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[Manp]

tell me about it

 

[Dougald]

Nice, that yours?

It's such a striking looking bike. Really nothing like it, such a shame Harley killed the marque. They did for American Motorcycles what the Hinckley Triumphs have done for the British.

 

[opticalmace]

So I'm having a pretty bad week. Yesterday I was doing a U-turn in the cement part of my driveway when some pebbles must have got under my tires and dropped me and the bike to the ground. Luckily I only scraped the bar end, a mirror and part of my kickstand.

Today I went out and swept the drive to prevent that from happening again. However the end of my driveway is dirt for like 15 feet and it has a slight turn out of a gate. So I went to go to work and I realized I wasn't turning enough and thought I was gonna end up in the fence so I made the rookie mistake of braking instead of just looking farther through the turn and ended up dropping my bike into the dirt. Nothings broke on me or the bike but I scratched up my fairing pretty damn good and skinned my left knee, which was already skinned from yesterday.

Sorry to hear it. How many miles have you ridden now? Two comments:

- Looking through turns is very important. Go find somewhere safe and practice turning and really crank your head around. U-turns emphasize just how much you need to point your head where you wanna go. Keeping your head and eyes pointed at the right place is probably one of if not the most important thing when motorcycling IMO.
Also, watch these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-BDrAxjAFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2fGYU1CNb0
(both channels have many excellent videos if you get interested)

- I haven't ridden on any dirt but I would think you should take it slow and try to keep the bike upright (assuming it has street tires). Leaning on dirt with a road bike just sounds sketchy, beyond a small angle.

 

[Dougald]

That's the only reason I'm grateful that they *really* drill slow control into you with the UK bike test. Wife just got her learners certificate, so I'll probably have to go get her 125cc bike later.. not quite as exciting as the street 3, but we all have to start somewhere!

 

[maxheadwound]

That's the only reason I'm grateful that they *really* drill slow control into you with the UK bike test. Wife just got her learners certificate, so I'll probably have to go get her 125cc bike later.. not quite as exciting as the street 3, but we all have to start somewhere!

Grats to her... now you can take a spin together... sunday ride out should be nice and fun. I am looking to go for a weekend to isle of man end of July just to ride the circuit and tick it off. Still working on my mate to join me.

 

[RapidCancel]

^I really want to ride on the IOM and it looks like there are some motorcycle rentals when I get there. Do you know any more info about renting there?

That's the only reason I'm grateful that they *really* drill slow control into you with the UK bike test. Wife just got her learners certificate, so I'll probably have to go get her 125cc bike later.. not quite as exciting as the street 3, but we all have to start somewhere!

My fiance is taking the class next month, but I'm a bit worried about her actually riding around on the street. I'm actually hoping she ends up not wanting to ride after the class lol.

 

[Fixed1979]

Don't think anyone has posted on this one yet.

Give it to me! They're claiming production within a year.

BMW Concept Roadster

EDIT: Of course being a concept means the production won't be near as cool, but it should still be a very solid option.

Of course that solid aluminium billet seat unit won’t be making production, nor the underbelly exhaust collector milled from three pieces of solid stainless steel, but what this bike signals is a new direction for one side of the boxer roadster family.

Boss of BMW Motorrad, Stephan Schaller said: “This is a pure and sporty boxer concept bike that we wanted to be young, fresh and pure. This bike is very concentrated in terms of design but there are elements you will see taken from this bike that will appear on a production bike next year.

 

[Manp]

Nice, that yours?

yep

 

[Reven]

Sorry to hear it. How many miles have you ridden now? Two comments:

- Looking through turns is very important. Go find somewhere safe and practice turning and really crank your head around. U-turns emphasize just how much you need to point your head where you wanna go. Keeping your head and eyes pointed at the right place is probably one of if not the most important thing when motorcycling IMO.
Also, watch these videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-BDrAxjAFI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2fGYU1CNb0
(both channels have many excellent videos if you get interested)

- I haven't ridden on any dirt but I would think you should take it slow and try to keep the bike upright (assuming it has street tires). Leaning on dirt with a road bike just sounds sketchy, beyond a small angle.

