RSparky

love it.

Let me stop you right there, mmmm-kay? I can tell by that little intake of breath what’s coming next. Thank you in advance, but I already know that motorcycles are “dangerous.” After nearly twenty years of riding on the streets, I am aware; telling me now will not be a revelation. It is not an insight into my lifestyle that has remained hidden from me until this, the moment of epiphany when you shine the light of outsider wisdom on my foolhardy choices. Photo: Grant Ray There are ways I can minimize the risk — by riding defensively, riding sober, knowing my own and my machine’s capabilities, etc. — but I also know there are some risks that are simply beyond my control. But you know what? There a lots of risks that are within my control. We’ve become so pathologically risk-averse that for most people it is inconceivable to assume any additional risk no matter how much joy you might get back in return. You want to know what’s truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders. Absorbing the same brain-ossifying shit from media factories every day. Jogging. Putting helmets, flotation devices, and auto-deploy epi-pens on your kids every time they leave the house. Passivity. Not paying attention to where your car, or your life, or you country is going. If you don’t get that, that’s OK. I’m not trying to convert anybody, but here are a few tips to save us both a little aggravation: You don’t need to tell me the horror story about your uncle’s buddy who wiped out his chopper while drag racing at some hooligan rally. That just makes me wish I were talking to your uncle’s buddy instead of you. He sounds pretty cool. Do not — do NOT — tell me about the time you almost Sausage Creatured a biker because you “couldn’t see him” or he “came out of nowhere.” I have never known a bike to come out of nowhere, but I have seen plenty of cars pull a Crazy Ivan and turn into a lane occupied by a biker or make an impromptu unsignalled left turn in front of an oncoming me. If you’re expecting me to share your outrage at the temerity of bikers to be in the lane you want, you’re more deluded than a goldfish with a passport. I can’t make you see bikes. I can’t make you hang up your phone. They won’t let me mount a .50-caliber machine gun to my bike. So really, there’s not much I can do to change the outcome of your anecdote, so save it for your coreligionists who also have stick-figure families and giant softball stickers with the name “Tailyr” or “Flynn” or “Shyly” on their rear windows. I do wear a helmet, as a matter of fact, along with other protective gear. But, the fact that you “certainly hope” I wear a helmet is so condescending it makes me want to ride a tricycle completely naked doing doughnuts in your front yard screaming Beastie Boys lyrics at midnight. Trust me, you do not want that. My buttocks are extremely pale and unsightly, especially in moonlight. Please, do not complain about bikes parking in car parking spaces. Where are we supposed to park? If they let us park up on the curb like in Europe, we would totally do that, and precious few parking lots have motorcycle parking areas. Most cops already have a hard-on for bikes, so parking anywhere but in a designated spot is asking to be impounded. Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you? They say loud pipes save lives. I don’t know if that’s true, because there hasn’t been a serious comprehensive study of motorcycle safety since 1981, the poetically named Hurt Report. And yes, I know, at one point you probably saw some kid riding his 600cc sport bike at 100mph doing a wheelie down the freeway. He’s a squid, and he’ll either grow up or just take care of himself. Some bikers do crazy things. Anti-social things. Unsanctioned things. I don’t represent him and he doesn’t represent me — that’s the great part of being a biker. I could be a Lowbrow Weirdo or Antoine Predock or Lyle Lovett or just whatever I want to be. If you’re really so all-fire concerned about my safety, don’t preach at me. Just do me this one favor: pay attention when you’re driving. Keep your greasy fingers off your touch-screen, put down your phone, use your turn signals and lay off the booze before you get on the road with me. You take care of your part and I’ll take care of mine. But hang-gliding, man, that shit is crazy. Carter Edman is an architect, writer, and rider in Cleveland, Ohio. He teaches “Motorcycles and American Culture” and other courses at Case Western Reserve University. close

Does anyone smoke? Or does anyone stare longingly at their bike?

i'm indifferent. every forum has a village idiot or ten. HOOKERS AND BLOW!

i know... idk why i pushed so hard. i was just not thinking. but also, i think the slider did its thing, and definitely reduced sliding resistance.

i could see that moving away from being centered on your spine if it's in your jacket though.

daw, the symbols start jumbling together? i'll paraphrase. i wrecked.

neat video. the song, not so much.

