bikes....

[frogpirate]

How do you like the Vstrom?
I demo'd one when I worked at the bike shop. Felt kinda top heavy for dirt stuff but was fun to poke around in town. Curious how ya feel a out it considering you have more seat time than the few hours I have on one.

Maybe a little. :shhh: I like them well enough that I've owned 3 now (2 - DL650's and my current DL1000). The 650 is IMHI the best bang-for-buck all-around bike on the market. It is a decent touring bike, a fun canyon carver, a great gravel road bike, but not at all a dual sport. The 650 with a Givi top-box makes a great commuter that will get 40+ MPG in stop-and-go commuting duty, and 50+ touring. It's weakness is riding fast, where I've seen mileage as low as the high-20's - of course I was doing triple digits. I probably averaged around 35 on the 10 'n 10 rally, doing 80-85 most of the time.

The 1000 is some better on the highway, particularly riding fast. The engine is not nearly as smooth, has a horrible lean fuel curve from the factory, and will launch the front wheel fairly easily. ) I get mid-30's commuting, and low 40's touring with a PC- III USB cleaning up the FI.

The seats on both suck (the DL1000 is marginally better), some people complain about wind buffeting (a MadStad bracket and / or one of the 20 or so after market wind shields help) and the stock Bridgestones are so-so. Mechanically, the 650 has zero issues; the 1K has a few (FI, Clutch Chudder, cush drive rubbers) but the motor is solid like a rock. Either one will do 100K miles without having the motor opened up. They are UGLY, but you can't really see the ugly from the riders seat.

 

[in4aride]

They are UGLY, but you can't really see the ugly from the riders seat.

i wish more people realized this!!!!! :eyes:
haha ya i dont think anyting gets good gas mlage in triple digits hahaha... my last bike couldnt GET to triple digits hahahaha (damn -1/+17 gearing) :roflmao:

 

[GSequoia]

The KLR ain't so pretty either. I call it the XJ of hte motorcycle world. Doesn't really do anything well but damnit it does everything!

Fuel economy wise I pull about 45 - 48 commuting, max speed (commuting) is about 80 (Kawi claims top speed of 105 in stock trim), I wouldn't really want to take a KLR faster than that.

I also have a 16 tooth countershaft gear instead of the OEM 15 tooth, it makes the little Briggs & Stratton engine buzz a bit less at speed. The plan is swapping to a 14t when I hit the trail.

 

[R6TeXJ]

yeah i guess i dont have the balls to "find the balance point" haha. I tried on a friends fifty and skinned my knees up and put a hole in my Tommy's... That poor fifty went through some crap!


Where are ya'll from anybody from the dallas area? I used to ride with a bunch of people but only one other guy i know still has a bike lol.

 

[in4aride]

i know some guys that ride in texas. "nasty lot bumz"
they are some killer riders.
if you are trying to learn wheelies best is to be around guys that know how and can give tips.
check out stuntride.com for people in your area. "hawaiin eddie" on there is a great friend of mine


EDIT- LINK: http://stuntride.com/vbstunt/forumdisplay.php?f=49

 

[in4aride]

biggest thing is dont 'chase' wheelies. go almsot at a stop, clutch it up, feather the rear brake, and just enough throttle to keep it up high.
turnt he idle up too, keeps the bike from engine braking too hard. i ran my f4i's at about 3200 for idle
bigger gearig helps (just like in a jeep)
and ya

 

[R6TeXJ]

yeah i need to get the pit bike going again, and pratice, i.e. fall on that instead of the nice R6

 

[Cnickgo]

Finally, here is my 'other' bike:

Custom Co-Motion Nor'Wester with mix of high-end Campy and Shimano components, hand built wheels, Ti seat post, and CF Seat (the only CF on the bike). Very comfortable for Century rides.

Very nice! I am an "other" bike kind of guy. I push it too hard on "other" bikes to throw a motor in the mix as well.

 

[gradon]

Here's my old 02 Gem 2K, aka the Bull(that box by the front wheel has my bro's 505 roller cam in it):

and here's the 05 Prophet 700, aka Dark, I traded the Gem for:

 

[R6TeXJ]

y'all spend some crazy money on those mountain bikes, wow

 

[GSequoia]

y'all spend some crazy money on those mountain bikes, wow

I tried one of those once. I must have kicked the damn thing a hundred times and the engine never did start. :rattle:

 

[gradon]

I paid $800 more for the gem than I did my 96. . .

 

[frogpirate]

y'all spend some crazy money on those mountain bikes, wow

Hell, none of this stuff is cheap! I spent close to $5K on my CoMotion, and that was really shopping the parts and building it up myself. On the other hand, I have a custom bike that FITS me and is exactly what I want. Of course, that was back when the economy was much better. :wierd:

I did some mountain biking with my buddy early this winter. I was riding an '80's Swine (aka Schwinn) full rigid and he was riding a '10 Trex Fuel, and I kicked his a** on every thing but the gnarliest down hills. Of course, I'm 20 years younger and 45lbs lighter than Bob too. I just hope I can go as hard as he does when I'm 70.

 

[R6TeXJ]

My wife has a friend that is a rep at the hospital that she works at. His wife is a semi-professional street cyclist. They have carbon fiber frames, wheels, and all sorts of stuff. He said he spends more on that stuff than his car...he has a $80k Jag convertable...the jeep parts i could have...shoot it would be buggy time then lol

 

[Muddy Beast]

Well since ya asked...

I built my current pedal bike up a few months ago, it's a Transition Bank frame set-up for 4x/park.


IMG_0048

My motorcycle is my commuter/weekend toy. I bought this thing a year ago and put about 5k on it, I'm now painting/overhauling it. A lot of replacement parts and some new paint should make her ride pretty darn well, and hold back the desire for a bigger bike a little longer.


39781_414188242329_701097329_5181392_6771740_n

This is where she's at now...planning to paint the rims red, everything else black.


Workin late by schmitz516, on Flickr

 

[97XJ2]

'81 Seca 750, fun little cruiser, buzzes around nicely. Been meaning to throw a round headlight on it. But it's in super nice condition and don't want to cut it up.

'07 VMax, stupid fast in a straight line. Couple little mods I'd like to do: frame stiffeners, exhaust/carb work.

Got an XS650 bobber/cafe project in the works. As well as an assortment of two wheeled human powered bikes as well.

 

[kndrewa]

'81 Seca 750, fun little cruiser, buzzes around nicely. Been meaning to throw a round headlight on it. But it's in super nice condition and don't want to cut it up.

NICE!
I wouldn't dare cut that up!
Those square lights are killer and super unique - every bike on the street has round headlights.
(so do wranglers, keep the cherokee square headlight vibe alive!)

 

[97XJ2]

Thanks!

It's just that lines of it from the handlebars back are pretty clean and smooth and then you got this clunky lookin' front end on it. If the factory optional fairing wasn't equally as goofy looking I'd try to source one. Someday I may try to mock something up in 'glass just to round out the lines a little. That bike has been in the family since new.

Edit: Neat thing is the factory designation for it was the XJ750RH

 

[trevanator]

Well this is my love.

This is my soon to be reality probably at the end of this summer. Its going to become my dd so I can park the jeep and save on some gas. Although I am a little nervous about other people hopefully I can get away with it.

Oh and then my school transportation i dont have a picture of but its a 1980 I believe Schwinn le tour II.
Its an oldy but good thats for sure

 

[GSequoia]

The old square headlamp bikes are butt-ugly and were a crappy style choice.

That said I'd rock the square because it's so uncommon.