One addiction I cannot seem to quit

zarrdoss

I got this Friday to replace my CBR 1000F, I like this one better so far, it’s lighter and in better shape. I have been riding since I was 8 (dirt bikes at first) and ounce it gets in your blood its hard to stop. I sold my other bike a few days before purchasing this one. I wanted to stop riding altogether but Immediately I starting feeling not complete and started looking for another bike. I have had one serious accident that resulted in an ambulance ride to the emergency room where I got a concussion and lost my memory of the prior two weeks but it was not enough to stop this addiction. BTW I don’t ride like an idiot. I have had all kinds of bikes, even a Harley, but I keep coming back to these damn things. For some reason. Any other motorcycle junkies? Post yer pics. Thanks.

http://s651.photobucket.com/albums/uu237/zarrdoss/Toys/?action=view&current=IMG_0896.jpg

WilliamM2

I've been riding since I was 8 or so, and have always had a streetbike since getting my license at 16. I've stuck with this one for quite some time, Kawasaki ZX-11. I'm sure I've posted this before.

zarrdoss

NICE! I have always like the Ninja's espically yours, I was thinking about putting the money down on a Ninja 1400, but I just dont want to spend that kind of money right now.

WilliamM2 wrote: »

I've been riding since I was 8 or so, and have always had a streetbike since getting my license at 16. I've stuck with this one for quite some time, Kawasaki ZX-11. I'm sure I've posted this before.

nadams

I really want a bigger bike, but I'm smart enough to keep my 400cc for now, 'til I get absolutely comfortable with it. I've only been riding for a year, so I want to give it another one or two. And for a $500 bike, I'm VERY comfortable that I'm not going to destroy a bike that's worth more than my truck.



I'm in the middle of rebuilding the carbs, and at the end of last season, I stripped one of the chain pullers, which are no longer available. So now I need to drill and tap the chain puller to get it ready for spring. Still too cold to ride, though we have had a day or two already that I would've taken it out, still having to be cautious of gravel and salt on the roads.

metal83

I'm not much for the street bikes, but i would love to get a Harley.
I'm going to wait until my truck is paid off first though.

ben62670

It was easy for me. I have two beautiful girls that love their Daddy. I have only hit 165 a few times. I would like to see 200 once in a more controlled legal environment.

BlueFox

WilliamM2 wrote: »

I've been riding since I was 8 or so, and have always had a streetbike since getting my license at 16. I've stuck with this one for quite some time, Kawasaki ZX-11. I'm sure I've posted this before.

Is that a 91 model? Looks like the one I used to have. I was just thinking of it earlier today. I weigh 200lbs and that thing moved as if I was not even on it.

WilliamM2

BlueFox wrote: »

Is that a 91 model? Looks like the one I used to have. I was just thinking of it earlier today. I weigh 200lbs and that thing moved as if I was not even on it.

It's a 1993 ZX-11D. Quite a bit different than the 1991 ZX-11C, same engine though.

ben62670

Where are you Bill?

billbillw

ben62670 wrote: »

Where are you Bill?

You talking to me?

Yeah, I love motorcycles, but I've only had a couple bikes in all my years. Both were fixer uppers.

1st was a 1973 Kawasaki H1 (500cc triple/2-stroke). I restored that and rode for about 6 years up in Michigan. Never really put that many miles on it. Just short rides in the summer. Don't have any pics of that bike handy. That was long before digital cameras...

2nd bike is what I have now, 2001 Suzuki SV650S. Bought it back in January for cheap. It needed some TLC/maintenance, a handful of parts, and some bodywork. After working on steadily for the last 6 weeks, it is now finally ready for street riding. Hopefully going to get the tag this week.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I like riding motorcycles as much as I like to work on them. I've always had an urge to wrench on things and I'd much rather work on a motorcycle than a car.

Zarrdoss, what year is that RR? 1992-1994? Looks pretty clean for that age. That thing only weighs about 40lbs more than my 650, but has at least double the horsepower. My SV is torquey and pulls strong down low, but it just doesn't have that high rpm pull like the I-4 bikes. With the SV, there isn't much sense in going beyond 9k rpm even though the redline is 10,500.



Here are a few pics of the bike finally ready:

nadams

Beautiful bike, Bill! Doesn't look all that comfy, tho.

