motorcycles

[RockRaines]

I have wanted to buy a bike for a long time. And with living in the city, and the gas prices what they are, I have settled on switching to a motorcycle for most of my travel purposes around my area. I was curious to know what everyone else is riding, and what experiences they can share. I am taking a beginners riding course in two weeks, I am definatley excited.

[Soxy]

I was warned by a psychic to stay away from them. Which was odd because it was a very specific warning. So, no.

 

(Best response ever when I told someone that: Was your psychic a neurologist?)

[Kid Gleason]

Do scooters count? I don't own or ride one, but just seeing what exactly we are talking about.

[RockRaines]

Do scooters count? I don't own or ride one, but just seeing what exactly we are talking about. 

sure, lets include them as well. I need a better way to get around the city and find parking, and my car-jeep and its gas mileage-11mpg is not cutting it.

[LosMediasBlancas]

Try a bicycle, great way to get around and awesome exersize.

[Kid Gleason]

I am pretty sure that as of next year if prices keep going up, I will be using my bike. The problem for me is that the train takes me from Harvard, drops me in Crystal Lake, and then I have a 2-3 mile ride. Not bad, and easy to do. The problem is that right now the train will only be saving me about $40 a month. Now then, I checked that last about a month ago and prices for gas have gone up since then. But I did seriously look into scooters. Problem with them is that few of them (the compact types) don't go over 20 MPH. They also cost a decent amount.

 

Then add into it that we live in the midwest, and in a few months time riding in the elements doesn't really sound like a whole buncha fun.

 

But I agree with you that it is time to find alternatives to driving a car. I might go find me a kiosk and a homeless person.

[southsideirish71]

I have wanted to buy a bike for a long time.  And with living in the city, and the gas prices what they are, I have settled on switching to a motorcycle for most of my travel purposes around my area.  I was curious to know what everyone else is riding, and what experiences they can share.  I am taking a beginners riding course in two weeks, I am definatley excited.

 

If you do get one, remember to wear your protective equipment(helmet and leathers) and be very careful of nutty drivers. I have been around bikes my whole life and every accident I have seen has not been the fault of the motorcyclist but of drivers around them doing stupid things.

 

I rode dirtbikes with my brothers since I can remember and bought a street bike when I turned 21. I rode everyday with my friends and used it as my primary transportation in the summer. I had a few bikes and rode it until I turned 30 when I watched a drunk driver plow into my brother who was riding next to me. It was the middle of an June Sunday at about 2pm and we were up on Higgins near schamburg riding with my friends. My brother went up on the hood of the truck and then flipped off as the truck slowed down. The driver then took off. Once my brother looked to be all right, I took off and got the license plate of the driver. He was arrested and convicted a while later. My brother suffers to this day with degenerative discs in his lower back. He is a late 20's police officer with the back of a 60 year old. The only thing that saved his life was that the truck hit him hard enough were he popped up on the hood. If it was a car he would of popped up higher and then would of been dead. I sold my bike the day after this happened and havent been on a bike since.

 

Gas is expensive, but be very careful.

Edited September 8, 2005 by southsideirish71

[RockRaines]

Try a bicycle, great way to get around and awesome exersize.

i have one, the only problem is theft, and mine is pretty upgraded and I need special shoes to ride it because I use it mainly for mountain trail riding.

[RockRaines]

I am pretty sure that as of next year if prices keep going up, I will be using my bike. The problem for me is that the train takes me from Harvard, drops me in Crystal Lake, and then I have a 2-3 mile ride. Not bad, and easy to do. The problem is that right now the train will only be saving me about $40 a month. Now then, I checked that last about a month ago and prices for gas have gone up since then. But I did seriously look into scooters. Problem with them is that few of them (the compact types) don't go over 20 MPH. They also cost a decent amount.

 

Then add into it that we live in the midwest, and in a few months time riding in the elements doesn't really sound like a whole buncha fun.

 

But I agree with you that it is time to find alternatives to driving a car. I might go find me a kiosk and a homeless person. 

the low end honda and yamaha scotters do up to 60 mph

[southsider2k5]

sure, lets include them as well.  I need a better way to get around the city and find parking, and my car-jeep and its gas mileage-11mpg is not cutting it.

 

Anything but a taxi

 

[shakes first]

 

I hate them so much

[RockRaines]

Anything but a taxi

 

[shakes first]

 

I hate them so much

I dont tip cab drivers, is that bad?? I havent in awhile because they purposely try and milk my money with bad routes etc. I even got into a fistfight with one. (he tried to take offwhile I was getting out of the car). I hate them as well.

[RockRaines]

thanks SSI. Thats the only thing I am worried about. I have ridden scooters for years, and I am always nervous when in a congested area. I only hope to be the slow driver that can adjust during such a time.

[Kid Gleason]

I have been around bikes my whole life and every accident I have seen has not been the fault of the motorcyclist but of drivers around them doing stupid things.

 

I don't know. I agree about most, but I have seen more than my fair share of crotch rocket guys doing REALLY stupid things. Things that would qualify them for Dawin Awards. I hate the crotch rocket guys with that mentality.

[Steff]

I dont tip cab drivers, is that bad?? 

