<p>I just bought a new bike this weekend and wondered which CC’ers are motorcycle riders? What do you ride? What do you wish you were riding? Does anyone else in the family drive one? What kind of driving do you do with it? Commuting to work? Puttering around? Road trips?</p>
<p>I’ll start: I just bought a Honda 750 Shadow Spirit. I was lusting after the Honda 1100 Spirit on the showroom floor right next to it, but money was an issue. My wife has a Suzuki GZ-250 (cruiser-style), but liked the 750, so she convinced me to buy the 750 with the thought that sometime in the future I’d get the 1100 and SHE’D take over this one. My son (Ohio U.) likes to drive the little Suzuki, but I don’t want to see him getting a bike anytime soon. I’ll use it for commuting as soon as it stops raining around here (plus some short weekend trips).</p>
<p>We still have our bike, but don’t go for rides much anymore. Still miss it. Our courtship (33 years ago) involved a lot of motorcycle riding, because my almost husband didn’t have a car in London. We actually spent a lot of time pushing the old Montessa (which broke down very often). Once I brought him back to the US we moved on up to a Honda. I was only ever a back seat driver, but what freedom and what fun. Wear a helmut and don’t ever drink a drop of booze before riding. My husband almost had many accidents because of careless other drivers. . Maybe that’s why we stopped riding it. It’s now a nice garage decoration, which he threatens to sell yearly, I’m the holdout. One day…</p>
<p>I do! I’m not a big fan of the cruisers, so I ride sportbikes. Have a Ninja 500R right now, but I’m looking to upgrade to a new Ninja zx-6r in the next few weeks or so.</p>
<p>And no, no one else in my family rides. In fact, they are all pretty much against me riding I use it for commuting to school and around LA. So much fun haha…</p>
<p>My husband has a 1975 Triumph Trident 750cc. It was burning oil last year though so he spent the winter holed up in the garage re-building it and ordering parts from England. He thought he had it fixed but when he fired it up, it was still burning oil, so now he’s got it apart again. poor guy.</p>
<p>i don’t have a bike or a license, however i did go to college in york and if anyone knows anything about harley davidson, they are made there… so there are a LOT of bikers around. i worked with a merchandise company that sold motorcycle things to shops around the united states… i used to love to ride on the back of my bosses… i have a beautiful trillian leather jacket (rare, $$$, my boss got it for me when i graduated), and a schott nylon jacket (AWESOME COMPANY… highly recommend their stuff if you are a motorcyclist… kind of expensive but top notch products… i got it for my 23rd birthday) and i have a complete wardrobe of harley davidson clothing…</p>
<p>In 1972, I was on my motorcycle when a car turned left in front of me. Instead of crashing into the car - which was inevitable - I somehow had the sense to put it down. I remember it in slow motion. When I left the bike, I thought I was about to die, and I was curious about how fast I was going. As I began to fly through the air, I looked at the speedometer: 62 and a half miles per hour - and I was airborne! Yikes. Luckily, I hit just right and rolled like one would roll down a hill (vs. tumbling and breaking lots of bones). My clothes - a business suit - were shredded. My injuries were actually slight (bruised kidney). I was wearing a helmet then and I always wear one, even if I’m just going to the end of the driveway and back. I also always wear gloves and an armored motorcycle jacket. It’s hot in the summertime, but if I do go off the bike again, I want to be protected. </p>
<p>As I drive, I look at every driveway, every parked car, and every oncoming car, constantly plotting an escape route if that car decides to do something stupid. I think I’m a little paranoid, but it’s served me well for quite some time now.</p>
<p>I cannot understand why someone would ride a motorcycle (or even a bicycle) without head protection.</p>
<p>OK, sermon over. Now back to riding fun (it’s still raining here, and rain forecast for almost all of the next week).</p>
<p>Dig, have you seen the new motorcycle helmet mohawks? They’re these bright colored mohawks for bikers to suction cup on the top of their helmets… I think they’re pretty goofy looking, but apparently they’re actually selling well and it makes motorcyle drivers more noticable… Def. not my thing, but whatever… here’s a link <a href=“http://www.ironhorsehelmets.com/MOHAWK.htm[/url]”>http://www.ironhorsehelmets.com/MOHAWK.htm</a></p>
<p>As far as riding without a helmet, A coworker of mine died in a motorcycle crash a few weeks ago… we were so distraught… He had his helmet on, but still died of brain injuries. And as far as not wearing a helmet, I think everyone who doesn’t should read Ben (from the Steelers) story… and if they still continue to ride without a helmet, then I honestly am out of things to say to them… Safety is key…</p>
<p>Also armoured motorcycle jackets are the best kind… When I was taking th armour out of the one I got for my birthday (I just wanted to wear it as a regular jacket) i wound up with a giant pile of pads… It’s amazing how much armour they put in there.</p>
<p>My husband hit a deer once on his motorcycle. He wasn’t going fast and was able to jump out of the way of the mc as it was going down. The scars on his leather jacket and helmet attest to the protection they gave him. He always wears his helmet, jacket, long pants and boots, and pretty much just rides on back roads. He works about 15 minutes from home and it’s a great commute with the biggest danger being deer and wild turkeys.</p>
<p>My husband and I ride our 2005 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic. Don’t know if you’re familiar with the Harley’s but this model is a cruiser. It has saddlebags and a nice seat for me too and a sissy bar to lean on. It’s color is Turquoise and sand with plenty of chrome. We have been riding since 2001. This is our 3rd Harley. I also have my motorcycle license and once had a 2004 Harley Davidson Low Rider. I sold that after awhile as my husband started working away from home and he’s the only one I wanted to ride with and It wasn’t worth hanging onto and not being ridden.</p>
<p>We like to go to the beaches of NC and SC (we live in NC) and go to the mountains of NC, TN, and VA. Our most favorite ride is on the Blue Ridge Parkway, in NC and VA and we have traveled every mile of it. We just love those nice and easy rides, though we do go to the bike rallies in Myrtle Beach and Daytona most years.</p>
<p>DH’s current two-wheeler is a Honda Goldwing, roughly the size and weight of a VW Beetle. He started riding in college, and for years it was our primary source of transportation. I used to ride with him all the time, he even taught me to drive one of his bikes when we had two hanging around, but once we had kids I stopped riding. As I told him back then, I didn’t want my sister raising my kids. However, they both graduated college in May, so maybe I’ll dig out my helmet and climb on board again soon. Hmm, better wait until that new will gets signed. DH is an excellent rider, but every accident he’s had has been the fault of the other driver.</p>
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I’m not a big fan of the cruisers, so I ride sportbikes. Have a Ninja 500R right now, but I’m looking to upgrade to a new Ninja zx-6r in the next few weeks or so.</p>
I use it for commuting to school and around LA. So much fun haha…</p>