time for another motorcycle

[nostatic]

Somebody was whining about needing more polls. Here ya go...

[911boost]

Where is the poll? I vote yes.

[nostatic]

also, keep in mind that I have two bicycles, and am at this moment heading off to do a ride on the road bike. So no matter what I'm on two-wheels on the street...

[dad911]

no.
went down (and not in a good way)

[Tim Hancock]

Even though I don't ride alot, I can't imagine ever reaching a point in life that I did not own at least one motorcycle of some type. Of course living in Ohio, my risk exposure is about 2/3 less than yours due to cold weather.

So what are you gonna buy?

[syncroid]

Its funny that you bring this thread up. I was just thinking about your crash post from 06 and how your knee was doing. I would get another bike if I were you. You just happened to be at the wrong place at the right moment is all. Bum luck and you can't predict what and where something is going to happen.

[varmint]

i sold my car three years ago. no need for one in los angeles. everything worthwhile can be done on a bike.

[speeder]

I have a hard time telling anyone to get a street bike because if *God forbid* there is a tragic accident, I would feel like I contributed to it by encouraging them.

That said, you are a grown man and more mature than me, so it would be insulting to suggest that you cannot weigh the dangers and benefits yourself. But then again, you're posting a poll.

I don't think that MCs are for everyone, but they are definitely for me. I actually enjoy riding on the street, even in L.A. I feel very alive when I am in *the zone* street riding, it's so different from a car where one can be talking on the phone and drinking a coffee, etc... I saw a fatal MC vs. car accident 2 weeks ago in my neighborhood, (6th st. sharp turn @ Rimpau), it was 100% the rider's fault and did not discourage me from riding one bit. I would not take a 30 mph turn @ 60+ w/ oncoming trafiic and expect to live long. It was a tragedy and such a waste of someone's life, but I also felt terrible for the (uninjured) driver of the car he hit. What a horrible experience; you're driving down the street on a beautiful day and in an instant there is a bike sliding into the side of your car, then the aftermath. If he had been driving an M3 instead of a Gixxer, he might have killed the people in the car he hit.

If you eliminate alcohol and stupidity from the equation, (like going way too fast on city streets), the odds change dramatically in your favor on a MC. Experience and advanced training complete the picture, after that I take the "when your number is up" attitude about riding. I am glad that you were not permanently maimed or killed in your bike accident, but I believe that if you were further along in your journey to be a highly skilled rider, you could have fared better as well. I know that you apply yourself pretty intensively once you get an endeavor in your claws, so this is in no way meant to be disrespectful, just that you are the type that could and would take MC riding to a higher level than the average Joe and you were not there yet when you crashed.

We are uniquely lucky to have Mike M. as a buddy since he is about the ultimate riding partner, he always wants to go riding, and his skill set is pretty unmatched. He is about to become an instructor for motorcops, as you probably know, and he will share his knowledge with us for free. This is a rare opportunity that most riders will never have, though anyone wanting to improve can invest in superbike school and some good books+track days. If you pull the trigger, I'd be delighted to ride w/m you when I get another bike.

[lendaddy]

Screw the road bikes for me. I sold my supermoto last fall and I think I'm done forever on the road. I can't get comfortable on the road, I never relax.

[Steve Carlton]

I'd say go for it. Your last accident was a fluke (not that you'll only be a victim of flukes). IIRC, you'd would have come out of the last one a lot better with proper gear?

[Chocaholic]

Riding is a tremendous stress reliever (for me). 4 hours up and around Highlands, NC yesterday in 75 degree weather (a bit colder at the higher elevations in the mountains) completely reset my clock.

Really depends on your personality and desires. Everyone is different, so I won't say what I think you should do (it doesn't really matter). Not sure I understand the logic behind polling something like this. Only you can answer. The only advice I can give is to ride for pleasure only and stay the hell away from traffic wherever possible.

And...as mentioned above ATGATT. CE armor in the knees is cheaper than new knees...but I guess you know that.

[Chocaholic]

Taken yesterday at about 4700 ft elevation off Hwy 28 in NC:

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Even though I don't ride alot, I can't imagine ever reaching a point in life that I did not own at least one motorcycle of some type. Of course living in Ohio, my risk exposure is about 2/3 less than yours due to cold weather.

So what are you gonna buy?