That's the only reason I'm grateful that they *really* drill slow control into you with the UK bike test. Wife just got her learners certificate, so I'll probably have to go get her 125cc bike later.. not quite as exciting as the street 3, but we all have to start somewhere!

I have about 80 miles on the bike. They really drill slow control into us at the MSF bit I just had a lapse of judgment and made a mistake. I'm definitely going to go practice slow turns.

 

[Foxtastical]

yep

Nice Lightning indeed. Looks great.

 

[maxheadwound]

Don't think anyone has posted on this one yet.

Give it to me! They're claiming production within a year.

BMW Concept Roadster

EDIT: Of course being a concept means the production won't be near as cool, but it should still be a very solid option.

posted this up a week or so ago... very nice looking bike... Love the look of that pipe and the colours. Did not get the press photo so that is nice to see if in normal light.

 

[Fixed1979]

posted this up a week or so ago... very nice looking bike... Love the look of that pipe and the colours. Did not get the press photo so that is nice to see if in normal light.

oops, must have somehow totally glossed over it. I thought it was strange that it wasn't posted here

 

[iamblades]

This is the one I test rode for a day when I was still in Switzerland

You just feel like a mean mofo on it lol

Those inside mounted brake calipers always catch my eye.

I wonder what exactly the engineering thought process was behind that decision. I'm guessing they did it because the larger surface area kept the brakes cooler, but it's just odd that basically nobody else has done it.

Edit:

Buell XB models also incorporated the industry's first Zero Torsional Load (ZTL) perimeter floating front disc brake system, a patented "inside-out" wheel/brake design that puts the brake disc on the outer edge of the wheel,[12] rather than at the hub. This lets the suspension function better, improving control and traction, through reducing unsprung weight on the front wheel, because only a single disc and caliper—with a corresponding reduction in bolts and brake fluid—is needed compared with the conventional dual-disc brake setup on most modern sport bikes. In an exchange in the pages of Motorcyclist magazine between Suzuki engineer James Parker, creator of the GSX-RADD hub-center steering system,[13] and Buell's Director of Analysis, Test & Engineering Process, Abraham Askenazi, Parker conceded the ZTL system's advantage in unsprung weight. But he pointed out the remaining weight is located further out on the rim where it is most detrimental to acceleration and braking, and that there were potential heat transfer issues, and the need for one fork leg to be stronger than the other. Responding, Askenazi disputed all of Parker's criticisms, saying the ZTL system was 30% lighter than the brakes on the Suzuki GSX-R1000, and that the inertia of having the weight further out on the rim, and the heat generation near the tire, were not negative factors, based on testing. Askenazi concluded that testing and race track experience had proven the ZTL to be "state of the art."[14][15]

Interesting anyway.

 

[Foxtastical]

Those inside mounted brake calipers always catch my eye.

I wonder what exactly the engineering thought process was behind that decision. I'm guessing they did it because the larger surface area kept the brakes cooler, but it's just odd that basically nobody else has done it.

Erik is a little out there to say the least.

 

[Gritesh]

Don't think anyone has posted on this one yet.

Give it to me! They're claiming production within a year.

BMW Concept Roadster

EDIT: Of course being a concept means the production won't be near as cool, but it should still be a very solid option.

I love this bike.

I already told the wife as soon as this thing is available to order I will be selling the ducati monster and getting one.

I hhope they don't change it too much I know they will change the exhaust but I hope the overall look remains the same.

 

[Dougald]

Well I rode the wifes new Chinese bike home. My first words to her were "it's a piece of crap", though I think a lot of that has to do with not being used to a 125! The thing is fine at town speeds, but out on the open road it will *just* do 60mph. The front brake is decidedly crap though, it is a disc but really mushy. I'm going to assume the dealer is incompetent, and will try bleeding the line tomorrow morning.

All in all, not a bad little bike for £850 new, but I predict she'll get fed up with it pretty soon and want her full license. It's good enough for a beginner

 

[iamblades]

I love this bike.

I already told the wife as soon as this thing is available to order I will be selling the ducati monster and getting one.

I hhope they don't change it too much I know they will change the exhaust but I hope the overall look remains the same.

