Bike (motorcycle) Riders?

[ACH]

You sure? I'd go Ducati...

Those are rad, however this will be a build on a budget project for me.
So, I am looking at a donor bike build that get's me close to where I want to be at the start, then will fabricate from there.
Also, brute power isn't the desired end result in this case, lots of big bore low/mid end grunt is, which is why I like the XR/XL variants...
That and they are super user friendly from a service standpoint.

Disappointed.

Sorry - I am more of a 6 day guy...

[PNWbrit]

Mom on Dad's BSA circa 1949/50

[bagtagley]

Lots and lots of gravel logging roads around here, so something like this is in my future...

That's awesome, but what's it for? Why that over a dual sport?

[nutmegchoi]

Mom on Dad's BSA circa 1949/50

That is so awesome.

[hutash]

Mom on Dad's BSA circa 1949/50

I pegged you more as a Mod, but that's a Rocker's bike there mate.

[nutmegchoi]

Highlights of 2013 Austin MotoGP





Marc Márquez signed my seat cover.



The doctor blessed my helmet.

[PNWbrit]

^ Very, very cool.

[ACH]

That's awesome, but what's it for? Why that over a dual sport?

I have a KTM for dual sporting...

Not the same animal.
This is for dirt/gravel roads, think scrambler/dirt tracker, lower to the ground, drifting corners, etc.

Mom on Dad's BSA circa 1949/50

Damn, super cool!

Highlights of 2013 Austin MotoGP

Marc Márquez signed my seat cover.

The doctor blessed my helmet.

That's rad for sure.
The second half of last years Moto GP season was some of the best racing I have ever watched (period).

[Tippster]

I generally agree. Riding sans helmet is completely stupid. BUT, riding without a helmet is pretty amazing. I'm not dumb enough to do it for any distance, but those days when you're working through an issue or installing an(other) upgrade, it's nice to just jump on and ride to the end of the street and back for a quick shakedown...

Huh - i don't get that kind of adrenaline rush riding down the block, scooting around on the longboard is more fun. Then again in my area getting caught w/o a helmet is a $100 fine.

Lots and lots of gravel logging roads around here, so something like this is in my future...

That kicks ass.

Not the same animal.
This is for dirt/gravel roads, think scrambler/dirt tracker, lower to the ground, drifting corners, etc..

Gonna get some of these?



This thread got me to run an errand on my bike today... first time since December. Thanks!

[bagtagley]

I have a KTM for dual sporting...

Not the same animal.
This is for dirt/gravel roads, think scrambler/dirt tracker, lower to the ground, drifting corners, etc.

That pic sent me down a wormhole I'm just emerging from. The promo vids show the Ducati Scrambler on some pretty rough trails. That just marketing fluff? I'm truly curious. I'd mostly be on beat up and relatively technical forest service roads. Something like in that pic and the Scrambler seem like they'd be a bit of a hand full. They'd be nice on the hard top and gravel I'd have to ride to get there, though.

Huh - i don't get that kind of adrenaline rush riding down the block, scooting around on the longboard is more fun. Then again in my area getting caught w/o a helmet is a $100 fine.

Not adrenaline, just the wind in the hair. I lived in WV, so not as much risk from the law as you city folk.

[Tippster]

Not adrenaline, just the wind in the hair. I lived in WV, so not as much risk from the law as you city folk.

Your "blocks" are probably longer too.

[ACH]

That pic sent me down a wormhole I'm just emerging from.

Right?
That's how it started for me too.

This site and others are like a two wheel morphine drip.


It started with these...
Something about boxxer twins with big knobby tires, IDK.



However, after digging deeper and looking at countless other scrambler customs based on donor bikes I ended up at the XR/XL.

This thread got me to run an errand on my bike today... first time since December. Thanks!

Attaboy!

[Tippster]

However, after digging deeper and looking at countless other scrambler customs based on donor bikes I ended up at the XR/XL.

Did you give any thought about an older Harley Sportster? They used to rule the dirt ovals, and converted Street 750's did well in places like the X-Games...

[capulin overdrive]

Bicycle is a whole new money pit I haven't started yet.
Eventually, I would like to start triathlon, so that day will come sometime.

Having 100+hp with a 5 gallon gas tank between my crutch doesn't sound like a brilliant idea.
But there are moments the whole world slows down and you have 100% clarity while you are going really, really fast aiming at the exit point.
This is something I haven't felt elsewhere other than the track.
(I got similar sensation from skydiving)
I'm sure you can feel that on the snow as well.
I'm just not that level yet.
Long way to catch up.

Already posted elsewhere, but I'll share here as well.

Not so glamorous moment.
This was the only real crash in my 27 year riding history.

It was the last session of the day.
I was tired and got greedy over the last turn.
Entered T10 at Brainerd International Raceway too hot, leaned in even further to save it and rear washed out.
Lowside at 70mph, but I only broke a finger and walked away.











