If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
JQ wrote:
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote: On 2005-02-07, The Real Bev penned: "Monique Y. Mudama" wrote: I can't keep my eyes off the clock when I'm in my car, but on my motorcycle there's no clock, which is actually kind of nice because, as you say, looking at the clock is just stressful. You bike too? Dirt and/or street? Been a while, but my Kawasaki KDX175 still works although the Suzuki GS550 is dead. I'd never been on a bike at all until last summer, when my husband and I took the MFC class together. He instantly bought a new CBR600RR, and I followed suit a few weeks later with a used BMW R1100R. (Big bike, but not nearly as twitchy as his Honda. I debated a lot, but with the MFC classes I felt confident I could handle it, which I can, though I do sometimes think I'd be more confident on a smaller bike. It's really just the size. That beemer is farkin huge.) So, just street so far. If I want to play in dirt, I take my mountain bike. That's a lot of bike for a beginner, just be very careful. There is more power there than meets the eye. I always recommend a small bike for beginners for the first two years and then a gradual build up to get used to the power, weight and handling capabilities. The BMW is a very nice bike (that is 1100cc bike right?). As a short person, I think the ability to at least get both sets of toes on the ground is more important than size/weight/whatever. I'd be happier still if I could get both feet flat on the ground at the same time, but with a 30" inseam that isn't very likely. Wish they'd figure out how to put a big engine in a tiny frame, but NOOOOOOO. My SIL has had a BMW for a long time -- but she's six feet tall :-( -- Cheers, Bev ================================================== =============== "The federal government has taken too much tax money from the people, too much authority from the states, and too much liberty with the Constitution." -- Ronald Reagan |
Ads |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
On 2005-02-07, MattB penned:
I think it can be fun, but it definitely requires aggressive technique and a nice bouncy unweight during the lead change. If I could choose it would be multiple feet of champagne powder every day, but when it's slushy I can still have a good time. My problem is that, knowing that I've hurt my knee in the past and seeing that the slush "looks" like an obstacle, I am not confident that I can carve through it, so I don't and disaster strikes. I have this problem in crud and various other non-ideal conditions. I'm sure that if I had the confidence to truly commit myself to the carve in these types of snow, it would work just fine. -- monique Longmont, CO |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Apologies for massive OTness.
ObSki: Looks like it's going to snow during the beginning of the week, then warm up to the 50s by the weekend. Has Colorado weather gotten bad for skiing, have I gotten spoiled, or what? On 2005-02-07, JQ penned: [about monique's r1100r] That's a lot of bike for a beginner, just be very careful. There is more power there than meets the eye. I always recommend a small bike for beginners for the first two years and then a gradual build up to get used to the power, weight and handling capabilities. The BMW is a very nice bike (that is 1100cc bike right?). Yup, it's the 1100cc bike. Just ask my insurance company =P What do you mean by handling capabilities? How do you think it's different? It's a lot of bike. Unfortunately, I fell in love with the styling, and while an 800 was made for a few years, they're even harder to find than the 1100. I posted on two moto newsgroups asking for advice about whether or not a beginner who'd just passed the MSF class should get this bike. Owners of other motorcycles warned against it, but every Beemer owner (as I recall) said that with the MSF under my belt, and with my generally cautious/inquisitive attitude, I should be able to handle it. I also wear a full-face helmet, padded jacket, padded pants, gloves, and ankle-covering boots whenever I ride. It won't work miracles, but it's better than nothing. The power is there, but you have to ask for it. It's not nearly as twitchy as my husband's sportbike. My only problem has been the weight, but not while moving. I've dropped it a few times at a standstill[1], and I haven't been able to pick it up, even with the butt-first method. I probably could if I had to, but thus far I've always had someone nearby who could help me out. I'm very glad I got this bike -- it's used, so I don't freak if it tips, and it doesn't show wear from the tipping. Unfortunately, because of the weight, I do think I'm a little leery of practicing very tight maneuvers ... that is, if I could find a place to practice where the security guards don't shoo me away! Because of this, I think it's extra important to attend the follow-on moto course, in which you do the MSF drills on your own bike. I plan to do that this summer. [1] For the curious: Once during the test drive (doh!). I came to a stop and was staring at the controls by my feet, trying to figure out ... something. I didn't notice the bike was tilting till it was too late. I felt awful. The owner was exceptionally nice. The fact that he was more concerned about me than about his bike, and that he insisted I ride it again so that I wouldn't develop a fear of the bike, had a lot to do with me choosing to buy from him, even though he said I shouldn't buy it if I didn't feel comfortable. As long as I'm moving, the bike feels very comfortable; it's only at a standstill that I notice that, hey, it's huge! Oh, and I don't stare at my feet anymore. Once while departing my cul de sac. I tried to turn left at about 0.1mph and the bike stalled mid-turn. That was rather embarrassing. The clutch is your friend, as is momentum. Once while, er, dismounting. I'd parked on a (very slightly) angled surface and not tugged the bike down onto the kickstand firmly. The bike was essentially standing straight up, and when I got off the minor movement put it off-balance. Ugh. Total damage from all of this is a tiny scuff on the back of the left hand mirror. I'm sure that if/when my husband drops his bike, it will be hundreds of dollars of repair if it's a dime. Then again, his bike is lighter than mine, and he's bigger than me. -- monique Longmont, CO |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