I'm sure they'll have to mostly ruin the look with a ugly rear fender and giant exhaust silencer, but that should be easy enough to remedy in the aftermarket.

I think it's neat how the boxer engine lives that giant hole right in the middle of the chassis because of how compact the engine is. It makes the overall look of the bike really neat how the seat and tank are look almost like they are floating.

 

[Watcher]

This is the one I test rode for a day when I was still in Switzerland

You just feel like a mean mofo on it lol

damn thats a sexy beast. what model is that?

 

[senahorse]

Wow it looks like back home... loads of gravel and fun times.

^ I hate you man, such nice roads... The wife has been talking about moving to Oz or NZ in a few years, biking roads are one of the main reasons I could get behind it!

We are so fortunate to have so many places to ride around where we live (I used to live about at the bottom of this particular mountain), and it's all within riding distance from the inner city. As most of you guys are primarily road riders, here's a video of a local road ride (not mine) that's very popular:

http://vimeo.com/14793716

This used to be one of Wayne Gardner's (ex 500cc champ) favourite places to ride. This is about half an hour's ride from here. Eventually when I upgrade to a KTM or BMW adventure bike I will turn the WR into a supermoto for riding these mountains.

 

[opticalmace]

I have about 80 miles on the bike. They really drill slow control into us at the MSF bit I just had a lapse of judgment and made a mistake. I'm definitely going to go practice slow turns.

Don't worry about it, you're brand new. I highly recommend parking lot practice, it's a great way to sharpen your skills. My favourite thing to do is go to the parking lot where they administer the motorcycle course (at a local community college near where I live). All the course markings are painted onto the ground, so I can go anytime I want and do the drills.

 

[Reven]

Don't worry about it, you're brand new. I highly recommend parking lot practice, it's a great way to sharpen your skills. My favourite thing to do is go to the parking lot where they administer the motorcycle course (at a local community college near where I live). All the course markings are painted onto the ground, so I can go anytime I want and do the drills.

I think that is what I'll do next time I have a chance. Our MSF course isn't very far from me and its just in a mall parking lot.

 

[Drinky Crow]

oh man, got to ride one of the new honda valkyries today. feels like the 725 lb pig it is when still, but i was able to toss it around in the lot and in traffic like nothing, and when i opened it up on a wide secondary: omg, so smoooooooth. fucking honda engineers!

i need to just shiver in a corner for a day or two until the desire to buy one passes. or beast out on the zed. whatever.

 

[Drinky Crow]

I think that is what I'll do next time I have a chance. Our MSF course isn't very far from me and its just in a mall parking lot.

yup, do this.

even now, every decent saturday, i drive up to a local office park and do drills: sloooow tight turns and threshold braking. i do 'em for an hour, and the bonus is i ride better and more confidently the rest of the day.

 

[Dougald]

Great idea guys, the wife is still pretty shaky, so we're going to head to an empty car park and do the same. My slow control is rusty as hell too, so I'm going to take the chance to practice my u turns... Especially as the steering lock on the street is less than I'm used to.

 

[Gritesh]

So what should I do to my monster? I put shorty levers on it but other than that it's bone stock, I would like to do termi's but that's 2000 bucks wondering what else I should do? Tail chop probably and then I was thinking new mirrors but after that I don't know what else.

 

[thesoapster]

^ Do you know any places I could watch it online? I'm really hoping I can go one year.

Haven't been to the track in 2 years, but started making the trip again last weekend. Sooooo rusty. It took a while to get back into the hang of things, but I feel like it'll be a few more track days to be back to where I was. This was probably the best pic of me heading into a corner.

Would need to see more shots, but from this one I think you're looking good. Great body position...far better than mine. I need a different/new suit - it's not quite tall enough for my torso length, so I get a bit of pressure on the shoulders when I try to get into a full tuck.

 

[Izayoi]

I went a couple hundred miles over my 600 mile break-in before taking it in to get serviced - should I be worried?

All I see are conflicting opinions online, so I'm not really sure what to think.

