The Unofficial Motorcycle Thread!

[DonTom]

Under 30 days until I pick up my new-to-me classic.

Post a photo here when you have it.

I will most likely get my Energica Experia in the next few weeks. There are at least some in CA already.

Below was the first one to arrive in the USA. Photo taken in Pacifica, CA about 133 miles west of here.



-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Old_Crow]

Post a photo here when you have it.

I will most likely get my Energica Experia in the next few weeks. There are at least some in CA already.

Below was the first one to arrive in the USA. Photo taken in Pacifica, CA about 133 miles west of here.

View attachment 160047

-Don- Auburn, CA

Not a scenic pic at all, because it was 31 degrees, threatening to snow, and after watching the drivers in Albuquerque I had no desire to ride it right then, but here it is.

 

[DonTom]

Seven Experias were in the Enegica Shop in South San Francisco this week. Five now, as a couple from Florida picked up their two and are now riding them back home to Florida. They must have made special arraignments with the service shop in SSF.

One of those five left is probably mine as they are going by the order dates and I ordered mine in the first few minutes possible and paid my 3K$ deposit the next day to A&S Powersports in Roseville, CA. Not far from here, about 18 miles. And is 112 miles from SSF.

At the latest, I will have mine in January. But could be any day now. This again will delay the RV trip I was going to go on. They are now shipping 25 bikes at a time to the USA, but not all of them are Experias. There are also orders for other Energicas. But many canceled their order for the other models when the Experia was announced. Since they could have ordered well before June 1, I am not sure if they will get their Experias first or not.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Ray-IN]

I've had several ordinary motorcycles,but my favorite was a 1969 Harly Davidson metallic blue Sportster XLCH. It was the first motorcycle I ever saw that did not have a kickstarter, electric start only. I'm biased, but it was fast and quick.

 

[CityGuy]

Guzzi fan here. Had an 89 Cal III big valve. Air box had been removed. I gave up trying to get all three phases of those 40mm Delorto's right with more needles, jets, and slides than the local dealer. Have an eV11 parked needing wiring work. Pity. Excellent drive train. Right now I've got the 06 Indian Roadmaster. Its predecessor was a "BMW K1200LT. When removing from a trailer, make sure the trailer is connected to the car.

 

[CityGuy]

2006 Yamaha V-Star 650. Here's a couple of photos tent camping. That was my last x-country bike trip. Got cut off 3 times.

The third time was a Karen in a big white Escalade on her cell phone. I had to lay the bike down to get stopped. I doubt she ever saw me as she just turned in front of me and kept on driving.

I only ride local now. 90% of the time this bike is also my toad.

View attachment 148698View attachment 148699View attachment 148700
View attachment 148702

I briefly had an 1100. It had mellow-in-town not-too-loud aftermarket pipes. Rode it non-stop from Round Rock, TX, to Pensacola. Like having a very energetic bumblebee in my helmet the whole time. Rather quickly sold it and went on to a Suzuki V-Strom 1000, which I wish I still had. The Star was an excellent bike, very good if not outstanding in every aspect. On the other hand it was a Styrofoam cup--I saw myself coming and going everywhere I went.

 

[CityGuy]

These are my three favorite bikes. I learned how to ride on the 250. The V65 was an 1100 that went 0 to 110 in about 5 seconds, I had it for eight years, I'm surprised I lived (my wife loved it). I bought the KLR650 which is my current bike because the V65 was just too fast. Going 145 is crazy.

Probably my favorite bike of all time is the 60s DT1. That bike would make an average dirt rider look good. Have had periods of lust for a V65, but they faded along with my fantasies of an Italian mistress.

 

[CityGuy]

Thought I might post my ride on the Tail of the Dragon (318 curves in 11 miles) on my way home from Daytona in October 2018. If you’ve not done it I highly recommend it.(I rode like the old fart that I am. At 10:50 a mini van passes me )

Tail of the Dragon 2018

Shared using GoPro

gopro.com

Every motorcyclist ought to do the Dragon -- once. Not on a weekend. It's suicidal then. And don't order the sausage at the restaurant. Worse than the sole of a pig farmer's boot. Order your eggs hard or you'll get em warm and raw.

