A tragic waste of a perfectly good motorcycle...

[IAM Rand]

Just did a Ronald McDonald House ride with a group. Nice ride although it was tough to go sooooo slow. I little bit of a cluster in that there was no police blocking certain roads to let us pass as a group. I started with a crotch rocket, FZ600. Had to sell that when I was younger because bills and responsibility came first. Then I got an older Virago 920. Got tired of fixing it. Then when I had the ability I got a Triumph T120. Had it for about a year when I took it in for its first oil change. Walking around the showroom floor when a 2015 K1600 caught my eye. The sales person saw that and before I new what hit me I was on the road testing it out.

Traded in the T120 and never looked back. I have put about 5000K on it and I am planning a trip to the Tail of the Dragon next spring/summer.

 

[Faulkner]

One of the best parts of the motorcycle life is the, errr... camaraderie. . . .

Exactly! ^^^

I have some buddies I've been riding with for about 20 years. Used to be about a dozen of us, due to life changes only four of us still hook up and take a road trip a couple of times a year.

I recently got back from a ride from Arkansas to northern Georgia to hook up with a couple of my riding buddies who were RV camping. I rode through parts of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama to get to north Georgia, and then we rode up into South Carolina for some sight seeing on country backroads. I enjoyed the riding, but mostly, I enjoyed hanging out with my long time buddies.

 

[lihpster]

Me and a friend bought the same bike on the same day from the same dealership in 2003. Our license plates were consecutive. I rode mine until it wore out. My buddy decided early on he wasn't fond of riding. So, his bike sat in the garage. Here it is 2024 and I need some transportation. My buddy gives me the bike. A 20 year old bike with 3800 miles. In perfect condition. he kept excellent care of it. The only thing I did to it is put in a new battery and put saddlebags and a luggage rack/passenger backrest on it. So, personally, I don't mind if people have a "garage queen". Eventually it'll be a good buy for someone.

 

[Faulkner]

Me and a friend bought the same bike on the same day from the same dealership in 2003. Our license plates were consecutive. I rode mine until it wore out. My buddy decided early on he wasn't fond of riding. So, his bike sat in the garage. Here it is 2024 and I need some transportation. My buddy gives me the bike. A 20 year old bike with 3800 miles. In perfect condition. he kept excellent care of it. The only thing I did to it is put in a new battery and put saddlebags and a luggage rack/passenger backrest on it. So, personally, I don't mind if people have a "garage queen". Eventually it'll be a good buy for someone.

My first street bike was a 2003 Suzuki Volusia. Great bike, they're just about bullet proof operationally. I rode it for five years and eventually upsized when I realized it didn't have the legs for the longer trips I was taking.

 

[lihpster]

My first street bike was a 2003 Suzuki Volusia. Great bike, they're just about bullet proof operationally. I rode it for five years and eventually upsized when I realized it didn't have the legs for the longer trips I was taking.

My first one was black also. As far as the longer trips, I rode it to Sturgis. Twice. Never even hiccupped. Great starter bikes. And pretty damn good looking, too.

 

[Shibadog]

Rode 'em from '67 until 12/2/24. Had a cardiac arrest two days later after a 400 mile ride (in rain) on the 2nd. I never could understand folks buying a bike and then sitting it in the garage to polish and look it. I averaged a touch over 12 k miles a year the last 10 years I rode. Never did get that whole "loud pipes" thing. Seemed the noisier they were the slower they went. My favorites were my 900 SS Ducati, my Yamaha 1300 FJR, Triumph Tiger 1050 and lastly my Super Tenere. Great bikes all. Fast, smooth and great to tour on. Miss them a bit but I worried my wife enough and after the cardiac issue, it was time.

 

[Faulkner]

My first one was black also. As far as the longer trips, I rode it to Sturgis. Twice. Never even hiccupped. Great starter bikes. And pretty damn good looking, too.

Mine was fine one-up, but once Mrs. Faulkner started going on the trips the added weight of a passenger (all 98 lbs) and extra luggage started to be telling when riding here in the Ozarks. The final straw was when we rode to the Smoky Mountains and the Volusia's 803cc engine struggled up the mountains loaded two-up. Otherwise, I really liked the Volusia.

I sold it to a buddy who's wife won't ride with him so he only rides one-up. I think he is still riding it.

 

[lihpster]

I saved that extra weight and space for more gear. Hot coffee in camp the morning after a big party night will get you a girl at Sturgis, without all the complaining about the ride.


My old neighbor once rode from Columbus, OH to Daytona speed week on a rigid sportster chopper with a girl riding the fender. No stops but gas. He said she never made a peep. His take: "I should have married that gal."

 

[Buzzzer]

Been riding for quite a few years now. I started on the farm in the 70's riding street bikes like they were dirt bikes. Heck, that's what we had sitting around as my dad and mom used to ride to town together. I think I just bought my last "new" bike, probably the last one I'll ever own. I love riding but as I get older I find I don't recover as well from trips like I used to. My mind says "no problem" then my body says "now you've got a problem". I can deal with being sore for now but know that, eventually, the sun will go down on that hobby. For me, anyway, if I'm not taking trips (solo as the wife doesn't ride anymore) I might as well get a small bike or moped just for around here.

I've never owned a Harley, and don't care to, but can understand the psych behind it. I suppose it makes some feel like they are manlier than they actually are. Maybe it's the "idea" of a sense of community, or actual community. The pastor that married my wife and I used to ride Harley's as part of a gang, before he was a pastor of course. This would have been in the 50's-60's. He used to tell me the only reason for revving them up at stoplights was so they could keep them running. He also said HD stood for Hardly Driven as they always broke down, constant maintenance issues. The last I knew he was riding a Honda. Nowadays they are much better but they aren't 100%, every single part, made here anymore and haven't been for some time.

