Motorcycle discussion

[fortyeightjake]

My bobbed sportster and the quad.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[gunnar]

Small update on the F4, powder coated wheels and peg brackets, Ti exhaust, a few pounds lighter now :

[Jimmy the Heater]

I'll chime in here, been riding for 37 years. Have 6 currently in the stable. Sport, ADV, cruiser and dirt. Latest one is a Yamaha Stratoliner. Took me across the US and back again last fall on a 10k mile road trip. It was an adventure for sure.

[OTHGbronco82]

So yeah. Traded in the FZ-07 for the 10. Holy crap does it have power. I got on it on my way to the freeway and it was ok until about 4-5000 rpm and then it just went like it had a rocket superglued to it's a$$. That front wheel came up pretty fast too.

[hpiguy]

Congrats Alec! i'd love a big bore naked bike, but I get in enough trouble with 42HP.

[OTHGbronco82]

Originally Posted by hpiguy

Congrats Alec! i'd love a big bore naked bike, but I get in enough trouble with 42HP.

Thanks. Yeah, 100+HP and tons of torque is going to get me in some trouble.

[Shoei1]

Originally Posted by OTHGbronco82

So yeah. Traded in the FZ-07 for the 10. Holy crap does it have power. I got on it on my way to the freeway and it was ok until about 4-5000 rpm and then it just went like it had a rocket superglued to it's a$$. That front wheel came up pretty fast too.

Nice man! Also great helmet! I really want to get a bike again. Thinking about selling my CRF450 and getting something that can be street legal. Maybe husqvarna fe 350 though not sure if its CA street legal.

Edit: yes they're 50 state street legal

[OTHGbronco82]

Originally Posted by Shoei1

Nice man! Also great helmet! I really want to get a bike again. Thinking about selling my CRF450 and getting something that can be street legal. Maybe husqvarna fe 350 though not sure if its CA street legal.

Edit: yes they're 50 state street legal

Thanks. If you're light the 350 will work. But the 501 seems like it would be a little better both on and off road. More grunt to get up hills or out of the way of a car.

[hpiguy]

If I were in the market for a tagged dirt bike, it would be a 300 two stroke, likely Husky or KTM, no doubt about it. Modern four strokes are great, but just too damned expensive when something goes wrong in the engine.

[hpiguy]

This showed up the other day. Got the fronts installed today, will do the rears this weekend. The fronts are the most expensive brake pads I've ever bought in my life, but just pushing it around the garage, I feel a big difference. Can't wait to ride it this weekend! And I've been running these filters since the first oil change, great filters, and my engine is always clean as a pin inside.

EBC Sintered Extreme Pro Race Brake Pads (for the front)
EBC Sintered R Series Brake Pads (for the rear)

[wings_of_fire]

Are superbike prices justified?
200kg of processed metal (sbk) cost more than a ton of processed metal (mid segment car).

Triumph is launching the 2017 street triple in India for a price of roughly $15000
The Kawasaki Z800 which costs $8399 in America costs $14000 in India.
Kawasaki Z1000 which costs $12000 in America costs $23000 in India.

Not to forget the loot that goes on while servicing at authorised service centres.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Are superbike prices justified?
200kg of processed metal (sbk) cost more than a ton of processed metal (mid segment car).

Triumph is launching the 2017 street triple in India for a price of roughly $15000
The Kawasaki Z800 which costs $8399 in America costs $14000 in India.
Kawasaki Z1000 which costs $12000 in America costs $23000 in India.

Not to forget the loot that goes on while servicing at authorised service centres.

There's a ton of cutting edge production technology in super bikes.

[fortyeightjake]

^This. Go price out a Harley and see if you still think they're overpriced.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by fortyeightjake

^This. Go price out a Harley and see if you still think they're overpriced.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

But, but they're American! Well kinda. Lots of Chinese made components. Heck, my Buell wheels have the word "CHINA" cast right into them. But it's not a "real" Harley according to "real" Hardley "bikers". those guys though. Harley does make mostly metal bikes and their paint is unmatched in the production motorcycle world though. Well that applies to their tried and true bikes. The new hipster models are Chinese garbage according to my friend that is a mechanic at an HD dealership and bike builder. He said they are throw away bikes and he would not recommend them. But yes, the value is not good with Harleys other than the fact that they mysteriously hold their value. That has somewhat changed over the years because the market is so, so saturated with Harleys that lots of people don't want.

Speaking of American, I'm really sad to see Victory die. They had great ideas. Innovation is severely lacking and has been for decades because Harley was the only name in the business. Victory threw a wrench into that when they made bikes with power and good handling for cruisers.

[fortyeightjake]

Yeah, I just sold my Sportster in the pics above and I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Rode it for 2 years and they paid me what I owed on it so I don't personally think I did too bad.

My buddy just got one of the new Ducati Scramblers and it's a much better bike for I think 3-4,000 dollars less than what I payed. I love Harleys and their history but like you said, all those years without much competition has made them lacking in the innovation department and the market is absolutely saturated so you're likely to get stuck with it.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[hpiguy]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Are superbike prices justified?
200kg of processed metal (sbk) cost more than a ton of processed metal (mid segment car).

