Any motorcycle riders here?

[Daniel A]

50 minutes ago, Dmitry said:

Fellow motorcyclists, as of yesterday I am a proud owner of the mighty Honda Ruckus. 49 cubic centimeters of freedom! Already took my first voyage - a one mile round trip to the supermarche, to obtain a multigrain baguette.

 

Very good, congrats! As for myself, I have this moped from 1969 with a 50 cc motor which makes alla of one (1) horsepower! One might push it to 40+ km/h, but it rides better around 30.

[Teasing the Korean]

I drove a motorcycle once, in summer 1991, in a rural area.

Once was enough for me.

[jazzbo]

I love my 2008 Harley Fat Bob. . . but I don't ride it often any longer because it wants to get on the highway and run for about 10 or 12 hours for a few days. . . and I just can't do that any longer. And my wife doesn't want to ride with me, she doesn't find it comfortable. So. . .I don't know. . . if I can swing it one of these days I may get a smaller bike.

I've been a motorcycle rider since '78 and from '80 to '90 it was my only vehicle in Austin, and then again from 2008 to 2016 a motorcycle was my only vehicle. My '74 BMW R90/6 was probably my favorite, but I do love my Fat Bob.

Edited August 9, 2023 by jazzbo

[Dmitry]

6 hours ago, jazzbo said:

I've been a motorcycle rider since '78 and from '80 to '90 it was my only vehicle in Austin, and then again from 2008 to 2016 a motorcycle was my only vehicle. 

How did you manage to get to work or travel in heavy weather, you still rode? What about getting groceries and traveling? I'm assuming your wife had a car?

Question to all you riders. After just two short rides I'm considering a full face helmet or similar. The open face that I bought for my safety course  is not mitigating the wind even at 25 mph. I put in my air buds and they barely helped with the wind blowing in my ears. I've just read that full face helmets can be optioned with bluetooth. Do they provide significant protection against road noise? Does the visor get foggy from your breath?

[jazzbo]

In my case I had rain gear and rode in rain a lot. I was also very easily able to take  one of three different bus routes to work; three bus stops were just one to five minutes from my house. The very best grocery store in town was a five minute walk from our house, and I had sadddle-bags on my motorcycle to transport items as well. My then wife (now late first wife) did not drive.

I often used noise protection--never any "music" headphones--when riding. I both rode with and without full and open helmets. Fogging wasn't much of an issue, I usually had the visor off or propped up.

[paulfromcamden]

8 hours ago, Dmitry said:

How did you manage to get to work or travel in heavy weather, you still rode? What about getting groceries and traveling? I'm assuming your wife had a car?

Question to all you riders. After just two short rides I'm considering a full face helmet or similar. The open face that I bought for my safety course  is not mitigating the wind even at 25 mph. I put in my air buds and they barely helped with the wind blowing in my ears. I've just read that full face helmets can be optioned with bluetooth. Do they provide significant protection against road noise? Does the visor get foggy from your breath?

Congrats on your Ruckus! Brilliant little bikes. I ride a Yamaha XF50 daily - similar idea but like a beer cooler on wheels. Loads of space for groceries under the seat 😀

I ride in most weathers unless there's a lot of snow or it's really icy on the road. I've done that a few times and it was a bit unnerving. Otherwise those little wide wheels are really solid and grippy.

I've always gone with a full face helmet. The one time I was knocked off (car pulled across my lane at a junction without looking....) it was the chin part of the helmet that took the impact. Also consider a white or bright yellow helmet - they make a big different in helping car drivers see you in low light.

A helmet that can take a pinlock insert will help with fogging - though I generally ride with the visor up anyway so I can hear what's going on around me on the road. Little bikes like ours don't make much noise.

If you haven't already consider getting some decent boots. A pair of DMs will do it or there are lots of 'bike trainers' that give more support to your sole and ankles if you take a tumble.

 

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I used a full-face helmet for years. It wasn't until my last year riding my Victory Cross Country that I bought an open-face helmet because the Cross Country had a windshield so I didn't need the face shield.

I was living in NH when they repealed their helmet law. It was at the tail end of my initial riding days. I took a short trip to a local store and I thought I'd see what it felt like to ride without a helmet. I not only felt "naked", even with glasses on, my eyes watered so bad that I could barely see. Helmets for me.

