started getting dragged by the rear wheel, causing the bike to start doing several 360s with me dancing tippy toe in the gaps until I could jump clear (I still have no idea how I managed). Perception level 9000 achieved that day.
     
  14. auri

    auri Facebook Friend

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    I did the responsible thing when I got my first bike 5 years ago. Took a MSF course and picked up a cheerful 2005 KLR650 with lots of go-far parts. Rode it everywhere, furthest trip being a weeklong blast from WA to IL and back in my first year of ownership. That was interesting. Even after getting stranded due to some crap in my fuel in ID and having to lean the bike over just to go straight while riding through a hailstorm in WY I knew I would be forever in love. Ran it completely dry of oil at some point on that trip. No idea when or for how long, just noticed my oil was low one stop. The first quart I bought to top it off wasn't enough, and neither was the second. :eek: Swear to god this KLR is the most reliable mechanical object I have ever owned.

    Late last year I gave in to the secret longing in my heart and found a great deal on a GSXR750. It had a problem with the secondary throttle valve actuator that I fixed with a soldering iron. Ostensibly I was going to flip it and make beaucoup cash, but after investing so much in race gear I'm still wondering how that's turning out...

    Dream stable is a 1200GS or a Super Ten and what should be a S1000RR, but in reality is a Panigale...

    [​IMG]
     
  15. Vastx

    Vastx Facebook Friend

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    @auri
    There are a few bikes that I heard are deemed unstoppable and super reliable.
    One of them is the Kawa KLR. The others are the suzuki tu250 and and the yammy tdm900 (with carburetors).

    Maybe people around here know other super reliable models?
     
  16. beemerphile

    beemerphile Friend

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    KLR's (the 650 anyways) are very reliable if you fix the factory brainfart of a balancer chain adjustment lever (aka doohickey); beef up the sub-frame bolts; and correct the issues with water flow that keep the engine too cool (aka Thermo-Bob). All relatively easy to do (except drilling out the old sub-frame attachment points. Another insanely reliable range of models are the early BMW K bikes (especially K75 - K1100). They beat 200,000 miles with stunning regularity. I'd put Honda Gold Wings, Honda ST1100 / 1300 and any FJR Yamaha in the same category.
     
  17. beemerphile

    beemerphile Friend

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    Since I like to ride long distance, I have always carried extra fuel on the bike. I have spent the last few weeks building an auxiliary fuel cell for my BMW R1200GS. I used to carry extra fuel in a 1.75 gallon RotoPax can...

    [​IMG]

    But since I hate to stop, I decided to resurrect a 5 gallon Summit Racing aluminum fuel cell that I had on an earlier bike. The rear luggage area on this bike was a molded plastic affair, so I removed it and built a proper all aluminum rear rack mounted to the frame at hardpoints. I now have 10 gallons of fuel piped in and 460 miles endurance before I am demoted to pedestrian.

    [​IMG]
     
  18. auri

    auri Facebook Friend

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    What he said. The only thing I haven't done is the ThermoBob, it's been on the list forever.

    In terms of more modern bikes I'd put the VStrom 650 down. You're not gonna get AK47 reliability and simplicity out of any modern bike with ABS, electronic gizmos and/or a shaft drive, but the Strom is as good as it gets. If it's not AS reliable as some mentioned, then any issue that might arise is as well documented and sussed-out as you can get. Kind of like a GS but without the final drive pains.

    A while ago I read a post on advrider by a guy who had his Yamaha Super Tenere with 100k went over top to bottom by Yamaha of Germany. Pretty impressive results. It's here, but all the pics are dead -> http://advrider.com/index.php?threa...miles-around-the-world.1125886/#post-28775641

    Love the auxiliary fuel tank. That's awesome.
     
  19. beemerphile

    beemerphile Friend

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    I must lead a charmed life. With 41 years and over 500,000 miles on BMW's I have never had a final drive issue. I have driven them to crazy places and never came home in a truck.

    (same tank on a different bike)

    Prudhoe Bay, AK

    [​IMG]

    Dalton Highway, AK

    [​IMG]

    Dempster Highway, Yukon and Northwest Territories, Canada

    [​IMG]

    I might add that my 41 year old R75 is still in the family and going strong on its original driveline...

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2017
  20. TwoEars

    TwoEars Friend

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    @beemerphile Are you one of those "Iron Ass" riders I keep hearing about?

    Also - BMW seems to be launching another 1200 GS Rallye.
    [​IMG]
    Of course... I'm not really sold on the idea of a 400 lbs, liquid cooled 1200cc off-road bike covered in expensive plastic, fancy electronics and with the cylinders sticking out its sides. But if one treats it as an allround tourer with a nice color scheme it makes a lot more sense, and I suspect that's what 99% of the buyers will do.
     

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