Buell opinions?

Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
glhs837 said:
I was a self taught rider, literally, I knew not one person who rode. First bike came home on a truck from the dealership (GS450E),

View Photos of a 1981 Suzuki Gs450e for sale in Bettendorf, Iowa - CycleTrader.com

and I, who didn't even have any experience with manual transmission cars, played with it on the side street next to the house. Put maybe 3,00 miles on it in a year, trips to Maine and VT from home in Ma. Never heard of counter steering til I met a guy in the Navy who was a sport bike guy.

Then I rode that thing from MA to FL for aircrew school, then out to San Diego for SERE, then up to the Bay area for my first duty station. Learned a LOT. Took the MSF a few years later, learned a lot more.
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Some people are naturals. :buddies:

I can tell you, fact certain, that the course I took to get my license has made me a better rider much faster than I would on my own. In fact, I think it probably saved me a coming to a stop tip over or two and from running out of roadway on a curve or two and has damn sure made me MUCH better at looking where I am going and scanning for ambushes, booby traps, improvised assaults and so forth on my person.

My slow speed manuerving is better as well. As I age, I am finding myself much more receptive of teaching than back when I knew everything. :lol:
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
glhs837 said:
I know I need pants, but changing is a pain. %99 of my riding, I end up places where I would have to change out of riding pants.
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I hear you but, the armored jacket is for the possibility of a fall not the probability, same for the helmet, yes? I mean, I don't wanna be sitting on the curb, clearing my well protected head with my well protected upper body and road rash all over my hips and knees. :shrug:
 
my-thyme

my-thyme

..if momma ain't happy...
Patron
Wishing now that I had taken the course, maybe I'll sign up for the level 2 course.

Am thinking of purchasing a 1998 650 Suzuki Savage. Took it for a ride last night. Sits lower than my 250 (YEAH!), and sure hugs the road nice. I knew the wind blew my little bike around, but never realized just how dangerous that was.

Had the title for my 250 out last night - I've put 3500 mile on her in just over 2 years!
 
Pete

Pete

Repete
I started when I was 12 on a YZ 80 Yamaha mt dad bought for me. I was the original nitrocircus kid. If I couldn't jump it I rode over it. I should have killed myself a couple dozen times. One crash was so bad I laid there for a good 30 minutes until I could get up. Of course I was alone a mile from the house on my "track" so if I was seriously hurt it would have taken days to find me.

I rode that first bike until the jug and piston completely wore out and it had no compression. It was game on and I rode every bike I came across. Street bike is so different than dirt bikes they are not even cousins.

I owned probably 4 bikes before I joined the Navy and had to take the MSF course the first time in 1985. Learned a lot about "mentality" and slow work. I always had the knack, I could/can ride anything, but admittedly I didn't always posses the best judgement. Racing to Santa Cruz, CA on 17 through the mountains, showing a guy how to drag the boards on HIS Goldwing, breaking the sound barrier through the dunes heading toward the Dumbarton Bridge only to catch an instant 30mph cross wind going about a buck forty and getting blown over 3 lanes until the guard rail was brushing my pant leg.

I sold that bike and stopped riding when a guy in a MG nearly took me out when he came over into my lane and pinched me against the guard rail. got back into it a few years later and it was like old hat........except I am much more cautious now. I "think" about what I am doing a lot more. I observe others much more than I used to. I used to see other drivers as "obstacles" I needed to pass and now I look at them as potential hazards. I have developed a whole bunch of mental rules, too may to list, I just do them instinctively. They serve me well.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Larry Gude said:
I hear you but, the armored jacket is for the possibility of a fall not the probability, same for the helmet, yes? I mean, I don't wanna be sitting on the curb, clearing my well protected head with my well protected upper body and road rash all over my hips and knees. :shrug:
Click to expand...

Larry Gude said:
Some people are naturals. :buddies:

I can tell you, fact certain, that the course I took to get my license has made me a better rider much faster than I would on my own. In fact, I think it probably saved me a coming to a stop tip over or two and from running out of roadway on a curve or two and has damn sure made me MUCH better at looking where I am going and scanning for ambushes, booby traps, improvised assaults and so forth on my person.

My slow speed manuerving is better as well. As I age, I am finding myself much more receptive of teaching than back when I knew everything. :lol:
Click to expand...


Not a natural, I'm lucky to have survived my ignorance, really. First time I ever knew anything about grated bridge surfaces was learned about 5pm in NJ, in the rain. Scary stuff. I certainly dont recommend it as a way to learn:)

Yeah, I know I'm risking road rash to the legs. For me, its more about protecting the moving parts, joints, thinking gland. My knees are so shot, I"m in a race with my ortho guy to see who qualifies for replacements first, so I'm not so worried about them.
 
