simple. because it can out accelerate, turn, brake, etc etc... pretty much anything on the road and still cost less than 10k. ALSO, its warranteed until 2011/unlimited mileage. Now throw in fun factor, and the thrill i get from riding it. I never got that from a cruiser... motards offer some appeal too, but for longer rides, especially when theres the likelihood of having to go over 60 mph for a sustained time, i'll just stick with my zx-10r.
I can't blame you for creating this thread...to me there is nothing whatsoever appealing about a Harley Davidson...they burn oil, make more noise than horsepower, and cost twice as much as they should. Not to mention, Harley guys typically refuse to wave at anyone else on the road, further reciprocating their intent to take the sport of out riding. Then again that's my personal opinion.
I learned to ride a couple years ago on my buddy's HD Fatboy, then proceeded to purchase a used Ducati Monster. He was pissed, expecting me to get a matching Harley so we could cruise together. I sold that bike 9 months later and got a 2008 Ducati 1098. A few months ago, I found a great deal on a 2002 Honda RC51 and added that to my garage. My buddy barely speaks to me now!! For sure he won't ride with me.... I just can't get passionate about overweight, overloud, underpowered hard-to-handle bikes. I simply don't get the appeal. I ride a bike because I want the ultimate road experience, bar none. That will only happen on a sport bike. My .02 Greg
If you don't like sportbikes there are tons of "standards" or "naked" bikes that reminiscent of bikes of the 60's and 70's. and these actually accelerate, turn and stop. All of the offerings from the "Motor Company" are just tanks that don't do any of the above. I went to a Ducati Monster after 10 years of riding that started on a Honda Shadow and then a Ducati 900 SS to a Ducati 748. After a trip from Cleveland OH to Ocean City MD on the Shadow my tail bone was killing me. The arms and feet forward position put all of the pressure on my tail bone with no way to reposition. The 900 was great but I totaled it before I really got to put alot of miles on it. Now the 748 was not comfortable but the riding postion let me slide forward or back to change the pressure on my butt or my wrists which let me get more miles down without stopping. It was not unusual to get 120-130 miles on the freeway before I HAD to stop. The Shadow was 100 and done. That being said I would not ride it on short trips in town due to the ergos and heat in your seat in stop and go traffic. It was really only ridden on 500 mile loops to Southern Ohio to the twistie roads, 5-6 trips a year. That is why I sold it for the Monster, much more comfortable on the freeway but still capable in the twisty bits. Cruisers just aren't comfortable for me. Baggers are different and another conversation. Greg- Sorry your buddy abandoned you. It's part of the "lifestyle". Also, I love when the HD guys tell me it's not about going fast. Really then why is the Screamin' Eagle catalog the size of the NYC phone book? It's about going to the bar and making alot of noise when you leave. You guys have a beer I'm going riding.
You're kidding, right? It's a race replica bike, from the early 2000s. Didn't Hayden and Edwards win championships on them? My RC51 is more flickable than my 1098. It feels lighter, even though I don't think it is. The Ducati still has more power though, much more immediate hit than the RC. Also twice the brakes of the RC. Greg
LOVE this, so true! I just saw this dude near my house on this ridiculously loud HD with ape hangers. How the heck do you turn a bike with those things?? Much less ride for any length of time? Just don't get it..... Greg
Nicky Hayden wouldn't be in MotoGP if he didn't know how to fling that RC around the track...he rode better then than he does now (*save 2007). I've also had RC51 and 848 and I would much prefer the RC in a straight line or through a turn. The 848 sure looks better though I'll give it that!
To quote one of the great poets of our time. "That's like saying, Why are trees good? Why is a sunset good? Why are boobs good?" Joe Dirt
rc-51's are heavy pigs... slow, heavy, etc etc by todays standards. Still great bikes, but not what id consider to be in the top 10 percentile of flickable powerhouses.
This may be true, but you can't say they aren't sport bikes. Compared to my 1098, the power and braking are way down, but I personally think the handling is pretty good. Night and day as compared to a cruiser/touring bike, obviously.. Greg
Relax dude, its a joke. Thought it was obvious, but apparently not. I've had over 5 RC's myself....love em. Best bike for its time, but its going to fall behind the times when there is virtually no R&D placed into that bike during its lifetime. For a one shot wonder it can still hang with most modern bikes with a few mods. If only Honda had been improving the bike since their last tweak in 02 who knows how great this bike could be today. Ironically though the RC takes a back seat to your duck even though you came out defending it. Still a super fun bike for cheap. Oh, and you may want to double check for something wrong with the brake system on the RC cause it has one of the best oem brake systems to this day. I've ridden both bikes and the RC still has the better brakes stock to stock. Add some HRC hard bite pads or some SRJL-17's along with new fluid and some SS lines and you'd be hard pressed to find a bike that has more stopping power. Toss in a radial master and radial calipers for better feel and forget about it.