WilliamM2

metal83 wrote: »

I'm not much for the street bikes, but i would love to get a Harley.

Harley is making dirt bikes again?

WilliamM2

ben62670 wrote: »

It was easy for me. I have two beautiful girls that love their Daddy.

Comments like this always confuse me. Do you also avoid driving cars? I've lost a total of 6 friends and family members to auto accidents, none to bike accidents.

billbillw

nadams wrote: »

Beautiful bike, Bill! Doesn't look all that comfy, tho.

Comfy as compared to what? A Goldwing? No. But it is easier on your body than a GSXR, CBR, ZX, or YZF. This bike is basically a standard bike (base SV650) with clip-ons handle bars and a 1/2 fairing, so the riding position is only slightly forward, which takes pressure off your lower back. It would be comparable to a Honda VFR for riding position.

billbillw

WilliamM2 wrote: »

Comments like this always confuse me. Do you also avoid driving cars? I've lost a total of 6 friends and family members to auto accidents, none to bike accidents.

Well, based on what Ben has said in the past, he lacks self control when he gets on a bike. Even if he did have good self control, motorcycles will always be more dangerous than a car.

The reason you have lost more friends/family to car accidents is the amount of miles driven. I'm guessing that your friends/family drive 1000 miles in their cars for every mile on a motorcycle.

tonyb

.....and here I thought this was going to be a "sex addict" thread.Damn,you guys are letting me down.

nadams

billbillw wrote: »

Comfy as compared to what? A Goldwing? No. But it is easier on your body than a GSXR, CBR, ZX, or YZF. This bike is basically a standard bike (base SV650) with clip-ons handle bars and a 1/2 fairing, so the riding position is only slightly forward, which takes pressure off your lower back. It would be comparable to a Honda VFR for riding position.

Truthfully, I've never ridden any of those bikes. I was thinking of going down to my Yamaha dealer and see if they allow test rides. The forward position just doesn't seem like it'd be as comfortable as the upright position that I ride in on my old XS400. But then, that seat gets a bit tiring after an hour, anyway.

Sherardp

My Italian Stallion





Nice bikes to the rest of you guys. Bill I see you have the SV looking all tricked out and good too.

nadams

I also enjoy wrenching on my bike... but usually it's out of necessity. Here's a pic of the bike torn down when I was replacing the triple tree and forks.

Sherardp

nadams wrote: »

I also enjoy wrenching on my bike... but usually it's out of necessity. Here's a pic of the bike torn down when I was replacing the triple tree and forks.

I like your tool box, I have the same one and a 10 drawer.

shadowofnight

I have had lots of friends with every year of of the CBR900RR....nice bikes.

Here is one of my friends CBR after we had just put Two Brothers Racing exhaust...sliders....and jet kits on both of our bikes with maybe a hundred miles on each bike at the time of the picture ( Mine is the R1...and he had just put a single solo fiberglass rear cowl as well...still in black gel coat before he had it custom painted to match )

Ride safe............

nadams

Sherardp wrote: »

I like your tool box, I have the same one and a 10 drawer.

I like it, too . It's the perfect size for what I need. Nice and portable since I don't have an enclosed garage. I keep that black molded plastic case of tools in the truck at all times... the red box stays inside and houses most of my wrenches and specialty tools.

shadowofnight

Sitting here looking at the bike pics I had to post one more ....my friend standing behind his 900RR, he makes it look like one of those 50cc pocket pit bikes. He is only 6'7"...I blocked out his face so he wouldnt complain when I show him I posted this


You can see the single fiberglass rear cowl better in this pic anyways....we mounted LED's for both turning and running/brake lights ( It was a racing cowl and had no cutouts at all for a rear light ) ...it looked really good after mounting the LED's and matching custom paint over that black gelcoat.