With my broken finger and "F you I'm coming back for some more" face.

Wow scary you lost your helmet shield!


After getting a fat lip today from a tree branch with a MX helmet and goggles, got me thinking street with a shield. Now not so much.

[guroo270]

I have a KTM for dual sporting...

Not the same animal.
This is for dirt/gravel roads, think scrambler/dirt tracker, lower to the ground, drifting corners, etc.



Damn, super cool!



That's rad for sure.
The second half of last years Moto GP season was some of the best racing I have ever watched (period).

Better than...?

[Tippster]

That was just... stupefying. Every time I see it I still wonder how the fuck he pulled that off.

[guroo270]

Tipp, I really enjoy your input around here, and I'll give you a pass on the EBR (kinda. They still have too short of wheelbase for that much torque to be useful bikes) moto stuff, but your affinity for Harley products makes me question your judgement.

At least side with Indian or something man, good god.

[ACH]

Did you give any thought about an older Harley Sportster? They used to rule the dirt ovals, and converted Street 750's did well in places like the X-Games...

Not really, nothing against HD per say, just never connected or identified with the product/brand.
I've ridden several and just never cared for the experience... Buell would be the closest I would come to that and that isn't in my budget.

Part of what I like about the XR/XL as a donor bike is that they can be had pretty cheap, there are a ton of them, easy enough to modify and fabricate around and servicing them is relatively easy.
I also like the way that big single makes power...

Better than...?

No, not better than...
Perhaps I should have qualified "recent memory" in stead of "period", my self inflicted short term memory loss blocked that finish...
Generally speaking, I love racing where it's so close and fought with so much drive that you start loosing count of lead changes in a single lap.
That's good racing, keeps you on the edge of your seat...

[ACH]

With my broken finger and "F you I'm coming back for some more" face.

Good to see that it didn't slow you down in the least.
I'll bet you were back on the bike within days if not hours.

[Tippster]

Tipp, I really enjoy your input around here, and I'll give you a pass on the EBR (kinda. They still have too short of wheelbase for that much torque to be useful bikes) moto stuff, but your affinity for Harley products makes me question your judgement.

At least side with Indian or something man, good god.

Well to be fair the only "Harley Product" I've ever owned was the 1200 Sportster motor in my Buell Cyclone. Everything else was either bolted on or manufactured by Erik Buell. Shit, his insistence of using an Austrian motor on his 1125r Ducati killer was the final straw that caused Harley to abandon Buell. Now he's making his own bikes under the EBR marque. Regarding the torque/wheelbase thing maybe you just weren't fat enough. I don't race so for my back-road experience it was lovely. I did however downgrade power-wise with my current bike.

The HD XR-750 is the most successful bike ever in Dirt Track, and is based on the "Baby Sportster" 800cc motor. That was my only question. I would never, not ever push a cruiser on anyone, especially not one from the Motor Company. Indians were (are?) pretty enough I guess but what pigs.

[ACH]

The HD XR-750 is the most successful bike ever in Dirt Track, and is based on the "Baby Sportster" 800cc motor. That was my only question.

There were two HD's that I did identify with a little.
One was the XR 750, part of that was through a personal connection had with Mert Lawwill, through work.

The other was the VR1000...
I watched and listened to these at several AMA Superbike races in the 90's.
You couldn't miss it coming around the track when it was on the pipe as the exhaust note was several octaves below the Ducs, and that is saying something.



The XR/XL project leans more towards scrambler than it does dirt track though with the main connection between the two being the drift aspect...

[bagtagley]

Shit, his insistence of using an Austrian motor on his 1125r Ducati killer was the final straw that caused Harley to abandon Buell.

Didn't take much of a straw. The stubborn/clueless HD dealer network ensured Buell's demise under Harley.

[charlesj]

Dabbled with my fathyer's Jawa CZ as a kid. First road bike was the baby Kawasaki triple. Got a '74 Laverda 750 around '84. Had a few airheads including an R60/5, R90S and an R100RS. I sold my last bike, a Yamaha SR500 with TZ wheels etc, to my brother a few years ago with the caveat that I may want to buy it back sometime. Haven't ridden in a while and sometimes I miss it.

keep the rubber side down

[abraham]

This is the other moto in the garage at the moment...

I'm gonna assume that's as fun as it looks. Getting a motorcycle, even a really limited use one is on my list for when my work starts getting going

[hutash]

Current bike 1990 DRS350 one owner with 1,200 miles on it. Tripled that since I got it a few months ago



No such thing as a "riding season" here.

Just spent three days on the California coast.

Carmel Valley back roads, and kicken it on the beach in Big Sur.








For those who haven't ridden the Big Sur road and associated side roads, it is one of the great motorcycle rides in the world. A true must do.