 

[Ex-Calif]

I briefly had an 1100. It had mellow-in-town not-too-loud aftermarket pipes. Rode it non-stop from Round Rock, TX, to Pensacola. Like having a very energetic bumblebee in my helmet the whole time. Rather quickly sold it and went on to a Suzuki V-Strom 1000, which I wish I still had. The Star was an excellent bike, very good if not outstanding in every aspect. On the other hand it was a Styrofoam cup--I saw myself coming and going everywhere I went.

My kid liked my V-Star so much he bought an 1100. I have always been conservative in my displacement with bikes. I often wish I had bought the bigger engine.

Even my dirt bike was a 175cc Suzuki enduro. Not too sporty for a fat boy like me. The good news I stayed out of trouble and have never busted anything.

My kid and I did a but of touring around Florida this year although we haven't found any really great twisty rides so far. I get bored with 60 miles of straight...

He's dechromed his and removed the fairings.

 

[Krazeehorse33]

Ray, I thought the XLCH was the kickstart model, Competition Hot. And they were quick.

 

[CityGuy]

I am the slowest rider of all I know in sharp twisties. But when my buddies were racing down very windy Monitor Pass (and George is 79 years old!) I was enjoying the very nice scenery down Monitor Pass. We have a spot to meet again right next to Hwy 395 at the bottom. But their wait for me is never more than a few minutes. I ride a bit chicken, as I have seen deer, foxes and coyotes cross the road up there with no advance warning. And for those who think coyotes are smart, you have never watched one cross a busy road! Darwin takes care of much of it, luck gets the others across, certainly not their brains!

I wouldn't want to hit any of them at a high speed--if it cannot be avoided completely.

I am 72, of the riders I know, I am one of the youngest and slowest!

-Don- Reno, NV

My Princeton student son and I rode every mile of the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway together. He was on a souped up Yamana Seca 750 and I was on a mostly stock Suzuki GS850. I have since intended to make the same ride at sane speeds so I could look at more than the pavement ahead. Todd was a cross-country runner, I was a couch potato. He was folded up on the Seca like a grasshopper in an acorn shell. I had the banana peel seat and foot pegs on the crash bars and could move all around. At the end of the day he was gray with fatigue and I still had gas in my tank -- and don't think I didn't razz him about it.

 

[CityGuy]

My kid liked my V-Star so much he bought an 1100. I have always been conservative in my displacement with bikes. I often wish I had bought the bigger engine.

Even my dirt bike was a 175cc Suzuki enduro. Not too sporty for a fat boy like me. The good news I stayed out of trouble and have never busted anything.

My kid and I did a but of touring around Florida this year although we haven't found any really great twisty rides so far. I get bored with 60 miles of straight...

He's dechromed his and removed the fairings.

You must have traveled US19 below Perry . . . .

 

[CityGuy]

Buy a convertible Gary. Best of both worlds. Ride in the wind. Put the top up if it rains, gets too cold, gets too hot....

Slingshot?

 

[57FordGuy]

Nothing special, but what I can handle. Suzuki Burgman 650.

 

[CityGuy]

Nothing special, but what I can handle. Suzuki Burgman 650.

That's the perfect dinghy. If I could work a reasonable trade for one, I would.

 

[Ex-Calif]

You must have traveled US19 below Perry . . . .

From Live Oak everything is pretty much straight. 51, 129, 49 - yawn...

We started trailering the bikes to a start point. Steinhatchee for a drop off, the coast past Fish Creek with a lunch stop, up to perry, across to Salem and south back to Steinhatchee. That was kinda fun.

We also trailered to near Jax and rode the coast down to St. Augustine.

Next year we might trailer up to Tail of the Dragon. We've both done it in cars but not on bikes.

