Riding little bikes

> But it didn't seem back then that the truckers and cagers were
> deliberately trying to kill us; and of course cell phones weren't
> around back then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bwpqlX1n8c

I guess it depends on if you looked like some hippie or not
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On May 7, 1:55 pm, Mathew Hennessy <mathew.henne....RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:
> > But it didn't seem back then that the truckers and cagers were
> > deliberately trying to kill us; and of course cell phones weren't
> > around back then.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bwpqlX1n8c
>
> I guess it depends on if you looked like some hippie or not

Nah, I was a young punk in the USAF at the time. Clean clothes that
actually fit, and a sage-green nylon flight jacket, with a gleaming
white helmet with its 'Strategic Air Command' decal. Damn, that was
in those exciting days before I discovered old age and monkey butt and
fatigue.

When riding through a thunderstorm was a good thing, because it cooled
down the engine and the tires and the pilot <g>. These days, riding
thru a thunderstorm makes me glad to be on a Concours with its wx
protection...
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On May 7, 11:56 am, "Thumper" <roadap....RemoveThis@unclewebster.com> wrote:
> God, are windscreens spoiling (or, perhaps it has to do with age). I rode
> thousands of miles, for years and years, on old British Bikes with no
> windscreens. Now, I can't live without one.

I occasionally remove the Minnesota Fats off my little VLX when I want
to feel the wind in my face again. With the silk flying scarf and the
goggles and of course the leather jacket, I feel very "Waldo Pepper"
as I zoom down the road. And besides, it's fun and annoys the
peasants.

> Now, when I go on a British Run, I usually trailer the bikes.
> And complain like hell about the wind blasts.

Yeah, like making X-wind landings in a taildragger. You've got to be
on your toes or comes the inevitable ground-loop <g>.
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On 07 May 2007, oasysco wrote in
news:1178543258.940073.11980@w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com

> Mostly clear Sunday afternoon, but very windy and, as I found out
> later, wind gusts were up to 50mph.
>
> Not many bikes on the road... shoulda been my first clue; trees
> bowing deeply at times... shoulda been my second clue.
>
> I rode my KZ440 across town to my a store and then across to
> another town to my mom's house.
>
> I was tossed to and fro by occassional gusts and at one time,
> pushed near the divided hiway line. I never lost control, but had
> to muscle the bike to keep it where it was supposed to be. At
> times, I felt like I was on a moped, only one that does 60mph
> easily (4750rpm @ 55mph; redlines at 9K).
>
> Back in the 70's, I rode my Yamaha RD350 across several states on
> a regular basis to visit family; no windshield; no leathers; just
> me hanging on for dear life.
>
> When I look at the front profile of the KZ440 comapred to my Aero
> 750, the KZ looks like a razor blade comapred to the fat front end
> of the Aero.
>
> All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
> bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things
> available? How did folks cross the country on 350's? Were riders a
> different breed? Heartier? By comparison, are we all pussies now
> with our near 1/2 ton bikes with skyscraper windshields?
>
> Greg
>
>

In the 1970s I had a Honda CL350 as my only transportation while in
college. Wind and vibration were just part of being a rider. I
didn't feel particularly hardy, although I did envy my riding partner
on his Norton Commando.

--
Lew
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On Mon, 07 May 2007 14:37:00 -0000, Lew
<notme.DeleteThis@notmindspring.invalid.com> wrote:

>In the 1970s I had a Honda CL350 as my only transportation while in
>college. Wind and vibration were just part of being a rider. I
>didn't feel particularly hardy, although I did envy my riding partner
>on his Norton Commando.

I actually enjoyed it

Except when it was snowing, raining, or otherwise unfit for
man or beast or rider .....


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 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

oasysco wrote:

>All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
>bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things available?
>How did folks cross the country on 350's? Were riders a different
>breed? ?

Many of us were "committed riders" back in those days. We built our lives
around riding the wheels off any motorcycle we could get our hands on, and
dreamed of motorcycles with ever increasing capabilities of speed and cross
country endurance.

Committed riders would take extra spark plugs and spare parts on their cross
country rides, maybe they had a spare clutch cable or an inner tube with them,
and a quart of oil too.

A dude had a slow leak in his tire and asked if anybody had a can of SealNAir
with them, so I gave the dude my can of emergency flat fixer. He said,
"You're a real boy scout, aren't you?"

I always believed in being prepared and self sufficiency...

> Heartier?

There are always been the pussified "gentleman motorcyclists" who belonged to
the AMA, and the rough and ready MC outlaws.

Outlaw bikers used to judge prospective MC members by how much "heart" they
showed. Some new riders had so much determination, they would never give up,
no matter how much they were hassled, and the veterans would say, "He's all
heart."

And there was brotherhood and generosity, too, riders would stop to help
other riders before the days of cell phones and valet service towing.

Nowadays, if you stop to help a sissy rider, he may think you're going to rob
him or rape him...

> By comparison, are we all pussies now with our near
>1/2 ton bikes with skyscraper windshields?

I knew that some riders were "pussies" when I saw middle aged *women* wearing
high-heeled boots riding KZ-1000's back in the 1970's...

--
Message posted via http://www.motorcyclekb.com
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

<brevity snip>

> Nowadays, if you stop to help a sissy rider, he may think you're going to rob
> him or rape him...

My first day on my own motorcycle (04, but I'm a youngun) I stopped
briefly to admire the fen view, only to find that my battery was FUBAR
(it later got replaced). A few minutes later another biker had
stopped, and gave me diretcions to his house, just down the road.
Having pushed the bike there, he charged the battery, and sorted out a
minor problem with the sparkplugs that I hadn't even been aware of.
Riderly comradeship is far from dead.

