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1. The feeling of a passenger squeezing me for dear life on their first ride as we approach WOT. Everything about riding a bike is awesome, but not much else remains as poignant as sharing the thrill of riding with someone and completely imparting the same passion for bikes on them as well in the span of 10.5k RPMs.
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Aug 12, 2009 09:15
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lostleaf posted:I don't know man... I would let the suv take the lead. Mainly cause I would rather let the suv with the extremely CRAPPY BRAKING to be in front of me rather in back of me. Hell... anyone that drives a suv already rates as a crappy driver in my book at least until I get to know them. Everyone keeps saying this, but bikes actually have worse braking performance than most cars. The light weight has both positive and negative effects on braking (less mass to stop, but also less traction), but the real problem is your tires. Your one rounded skinny front tire simply can't grip the road as hard as two wide, square car tires. If you've got a MotoGP bike and they've got a Suburban loaded with kids and soccer equipment, yes, you will stop sooner. But assuming that just because you're on a bike you can stop quicker than any car is dangerous thinking. For what it's worth, I also automatically give SUV drivers a wide berth. orange lime fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Aug 12, 2009 |
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Aug 12, 2009 19:22
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orange lime posted:Everyone keeps saying this, but bikes actually have worse braking performance than most cars. The light weight has both positive and negative effects on braking (less mass to stop, but also less traction), but the real problem is your tires. Your one rounded skinny front tire simply can't grip the road as hard as two wide, square car tires. At city speeds where grip isn't an issue, a bike will generally outbrake most cars thanks to having a lot less momentum due to its lower weight. By how much depends on the bike. At high speeds, this does become an issue. Some French car mag was doing 0-200km/h-0 supercar tests and brought a Ducati 1098s in as a ringer, the Duc almost as long to go from 200-0 as it did to 0-200
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Aug 12, 2009 19:34
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1. Riding, not driving. I knew I would love motorcycles more than cars, but nothing could prepare me for just how much. 2. Sitting in traffic/at a light for just a few moments (long enough to get a little hot) and then getting that blast of air through the helmet and jacket vents when you take off. 3. Gear. I'm sorry, but full armor just looks so drat cool. 4. Talking bikes, but not with HD or Gixxxxers. 5. Feeling like a kid again, but not getting all worn out from peddling like mad. Keeping my eyes on craigslist. With some luck, I'll have my very own bike by the end of the month!
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Aug 12, 2009 19:46
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redscare posted:At city speeds where grip isn't an issue, a bike will generally outbrake most cars thanks to having a lot less momentum due to its lower weight. By how much depends on the bike. At high speeds, this does become an issue. Some French car mag was doing 0-200km/h-0 supercar tests and brought a Ducati 1098s in as a ringer, the Duc almost as long to go from 200-0 as it did to 0-200 Bikes don't outbrake cars, period. Sportbikes are the worst on the brakes due to short wheelbases and the tendency to roll into a stoppie before breaking traction on the tires. Cruisers and standards are better, with a generally longer wheelbase and a less aggressive weight distribution, but still they require a lot of skill to stop as quickly as possible, given that you must modulate both brakes. And there's another thing that throws a wrench into this entire comparison. Cars have ABS. You mash the brakes, and the car will stop in the same distance, every time. Bikes require a lot of practice to get 100% braking out of, and even then any minor change in conditions can cause a huge increase in braking distance. The safety advantage that bikes have is their narrow profile and acceleration. In ideal conditions, they can match most cars on the road. But if there's anything but ideal conditions, the bike's stopping distance will increase dramatically.
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Aug 12, 2009 19:50
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KillerJunglist posted:
Totally agree. I walk around the house in full gear quite often. But when the end of the month comes by and the credit card statement shows up 
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Aug 12, 2009 19:56
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orange lime posted:Everyone keeps saying this, but bikes actually have worse braking performance than most cars. The light weight has both positive and negative effects on braking (less mass to stop, but also less traction), but the real problem is your tires. Your one rounded skinny front tire simply can't grip the road as hard as two wide, square car tires.
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Aug 12, 2009 21:30
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Myrddin Emrys posted:I had heard somewhere that under ideal conditions, cars can outbrake bikes easy, but under normal conditions not necessarily. Think about all of the things that have to come in to play to get maximum braking out of a motorcycle. You need to squeeze the brakes firmly without locking the wheels up or endoing while keeping the entire contraption balanced on your two skinny little tires. In a car you just push your big dumb foot down as hard as you can and let the ABS system handle perfect threshold braking for you as your four (relatively) huge tires grab the ground.
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Aug 12, 2009 22:44
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frozenphil posted:Think about all of the things that have to come in to play to get maximum braking out of a motorcycle. You need to squeeze the brakes firmly without locking the wheels up or endoing while keeping the entire contraption balanced on your two skinny little tires. BMW bikes have ABS 
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Aug 12, 2009 22:55
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And most every other high end ST. However, the physics don't change. Weight shifts to the front which is the skinny tire. There is a minimal amount of road contact. It can only brake so much, ideal conditions or not.
