Okay, I really need to scratch an itch real quick.
Ahem.
Fucking motorcycles, how do they work?
Thank you.
hey if it is legal then yeah go and get fucked I am within my rights to do it.
If you think the EPA level is too loud then lobby and get it changed.
By the way, I think the loud pipes that wake up neighbours would not meet EPA guidelines.
Gyroscopes, two big gyroscopes.
Weaving suggests actually going into lanes. Lane-splitting is ‘riding the line’. Technically you’re in one lane or the other (unless you want to get shaken by the drunk-bumps), but your track is pretty straight with no excursions into the lanes proper. See the video I linked earlier.
I’d go out on a limb and say most bikers don’t lane split. In fact, If I took a guess, I’d bet that less then 5% do it on even a remotely regular basis. Of course, I’ve never been to California, and from what I’ve heard it’s very common out there.
I think I’ve seen exactly one biker split lanes in Phoenix, which is surprising because in a lot of ways we’re just an extension of California. Most bikers here are actually pretty conscientious, all things considered.
In my opinion, motorcycles are like cocaine, a great buzz, but dangerous as hell that can kill you.
I have nearly been killed on motorbikes on several occasions, so I don’t drive. My father nearly killed me as a child when I was riding with him and the back tire blew out on the highway with us going about 60 MPH or so.
About helmets. I hate helmets. They are heavy, hot and uncomfortable. This is why people do not wear them. But really, you are foolish not to wear one. I hate seatbelts and never wear one. But it is foolish not to. People who don’t wear helmets and seatbelts are risking fate.
I think riding a bike naked would be a spiritual experience. I drove a car naked once late at night and found it to be foolish.
In St Martin, it is the norm. Of course, average speed limit is around 35 mph or so. The motorcyclists lane split doing a wheelie which is a crazy thing to see coming up on you in traffic in your rear view mirror.
Now this is just silly. Heavy is a pain, yes, but you get used to it. Hot, not so much; the padding acts as an insulator. Uncomfortable, only if you don’t take the time to find one that’s the proper size and shape for your own head.
I wear full gear all the time when I ride, even in the middle of summer. Black jacket, black gloves, black shoes, black helmet. Believe me, my head is the least hot and uncomfortable part of my body then.
I suspect the reasons for not wearing a helmet have as much or more to do with the fact that a decent one costs ~$400 as “they’re uncomfortable” and “I’m a rebel, baby.”
Compared to the cost of the motorcycle and the cool-looking leathers, $400 isn’t that much to spend on a helmet. It’s all about image.
In Spanish towns and for small-medium bikes (from Vespino to Virago, say), it’s the usual way. Not for a Harley or a BMW, though, and definitely not on roads under normal traffic conditions.
Compared to the possibility of an accident either turning you into a quadriplegic or turning your brain into mush, $400 is a bargain.
While bicycle helmets are fortunately nowhere near that expensive, if they were, I’d either bite the bullet and buy one, or quit cycling. I want to get through life with my cranium intact, if at all possible.
I’ve ridden 850-mile days before, and the weight of the helmet was not an issue.
Comfort is absolutely critical, and dictates what brand and model you should choose. I’ve even taken the best-fitting helmet (for me, a Shoei) and pressed the styrofoam liner just a little bit with my thumbs to eliminate hotspots on my forehead. Take the time to make it perfectly comfortable, and you won’t mind wearing it for long periods.
Hot? C’est la vie. Use the vents, lift the visor a smidge to let air in. For me it’s only uncomfortable above 85 degrees, but still preferable to risking a head injury. In cooler weather a full-face helmet is an absolute must; I’ve ridden for hours through 32-degree sleet at highway speeds, which would have been impossible with a bare head.
I have yet to buy a balaclava, so in cold weather I wear a large bandana bandit-style with the end tucked into my jacket.
I wear an Arai helmet, which I like better than the Shoei. But I can clear the rain off of my Shoei’s shield by turning my head. For some reason this doesn’t work with the Arai.
Bikes have to be loud ,in case they are forced into driving in somebodies blind spot. Sometimes hearing them is all you have. Then bikers have the new sport of avoiding people who are on cell phones or texting while driving. The bike has to be loud enough to be heard over a radio. In some cases that is real, real loud.
You are never “forced” into riding in someone’s blind spot. Can’t pull ahead into their field of view? Fine, hit the brakes and fall back. Don’t linger there and pretend some invisible hand is forcing you to do so.
I agree. My R1 is nice and quiet, and I like it that way.
I think you just summed up everything we need to know about motorcycles and motorcycle riders there.
May I refer you to the previous three pages of this thread?
Don’t be silly, gonzo lives in his own little world. He doesn’t have to abide by anything nonsensical like prior discussion.