Talking to my sister in law the other day I sent her a pic of my new ride (2023 Suzuki VStrom 650 which replaced a well used but well maintained 2009 Vstrom 650). She stated that people "drive" bikes like mine but "ride" Harley's (ya, that's what she has). I told her "here we go, HD actually stands for hardly driven". She stated that it was kind of true in her case as her bike sits most of the time. So..., there's that psych again.

I don't care what people ride. I'll talk to anybody at gas stops and such who's riding a bike...

 

[BC38]

I've got an old 83 Goldwing with 52k on the clock. I bought it in late summer 2022 but didn't get to ride it much that summer before the weather turned bad.

I've personally put 4k of those miles on it over the last two summers. About 1500-1800 miles last year and 2200-2500 or so already this summer. Last year the miles were so low because at the start of summer a kid hit me with his dad's Lexus. Settling the claim and then making the repairs to get it back on the road took a couple of months out of the middle of summer riding season. By the end of this summer I expect to have put around another 1000 miles on it - so around 3200-3500 total for this summer.

I drove my car for the first time in nearly a month this morning - because I've been taking the bike everywhere. I'm headed to AZ for 3 weeks tomorrow, so I'm going to go take a little ride this afternoon. I'll really miss my almost daily rides while I'm out of town.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Hang on! Ride low, all you speedsters. I was almost literally blown off a motorcycle years ago, but my foot found the break just in time. I was hanging on with my fingertips.

My wife told me she would divorce me if I bought another motorcycle.

 

[CH4]

I currently have three HDs. Been riding since I was 8, about 50 years now, rain or shine and occasionally in snow. I actually just parked it after riding to Bass Pro in the Vegas heat.

I like those folks who buy HDs, ride them around the block or trailer them to Sturgis before selling them cheap; I've benefited many times from their capriciousness, mid-life crisis. And yes, I still enjoy revving them while cruising home through the neighborhood, be it 10am or 10pm.

 

[jrm53]

I am 84 years old and started on a Simplex servicycle in 54 and got out of bikes several years ago I can tell you what will most likely get you on a bike it will be an old man turning left in front of you and then will be saying why did you not turn your head lite on? I was able to talk before they hauled me off in the ambulance and it cost him for not watching but not near enough. Jeff jrm53

 

[ridewv]

Jeff, at least in my cases you're exactly right. Other than they never asked why my headlight wasn't on..... because it was. They simply stated "OMG I didn't see you!"
Both times it was older men who pulled out from a lot on my right, one right in front of me, the other broadsided me, totaling both motorcycles.

 

[madmikeb]

Put 140 miles on my bike yesterday. The longest trip yet in my fledgling riding "career!"

Left home went through Tombstone, Bisbee, Hereford, Sierra Vista, Huachuca City, Benson, then back home. About a 4 hour ride with stops, temps just south of 100 degrees. It wasn't bad when I was rolling but it would heat up quick in full gear when I stopped.

Snapped this pick in Lowell on my way through, like the retro vibe!

I think next trip will be to Elgin, Sonoita and Patagonia.

 

[notsofast]

I like bikes and I ride bikes, my riding friends now ride less so I do too. I've been riding motorcycles for close to 60 years and have the x-rays to prove it.

 

[Mike0251]

69 here, wife and I both ride, 5 bikes in the stable currently, 06 Goldwing, 02 RC51, 09 Vmax, 03 FZ1000, 06 FZ6. All in pristine condition and get ridden.

Past bikes in my life, 66 Bonny, 57 XL, 83 FLH, ZX11, ZX6, R6 SE, GSRX1000.

Track raced the 02 RC51 (hence my user name Mike0251) when I was in my late 40's and early 50's.

 

[S&W629]

we have a couple of the Honda ruckus scoots. mine is the red one with the trunk and saddle bags "full dresser" set up. the black one with the red wheels and white walls is my wife's. she won a few trophies at bike shows with it. our's top out at exactly the same speed....34mph.

Took a while...but got a pic of my neighborhood ride....

 

[notsofast]

69 here, wife and I both ride, 5 bikes in the stable currently, 06 Goldwing, 02 RC51, 09 Vmax, 03 FZ1000, 06 FZ6. All in pristine condition and get ridden.

Past bikes in my life, 66 Bonny, 57 XL, 83 FLH, ZX11, ZX6, R6 SE, GSRX1000.

Track raced the 02 RC51 (hence my user name Mike0251) when I was in my late 40's and early 50's.

I had a '99 Busa and a '90 ZX11 game changers in the fast bike world when they were released. I raced Talladega in 1979 on a Kawasaki KZ1000 it was when the banking was still part of the racing surface. It was an AMA event; Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wes Cooley were co-competitors. I ride a Harley now as I need a bike with forward controls arthritis in my hips keeps me off anything else.

 

[chief38]

I rode a motorcycle over most of my life. I had mostly Harley's and enjoyed them ever so much! I have gone on 4 cross country trips out West with friends, rode all up and down the East coast, went up to Nova Scotia, and racked up well over 100,000 miles on Bikes. When I hit 68, I made a command decision to pack it in and sell my last Bike. After decades of riding and having never had an accident, fall or mishap, I wanted to go out on a high note!!!! To me, that was the time to hang it up - NOT after something happened. IMHO, I was extremely lucky and no longer wanted to push that luck!

After selling my last Bike, I thought I would regret that decision and miss it dearly, - I did neither! I am very happy and thankful I had the riding experience of a lifetime without the downsides. I KNOW I made the right decision - for me!