Sorry Varium, no smiley face, so I assumed you were serious! The main issue with my RC's brakes are with the rear. It's almost non-existent. Perhaps I need to bleed the rear. Maybe try better pads too. I do have an '02 SP2. Maybe I'm just spoiled my the 1098's otherworldly brakes. You think the RC's brakes are better than the 1098's? Hmmm.... I bought the Rc with 8,500 miles, the pads have lots of life left in them, maybe I just need to bleed both systems... Greg
who really uses the rear brake? lol. the best STOPPING bike I ever had was my 05 636 with steal braided lines and ebc hh pads... it could stop a train.
Somebody with a lot of skill if they are really using them, except for really iffy tarmac conditions or on soil/gravel. Kieth Code doesn't want people touching the rear brake until level 4......in most cases, no skillset in rear brake use leads to trouble in his classes.
For sure, too much rear brake can mess you up real bad. I use both brakes in most situations. Under a very hard panic stop the rear tire is in the air anyway so it's not needed in that situation. Greg
Well without inspecting in person a can't say for sure what the issues are, but i'd start with a complete re-bleed with new fluid. Don't forget that even a little moisture in the system can make a noticeable difference in performance. If its been over 2 years since the fluid has been changed then you'll need to change it out....even if it looks ok in the cup. While you are at it pull the pads and make sure they aren't glazed. If they are then take some 80-120 grit sand paper or emory cloth to it to scuff them up again. If the rotor surfaces look like they have spots on them or look glazed/glossy you need to scuff them as well. Also, with the pads out of the caliper you'll want to pump the brake master to push the caliper pistons out of their recess. Don't push them all the way out but you can go as far as removing the caliper and then pumping the master until the pads touch each other. Once you remove the pads then you can pump a few more times. Use some brake cleaner to get all the brake dust from the sides of the pistons and the rest of the underside of the calipers. Carefully push the pistons back enough to get the pads back in. With clean fresh fluid, clean calipers, and proper pads & rotor condition you should feel your RC brakes are just as good if not better than the ducs. That is if they are stock to stock....apples to apples. Do the same for the rear as well. You'll obviously not have the clamping force the front has, but you should be able to pull a bike down from 20mph to a stop fairly quickly on the rear brake alone.
With a sports bike, proper trail braking with both the front and the rear brake is essential to get the best line around a curve...at least at speed
Varium, Great advice, I'm gonna do that procedure Saturday. Franklin, Agreed, both brakes will carve a line better. There's a reason why manufacturers include a rear brake. Keith Code probably advised against it for newbies to prevent catastrophe. Greg
I'd bet 90% of the people on this forum who ride, dont save much time by using their rear brakes on a track... and for street riding, who cares about holding the best line. The street is no place to learn how to "go fast" Just my opinion.... and yea... theres a reason why the rear brake isnt really discussed or advised until level 4 with keith code.... but what does he know? lol.
My rear never gets used unless I need to fix my gloves or something at a red light. I am starting to tail brake a bit more lately. I would like to take a school like Freddie Spencer's and learn to be a bit more comfortable with it. Freddie's school isn't around anymore but the people who ran it are with another outfit. Other than Keith Code's school have any of you done any of the premier schools?
Only Star School with the Pridmores and 4 levels of Code. Have friends that did F. Spencer's school with Nick Ienatsch and spoke highly of it, but Honda jerked their bikes and the school shut down.....I won't say any more about that. I talked to Doug Polen's brother yesterday and apparently, he is travelling around doing schools at various tracks where he is giving a high level of personal attention to students, but I don't know much more about it. Doug is currently living in Socal. Kevin Schwantz is doing schools affiliated with multiple mfr's these days out of Barber and you can hardly go wrong with him. Local talent Ty Howard is now working with Skip Barber at his motorcycle school at Laguna Seca, from rumors I heard recently. He has a school with a Texas based track day company (Ride Smart) providing low student count personal attention with riders, and I did that class with him, but it was not that illuminating for me at the time as a novice level club racer..... I started road racing when I was in my late 40's and quit for the last 4 years due to business requirements that prevented competitive motorsports. I plan to return next year in club level and perhaps AHRMA racing, and I may run a WERA team, too, with a rider I have worked with in the past.
I pretty much only use the rear to keep the front down coming out of corners or if its raining. I actually want to switch to a thumb shifter shortly. I have never been comfortable using my right leg on the brake anyway. I'm simply not good enough to really effectively use the rear for any other uses at this point though.
hmmmmm... the only time I've ever used my rear brake at any kind of quick pace on the track is for a little bit of wheelie control over Turn 9 at T-Hlil, Turn 6 at Big Willow and on the wheelie bump at Buttonwillow. And then just the lightest of touches to keep the front end on the ground as you crest the humps under hard acceleration. Few of the faster guys I know use their rear brakes (top AFM racers) - note: I am most certainly NOT one of the fast AFM racers. I'm a mid-field punter out there hanging on for dear life and having fun going fast. I guess thats just my style of riding.... YMMV. If you have a bike or style to can use rear brake to help you set up your line, have at it. I've just never known anyone that used it successfully.