[HutchFan]

I've ridden motorcycles on-and-off since I was a kid.  I learned to ride on my neighbor's Yamaha 70 trail bike.  As an adult, I've owned three different motorcycles: a Honda CB650SC, a Suzuki GS650G, and -- most recently -- a 2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200R.  Unfortunately, a few years ago, I had a nasty spill on the Kawi while riding on the twisty, mountain roads up in North Georgia.  After the wreck, I sold the bike to a friend who was able to repair the damage and get it back on the road more easily than I could have.  

So I don't have a motorcycle now.  But I've been eyeing motorcycles lately, looking at online sellers and such.  I'm thinking about getting a late-model used Suzuki V-Strom 650.  All of my bikes have been inline-4s. The V-Strom is a twin.  A different vibe, figuratively and literally.

As far as comparing full-face helmets and open-face, it's difficult for me to say.  I've used nothing but full-face helmets since I've been an adult.  They're much safer.  Studies show that the two most likely places that your head will be struck if you fall off the bike is on either side of your jaw.  Obviously, only a full-face helmet provides any protection there.  . . .  Incidentally, when I wrecked, that's exactly where my helmet hit the ground -- on the left side of the front of my head (also my left shoulder).  My helmet did it's job.  Thankfully, I didn't have a head injury.  But the helmet was all scraped up (as was my riding gear -- shoulder, knees, and hands).

A wreck is sobering. 

That said, there's nothing like riding.  It's one of the best feelings in the world.  I'll probably be back in the game shortly. 

 

EDIT:  I just scrolled back to the beginning of this thread and see that I'm repeating myself (again).  Oh well.    

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by HutchFan

[jazzbo]

10 hours ago, Dmitry said:

How did you manage to get to work or travel in heavy weather, you still rode? What about getting groceries and traveling? I'm assuming your wife had a car?

Question to all you riders. After just two short rides I'm considering a full face helmet or similar. The open face that I bought for my safety course  is not mitigating the wind even at 25 mph. I put in my air buds and they barely helped with the wind blowing in my ears. I've just read that full face helmets can be optioned with bluetooth. Do they provide significant protection against road noise? Does the visor get foggy from your breath?

I'd recommend these eye protection for anyone riding, I have both tinted and clear pairs (for night riding). Your eyes will not water and they rarely rarely "fog up" . . . .

https://www.wileyx.com/sunglasses/collection/climate-control

They're not cheap but they work. Transformed my riding eye comfort.

[HutchFan]

@Dmitry,

In my experience, fogging is not an issue with full-face helmets.  Enough air comes in from underneath.  Also, you can lift the face-shield slightly, if need be (for example, at low speeds on humid days).

Also, there are plenty of helmets that are blue-tooth equipped or ready to add after-market blue-tooth products.

One bit of un-asked-for advice: Don't compromise on your helmet.  Get a mid-level grade helmet or (preferably) even better.  Even if you never need it & you never fall off your motorcycle, you will be much more comfortable with something that's better than an "economy-level" helmet.  The air flow will be better, it will be more quiet, and the helmet will be lighter in weight with a mid-tier (or above) helmet.  Plus, the little things that break on cheap-o helmets (clasps, etc.) will last longer on a quality helmet.

The helmet manufacturer Bell used to have a poster with the saying, "Got a 10 cent head, wear a 10 cent helmet."  I think they had a point. 

 

1 hour ago, bresna said:

I was living in NH when they repealed their helmet law. It was at the tail end of my initial riding days. I took a short trip to a local store and I thought I'd see what it felt like to ride without a helmet. I not only felt "naked", even with glasses on, my eyes watered so bad that I could barely see. Helmets for me.

IIRC, helmets aren't required in South Carolina or Florida either.  (They are required in Georgia, where I live.)  When I'm in those states, it still startles me to see motorcyclists flying down the road without helmets on.  I can't imagine riding without a helmet.  It seems foolish to me.

On the other hand, many of my friends and family think that it's foolish for me to ride motorcycles at all, regardless of the protective gear I might be using.  Motorcycling -- with a helmet or without -- is a calculated risk.  I guess it's all about how much risk you're willing to take.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by HutchFan

[HutchFan]

19 hours ago, Dmitry said:

Fellow motorcyclists, as of yesterday I am a proud owner of the mighty Honda Ruckus. 49 cubic centimeters of freedom! Already took my first voyage - a one mile round trip to the supermarche, to obtain a multigrain baguette.