Larry Gude

Larry Gude

Strung Out
Pete said:
I started when I was 12 on a YZ 80 Yamaha mt dad bought for me. I was the original nitrocircus kid. If I couldn't jump it I rode over it. I should have killed myself a couple dozen times. One crash was so bad I laid there for a good 30 minutes until I could get up. Of course I was alone a mile from the house on my "track" so if I was seriously hurt it would have taken days to find me.

I rode that first bike until the jug and piston completely wore out and it had no compression. It was game on and I rode every bike I came across. Street bike is so different than dirt bikes they are not even cousins.

I owned probably 4 bikes before I joined the Navy and had to take the MSF course the first time in 1985. Learned a lot about "mentality" and slow work. I always had the knack, I could/can ride anything, but admittedly I didn't always posses the best judgement. Racing to Santa Cruz, CA on 17 through the mountains, showing a guy how to drag the boards on HIS Goldwing, breaking the sound barrier through the dunes heading toward the Dumbarton Bridge only to catch an instant 30mph cross wind going about a buck forty and getting blown over 3 lanes until the guard rail was brushing my pant leg.

I sold that bike and stopped riding when a guy in a MG nearly took me out when he came over into my lane and pinched me against the guard rail. got back into it a few years later and it was like old hat........except I am much more cautious now. I "think" about what I am doing a lot more. I observe others much more than I used to. I used to see other drivers as "obstacles" I needed to pass and now I look at them as potential hazards. I have developed a whole bunch of mental rules, too may to list, I just do them instinctively. They serve me well.
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I swear to God; we should be allowed to open carry.
 
Pete

Pete

Repete
Larry Gude said:
I swear to God; we should be allowed to open carry.
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I could see the can of Pepsi he had stuck between his legs:lol:. He just never saw me. I saw him with plenty of time, but back then I assumed he saw me and "I" was going where "I" was going and gave him no regard......until he forced the issue.

The #1 rule is MY safety is MY responsibility, not Grandma's, not the distracted mom, not the swerving teen in a fart can Nissan. I anticipate and make sure I am not where they are going...or might go.

The one thing you as a rider are *almost* defenseless at is from behind when you are stopped. That scares me more than anything.
 
glhs837

glhs837

Power with Control
Worst bug shot I took was cicada, not long after I got here in 93. Not having a lot of them up north, I thought a freaking rock had hit my face shield.
 
Ponytail

Ponytail

New Member
Worst I expereinced was a June Bug in the poconos. Felt like a baseball.

But the worst I saw was when my buddy got a bat (the flying rat kind) center chest, middle of a bright sun shiney day. Dunno how he pulled off the road without dropping the bike but we both thought he shattered his ribcage. Was gasping for air, had immediate bruising, looked like he got hit with a baseball bat. Was NASTY looking. Couldn't imagine what would have happened if it did hit him higher, neck or face area. Never thought about being luckyfor getting hit in the chest with something like that till you consider the other options.

No broken ribs, just a BAD bruise.

Few years later, THAT guy called me after he got to work pretty badly shaken. He was going to ride, and changed his mind at the last minute. He drove the truck instead, and watched the biker that was in front of him hit a deer. I couldn't imagine seeing what he described, but I know I'll never forget that phone call.
 
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itsbob

itsbob

I bowl overhand
Ponytail said:
Worst I expereinced was a June Bug in the poconos. Felt like a baseball.

But the worst I saw was when my buddy got a bat (the flying rat kind) center chest, middle of a bright sun shiney day. Dunno how he pulled off the road without dropping the bike but we both thought he shattered his ribcage. Was gasping for air, had immediate bruising, looked like he got hit with a baseball bat. Was NASTY looking. Couldn't imagine what would have happened if it did hit him higher, neck or face area. Never thought about being luckyfor getting hit in the chest with something like that till you consider the other options.

No broken ribs, just a BAD bruise.

Few years later, THAT guy called me after he got to work pretty badly shaken. He was going to ride, and changed his mind at the last minute. He drove the truck instead, and watched the biker that was in front of him hit a deer. I couldn't imagine seeing what he described, but I know I'll never forget that phone call.
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I got hit in the chest (have pictures somewhere) by a bat coming home one night.

Didn't know what it was until the next morning and found it's body sitting on one of the jugs.
 
aps45819

aps45819

24/7 Single Dad
Ponytail said:
But the worst I saw was when my buddy got a bat (the flying rat kind) center chest, middle of a bright sun shiney day. Dunno how he pulled off the road without dropping the bike but we both thought he shattered his ribcage.
Click to expand...

A few years ago, I flushed a bird (Quail?) on the side of 234. Got me right in the face shield. Saw red, slammed me back into the bags I had bungeed on the seat behind me.
Got stopped, there was blood on the face shield and I had a hell of a sore neck for a few days.

When I was in Hawaii, whenever they would plow a pineapple field for re-planting it would stir up these little round had shell bugs. We called them BB bugs because when they hit, they'd leave a welt like you'd been shot with a BB :yikes:
 
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