Sherardp

I had an R1 the exact same yr/model as yours, totalled it in 2 weeks. T-boned a car that turned in my lane. I was doing about 80 around a curve, nice long sweep too, driver turned I hit doing around 50 or so on impact, thrown over the car's back end, into oncoming traffic. Bike was done, frame cracked, plastic everywhere. I walked away with 3 badly sprained fingers, and a ton of road rash. Talk about blessed. I was wearing a Joe Rocket jacket so I was good, jeans didnt hold up so hence the rash.

dkg999

Joe Rocket makes good stuff! I hate most of the H-D riding clothing, someday they'll value keeping their customers alive!

zarrdoss

You did it absolutly right, I have had some of my friends go out and buy the biggest bike they can for a beginner and either wreck and give it up or have it scare them and give it up, and I would try and tell them get some 500 or so bike at first, and under 500cc. Its like 25 degres today and I cannot wait for the next warm day.

nadams wrote: »

I really want a bigger bike, but I'm smart enough to keep my 400cc for now, 'til I get absolutely comfortable with it. I've only been riding for a year, so I want to give it another one or two. And for a $500 bike, I'm VERY comfortable that I'm not going to destroy a bike that's worth more than my truck.



I'm in the middle of rebuilding the carbs, and at the end of last season, I stripped one of the chain pullers, which are no longer available. So now I need to drill and tap the chain puller to get it ready for spring. Still too cold to ride, though we have had a day or two already that I would've taken it out, still having to be cautious of gravel and salt on the roads.

zarrdoss

I like working on them too, but do like getting out more and riding. Well your bike certainly looks good, I almost got a 1997 tl 1000s instead but just out of my price range. Its a 93 euro model, it's kind of wierd having the display in kilo's per hour and you can turn the lights off. Dry weight of 408 lbs and about 130-140 hp with the exhaust system and jet kit-k&n filter.

billbillw wrote: »

You talking to me?

Yeah, I love motorcycles, but I've only had a couple bikes in all my years. Both were fixer uppers.

1st was a 1973 Kawasaki H1 (500cc triple/2-stroke). I restored that and rode for about 6 years up in Michigan. Never really put that many miles on it. Just short rides in the summer. Don't have any pics of that bike handy. That was long before digital cameras...

2nd bike is what I have now, 2001 Suzuki SV650S. Bought it back in January for cheap. It needed some TLC/maintenance, a handful of parts, and some bodywork. After working on steadily for the last 6 weeks, it is now finally ready for street riding. Hopefully going to get the tag this week.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I like riding motorcycles as much as I like to work on them. I've always had an urge to wrench on things and I'd much rather work on a motorcycle than a car.

Zarrdoss, what year is that RR? 1992-1994? Looks pretty clean for that age. That thing only weighs about 40lbs more than my 650, but has at least double the horsepower. My SV is torquey and pulls strong down low, but it just doesn't have that high rpm pull like the I-4 bikes. With the SV, there isn't much sense in going beyond 9k rpm even though the redline is 10,500.



Here are a few pics of the bike finally ready:

zarrdoss

tonyb wrote: »

.....and here I thought this was going to be a "sex addict" thread.Damn,you guys are letting me down.

well make that two addictions I cannot give up then:)

zarrdoss

Now that is a nice bike sherardp. That guy is freakin huge shadowofnight, also I have always liked the R-1 but never owned.

nadams

zarrdoss- my reasoning, besides the fact that I couldn't afford anything else, was that for the first few years, a $500 400cc bike would keep me under control until I'm skilled enough to handle something bigger. I've only ridden one season, and I was still a little shakey at times at the end. This year, it'll probably feel like I forgot how to ride the first time I go out.

Even for $500, it's an 1983, and only had 4100 miles on it when I got it. Spent most of its life in a barn which is why it looks the way it does. Still, I have just as much fun on it as I would a new bike, and I don't have to worry about laying it down and ruining it. Ruining me, maybe, but not the bike. The only small issue is that I don't have as much pride in it as I would a nice shiney bike. The first few group rides I went on, I was almost ashamed of my poor little rat bike. That quickly passed as the folks I was riding with took me in as one of the guys, and not based on what I ride. Some groups wouldn't do that, so in that respect I'm very fortunate.

zarrdoss

nadams-Too bad were too far away from one another because my girlfriend wants to get into motorcycles and go riding and your bike (when you were ready to go to the next step) would be ideal for her, but you should not have any problems selling when the time comes. I would like to get her what I learned on which was a Honda rebel 250 perfect beginner bike, but even those are a bit spendy now.
You shouldnt really worry to much about what your bike looks like but the rider you have become and take pride in that. But your bike looks fine and that older Yamaha stuff will outlast us. I will ride with anyone on anything, its all about having a good time and being safe.