 

 

That thing looks like it would be a total HOOT to ride!       

 

I've also toyed with the idea of getting a Honda Trail 125.  Same sorta thing as your Ruckus.  Small but zippy -- and FUN! 

Edited August 10, 2023 by HutchFan

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

They're still making those things?? I had a friend who a CT90 back in 1973. It looked a lot like this new one...

 

[HutchFan]

13 minutes ago, bresna said:

They're still making those things?? I had a friend who a CT90 back in 1973. It looked a lot like this new one...

Honda just brought them back last year.  The new ones and old ones are remarkably similar.  The biggest change is that they've upped the engine size to 125 CCs.

Suddenly, small bikes are "IN."  Apparently, the new Trail 125s are selling like hotcakes.  

And there's the Grom too, along with Dmitry's Ruckus.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by HutchFan

[Kevin Bresnahan]

1 minute ago, HutchFan said:

Honda just brought them back last year.  The new ones and old ones remarkably similar.  The biggest change is that they've upped the engine size to 125 CCs.

Suddenly, small bikes are "IN."  Apparently these are selling like hotcakes.

 

What's old is new again. Kinda like vinyl records.

[HutchFan]

9 minutes ago, bresna said:

What's old is new again. Kinda like vinyl records.

Yep.   

A few months back, I watched a YT video of two guys who rode these bikes -- one rider was on a new one and the other was on an unmodified old one from the 1970s (!) -- all the way from Anchorage to the most northern point in Alaska.

The new one did it without so much as a hiccup.  The old one needed some repairs, which isn't surprising, given the fact that it was about 50 years old. But it made it.

Honda makes unbelievably reliable products.

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by HutchFan

[Dmitry]

1 hour ago, HutchFan said:

Yep.   

A few months back, I watched a YT video of two guys who rode these bikes -- one rider was on a new one and the other was on an unmodified old one from the 1970s (!) -- all the way from Anchorage to the most northern point in Alaska.

The new one did it without so much as a hiccup.  The old one needed some repairs, which isn't surprising, given the fact that it was about 50 years old. But it made it.

Honda makes unbelievably reliable products.

 

Hutch, be prepared to wait for that Trail125. They are in short supply. I asked the salesperson at Razee's about that model when I was filling out paperwork for the Ruckus ( they are the legendary motorcycle dealer in RI, ran by the same family since the late 1940s), and he said that he didn't remember the last time they had one on the floor. In his words, "When I order three or four, one will show up, and we don't know how long it'll take to get it." 

Razee Motorcycle Center

 

[HutchFan]

10 minutes ago, Dmitry said:

Hutch, be prepared to wait for that Trail125. They are in short supply.

I've heard as much.

I was in a motorcycle shop in NC a few months ago, and they had TWO.  I was shocked.

 

[Dmitry]

12 hours ago, HutchFan said:

I've ridden motorcycles on-and-off since I was a kid.  I learned to ride on my neighbor's Yamaha 70 trail bike.  As an adult, I've owned three different motorcycles: a Honda CB650SC, a Suzuki GS650G, and -- most recently -- a 2003 Kawasaki ZRX1200R.  Unfortunately, a few years ago, I had a nasty spill on the Kawi while riding on the twisty, mountain roads up in North Georgia.  After the wreck, I sold the bike to a friend who was able to repair the damage and get it back on the road more easily than I could have.  

So I don't have a motorcycle now.  But I've been eyeing motorcycles lately, looking at online sellers and such.  I'm thinking about getting a late-model used Suzuki V-Strom 650.  All of my bikes have been inline-4s. The V-Strom is a twin.  A different vibe, figuratively and literally.

As far as comparing full-face helmets and open-face, it's difficult for me to say.  I've used nothing but full-face helmets since I've been an adult.  They're much safer.  Studies show that the two most likely places that your head will be struck if you fall off the bike is on either side of your jaw.  Obviously, only a full-face helmet provides any protection there.  . . .  Incidentally, when I wrecked, that's exactly where my helmet hit the ground -- on the left side of the front of my head (also my left shoulder).  My helmet did it's job.  Thankfully, I didn't have a head injury.  But the helmet was all scraped up (as was my riding gear -- shoulder, knees, and hands).

You are lucky! What happened, how did you get injured?

I will go to Razee next week to try on some helmets and riding gear. It's only a 35 mph-capable moped, but I'm sure the vast majority of accidents involving motorcycles happen at lower then highway speeds, especially with the inexperienced riders.