<brevity snip>

--

Lucifer - Yamaha XV535 Virago
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

"James Prine" <jsprine.TakeThisOut@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1178546422.461149.245660@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On May 7, 8:07 am, oasysco <wilderkom....TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
>> bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things available?
>> How did folks cross the country on 350's? Were riders a different
>> breed? Heartier? By comparison, are we all pussies now with our near
>> 1/2 ton bikes with skyscraper windshields?
>
> Dunno, Greg.
>
> In 1971, I rode my Honda CB-100 from Dyess AFB (Abilene, Texas) to New
> Orleans to attend a wedding. I-10 all the way.
>
> Windshield? LOL
>
> I rode my bike because I was a motorcylist and that reason was
> sufficient unto itself.
>
> But it didn't seem back then that the truckers and cagers were
> deliberately trying to kill us; and of course cell phones weren't
> around back then.
>
> Quite a journey and a nice little adventure, all in itself, that
> ride. Both ways.
>
> Best,
>
> James
>

God, are windscreens spoiling (or, perhaps it has to do with age). I rode
thousands of miles, for years and years, on old British Bikes with no
windscreens. Now, I can't live without one.

Now, when I go on a British Run, I usually trailer the bikes.
And complain like hell about the wind blasts.


--


By it's very nature, my sig. makes this posting 100% on topic.

"Of course, you'll have the good taste not to mention that I posted this."

Thumper

"I don't want a pickle..."
http://www.thumpers-roadhouse.ws

2007 H-D FXSTD Deuce
2006 Buell Ulysees
2006 BMW K1200GT
2004 H-D Road King Classic
1978 Triumph T140V Bonneville
1975 Triumph T160 Trident
1974 Norton Commando Interstate
1969 BSA R75 Red Rocket III
1962 Triumph T20 Tiger Cub
1958 BSA Super Bantam COCK
1954 Velocette MAC






>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On 7 May 2007 14:35:37 -0700, Lucifer <wyrdology RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote:

>My first day on my own motorcycle (04, but I'm a youngun) I stopped
>briefly to admire the fen view, only to find that my battery was FUBAR
>(it later got replaced). A few minutes later another biker had
>stopped, and gave me diretcions to his house, just down the road.
>Having pushed the bike there, he charged the battery, and sorted out a
>minor problem with the sparkplugs that I hadn't even been aware of.
>Riderly comradeship is far from dead.

This is another thread--how bikers used to help each other. Years ago
bikes were less reliable and we (by which I mean -I-) used to get
stuck on the side of the rode somewhere more often than I'd like.
Other bikers would usually pull up to ask if there was a problem and
if someone needed a jump, a push, a ride somewhere, a band-aid, etc.

Well if this happened in '04 then maybe some of that spirit is still
alive today. 8^)
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

Everyone in this thread (just about) has something in common--memories
of a small bike in their youth. They forget they were YOUNG then,
young and hearty, young and adventurous, young and stupid.

I used to do 200-mile days on my Honda 350 all the time. These days I
even sometimes wish I still had a small bike I could still push
around. And in the city anything over 250 is a waste. But out on the
open road there's not much to recommend a small bike except, as was
the case 30 years ago, it was all you had.
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On May 7, 8:15 pm, Calgary
<actual.rider_remove_the_obvio... DeleteThis @telus.net> wrote:
> On 7 May 2007 06:07:38 -0700, oasysco <wilderkom... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
> >bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things available?
>
> They knew there are easier ways to ride in the wind than trying to
> _muscle_ the bike.

How do you deal with 50mph crosswinds with nothing but finesse on a
bike that wants to take to the air? I swear, if I had had my jacket
half open, I might have been airborne -

Greg

>
> --
>
> 24 hours in a day
> &
> 24 beer in a case
>
> Coincidence?
>
> I think not
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

"oasysco" <wilderkommen.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1178589505.416455.100550@p77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> On May 7, 8:15 pm, Calgary
> <actual.rider_remove_the_obvio....TakeThisOut@telus.net> wrote:
>> On 7 May 2007 06:07:38 -0700, oasysco <wilderkom....TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> >All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
>> >bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things available?
>>
>> They knew there are easier ways to ride in the wind than trying to
>> _muscle_ the bike.
>
> How do you deal with 50mph crosswinds with nothing but finesse on a
> bike that wants to take to the air? I swear, if I had had my jacket
> half open, I might have been airborne -
>

Stick your upwind knee out and leave it there... I know this and frankly I be
dumber than two boxes of rocks. OBTW the wind was ONLY 15-25mph today, sometimes
it's MUCH higher i.e. high enough to rip 48' of fence breaking off the 4x4
posts. So please tell me how high was that wind again? If I wouldn't ride in
30-45mph wind there are quiet a few days I would be stuck at home.

--
Keith Schiffner
History does not record anywhere at any time a religion that has any rational
basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the
unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and
spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from
fiddling with it.
Robert Heinlein
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes 

On 7 May 2007 06:07:38 -0700, oasysco <wilderkommen RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:

>All this got me thinking... how in the world did people ride these
>bikes back in the day when they were mostly the only things available?

They knew there are easier ways to ride in the wind than trying to
_muscle_ the bike.


--


24 hours in a day
&
24 beer in a case

Coincidence?

I think not
 >> Stay informed about: Riding little bikes