Kind of a lame story but meh. I'm glad it wasn't in a worse situation. I went to a 'skills refresher' at Solid Roch Church yesterday morning. The refresher started at 9, and that's when my dad called me and asked if I was coming. I planned on going already, just didn't set an alarm. My dad is the one who organized the event, so he was already in call and get things done mode. I arrived about ten-ish, and it looked dead. Like 5 people there. Oh well, they probably didn't advertise well. More instruction for me! A member of the church is an advanced MSF course instructor, so I was stoked. He offered to show me around the course, so I followed him. Probably 9 times during the slaloming, slow race, and more slaloming, my bike stalled. Not because of me bogging it down, it just stalled. I've read this is generally the ignition coils or the TPS. Especially on the 03's. (And 03 through 05 share practically all their parts, so I guess that's me. However, I thought they had fixed the ignition coils on the other ones. I need to get with Serpentracer or another similar model year R6 owner on this.) Anywho, the bike was frustrating me, I was embarrassed at my horrendous slaloms, and not really thinking. The instructor guy even said, take this slow just to get a feel for it. He did the quick stop. I accelerated too much. I braked too much. (I 'grabbed' the front brake, instead of 'squeezing'.) The front locked, the bike fell to its right side, somehow I went to the left. Landed on all four plus my chin bar. Kept the helmet up for the most part I think. The elbows ripped on the jacket, and the sleeves slid up a little, moving the elbow pad away from the elbow, and allowing it to get scraped. Both my knees are bruised and scraped, but I'm fine. Funny part, everybody ran to the bike. I just sat there pissed at myself. They pulled it up dusted it off, then remembered the squid who rode it. I felt like major idiot. As for the bike, I'm glad i installed the LSL frame sliders, as they worked. It took the impact, and most of the 100ft+ slide into the grass. The tail plastic is a little rashed, and the exhaust has another scratch and dent to add to the collection. Oh yah, the fairing stay snapped off right at the bolts. But, one is on the the way. I'm wary of overtorquing it, so I'll need to get a number for that. Anywho, I know I need more skills refresher. And a clearer mind. Gonna look into the ignition coil issue...

same for listening to pandora. droidz r smart.

This was OE replacement. I bought it. I'll probably install it next weekend. Hope it holds.

Yup. I need one. I'll give details later. Anybody have PROOF that they are worse? There are a bunch from highly rated sellers for mid 60s. If not that, a guy at middletown cycle can get me a vortec (sp?) brand stay for 140.

That's shitty. They should really have swept that. And because they didn't, they should have been held responsible for all of the bikes.

Yup. i've let my brother and my best friend ride. that's it. Plenty of other people have asked to ride. Hell some random hick asked to ride while we were crossing paths in a parking lot. I rode a few girls on it, but i wouldn't let anyone learn on it. That sounds like a horrible idea. Maybe if it was a beginner's bike, but it's not. I like my straight clip-ons.

gsxr's are the stereotypical squid bike... but i agree, that's just retarded.

I can change, and I consider it, but I already have to hide my backpack full of books, helmet, and jacket in the cashier's office. It's a car dealership. The ten lockers for 30 men are already taken. And too small for a helmet, or backpack for that matter. Nonetheless, I'll look into those jeans. $90 for whole leg protection vs. just knees is intelligent.

That philosophy would have me riding naked. Cheap is better than nothing, sir. I'm not going tracking anytime soon. I just want something to protect my leg/knees. The Stryker knee pads look legit, but they're also the most expensive on MCSS..

Seeing Coolwhip's thread has me a little concerned. Plus, I just got my uniforms for my new job, and the pants are just slacks. I want to ride to work though. So, I'm thinking some kind of knee pads that I can put under or over the pants. Haven't searched the internet yet, just wanted to get a direction before I go previewing everything. Also, I prefer cheap. This new job pays shit.

Eh, I'm gonna vote that his bike is good. The repsol's are always up there. It's not a coincidence.

plus 1000. I'm lucky enough to have pissed off the flying spaghetti monster, so every time I get new tires I get a nail in one. So I've plugged em.

"Thanks." "An r6." "Yah it's supposed to have plastics. I wrecked." "No, just underestimated a stoplight in the rain." "no, I don't wheely." "no, you can't ride it. I'm the only one who rides it." "sorry. Seeya."

it's your money and your drain... like i said, i've put thousands of miles on plugs. and i've been well over 75mph. the plug itself wears just like the tire. the rubber cement is all the way on the inside, so i seriously doubt it's going anywhere.

by leaking, do you mean it has a hole which you know of, or it's just randomly losing air? if you can find the holw, just get the slime tire repair kit from autozone, and plug it. every one of my back tires has had a plug in it due to nails. no leaks afterward. if it's just mysteriously losing air, see if it's on the bead or not.

That would be awesome to see where every single part goes. Wish I could help.

Back to the thread... You derailing farts. Both instances were solo, just commuting. I was hit on the 650. The lady pulled out in front of me, and I swerved, getting nipped in the ankle. Was wearing my typical gear: helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots. No riding pants for a daily commute. :-/ On the R6, though I could blame it on rain or a sneaky traffic light, it was my fault for not slowing enough, just in case the light did change. So I fell after locking up the front on the water, partially leaned over. Once again, typical gear. Jeans were ripped and knee was bruised. Riding pants would have stopped that.