redkow97

If I don't like it or find it doing more parking than riding, that is plan B. but for $500, I don't mind it taking up space and only being ridden once a week. I commute 37.5 miles to work, so the hope is that I can use it at least 2-3 times a week for transportation. I just have to figure out how sweaty I'll get on the way in. Gotta change into a suit once I'm at work.

Tires aren't even a question for me. The rear is pretty much shot on this thing. The only cosmetic mod I might consider is painting the rims while the wheels are off the bike for the tire change. I just have to reign myself in and do the necessary work before the fun work.

Thanks. I'm trying to decide what I want to do to/with it. I guess job 1 is get it running well. Job 2 is new tires. Job 3 is to mess with it and make it cooler.

Saw it today. Guy has to find the title, but we settled on a price and I'll pick it up as soon as he finds the title or gets a duplicate made.

As the week goes on, I'm liking Paul Walker more as a person than an actor. Absent the bankroll, he seems a lot like many of us. The guy likes cars, and likes driving them. He knows he's not a pro racer, but he likes to play on weekends. He knows he's not a master mechanic, but he can do basic maintenance and speak intelligently about what modifications have been made to his vehicles. I feel awful for his daughter...

where did you find this? at "hundreds" I would have been all over it

my XR is currently in my garage under a little bump-out area that I assume accommodates interior duct-work, but I'm slowly bringing it into my basement, one or two pieces at a time, so my wife doesn't notice But when she inevitably does, I'll probably transport the XR (and hopefully the nighthawk if that deal works out) to the 58,000 square-foot Anderson Door Racing Headquarters. Yeah, that's right, our facility is probably larger than the Riders Discount guys ...oh yeah, we share space with some guys who make garage doors.

i'm racking up a couple of days of flex-time every month, so it might be possible. I would have to think long and hard about missing an OMRL race weekend for this though. But they did pass a rule that allows you to throw-out your worst result from the season, so one DNS wouldn't kill me.

it's harder than you think. She is beyond screwed though. She turned a red light ticket and a DUI (which daddy probably COULD have gotten her out of relatively unscathed) into felony fleeing, obstruction, and probably a few counts of attempted aggravated vehicular assault, with enhancements due to the fact that it was LEO's she was attempting to harm. Those are all felonies, and I saw at least 3 officers in danger of being run-over. (and there is a "reckless" section of the statute, which I don't think can really be argued even if her attorney makes a convincing argument she lacked any intent to harm anyone)

Hi. I actually know quite a few people who graduated from Strongsville high school between 1998 and 2002. For your sake, I hope you've unfamiliar with all of them.

I need to buy a bike before I would bother voting and skewing the results... Even then, I don't have actual "vacation" days until September, but I can earn time off by working extra hours now ...except all of those hours are currently going toward "oh shit, my wife's in labor" time. With all that said, I would very much like to go, but it would likely be a late decision, and only a 4-day trip for me. Plus the OMRL schedule isn't out yet

I agree with the basic premise of this thread that one bike cannot be great at everything, but I think there are some that can be great at most things, and good at the rest. I would look at the following categories of riding (personally) - 'adventure' (i.e. off-road, but not trying to hit MX style jumps) - touring - sport riding (track, backroads, etc.) - commuting (pretty similar to touring, except that the shorter distance makes additional wind protection and heft kind of pointless) - 2-up ability (for when the wife demands that she have some meaningful stake in the money pit sitting in your garage...) - hooliganism (aka acceleration, burnout, and wheelie ability) As noted, I don't think any one bike can be great at all those things, but I think a lot of bikes can be modified so that they're great at a few, and good at the rest. My question is which type of bike (specific model not necessary) is the best base to start with? would you rather put clip-ons on an adventure bike, or dirt-bars on a supersport? (and so on.)

Correct. They shot it on-location where the Empire lands the Death Star for refueling and repairs.

wind-protection affects how much weight is or isn't on your wrists as well. I have never ridden a naked bike for long highway trips, but others have claimed that the wind in your chest at 70mph actually takes some weight off your wrists. the trade-off is neck fatigue, but I've had that on bikes with fairings anyway...

the calculator won't work for me... insert your own joke about the obamacare website.

This morning I dealt with a family who ISN'T abusing the system - so they do exist. Dad is a manager at a 24-hour restaurant, and I believe mom is unemployed. They share 1 cell phone and 1 car. 4 kids, so I can't imagine mom would make enough to justify child-care costs anyway. My point is only that it was refreshing to see a family who isn't viewing iPhones and DishNetwork "essential expenses." They're far from perfect parents, but they're trying to support themselves. I'm legitimately pulling for them.

I actually don't hate this idea. - We're at a point where the technology to support such a system would be relatively affordable, and only dropping in price. - this would control lobbyist groups by making the voters the person they need to lobby to, rather than career politicians. Just cut out the middle man, and force the lobbyists to educate voters. Although I bet they could buy more votes for a lot less money from many Americans. - people who are disinterested in the system would have no one but themselves to blame. Literally. - lobbyist groups would still write legislation, but assuming people actually read it (how likely is that?) it wouldn't be passed based on under-the-table deals.

I think we can all agree that the system is in need of reform, if not a complete overhaul, but I have to ask a rather simple predicate question: How many of us can honestly say we fully understand the welfare benefits program? We all understand it in broad terms. You make below $X, and you receive $Y in benefits each month, with an additional $Z amount per child. But i'm asking who among us actually knows what those numbers are, and what other qualifications are necessary to receive that money. Only after we gain that knowledge can we formulate an objective opinion on whether or not the amounts are too high, and the requirements too low. Then you have to take the next step and define "essential purchases" and (IMHO) limit welfare funds to those items. One of the largest issues I see right now is an (apparent or alleged) lack of motivation to get off welfare. You can address that in a number of ways, some of which are more brutal than others... Reducing benefits is one way, but that punishes people who aren't abusing the system just as much as those who are. Changing the structure is another strategy. Stricter requirements to be eligible for welfare would be my suggestion, but without knowing the current requirements, it's hard to say that with a straight face. When proving you're poor becomes more work than actual work, a job doesn't look so bad. We've proven over and over that we can't make people want more for themselves in the current welfare structure.

I was actually just thinking the other day that I should watch the ones I haven't seen. My wife spends Wednesday nights catching up on crap TV with her mom and sister. This tends to open up a solid 4 hours between work and bed where I can drink beer and watch movies my wife would never otherwise agree to. I've only seen the first F&F for sure, and maybe either the second or third - don't remember.

you know he's 40, and they were making the SEVENTH movie in the Fast & Furious franchise, right? I'm not saying 40 is old, but Paul Walker was in a diaper commercial at age 2. 38 years as a working actor is a pretty long career.

The Internet is like a buffet: take what you want and leave what you don't.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/30/showbiz/actor-paul-walker-dies/ This says "speed was a factor," but it also makes it sound like they were in a parking lot. Edit - in an office park. So deserted on the Saturday after thanksgiving. Seems like they were at least going out of their way to avoid putting bystanders in any danger. I can appreciate that.

Is there another article that mentions excessive speed? The one linked didn't say anything about street racing. I did hear that it was a Porsche, but that was third-hand info at 3 AM

I thought I saw the Big Dipper and the raging wolf-bobs.

Looks pretty complete. Not sure what the author has against "race bikes," but opinions aside, he seems to know a lot more than I do, do the site will be quite useful.