On 2005-02-07, The Real Bev penned:
As a short person, I think the ability to at least get both sets of toes on the ground is more important than size/weight/whatever. I'd be happier still if I could get both feet flat on the ground at the same time, but with a 30" inseam that isn't very likely. Wish they'd figure out how to put a big engine in a tiny frame, but NOOOOOOO. My SIL has had a BMW for a long time -- but she's six feet tall :-( My 1100 has an adjustable seat. The guy I bought it from didn't even know this, but I told him and we dropped the seat to its lowest setting. At that setting, I can comfortably flat-foot the bike, and I'm 5'5 with a 32" inseam. Unfortunately, the latest generation (I think 1150 now?) doesn't have an adjustable seat. You can buy an alternate seat, but the numbers don't sound promising. But I haven't actually sat on one to check it out. I think that my beemer's "standard" position probably allows for easier flat-footing than a sportbike position, where you have to lean your body forward. I wouldn't trust myself on most sportbikes, though I have a friend who's 5'4 and rides them. But she has a lot more experience than I do. Anyhoo, back to the ski talk ... -- monique Longmont, CO |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote:
I think that my beemer's "standard" position probably allows for easier flat-footing than a sportbike position, where you have to lean your body forward. I wouldn't trust myself on most sportbikes, though I have a friend who's 5'4 and rides them. But she has a lot more experience than I do. Having to lean forward for 8 or 10 hours a day is intolerable. I put a thingy on my Suzuki that moved the bars 3" back (J.C. Whitney is your friend), but it wasn't enough. After several days of riding with appreciable weight on my hands all the time my fingers were numb for a couple of months. Scary. I don't see how crotch-rocket jockeys can do it if they have to ride for more than an hour at a time. -- Cheers, Bev $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ "One's chances of winning the lottery are not appreciably improved by actually buying a ticket." |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
The Real Bev wrote:
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote: I think that my beemer's "standard" position probably allows for easier flat-footing than a sportbike position, where you have to lean your body forward. I wouldn't trust myself on most sportbikes, though I have a friend who's 5'4 and rides them. But she has a lot more experience than I do. Having to lean forward for 8 or 10 hours a day is intolerable. I put a thingy on my Suzuki that moved the bars 3" back (J.C. Whitney is your friend), but it wasn't enough. After several days of riding with appreciable weight on my hands all the time my fingers were numb for a couple of months. Scary. I don't see how crotch-rocket jockeys can do it if they have to ride for more than an hour at a time. One secret to this type of riding, especially if you need to make a long trip is a large, well filled tank bag. You can support a lot of your weight on one of these. I prefer the positive straps to the magnetic type. And I don't use one any more with my wing. VtSkier |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
(snip
What do you mean by handling capabilities? How do you think it's different? You partially answer this question yourself below. (snip) I posted on two moto newsgroups asking for advice about whether or not a beginner who'd just passed the MSF class should get this bike. Owners of other motorcycles warned against it, but every Beemer owner (as I recall) said that with the MSF under my belt, and with my generally cautious/inquisitive attitude, I should be able to handle it. It takes time to gain the required experience and abilities to handle a big bike and powerful bike. It's like skiing just because a person takes a indepth beginner course that covers all the necessary tools to do big mountain and back country skiing it will take much more time and experience to really be able to handle them. I also wear a full-face helmet, padded jacket, padded pants, gloves, and ankle-covering boots whenever I ride. It won't work miracles, but it's better than nothing. I thought I was over kill on safety. (snip) My only problem has been the weight, but not while moving. I've dropped it a few times at a standstill[1], and I haven't been able to pick it up, even with the butt-first method. I probably could if I had to, but thus far I've always had someone nearby who could help me out. I'm very glad I got this bike -- it's used, so I don't freak if it tips, and it doesn't show wear from the tipping. This part of the handling capabilities learning to deal with the weight issue. Big bikes handle differently than smaller ones, they do