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Aug 12, 2009 23:14
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My favorite so far is that, when I pull into the garage after riding, since I leave the door open to the rest of the house, the entire down-stairs smells like bike. It's a great smell.
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Aug 13, 2009 07:44
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The awesome simplicity of a bike compared to a car
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Aug 13, 2009 08:28
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1. Point a to point b will take me about the same amount of time every time I ride it, regardless of the time of day. 2. Stop light chats 3. Understanding why a dog sticks it's head out of a car window 4. Parking on the footpath 5. The cred' for commuting on a bike in rain, hail or shine from anyone who rides. TheCosmicMuffet posted:My favorite so far is that, when I pull into the garage after riding, since I leave the door open to the rest of the house, the entire down-stairs smells like bike. Adding #6 - the smell of bike in general, your gear smells like it, your shirt smells like it, your desk at work smells like bike because that's where you keep all of our gear when you arrive.
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Aug 13, 2009 11:28
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1. Riding 100 miles to get to work when I live 20 miles away. 2. The focus needed to ride helps everything else switch off. 3. No other distractions when riding like a radio or air conditioning. 4. My gear fits me perfectly and makes me look even more buff. 5. The noise.
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Aug 13, 2009 13:58
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There's something just awesome about using every part of your body to ride a bike. Using all four limbs and the torso to shift the weight around. I feel like the bike is an extension of my body. In a car, I'm just sitting there. 
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Aug 13, 2009 15:56
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1.the smell, there something about reeking of sweat, dirt and exhaust fumes that I find awesome. 2.Leaving home and not knowing where I'm going or when I'm coming back 3.The connection between man and machine when things go right both merge into a seamless one 4.The rush, everything is more dangerous on a motorcycle and something about that makes me feel good 5.Little Kids are always in awe of you, it's like being Rossi if only for a few seconds.
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Aug 13, 2009 17:33
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New riders. Went home for lunch and was heading back out and a motorcycle was coming down the street. Some chick on it riding by all  cheesin it up. Left her left turn signal on for the whole street. Obviously keeping it to the neighborhood and learning. Awesome stuff.Oh yeah, and I love all the smells you get while out and about riding too.
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Aug 13, 2009 17:43
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lostleaf posted:There's something just awesome about using every part of your body to ride a bike. Using all four limbs and the torso to shift the weight around. I feel like the bike is an extension of my body. I had a hard time trying to define what I meant by my number 1 ("riding, not driving"), but this describes it perfectly. I feel like I am one with the machine, as it requires my total attention. Plus, just shifting and braking makes it look like you totally know what you are doing, especially to the uninitiated.
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Aug 13, 2009 18:28
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In no particular order:
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Aug 13, 2009 18:29
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1) On ramps 2) On ramps 3) On ramps 4) On ramps 5) Little kids who wave at me from their parents minivans.
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Aug 13, 2009 19:35
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So I was sitting at a stop light when all of the sudden I smell something amazing. I look over and BAM Taco truck. Pretty decent tacos too.
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Aug 13, 2009 19:45
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MrKatharsis posted:1) On ramps I love staring at people when I pass them just to see if I get a reaction
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Aug 13, 2009 20:38
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Tsaven Nava posted:having people stare at me like I'm some kind of weirdo In all honesty though, you are some kind of weirdo. I'm sure I'll have some more to contribute soon as I put my GS850 on the road, but riding it around the block before agreeing to buy it gave me one of the goofiest, widest, happiest looking grins I've ever seen in a mirror. I can't wait to finish up and get riding.
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Aug 13, 2009 20:49
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Re: comraderie amongst motorcyclists: I even see that reflected in the comparatively tiny amount of drama and infighting this forum generates vs. its 4-wheeled brother.
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Aug 13, 2009 23:00
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Oh, one thing I forgot: Temperature changes when you ride into a small depression or over a hill or over a lake. When its just on the verge of being too cold to ride with the current gear you have on, the smallest little dip will have a nice pocket of chill that makes you yearn for the next rise. Air temperature is much more dynamic than I expected.
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Aug 14, 2009 01:35
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sklnd posted:Oh, one thing I forgot: Here in Phoenix it has been 110+ the last few weeks so I welcome these as well. The farm land around here is a good place to experience these, especially if they have been irrigated recently. I usually plan routes near them to get some brief cooling air.
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Aug 14, 2009 02:44
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sklnd posted:Oh, one thing I forgot: yeah but the inverse as also great in the summer when you hit the well shaded valleys and the cold air hit's and cools you off it's magnificent. Ironically I have been sweating my rear end of in a poorly ventilated textile jacket for three years, this year I buy a mesh jacket and we have a extremely cool summer and half the time I'm freezing wearing the mesh. Hopefully were not in for a cold winter I hate cold I should move to SoCal this northeast poo poo sucks.
