Baby Boomer Motorcycle Deaths

I have been riding motorcycles since 1969 and curently have 4 harleys. I have seen a big change in the type of rider. Many of the new guys never rode before and now decide to be easy rider. I agree that I think if you start yung that your body learns easier. Also the traffic is at least 4 times heavier than in 1970. Everybody has a car and a family of four has 4 cars instead of one or maybe 2 back then. Harley made 36k bikes worldwide productiion in 1986 and will make 400k this year. That's another reason. The old live to ride, ride to live guys are nearly gone and it's a new breed who can afford a 25k bike. Most guys who ride harleys drink and drive.

 

Anybody who hates Harleys is someone who never gave them a chace. They are just fun and that's the deal.

 

they are fun, yes. But you get a better handling, better performing, better all around bike when you get a honda Shadow for a fraction of the price. The New Guys are keeping those unattainable prices sky high. and you are right the Live to Ride are a rare breed to day.

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Dick Doc the 999 is a LOT of bike. OMG it has been a while since i have swung a leg over anything this quick.

 

I bet it is.

Unfortumately...


Bangle is to BMW

as

Terblance is to Ducati.


Tamburini is the master, long live MV.

 

Hubert - you'll note I have referred to racing pedigree thru and thru. Not technological innovations or advancements in and of themselves. What advanced the other marques was "how do we beat *Harley on 2 wheels*|*Ferrari on 4 wheels*?"

 

Or wives...

 

I've ridden bikes since I was 22, and currently have a Superblackbird.

Am now 35 and have never had an accident, the secret of my success it to ride slow, except for the wide straight bits.

 

I owned a 916 and loved it. You just have to go 140mph on the straights or 70mph in the twisties to enjoy it fully. A Harley if fun at 60mph on the straights and won't go 70 on the twisties.

 

Good job! when does it come in? what color? I'm surprised they don't have them in stock.


BTW, the MV service is a problem, when I had mine, I took it to Birmingham which is ~250 miles or so. Not very convenient!


Edit; BTW, I'd still rather have a 1995 900SS rather than a 2000 900SS by a country mile.

 

hell is the period of time inbetween the down payment and when you get the bike. congrats.... I have still not warmed up to the new look, but you dont look at it when you ride it though, and they feel good on the road. I will continue to get picked on and passed by others with my old 916. I parked next to a mv f4 last night and it was hot.

 

Still adapting riding position to the 999


Very comfortable

biggest problem is keeping it in the vicinity of the speed limit..Digital speedo is out of line of sight. AND keeping it in the area of speedlimit is very hard YAJUSTWANNA open it up...

 

I have only been on a 999 once, and it was fast. at least coming from my 916. post pics of your new toy.

 

I've had my TR since 2001. Great touring car, reasonable cornering, ~400 crank hp with a Tubi... now move ahead to this past summer. I spotted a Suzuki 650 V-Strom getting on a ferry while visiting in Seattle... feel in love with the look of the bike and within 2 months I had one. 2000 miles later I got a SV1000S, 4000 miles later and I'm sitting here in my shop putting the first coat of wax on my 2005 Hayabusa. What an absolutely amazing bike. 158+ rear wheel horsepower and a flat torque curve. This thing feels like it has an electric motor. I've only put 300 miles on it and during the break in period you are not to exceed 5500 rpm. That translates into something like 90 mph in 6th gear. I doubt I will do the mods to allow mine to exceed the ~185 mph top speed that the bike is limited to... what for? The bike is a well balanced, incredible in the corners (for a 525 lb bike) , the throttle feels like it has micrometer precision. I don't think I've ever had this much fun. Cornering takes so much concentration and focus that a good ride in the twisties will leave you exhausted.

Probably the hardest thing to come to grips with is the expense of all the body armor that is really necessary. Full leathers, gauntlet gloves, hard body armor, protective boots, carbon fiber helmet... and you still have a 4:1 greater chance of death in an accident than in any car.

Ride safe!
Steve
1988.5 Testarossa, black, all black
1972 Chevron B20 FB Cosworth BDD
2004 Suzuki DL650
2003 Suzuki SV1000S, copper
2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, blue/silver

 

I was 26 and purchased my very first bike/organ donor bike. A 1990 ZX-7 The next year with minimal time I purchased a 1991 GSXR-1100. I then proceeded to lose the ZX-7 (at night) while very easily moving over to the inside shoulder of the freeway. I did not know to look down and judge the elevated shoulder some moron decided to install on the inside shoulder of the freeway. This was not a temporary elevated shoulder. It was designed that way. It was about an 1" / 1 1/2" elevated from the main lanes. Not a drop of blood. I always wear correct clothing and a good helmut. I got married and gave up riding.

Year 2000 I could take it no more ! Like Ryan (LaFun2) I fell for the Ducati 748 Yellow mono. FbF chip, & Term c/f cans.

I then read in a magazine how the Hayabusa (a beautiful bike) was going to be castrated (electronically) in 2001. I ran (I did not walk) to find any dealer who still had one in the crate. I found a dealer in Louisiana that had over ten in the crate. I got one from the last month of production with no restrictions and the 220mph speedometer. That speedo is good for the ego.


Anyway 4 organ donor bikes later, no license, no motorcycle course. - I am still alive. I still have the fastest one. + all the motorcycle stories from the early 1990's. There were some good stories.

 

I used to have a '95 900SS with high compression pistons, stage two jet kit and carbon fiber pipes.

Scott

 

I was in Rome a few years ago, and amongst all the Vespa and Vespa-clones came 2 900SSs with their exhaust rumble reverberating off the brick street and stuccoed buildings. I'll never forget that moment. Motorcycle heaven.

 

I never saw a Ducati when I was in Rome but I did see a red 748 in Paris last year on vacation parked on the sidewalk with a cathedral in the background. Needless to say, I took a picture.

Scott

 

Yeah, I was surprised, the only 2 Ducks I saw in Italy, strange.

 

I have a 02 998 and would consider a new MV, they are a work of art. The problem is there is no MV dealers or distributors in the great white north. I get a woody everytime I see a picture of one.

 

i've still got the Harris Ducati that I won the last championship on. 271# w/gas, etc. 97HP at the rear wheel. Would destroy the 4 valves up to about 100 mph, and was much quicker into and out of the corners.

I tried the 916, when they came out, not the street version, but a semi works unit, but it wasn't much quicker than what I had, and the power delivery caused more wheel spin that I wanted to deal with. Haven't ridden a street version, but sooner or later I'll do that.

I've got the 77 Truimph that I use for the street. Makes 70HP at the rear wheel, with modified frame, etc. Works just fine in dealing with kids on the Hondas, etc.

Art