not react as fast, shifting weight from one side to the other is more work and knowing how to use the power at the correct time also plays a major effect as how as to the handling. Unfortunately, because of the weight, I do think I'm a little leery of practicing very tight maneuvers ... that is, if I could find a place to practice where the security guards don't shoo me away! Because of this, I think it's extra important to attend the follow-on moto course, in which you do the MSF drills on your own bike. I plan to do that this summer. Again, this is why I recommend a small less powerful bike to beginners. Big bikes handle differently than smaller ones, they do not react as fast, shifting weight from one side to the other is more work and knowing how to use the power at the correct time also plays a major effect as how as to the handling. I've known a few beginner bike riders that had major accidents due to having more bike than they could handle, one death and three major injuries, no more bikes for any of them. (snip) JQ Dancing on the edge |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
In article ,
The Real Bev writes: I don't see how crotch-rocket jockeys can do it if they have to ride for more than an hour at a time. Easy: Just accelerate. That takes the weight off of your hands. I rode a Ninja 900 from Illinois to Colorado back in '88. My wrists are OK, but my ass is still sore. That's about the only time I ever thought that having a Harley wouldn't be so bad. I did have a tank bag to rest over which made the trip tolerable. bruno. |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
; wrote in message
... In article , The Real Bev writes: I don't see how crotch-rocket jockeys can do it if they have to ride for more than an hour at a time. Easy: Just accelerate. That takes the weight off of your hands. I rode a Ninja 900 from Illinois to Colorado back in '88. My wrists are OK, but my ass is still sore. That's about the only time I ever thought that having a Harley wouldn't be so bad. I did have a tank bag to rest over which made the trip tolerable. bruno. I had two friends with their wives on back ride from McMinnville, Oregon to Atlantic City, NJ to visit me. They took 7 days to get here and 10 days to get back. They were both on crotch rockets Suzuki GS1100 (in the mid 80's). Their biggest complaints were neck, shoulder, elbow & wrist pains. They also had large tank bags to rest over and throttle cruise controls. They also had ear aches from riding without helmets in states at the time that did not have helmet laws. When I was in Oregon back then I did some riding with out a helmet, it was OK at low speeds but when you get out on the open rode it was havoc on the ears as the wind echoed in the ears. I never did it again after that, I didn't like the feeling. I now have a fairing which makes it easier to ride without a helmet at high speeds but it's illegal to ride without a helmet here in NJ. I used to ride all winter on my bike even in the snow. I remember one year while I was preparing my bike for a winter ride up to NY and I was at bike shop buying some parts and the owner asked me if I was going to put a fairing on and I replied, "I never rode with one". He would let me leave the shop without buying one. He told me if I didn't like it he would take it back! So, I bought one had it mounted and never rode without one on my street bikes ever since. I could believe the difference it made, no more sore neck, and arms, no more bugs in the face and all over the chest. The best thing it was much warmer made winter riding more enjoyable. Those were the days... JQ Dancing on the edge |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
"lal_truckee" wrote in message
... Your Worst Nightmare wrote: We are supposed to go skiing/snowboarding in Wisconsin tomorrow (4hr drive each way), but it's supposed to be 54 degrees! How warm can it get before the skiing is ruined? Will it be slush and terrible at 54; they have a 35-40in base. Slush can be one of the treats of skiing. It does require a solid carve anywhere on the mountain, since it offers no sideslip compromise. The ski tail has to follow the shovel. I find slush and crud to be a wonderful treat - I'll sometimes bring out the 225cm downhills (or the short 215cm DHs if I'm feeling weak) just for slush blasting. However, warm days don't always equal skiing slush. It's usually cooler during the night before, so the snow sets nicely. Examine the slopes you will be skiing, and plan your ski day to ski each slope shortly after the sun hits it. With proper planning you can ski just softening snow run after run and never hit slush. Such days can be the highlight of a season if done properly. Agree, I love slush, adn when it corns up after cold nights. To make it easier, get some crud-busting skis, skis that won't be knocked around by heavier snow. They used to call them Battlecruisers but now you can get some nice shaped skis that are turny but not twitchy, and cut through the slush and hold the line you choose for them. I remember the old X-screams as being good in spring snow. ant |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
How warm can it get? | Your Worst Nightmare | Alpine Skiing | 12 | February 8th 05 02:49 AM |
question? fluoro vs. cheap wax | warm vs universal vs cold wax | [email protected] | Snowboarding | 5 | December 20th 04 03:47 AM |
Warm gloves | gr | Alpine Skiing (moderated) | 4 | December 9th 04 06:32 PM |
Warm weather next week? | Greg Hilton | European Ski Resorts | 8 | March 19th 04 07:49 AM |
Tricks to staying warm at -10F ? | J999w | Nordic Skiing | 14 | January 12th 04 04:23 PM |