[Dmitry]

15 hours ago, paulfromcamden said:

Congrats on your Ruckus! Brilliant little bikes. I ride a Yamaha XF50 daily - similar idea but like a beer cooler on wheels. Loads of space for groceries under the seat 😀

I ride in most weathers unless there's a lot of snow or it's really icy on the road. I've done that a few times and it was a bit unnerving. Otherwise those little wide wheels are really solid and grippy.

I've always gone with a full face helmet. The one time I was knocked off (car pulled across my lane at a junction without looking....) it was the chin part of the helmet that took the impact. Also consider a white or bright yellow helmet - they make a big different in helping car drivers see you in low light.

A helmet that can take a pinlock insert will help with fogging - though I generally ride with the visor up anyway so I can hear what's going on around me on the road. Little bikes like ours don't make much noise.

If you haven't already consider getting some decent boots. A pair of DMs will do it or there are lots of 'bike trainers' that give more support to your sole and ankles if you take a tumble.

 

That does look like you're sitting on a picnic cooler.  I like the styling! If that compartment is waterproof, you actually could fiill it with ice and beer!!!

Your machine is way more advanced than the Ruckus. You have a fuel injector and cool useful gages, R has a carburetor and just the speedometer and odometer. 

[HutchFan]

9 hours ago, Dmitry said:

You are lucky! What happened, how did you get injured?

I entered a descending-radius curve at too high a speed.  When I realized that I was going too fast to make it through, I tried to bring the bike upright and execute an emergency stop. But I applied too much force to the front brake -- adrenaline, I guess -- so I went over the top of the handlebars.  I landed in gravel and dirt on the side of the road.  My left shoulder took the brunt of the force.  I broke my collar bone and five ribs.  

All things considered, I was very lucky. It could have been much worse.  . . . My sporting-style riding days are now over.  From here on out, it will be the moto equivalent of taking a leisurely stroll through the park.

 

[porcy62]

My suggestions about safety, after 42 years on motorcycle: buy the best full face helmet you can afford, you’ll never regret it. Safety jacket is a good thing too, a good pair of gloves warmly recommended: the first thing one do in an slow speed accident is put the hands forward, gloves will not safe bones but your skin will love them. About helmet it has an expiry date, since material are intended to absorb crash it will be less effective after years of daily use. Sun and temperature shock “cook” the helmets. Said that enjoy your rides.

Edited August 11, 2023 by porcy62

[Dmitry]

1 hour ago, porcy62 said:

My suggestions about safety, after 42 years on motorcycle: buy the best full face helmet you can afford, you’ll never regret it. Safety jacket is a good thing too, a good pair of gloves warmly recommended: the first thing one do in an slow speed accident is put the hands forward, gloves will not safe bones but your skin will love them. About helmet it has an expiry date, since material are intended to absorb crash it will be less effective after years of daily use. Sun and temperature shock “cook” the helmets. Said that enjoy your rides.

Great advice, thank you. Some may think it’s an overkill to even wear a jacket in addition to the helmet while riding a 35 mph scooter, but I will definitely look into that. 
I just read an article about various types of helmets and a quote stuck in my head (no pun intended), “A ten dollar head deserves a ten dollar helmet.”

I find the following statistics very informative.

The average speed of a motorcycle prior to an accident is 29.8 mph, 21.5 mph at the time of impact, and in only 1/1000 of cases is speed approximately 86 mph at the time of impact

Interesting reading here, don’t know how true it is, but why not?  https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/little-known-facts-about-motorcycle-accidents-31124

 

[Dmitry]

I bought an expensive ($300) modular helmet by HJC. I was going to get the one with Bluetooth, but my friend who rides big motorcycles advised against it.  He has one like that and prefers not to switch on the Bluetooth and just listens to the road.  I also bought a light mesh jacket with elbows, shoulders and back armor plates.
I have to admit that just riding around the neighborhood after work, even if it's just a couple of miles is a wonderful feeling that I can't compare with any other. It's not just relaxing...I need to think of other ways to describe it.

[HutchFan]

On 8/28/2023 at 5:19 PM, Dmitry said:

It's not just relaxing...I need to think of other ways to describe it.

For me, the word might be therapeutic.

 

[Dmitry]

12 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

For me, the word might be therapeutic.

 

Bingo! You nailed it!