introduction

 Hi all,

I've been lurking for quite some time and figured I'd post to say
hello.

Short story: rode in 80's, time off, new bike now.

Longer story: back in HS/College started with a scooter, CB550,
Hurricane 600, then Interceptor 500 in that order. Sold the last one
for my first new car. Survived the idiot kid racing down the street
without a helmet days. Yep, that probably was me.

Grad school, wife, house, kids. Sigh.

Couple years ago started looking at jalopy old Sportsters. Planted the
seed with the wife (some things take time). Took the MSF course here in
Chicago. What a friggin' blast- bunch of 30/40 somethings re-entering
the field racing around the little cones. Got to try a couple of
different bikes too- 250 slug cruisers, TW200, Nighthawks. That course
totally changed my mind about wanting a cruiser. I loved the upright
position on the TW. That is a cool little bike. Not enough oomph really
for highway cruising.

Picked up an '88 Honda NX650 dual sport in good shape, needs tires. New
helmet, gloves, mesh/textile jacket. I feel a bit silly with the
armored shoulders in bright blue and all, but what do I care? KWIM?
Taking it very easy in the right lane these days, i.e. everyone's out
to get me!

I'll be putting more like 90/10 road/dirt tires on, and lordalmighty
will I actually be "in" with a somewhat supermotomotard looking
machine? Whatever. Too old to really care! :-) Happy dorky dude putting
along in the right lane. Ha, what a difference from the younger me.

Some observations from the past couple weeks:
*Half the Harley guys wave. All the other riders wave. It gets
tiresome. God bless everybody, but how can you all in warmer climes
*ever* keep 2 hands on the bars! ;-)
*Is it just me, or has driving gotten faster and more competetive over
the years?
*I would drive a Harley if it were half the price they're asking. There
is a big rift between a wannabe renegade badass outlaw biker (LOL) and
every other rider. One of my buds drives a Heritage Softy and sees this
too
*Can't believe the amount of future brain-damaged idiots laying on top
of their bikes flying down the hwy (100mph+) with no protection at all.
Invest in a funeral parlor.
*BIG PROBLEM- all I want to do is ride!

Cheers!

 On 7 Jun 2006 07:04:50 -0700, merlotbrougham@hotmail.com wrote:



Congrats!


Bright colors and conspicuity is really what it's all about.  If
drivers of cars point you out to their passengers and say "Look at
that jerk!" that's idea.  It means they SEE you!


I wave up high, but lots of bikers just drop their left hand off the
bars for a 'low' wave.  In my younger days it was a thumbs-up, but I
haven't seen that in a long time.  You're right, out here in
California, most Harley riders don't wave either.

On mountain roads out here you often come upon other bikers coming the
other way in a tight blind curve.  In that case you don't take your
hands off the bars, you just nod.


Probably just you.  8^)  They do seem to be flying by you awful fast
when you're on a bike, don't they?


I admire Harleys but in the same way I admire tattoos--on other
people.  Nobody would ride a Harley unless it absolutely HAS to be a
Harley.  They aren't all renegade outlaw wannabes, some otherwise
perfectly respectable people are just in love with the Harley style
and image.  I really don't think they're worth the money, though,
especially when you can buy a Japanese 'knock off' that you have to
look twice to see it's not a Harley, and they're half the price and
probably more reliable to boot.


I figure if you go down on the freeway you're dead anyway, so might as
well be doing 100 mph.  Big bikes today are very stable and
comfortable at 100 mph and give one a false sense of security.  Modern
sportbikes ought to be registered as lethal weapons!  Plus most of
them are in the hands of testosterone-poisoned young men who are out
to prove something.


That's a problem?  Enjoy yourself!  You can justify it as building up
your hours.  There's safety in experience.

 On 2006-06-07, blazing laser penned:

I wave, down low as described.  If I notice an oncoming bike, that is.
And I like it if someone returns the wave, but if they don't,
whatever.


Sure.  I hope no one risks their safety or the limits of their
abilities just to get a wave in.

--
monique
newbie rider
'96 bmw r1100r

 merlotbrougham@hotmail.com wrote:

I just bought a new TW200. Love it. Put my chain saw on the back rack,
gas can  in front pack and off to the woods to cut firewood. Beats the
hell out of a 4 wheeler. No trailers etc. Just hop on and go.

My cruiser is a 96 Suzuki 1400  Intruder and that goes nice. Cadillac
compared to the TW.

I'm a wave returner most of the time. If they wave I wave back if my
hand ain't busy.


I don't like protection. Just sun glasses, shorts top and bottom, and no
helmet; they suck unless it's cold and windy. I'm a warm weather rider.



Two ways to improve your life.
1. Turn off the TV.
2. Throw it out the window.

Vlad the Impaler

 <<<   big snip   >>>

<<<  small snip  >>>

Sure sounds like good advice to me!


Leon
Thought for the day:

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943