I'm liking this:



the g/f digs this:



I watched the director's cut of Blade Runner last night. I was struck by the cop's line at the end:

"too bad the girl's gonna die...then again, we all die."

Too true. And Denis, no offense taken. If I had full gear and more skills under my butt I might not have had my incident, or it would have been much less trauma. We'll never know. But I know that while I have a lot of time on 2-wheels, I still have a lot to learn on a bike with a motor.

Funny that a couple of friends have suggested buying a track-only bike and getting my "fix" that way. I asked them if they'd ever done a high side

[greglepore]

Of course. You got the accident out of your system, random as it was. AGATT, but you know that now.

My only regret in having two bikes and a couple cars is that I don't have enough time to ride my bicycle to be "really" fit...

[BeyGon]

I raced them in many different settings and realizied having a fast bike isn't for me anymore. I would still race anyone. So, I got into early bikes -08 to 15s and even a square four and a 77 Harley Cafe Racer, a early BMW 250 single, I love bikes but only want something to ride, not that there is a possibility to race. I admit, I have no self control. Buy something cool to ride. I don't have anything right now but look and wish all the time. Another day but it will be older.

[Noah930]

You can rationalize it all you want. But it's either in your blood, or it isn't. You should know where you stand, by now. You know how I voted.

[vash]

todd, are you trying to fill that empty, 911 shaped hole in your life? if you are wanting a bike, why not just keep the 911? i forget the reasoning for the car sale. was it to be more practical? and spend more time with the kid right? buy two dirtbikes, be done with it.


i like bikes, i will get another someday. but i have been hit 3 times. only once put in the hospital. the last time. my leg will never be the same.

[sketchers356]

What bike are you looking at? I hope another Duc is in the future.

[nostatic]

I agree about it being in your blood or not. Today I was out for a ride on the new road bike. After a quick reorientation to heavy traffic riding (Santa Monica Bl, woohoo) I was happy and at home. And out of shape but that's another story. The bottom line is that there is nothing in a car that approximates being on 2 wheels.

The reasoning for the 911 sale was both financial and time. I was slowly going broke modding/fixing the car and doing track days. And a race weekend not only eats up $1K (at least), but I would end up either dragging the boy along (and him being bored/ignored) or swapping weekends unless it happened to fall on my "off weekend." Backing away from the track pipe got money back in the bank, cut future costs, and opened up time that I could spend doing thing with my son instead of despite him.

As for the bike...a good friend of mine put it this way. He was against me selling the car, but once I did he said that buying a bike was a moral imperative. In his words, I have an "extreme personality." As with all things in life, there is good news and bad news that goes along with that. While I don't need to jump out of airplanes or do jackass stunts, for whatever reason, there is a deep need/desire to engage in visceral activities. Surfing, racing, bikes, etc. Good, bad or indifferent, it is what it is. You just try to have some sense of balance and sanity, and stack the odds as best you can in your favor. I'm planning to commute at least one day a week to work on my bicycle. Some would argue that is incredibly dangerous. Maybe it is, but it is the right thing for me to be doing.

Everybody is wired different. I see people who are perfectly happy being "parents" and doing the homeowner/bbq/neighborhood thing, PTA, etc seems to fufill them. Well, that isn't me. Never will be. If I can't be playing music or creating art or in the ocean or on two wheels, then I'm dying inside. One can argue that it is irresponsible for a parent to engage in an activity (motorcycles) that is inherently dangerous...that it is unfair to the kid. I would counter that it is also unfair to the kid to be parented by a person who is dying/dead inside and has denied themselves in order to be "safe." Somewhere in the vast gray area is a path that will work. Just depends on the details...

Do I want my son to be raised by a dad who is in a wheelchair or worse? No. Do I want him raised by a dad who is a shell of a man? No. Maybe it is just a maturity thing and I'm not grown up. Or maybe the point is never to grow up but just find reasonable chances that can feed you.

And in honor of being responsible, I gotta fire up FinalCut and get to editing. No work, no money, bad dad

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by nostatic

also, keep in mind that I have two bicycles, and am at this moment heading off to do a ride on the road bike. So no matter what I'm on two-wheels on the street...

You know how I voted.

BTW, I ended up buying that Lemond road bike awhile back. I've been doing about 20 miles 3X a week before work and then a 35 miler on my day off. It's more dangerous on the bicycle then on the motorcycle, but I'm really enjoying it.

I'm off next weekend, if you can ride, I'm ready to go.