Here's my YouTube in the MG. Averaged 45 mph. I coulda gone faster on the straights but I was told that double the speed limit gets your car towed so I didn't want to go above like 60 on the many short straights.

Leading into the twisties a Beamer passed me at like 70. About 2:30 in Barney pulls out to get the beamer. I was pretty confident after that there wouldn't be any more Barneys - LOL...

ToD in an MGB

 

[CityGuy]

From Live Oak everything is pretty much straight. 51, 129, 49 - yawn...

We started trailering the bikes to a start point. Steinhatchee for a drop off, the coast past Fish Creek with a lunch stop, up to perry, across to Salem and south back to Steinhatchee. That was kinda fun.

We also trailered to near Jax and rode the coast down to St. Augustine.

Next year we might trailer up to Tail of the Dragon. We've both done it in cars but not on bikes.

Here's my YouTube in the MG. Averaged 45 mph. I coulda gone faster on the straights but I was told that double the speed limit gets your car towed so I didn't want to go above like 60 on the many short straights.

Leading into the twisties a Beamer passed me at like 70. About 2:30 in Barney pulls out to get the beamer. I was pretty confident after that there wouldn't be any more Barneys - LOL...

ToD in an MGB

Thank you for that! One or two of those curves I distinctly remember. Either you've been driving that car a long time or you're a natural. I didn't hear or see a single OhShit! MGB? Big step between 3rd and 4th, it seems.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Thank you for that! One or two of those curves I distinctly remember. Either you've been driving that car a long time or you're a natural. I didn't hear or see a single OhShit! MGB? Big step between 3rd and 4th, it seems.

The 1800 in the MGB is a revving fool and many folks don't run it to capacity. I think it's a 6,000 redline.

That whole trip was 2nd & 3rd. Probably hitting 50 or so on most straights @ around 3,800 RPM.

I've worked on the car quite a bit. There is only about 3" of ground clearance at the front cross member. It's currently laid up for my "once in a lifetime" build. I'm done driving fast on the road. I want to build something for track days.

Here's a lap around mid-Ohio - super slow but anyone who displayed their classic car got to do a parade lap. I really wanted to let loose - I even gave the van and the yellow car a big lead leading into the China Beach area but they slowed way down - LOL...

Mid-Ohio

I also have an MGB-GT - I went to the classic car races at Put-In-Bay and anyone with a classic got several track laps including a pretty high speed tour of the original street course that runs through the waterfront. It was fun going 60+ in a 25 zone.

This vid is a bit buzzie as my mount was a bit messed up. I had some random stranger in the car for a ride along.

Put In Bay Lap

Enough car stuff or the bike guys will get mad - LOL...

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

The 1800 in the MGB is a revving fool
...
Enough car stuff or the bike guys will get mad - LOL...

1800cc...could be a motorcycle...

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[CityGuy]

The 1800 in the MGB is a revving fool and many folks don't run it to capacity. I think it's a 6,000 redline.

That whole trip was 2nd & 3rd. Probably hitting 50 or so on most straights @ around 3,800 RPM.

I've worked on the car quite a bit. There is only about 3" of ground clearance at the front cross member. It's currently laid up for my "once in a lifetime" build. I'm done driving fast on the road. I want to build something for track days.

Here's a lap around mid-Ohio - super slow but anyone who displayed their classic car got to do a parade lap. I really wanted to let loose - I even gave the van and the yellow car a big lead leading into the China Beach area but they slowed way down - LOL...

Mid-Ohio

I also have an MGB-GT - I went to the classic car races at Put-In-Bay and anyone with a classic got several track laps including a pretty high speed tour of the original street course that runs through the waterfront. It was fun going 60+ in a 25 zone.

This vid is a bit buzzie as my mount was a bit messed up. I had some random stranger in the car for a ride along.

Put In Bay Lap

Enough car stuff or the bike guys will get mad - LOL...

If that was a TR-3 ahead of you (almost?) I had one just like it -- '58, yellow, black interior, white top/curtains/knock-off wheels.