NO, you damn fool.

Pull out the old posts of your knee for a reminder of what you were feeling last time.

I'm going to stick to my word and thus won't advise you either way.

I have since sold my Aprilia - found the twin engine was not my cup 'o tea. Vibes through the bars made my throttle hand go numb and it was a difficult motor to live with in the twisties though as someone advised I'm sure a slipper clutch would have helped alot.

I have not replaced the bike - yet. I'm on the fence. I ended the Aprilia ownership with a couple epic rides. I came home thinking - it just can't get better than that. The bike sat in the garage for 2 weeks before I decided to sell. If/when I get back into bikes it will be for an entirely different "experience". Something comfortable that does not beg to be riden 110% in the back country roads. If I were to buy today I think I'd have another go with a Speed Triple, a used '06 or '07 model. In black.

Denis I really liked your post. My only disagreement is that the hyper vigilance is also required when driving a car. Even though a crash might result in death, it can still be extremely dangerous. I can not count the number of times that inattentive drivers have nearly sideswiped or hit me or cut me off on the highway. Hell just yesterday on my 330 mile trip back to school, I had to basically panic brake when I was cruising at 80 in the left lane and the civic going 62 in the right lane decided that he was going to pass the truck in front of him and switched into my lane without so much as checking his mirror or signaling. The last time, my front end was even with his bumper when he started his move.

Live to ride, ride or die, all those really emotional cliches don't mention anything about being a water-head, mush-brain, veg, etc.

A good friend of the family is officially one of those due to a motorcycle crach. She was wearing one of those stupid platic lids instead of a real helmet and she was hit by a car.
Now she can't be left alone for a minute, can't really speak, and she wears a diaper which her husband and teenage children have to help change on a regular basis. She will be like this for the rest of her life and probably a good portion of theirs.

But she was doing what she loved and she was living her life (insert other *$%#$% sayings here).

You make a good argument, Denis. However, all you do is go from 2 rounds in a 5 shot revolver to one round in a 10 shot revolver. ;)

The statistics may be more favorable when you drive well, however, if you crash, it is almost guaranteed that you will hurt / die. Just like playing Russian roulette! :D

Cheers,

George

Cool...I just got back into riding this weekend (it's been a while, had 2 bikes pre-kids)...bought a 05 R1200RT...it's a great bike!

Wayne

Sounds like more of an indictment of bad gear and poor choices rather than the mode of transportation...

here is some serious food for thought, dangers of motorcyling, categorized.
http://www.bcsportbikes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50762

Some good points made here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=310577

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all."

You are going to die when its your time. While I am not going to risk it by peeing on an electric fence, I am not going to stay home off of the motorcycle thinking that it might save my life.

You do the best you can and go from there. The rest is in God's hands...

Quote
"You are going to die when its your time. While I am not going to risk it by peeing on an electric fence, I am not going to stay home off of the motorcycle thinking that it might save my life"

Life is life, not buying a motorcyle (that you want) won't increase your expected life span.

I've had bikes for a long time and done some things that weren't all that clever.
However, in 2004 I feel off ladder and nearly killed myself...still go up ladders too.

On a personal preferance on the bike:
I like my 900SP, it's not as quick as my previous ZRX1100, but is way more fun. Maintenance has been reasonable, timing belts and card set-up last year at the Ducati dealer, the rest I do.
For a sport-tourer, maybe the Suzuki 1250 Bandit or a BMW R series?

Mark

I like Street and dirtbikes! :) I prefer to ride off road in the mountains but with the price of gas I might be riding to work more this year. I think my next bike will be a BMW K1200RS.

You beat me to it.

Aigel, curious. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?

Just remember to wear your seatbelt.

...or your wearable airbags

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A year and a half. Hell the riders in the Ironbutt Rally do over 11K in 11 days.:eek:

true, but consider that the typical bike in SoCal sees maybe 3K per year...

I bought mine back in late 2000 with about 1,600 miles on it. It now has 51,000. That's maybe 7k miles a year. Not bad I guess.

Finally! I'm "above average" in something! :)

Get the bike. You know you want one and the benefits associated therewith. Considering another Duc? BMW?

Another option is the Suzuki Bandit 1250S. Beautiful bike. Very comfortable and lots of power. If I hadn't just put all that work into my Katana, I'd seriously consider trading it in on one. I love 'em.

Now there's a man with taste!