# Motorcycling 101 **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2002, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139 "2002-07-10T01:13:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![roadrunner70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@roadrunner70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roadrunner70)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2002, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/21 "2002-07-11T10:13:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Motog \* > \*\*The reason the Harley riders don’t wave back is not because they’re rude but because they’re using both hands just to hold on and get their Harley Ferguson’s to go in a straight line. Also a lot of them would have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time - asking them to ride and wave is probably a bit more than their brains can handle. \*\* That was _way_ uncalled for. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2002, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/22 "2002-07-11T10:15:42Z")
Well, at least the _second_ sentence was. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2002, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/23 "2002-07-11T12:43:44Z")
Dates that go down? There is such a thing? 🙂 7500 miles isn’t much, but it depends on the tire. Some brands wear out at 7,000, others 15,000. If you think you need new ones, you do. Bald = hydroplane, which isn’t much fun on a bike. The grippier rubber wears faster, but is worth it. You also might want to get a maintenance manual for it. Haynes and Clymer are the two that I am familiar with and both will take you from oil changes to engine rebuilds. You can learn a lot from them, and save some bucks when fixit time comes around. Well worth the cost. I needed one just to figure out how to get to my spark plugs. By the way, congrats on a beautiful machine! Very good choice. **Motog** , HD riders can be sensitive fellows, so before you make snippy comments about them, you have to make darn sure they are chewing gum when you do it… that way they can’t chase you:) ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/24 "2002-07-12T03:11:18Z")
Try this site - not a bad set of forums: [http://www.harleydavidsonforum.com/](http://www.harleydavidsonforum.com/) ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/25 "2002-07-12T03:21:48Z")
Oh yeah, and for those who refuse to wear leathers or ballistics? Take a look at [this picture](http://www.mistered.com/pics/ouch.jpg) - don’t worry, it’s not overly gross. ---
**Author:** ![JaxBeachBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@JaxBeachBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaxBeachBoy)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/26 "2002-07-12T03:58:25Z")
7500??? 10000??? Sigh…I get 3000 max out of my Dunlop D207s In fact I’ll have to replace the rear by next weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/27 "2002-07-12T12:07:25Z")
**Jax** I take it you ride a rocket? I’m a touring type so I don’t need glue on the wheels, plus even if I wanted super stickies, nobody makes them for mine. I have rather odd sized tires so my selections are rather limited. Also, \*\*2 x 4 \*\*, you seem like a rather smart feller so I probably don’t need to mention it, but don’t do a bonehead thing like I did with my first bike and in an effort to make it real clean and pretty, Armor All the seat. It just doesn’t work. Obviously, the tires are a no-no too. Don’t let that stuff get within 50 feet of a bike! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Turbo\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@Turbo\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139/28 "2002-07-12T12:24:03Z")
Oh, as a reminder to everyone, this coming Wednesday is Ride to Work Day. [http://www.ridetowork.org/](http://www.ridetowork.org/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcycling-101/118139.md?page=1)