 

[Watevaman]

Scrubbed in my new Sport Demons today. They hug so damn good in the sweepers. Just a shame those sweepers are an hour or so away from my house and it's straight highway to get there. I'd love to avoid getting flat spots on these tires like I did with my Pilot Activs but I think that's unavoidable.

I went a couple hundred miles over my 600 mile break-in before taking it in to get serviced - should I be worried?

All I see are conflicting opinions online, so I'm not really sure what to think.

You'll be wanting to get your oil changed asap at the least. The reason the first service is so low in mileage is because everything is getting into its final place, including your engine components. Right now your oil has bits of metal in it from the pistons seating into the cylinder, so you want to flush that out so it doesn't cause any problems.

edit: oh, and here are some pics from today's ride. I decided to stop at every overlook with a weird tree and pose my bike with it:

 

[opticalmace]

I went a couple hundred miles over my 600 mile break-in before taking it in to get serviced - should I be worried?

All I see are conflicting opinions online, so I'm not really sure what to think.

It's fine, just get it done soon.

 

[GONZO]

Has anyone here ever ridden the "Tail of the Dragon" at deals gap?

http://www.tailofthedragon.com

I want to go so bad...

Haha, funny you posted that. I literally just unpacked from my annual tgrip to the dragon. A bunch of friends and Igo down every year for a week. The funniest thing is that the dragon isn't even the most fun road in the area. The whole police issue is blown out of porportion. Stay away from the dragon on the weekends and you'll never see a cop or much traffic. And As a bonus I got to do this all day for about 4 solid days....

If you ever have the chance to stay in that area for an extended period of time you owe it to yourself to do so. It's utterly amazing for riding.

 

[Dougald]

Beautiful weekend for biking here, pity I have the pager at work this weekend and can't go out! Currently sat in a car park watching the wife practice - her new ride is just different enough to throw her confidence.

I'm not entirely confident the dealer did a particularly good job assembling the bike, as the front brake only became less than useless after bleeding the entire system, and ziptying the brake lever overnight. It's still a bit mushy but I'm not sure if there's much else I can do - any suggestions?

 

[Dougald]

Underseat pipes, slow speeds and hot weather are not the best combination! Not sure I need heated seats in June..

 

[Damaged]

Underseat pipes, slow speeds and hot weather are not the best combination! Not sure I need heated seats in June..

Yeah the dorsoduro has the exact same problem, bloody roasting in summer but useful mid winter haha

 

[LeroyPantwether]

Yeah it's great fun. I do miss the Bonneville

What was it you liked about the bonneville so much? I love the look of those bikes but have never riden one. I'd be interested to hear a retrospective from someone who has done extensive riding on one.



@watevaman and x3n - great pics , I am jealous of all that green scenery. Keep the photos coming!



Question: Is 20k miles too much for a speed triple in excellent cosmetic condition that has never been dropped and always serviced on time? A really good deal just popped up but I am wondering if it is a fool's purchase. I'd need the bike to be my daily driver so I need something that will really last for a while.

 

[Drinky Crow]

I went a couple hundred miles over my 600 mile break-in before taking it in to get serviced - should I be worried?

All I see are conflicting opinions online, so I'm not really sure what to think.

i usually do an oil change at 100 or so to flush out the filings (and to make sure i know how to do it), and then run it to 1000 to 1200 for service because i'm lazy. THAT said, i've never seen any real filings/metal in my first oil change across multiple bikes/scooters, so i wouldn't sweat it.

 

[Drinky Crow]

ran out to rainier early saturday, then followed the fam out to leavenworth. 688 miles total, not bad for a weekend. throttle hand is SORE

 

[RapidCancel]

Ugh, summer is here in Texas. This weekend was 90°F+ and it's only going to get worse.

Would need to see more shots, but from this one I think you're looking good. Great body position...far better than mine. I need a different/new suit - it's not quite tall enough for my torso length, so I get a bit of pressure on the shoulders when I try to get into a full tuck.

I wish he had taken more pics of me towards the apex, but I looked through them and didn't find anything. It felt weird being back out there after so long. Almost like it was my first time all over again. I think a few more will get me back up to speed and hopefully back in advanced group.