 

 

 

Uh hu.

[RockRaines]

I don't know. I agree about most, but I have seen more than my fair share of crotch rocket guys doing REALLY stupid things. Things that would qualify them for Dawin Awards. I hate the crotch rocket guys with that mentality.

when I was driving through the ATL on my way back ffrom FLA, I saw about 20 of them doing at least 140 down the highway swerving through cars on the highway. This is NOT the type of riding I am planning on doing.

[southsideirish71]

I don't know. I agree about most, but I have seen more than my fair share of crotch rocket guys doing REALLY stupid things. Things that would qualify them for Dawin Awards. I hate the crotch rocket guys with that mentality.

 

 

I have seen some stupid things with people on bikes also. The wacky weaving on the highways. The extreme riding crap where they pop wheelies and try to mimick certain movies about extreme riding. But oddly enough its not that stuff that gets motorcyclists killed. Its the stupid small accidents that usually are fender benders on the road for a car that kill most people on a bike, and the lack of helmets. For the average car its some damage and a trip to the body shop. For a rider it usually ejects them from their bike and then they land without protection.

 

My friends had a pretty good mentality about riding. If we wanted to try extreme stuff, we usually went out to a deserted rural road and did it there. Or we would go to the track and ride on there.

[RockRaines]

Yeah, I plan on just riding around the city, definatley with a helmet. I dont even think I will partake in any highway riding, but who knows. Speed doesnt scare me that much, but I guess we will find out.

 

I AM planning on buying a crotch rocket though, just like them better IMO.

[southsideirish71]

Yeah, I plan on just riding around the city, definatley with a helmet.  I dont even think I will partake in any highway riding, but who knows.  Speed doesnt scare me that much, but I guess we will find out.

 

I AM planning on buying a crotch rocket though, just like them better IMO.

 

 

Crotch rockets are fun as hell. They have so much power, I had a 929RR that was fast as hell.

 

This was my last bike, which I owned for about a year.

 

[Kid Gleason]

Yeah, I plan on just riding around the city, definatley with a helmet.  I dont even think I will partake in any highway riding, but who knows.  Speed doesnt scare me that much, but I guess we will find out.

 

I AM planning on buying a crotch rocket though, just like them better IMO.

 

Speed scares the hell out of me. This is why I rarely go above 70 on any road.

 

My buddy drives a rocket, and he says that next time he will get a regular bike just for the comfort aspect. People on those things do always look uncomfortable to me, much like how I can't understand how one of those crazy loooooong front end choppers are supposed to be comfortable with those HUGE handle bars.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I dont tip cab drivers, is that bad??  I havent in awhile because they purposely try and milk my money with bad routes etc.  I even got into a fistfight with one.  (he tried to take offwhile I was getting out of the car).  I hate them as well.

 

I tip cabbbies up to the next dollar. If the ride was $12.90, tough s***, they get a dime. What am I tipping more for exactly? His job is to drive me to where I ask, if he does that, he's done his job, not above and beyond.

[Queen Prawn]

Go down the dan ryan or I-57 after 10PM. You'll see tons of people on crotch rockets and very few doing the limit or keeping both wheels on the ground. Used to scare the hell out of me when I was going to or coming back from Brain's old job.

[Stocking]

I tip cabbbies up to the next dollar.  If the ride was $12.90, tough s***, they get a dime. What am I tipping more for exactly? His job is to drive me to where I ask, if he does that, he's done his job, not above and beyond.

 

 

good thing to be proud of. And your waitress, her job is to get your food/drinks, if she does that she's done her job, not above and beyond......you stiff her too?

 

:finger

[LosMediasBlancas]

good thing to be proud of. And your waitress, her job is to get your food/drinks, if she does that she's done her job, not above and beyond......you stiff her too?

 

:finger

 

Not proud, just a fact.

Big difference, a waitress a lot of times makes minimum wage, if not below. How much do you think an hour long cab ride costs? $50.00-60.00? Subtract gas money and the fee to rent the cab, they still do ok.

[RockRaines]

Crotch rockets are fun as hell.  They have so much power, I had a 929RR that was fast as hell. 

 

This was my last bike, which I owned for about a year.

 

im looking at the yamaha 600 R6 and the CBR 600RR

 

 

I tip waitresses large, but not cabbies. Waitresses are paid salarybased on tips being part of their wage. Cabbies collect money, subtract gas.

[Kid Gleason]

I think some of you forget that a cabbie much of the time is not making the money you are giving them. I used to know a cabbie fairly well. He lived in a run down trailer park and was always broke. The guy lived off of the hot dogs at the gas station he usually filled up at, and he was given free coffee by the station. If you think these guys are getting to keep the money you are giving them, you're wrong. Espcecially the guys who work for a cab company. Some of the companies even make them buy their own cabs, if I am not mistaken. If they do own their own cabs on their own, they have to buy the car, pay the insurance, pay the gas, and the upkeep on a car that gets hundreds of miles put on it a day. A cabbie is NOT an easy job.

 

Oh, plus they have to pay dues to be an "offical cabbie" or whatever. You just can't go out and be a cabbie.

Edited September 8, 2005 by Kid Gleason