Triumph is launching the 2017 street triple in India for a price of roughly $15000
The Kawasaki Z800 which costs $8399 in America costs $14000 in India.
Kawasaki Z1000 which costs $12000 in America costs $23000 in India.

Not to forget the loot that goes on while servicing at authorised service centres.

It has nothing to do with the amount of raw materials, and everything to do with R&D costs. Also, how the USD compares globally is a moot point, too many factors at play there. Your basic car is just that, basic. It will have basic performance that is adequate to get you around, but is by no means a performance vehicle. A true superbike on the other hand (none of which you mentioned), has performance that rivals exotics such as Porsche, Ferrari, etc. For roughly the same cost on the US as a basic entry level car.

My problem with superbikes is that in the US any 18 year old can go out and buy a 400lb 200HP meat missle. There is no advanced instruction during driver training, no stepped licensing program on smaller bore bikes like many EU countries, etc to help introduce new riders to the dangers of motorcycling. Few people on the planet can ride a modern 600cc supersport to their potential, much less a liter bike. And both of those will bite you in a heartbeat if you do something wrong, or get whisky throttle. That's what makes a supermoto so fun, you can push them to their limits, and rather than biting you they'll gently suggest you might not want to do that.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by hpiguy

My problem with superbikes is that in the US any 18 year old can go out and buy a 400lb 200HP meat missle. There is no advanced instruction during driver training, no stepped licensing program on smaller bore bikes like many EU countries, etc to help introduce new riders to the dangers of motorcycling. Few people on the planet can ride a modern 600cc supersport to their potential, much less a liter bike. And both of those will bite you in a heartbeat if you do something wrong, or get whisky throttle. That's what makes a supermoto so fun, you can push them to their limits, and rather than biting you they'll gently suggest you might not want to do that.

I have no problem with that. It's called freedom. With freedom comes personal responsibility. In my opinion it is not the law's place or right to control the individual's personal responsibility.

An 18 year old can also go out and buy a car with 10X the weight, double the horsepower, and take out way more people than him or herself.

[fortyeightjake]

Originally Posted by hpiguy

It has nothing to do with the amount of raw materials, and everything to do with R&D costs. Also, how the USD compares globally is a moot point, too many factors at play there. Your basic car is just that, basic. It will have basic performance that is adequate to get you around, but is by no means a performance vehicle. A true superbike on the other hand (none of which you mentioned), has performance that rivals exotics such as Porsche, Ferrari, etc. For roughly the same cost on the US as a basic entry level car.

My problem with superbikes is that in the US any 18 year old can go out and buy a 400lb 200HP meat missle. There is no advanced instruction during driver training, no stepped licensing program on smaller bore bikes like many EU countries, etc to help introduce new riders to the dangers of motorcycling. Few people on the planet can ride a modern 600cc supersport to their potential, much less a liter bike. And both of those will bite you in a heartbeat if you do something wrong, or get whisky throttle. That's what makes a supermoto so fun, you can push them to their limits, and rather than biting you they'll gently suggest you might not want to do that.

I whole heartily agree with that also. I know far too many kids who went out and got badass sportbikes who I wouldn't trust on a 90cc atv.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[hpiguy]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

I have no problem with that. It's called freedom. With freedom comes personal responsibility. In my opinion it is not the law's place or right to control the individual's personal responsibility.

An 18 year old can also go out and buy a car with 10X the weight, double the horsepower, and take out way more people than him or herself.

You're completely missing the point. We send kids to drivers education for weeks to learn not only how to control a car, but about the various dangers as well. We do absolutely nothing for motorcyclists, NOTHING. It has nothing at all to do with freedom, and everything to do with educating those kids the same as you would for operating a car or truck. At 18, you're still a kid mentally, that's a proven fact. They simply aren't aware of the incredible power these things have on tap, or how quickly they'll bite you, because nobody has ever bothered to educate them about it. They just know they look cool, they're fast, and they pull girls. Sound like an ad for 18yo males? Because it is.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by hpiguy

You're completely missing the point. We send kids to drivers education for weeks to learn not only how to control a car, but about the various dangers as well. We do absolutely nothing for motorcyclists, NOTHING. It has nothing at all to do with freedom, and everything to do with educating those kids the same as you would for operating a car or truck. At 18, you're still a kid mentally, that's a proven fact. They simply aren't aware of the incredible power these things have on tap, or how quickly they'll bite you, because nobody has ever bothered to educate them about it. They just know they look cool, they're fast, and they pull girls. Sound like an ad for 18yo males? Because it is.

The current method has worked fine for decades. Some basic training is required. You have to read the book to get your permit. Of course there's no real world training. I'm all for less government control. You give them an inch and they'll take 10 miles. I stand by my stance. Lots of young guys have purchased powerful bikes and lived to tell the tale. Most have, in fact. In the end Darwinism rules life in every aspect.