I've actually gained some weight, so I can't even fit the suit on if I throw my back protector on lol. Working on rectifying that right now. I've been so out of shape since I quit the track that I had trouble staying out for the full 20 minutes. D:

How's your bike doing?

 

[Dougald]

What was it you liked about the bonneville so much? I love the look of those bikes but have never riden one. I'd be interested to hear a retrospective from someone who has done extensive riding on one.

Really a combination of things. A classic-looking British bike in Britain is always a plus (and even more on the continent, the French love it). For such a heavy bike it always corners *really* well - it's really made for twisty British country roads at 40-60mph - there's something about the gentle thud of a parallel twin echoed off the hedgerows.

However, saying that, it's a lot of romance, as
- It will do a ton on the autobahn, but performance over 65 is severely lacking
- Brakes are god awful, you have to use engine braking constantly, and the rear brake jams up with crap from the road (due to it stupidly being under the disc) every 5 minutes
- The pre-EFI models take an ice age to warm up from cold


Really it depends what you want out of your ride. I fancied something that would go and stop quicker for a while, hence the Street. If I went back to the classic-ish bike, I'd probably get a Guzzi V7 or CB1100, just for the change

 

[LeroyPantwether]

appreciate the reply. that was what I needed to hear. Shame to hear about the lack of performance over 65.

 

[Dougald]

Don't get me wrong, it can sit at 80mph for hours (and I did in France as that's the limit on their motorways). But it's not really what the bike is built for - if you want high speeds then really, look elsewhere. It's built for lazy Sunday afternoons.

 

[maxheadwound]

I am here in Germany for a weeks holiday and man the weather is hot and there are so many guys out on bikes. Would be nice to take the BMW k on the autobahn to clear out the cobwebs lol.

 

[Gritesh]

So, I have been riding for about 8 years now, I rode sport bikes before I got my monster, but even when I was riding sport bikes I was not a really aggressive rider.

Anyways, yesterday I went out with a group of guys and we had some fun on a short road out by a local lake.
With a great smile on my face I can honestly say for the first time in my life I burned off my chicken strips completely, I was able to get on more than one occasion all the way over, get my knee out and glide through the turn.

It's a weird feeling, where you stop controlling the bike with the bars, and start to control it off body position, weight distribution and throttle response. I'm not even sure that describes it..It just felt...natural.

So I'm pretty pumped, a couple guys were running Go Pros out there and I know for a fact that one guy has footage of me passing him on a straight and then going into a left hand turn, so as soon as I get access to that I will post it.

 

[GONZO]

This was the best shot I got while at the dragon. Easily the greatest lean angle I was able to hit.

 

[richardhawk]

http://ultimatemotorcycling.com/official-ducati-scrambler-return-2015-teaser-video/

Pretty fuckin' excited about this. I may have found my next bike.

 

[Dougald]

I'm hoping Ducati can live up to the hype with that scrambler. I like the idea of that style of bike, without having to get another Bonneville derivative.

This was the best shot I got while at the dragon. Easily the greatest lean angle I was able to hit.

Nice shot! Showed that to my wife to prove that you can indeed go around a roundabout at more than 5mph

 

[RapidCancel]

Some spy photos of the scrambler are up. I couldn't help but to chuckle at it.

http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/ducati-scrambler-sound-emissions-testing-photos/#more-65089

 

[Dougald]

Looks like Ducati are taking the complaints about fuel tank size on modern bikes a bit too seriously with that ridiculous barrel on the back!

 

[GONZO]

I was hoping it would have a single sided swingarm. Dangit looks like the 696 engine too.

 

[StuKen]

It's insurance renewal time again. From almost €1400 third party fire and theft on the CBF1000 last year after the Vstrom theft killed my 5 year no claims, its now €680 fully comp on the GSA.

Damn, I got reamed bad last year.

 

[thesoapster]

How's your bike doing?

About the same...ordered one replacement part so far (brake reservoir bracket). Also have a new front tire on the way since that is badly needed. It's probably going to take me a good chunk of summer to get it looking as good or better as it did...will still be out riding, though.

This was the best shot I got while at the dragon. Easily the greatest lean angle I was able to hit.

Fun!