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Aug 14, 2009 03:25
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MrKatharsis posted:1) On ramps God yes. I like to just fart around at about 50mph on the curve and then open it right up on the straight. I'm probably never going to get to fly a fighter jet in my lifetime so onramps are a quaint alternative. 8ender fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Aug 14, 2009 |
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Aug 14, 2009 03:32
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sklnd posted:Temperature changes when you ride into a small depression or over a hill or over a lake. When its just on the verge of being too cold to ride with the current gear you have on, the smallest little dip will have a nice pocket of chill that makes you yearn for the next rise. Air temperature is much more dynamic than I expected. Funny, I was thinking of that on my current trip. Heading up North, you're trucking along a 2 lane highway, and then you hit a patch of trees, and the temperature suddenly drops a bit. Of course, in my case, the sun was going down as well, so it wasn't too long before it was a bit too cold with just a jacket & short sleeve shirt.
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Aug 14, 2009 05:01
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sklnd posted:Oh, one thing I forgot: I got a big contrast on that last summer... http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou....449463&t=h&z=8 from Buffalo to Tensleep, the mountains were cool, almost chilly, even with my rain gear, but by the time we were out of the mountains into Tensleep, it had to have been at least 100 degrees. Hit me like a ton of bricks.
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Aug 14, 2009 06:36
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1. Leaning into turns, feels like flying 2. Fresh air on a nice crisp day 3. Smooth, twisty, empty back roads (preferably with good visibility) 4. Seeing other sport bikes out there, I love sport bikes...they are just beautiful machines 5. Acceleration
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Aug 14, 2009 13:38
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sigtrap posted:Re: comraderie amongst motorcyclists: I even see that reflected in the comparatively tiny amount of drama and infighting this forum generates vs. its 4-wheeled brother. To add to the camaraderie aspect: When you are having bike troubles and lots of people that walk by will at least stop to see if there's anything they can do, whether they will necessarily be able to help or not. Restores what little faith I have left for humanity.
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Aug 14, 2009 15:42
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Pvt. Public posted:To add to the camaraderie aspect: When you are having bike troubles and lots of people that walk by will at least stop to see if there's anything they can do, whether they will necessarily be able to help or not. Restores what little faith I have left for humanity. - The look of pure gratitude from the stranded biker when I stop to see if they need help and have a full toolbox in my trunk. - Discovering that he is a machinist and has swapped a GPZ750 engine into his rat/cafe KZ650 - Getting his business card and a promise of a free rescue or spare engine for my bike if I ever need it. - Fist pumping when we finally got it started
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Aug 14, 2009 16:02
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8ender posted:- The look of pure gratitude from the stranded biker when I stop to see if they need help and have a full toolbox in my trunk. That's the truth. God I was so excited when my bike fired right up after messing with it for 30 minutes to no avail. I told the guy that I'll buy him beer anytime he asks.
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Aug 14, 2009 16:20
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broadwayLamb posted:4. Seeing other sport bikes out there, I love sport bikes...they are just beautiful machines Best sport bike description I ever heard was from William Gibson where he says they look like "Bright enamel scorpions".
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Aug 14, 2009 20:26
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^^^^ That is a good description. They make me think of wasps. I remember the first time I saw a modern sport bike with an under seat exhaust I was just blown away. I didn't even know anything about bikes at the time...just that it was the coolest machine I'd ever seen. Edit: 
broadwayLamb fucked around with this message at 23:19 on Aug 16, 2009 |
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Aug 15, 2009 01:19
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1) Random temperature changes on the road 2) Empty highways lit by the moon in the middle of nowhere 3) The way a new set of tires feel on their first ride, its almost as if the bike itself is having fun. 4) The way my old Hawk roars on deceleration 5) The way pedestrians react to you when you wave to them for no reason.
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Aug 15, 2009 01:35
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1: That fat v-twin growl when you roll the throttle open at 4000 rpm. 2: Accelerating out of a corner and feeling the bike pick the front tire up out of the turn and plop it back down upright. 3: Catching a big fat wasp right in the center of your visor. 4: Having a better looking, faster vehicle than almost everybody, with better gas mileage, but only spending as much as a new Yaris costs. 5: Feeling like a badass on your commute.
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Aug 15, 2009 06:19
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1.) Splitting through traffic and snickering at all the suckers. 2.) Actually enjoying my commute. 3.) I own four bikes and they cost less combined than my car. And go faster. And get better gas mileage. And cost less combined to insure. 4.) Not using the clutch to up-shift. 5.) That "look" you get from people in cars... you know the one I'm talking about..
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Aug 15, 2009 07:26
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1. I saw a little boy walking with his mother, staring at me stopped at a red light. I waved at him, and he waved shyly back. His mother smiled. I twisted the throttle and let it roar. He almost peed his pants and ducked behind his mom. Then he poked his head out and had a huge grin on his face. 2. I got stuck behind some old lady in a Buick, unable to pass. Another cruiser pulled alongside me. We nodded to each other and continued to putter along for a couple of miles. Finally, the Buick turned off, leaving a long stretch of unobstructed pavement ahead of us. This total stranger and I looked at each other, grinned, and let 'er rip. 3. I spent less, and get the same gas mileage, than that enviro-weenie in the Prius, and I look way cooler. 4. A bumblebee in the kneecap at 80mph feels like a baseball. 5. The sound of Screamin' Eagle pipes echoing under a low stone bridge.
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Aug 15, 2009 14:35
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