Motorcycle thread!

[Stephen W.]

Originally Posted by Cephas

I got time for long stories! I was at Indy in 2010... Sat in the T1 grandstand when Pete Lenz was killed. Rough day.

What, the Ducati grandstand on the inside of T1? We were there holding up two of the white boards in the first leg of the "U" in DUCATI.

The long storys will follow at some point.

[JD001]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

Well not to the edge but... as good as I can get it on the street.



That's the IoM '78 Ducati Performance body kit that was designed to commemorate Mike Hailwood's triumphant return to the Island of Man in 1978.



Yes there are. The wife and I have ridden many of them. We try to get down for USDesmo's "Ducks Fly South" Ducati rally each September. The last few years we've had to skip though.

I still have my Mike Hailwood replica Vanson jacket.. Limited run jacket with a Mike Hailwood photo signed by his wife...

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

I thought for sure that I had posted in this thread but... I thought wrong. I won't go into all the bikes I have had, I'll just show the three in our garage now.

I'm impressed your wife and you can ride those bikes. I couldn't ride that style when I was in my 20s, never mind now.

My Honda 919 was about as close as I was able to get and ride with any duration, and it had lifted bars on it.

Pretty much straight standard or touring is it for me. I guess I'm built for comfort not speed.

[thomasmryan]

the 919 is a great machine. I had the matte green version.


from playtime this morning...

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by thomasmryan

the 919 is a great machine. I had the matte green version.

Yea, I loved that bike. A photo of it is in the second post of this thread.

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I'm impressed your wife and you can ride those bikes. I couldn't ride that style when I was in my 20s, never mind now.

My Honda 919 was about as close as I was able to get and ride with any duration, and it had lifted bars on it.

Pretty much straight standard or touring is it for me. I guess I'm built for comfort not speed.

I don't recall your height, but that was always my stumbling block. A good friend owned a Honda/Ducati dealership and I would occasionally try on a Ducati just remind myself that being tall isn't really much of a blessing, certainly not in motorcycling. I could fit on a multistrada and almost bought one, but an inattentive auto driver brought my motorcycling career to a violent end before I could write the check.

My last bikes were an '02 VFR 800, '99 KLR 650 (died in the side of the Tahoe) and an '81 CB900F project bike. I could do 800 mile days on the Viffer (in a pinch - non consecutively) after I installed Bar Risers and Harley footpegs from a model I don't recall (dropped the peg height about an inch). But 350-450/day was manageable for a week or so, at least in 2014.

Seeing all the gorgeous hardware in this thread really makes me wish I still had the riding jones. But, somewhere in the head injury from the crash I lost the desire. It's funny. It's not a visceral fear, I can still hop on a bike and ride without any problems, I just don't seem to really need/want to any longer. The BRZ has become my bike substitute. It and a good stretch of asphalt get close to the rush bikes provided. And I can stay cool, warm, dry, and hydrated much better.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

I don't recall your height, but that was always my stumbling block. A good friend owned a Honda/Ducati dealership and I would occasionally try on a Ducati just remind myself that being tall isn't really much of a blessing, certainly not in motorcycling. I could fit on a multistrada and almost bought one, but an inattentive auto driver brought my motorcycling career to a violent end before I could write the check.
.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum, somewhere between 5'6" and 5'7".

I had a Honda GL650 (the original Silverwing, but not a moped, a 3/4 size Goldwing) that was my all-time favorite bike. I often put 500-600 mile days on it.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

Harley footpegs from a model I don't recall (dropped the peg height about an inch)

Buell footpegs. They are compatible with a lot of other bikes.
*sigh* RIP

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by thomasmryan

the 919 is a great machine. I had the matte green version.


from playtime this morning...

i don't know how you people get any work done in that area. such beautiful scenery everywhere...

[thomasmryan]

Indeed. I enjoy the seasons...and the roads.



Water skiing used to be a hobby then beer became cheaper than marina fuel after Katrina. The 919 was a good substitute that survived me but I gave it away. imho, the best CB Honda ever made.

[Cephas]

Originally Posted by Stephen W.

What, the Ducati grandstand on the inside of T1? We were there holding up two of the white boards in the first leg of the "U" in DUCATI.

The long storys will follow at some point.

Nah I was in the Oval T1 grandstand. I could see you (and the whole T1-T5 complex) from where I sat, though.

[bcj]

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by bcj

That’s even funny with the sound muted, watching the player’s hands and imagining the sound. I’m in a waiting room w/o earbuds.

[thomasmryan]

fall is in the air so getting some miles in before the winter hibernation..