smccrory

And if the traffic in China is at all what YouTube suggests, I'd either stay off a bike or get a low-HP beater while I was there. And a shit-ton of gear.

I'm disappointed to hear this and am sorry it sucked so badly for you, Mango_SV. It's not what I experienced with my MSF or the two ARC classes I did - they were all great, and taught by experienced and informative instructors. I hope it doesn't discourage you from pursuing additional training, and taking it slow while you build skills. I still practice in a parking lot after I haven't been riding for a couple weeks.

Nope, no pile on here. And while we're confessing, EVERY scare I've had was because I entered a turn too fast. My fault, and usually it accompanied me being in too high of a gear for engine braking to do much. In the aviation world, there is a very, very strong culture of owning up to your own mistakes, no matter how major or minor, because it's the only way to collectively learn and improve safety, confidence and enjoyment of the sport. I think it works with motorcycling just as well. Oh, and as (I think) Tonik said, ABS rocks. I've only had it come on three times in the 1 1/2 years I've owned mine, but I was quite grateful for each.

And adding to the list: - The culture is rooted in post-war brother-in-arms independence-gone-awry fantasy, because how else can you recreate a battlefield-level of brotherhood? Fallen soldiers are very much part of the ethos. Reputation & respect are valued above all else - Misogyny and racism are core values I wonder how much MORE money the Banditos and Cossacks could make if they curtailed their illegal activities and worked together to make-believe rivalry (with an occasional light stabbing and broken bones for realism). They'd surely get a TV show and several spin-offs. And book deals written by low-cost phantom writers of course, and speaking tours at biker rallies. If pro wrestling can do it...

Every safety video I've seen, by highly seasoned riders who have been through crashes have said the same. You RARELY have to lay a bike down. It's ALMOST always better to stay on the bike until the end, partly because the commitment to do so makes you use the brakes and scrub off those last few MPH to reduce injury. Yep, me too. I'm not getting off that bike except for extreme circumstances that I can barely imagine at this moment.

Agreed, and I was being tongue-in-cheek. Only the truly insane would justify war for its theoretical economic, technological or eugenics benefits. Yet many do. Ergo, IMHO, many are truly insane.

And fantastic for innovation, at least of weaponry, avionics, targeting systems, computing...

War is good for the (financial) economy. No so much for human capital.

LOL, who knows, I might end up changing my mind. You don't know anything about THAT, do you Brian?! :-P

http://columbus.craigslist.org/mcy/5027320805.html Sure would like an OR member to be the buyer! :-)

Good point! I really want Honda to succeed - I love the reliability of their bikes and historically they've made some of the most iconic of motorcycles. And while I'm pining to see this new Africa Twin, I'm afraid it's several years late and already behind several outstanding models from $7k-$25k depending on your wallet and use cases. Off the top of my head, DR650, DL650, DL1000, Tenere, Tiger 800, Tiger 1L, BMW G650, F700, F800 and R1200GS/A, several from KTM... It's a crowded market already.

Not sure I'd hold out hope for harder springs in the Honda, or less weight than an F800. Heck, I bet it'll be at least 475-500 lbs wet, and that'll put it right with the others. Plus, remember you can replace tires for better off-road capability (heck even my stock trail wings do fine on hard-pack, gravel and field grass). Swap out handlebars and the seat for much greater comfort, adjust preload and dampening on most stock shocks and even replace springs or whole shock systems for serious performance from any of the current ADV bikes. For under 8k, you could grab a several-year old one fully farkled and sorted.

LOL. Max Max that b*t%^!

I like Honda. I'm excited to see what comes out of it. But I read there will be no delivery to North America until late 2016...?

Jason I want to extend a hearty "you're welcome" on behalf of those spouse's employers by the way. You know, for subsidizing your employees' health insurance through their shared, risk-pooled insurance premiums. I bet you don't even find it the least bit ironic that you consciously saddled someone else's business with your own operational costs and then cry over paying for anyone else's healthcare.

Agreed. Being able to take or make a quick call with a single tap is very nice. I've handled short calls and they didn't know I was on the bike at first. It's also really nice to take turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps. A lot of times I throw myself into new roads without keeping close attention to my return route, and once I start to feel like heading back, I use Google to talk me home while simultaneously listening to music. And what's also cool is that you can hear OK through foam earplugs. Being able to converse in a group is great too - perfect for additional coordination and group situational awareness. The only pain in the ass is pairing up multiple headsets of different models. My 20S for example, needs to either hang off a Sena 10-led set of 2-4, or has to be the master in a chain of up to 8 (or is it 9?). I highly recommend studying the pairing and group intercom procedures and keeping the instructions handy in a tank bag.

So many happy!

Exactly, but I bet you'll get it close enough. BTW you are getting that Tenere dirty I hope? You didn't ride with us to the Romney Camp-and-Ride 2 weekends ago, so you're already on my shit list.

You'll be good then - the 10 is a fantastic device. Let's join up sometime again and go riding and we'll bind the sets together. You still need to flog my DL650.

Everyone I know with a modular helmet and a Sena headset uses the boom mic and does their best to curve it closest to their mouth. It's handy to them in a group when stopping for a quick fuel break - they can still talk while getting fresh air. The downside is when the helmet doesn't permit the boom to be close enough, so take care to clip the dial forward enough to allow the boom to get close to the mouth.

No doubt. I do feel a bit sympathetic to the guy, but at the same time he does get in the news all to easily. To me it's more a study of the media than anything else at this point.

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your service! Damned great looking bike too. If you attend the Epic Ride, my suggestion is to remember to "ride your own ride." It's tempting to stretch limits in larger groups and get hurt in the process. Personally I prefer smaller groups of riders that I've gotten to know before picking up the pace and tightening up the pattern. Just saying it because it would be nice to have you around here for a while, undamaged and enjoying the amazing roads (especially southeast) Ohio has to offer :-).

http://www.wesh.com/news/george-zimmerman-involved-in-shooting-in-lake-mary-police-say/32943828

That's an amazing collection!

Quit while you can. It can become an expensive obsession. Fortunately I'm really happy with my CRKT M16 and SOG Flash 1 for EDC and been able to avoid buying any for a couple months.