Frasier Park Sunday - BSA Owners Club

[xbacksideslider]

That's a very good exercise in convincing yourself to buy that Honda. I've done the same thing before too, made up my lists of the pros and cons . . . . . . imagining myself objective . . .

Maybe the bike is still there because the dealer won't come down?

Kelly C just "stole" a 1700 mile accessorized 675 Triumph for less than half what the buyer paid new. Came with chicken strip original Pirellis. 400 pounds maybe 115 horse. Last Sunday, on the Lockwood/Cerro/3 Points/Pine Cnyn/Spunky/Bouquet/LittleT ride, Kelly made my poor Honda work.

If I wanted a cheap simple bike to terrorize singles and middle weights, I'd get a Ducati Monster 696 like Ron P has. That thing is 80 horse, 350 pounds. air cooled, and as agile as any single. Compared to my Norton - 70 pounds lighter, 30 horse stronger, and the chassis/wheels/brakes . . .

[Brakelate]

That Kelly on his Norton neither lacks the skills, aggression and desire to bang bars, though lacks the smooth, experienced, confidence inspiring "style, character and charisma that you display in your riding. He displays signals to me, that he is "working" for speed, and taking unnecessary risks, while you simply "go with the flow" as if you have nothing to prove in your riding. You simply do it for the fun of it. Or because you can. If you collect a few "scalps" along the way, so be it. You know who you are, how you ride, your limits and your limitations. Thus, I enjoy to emulate you and use you as a mentor. Riding, watching and learning from you has gained me much knowledge, respect, a lifelong friend. All with transparent ease and enjoyment of your company also as a well respected, well thought out professional and one who puts his lifelong lessons learned in schools of higher education , life lessons and while gripping the bars of many a varied type of two wheeled conveyance to good use. Something that some can do, some of the time, but few can do all of the time... especially to live to tell about it and share those experiences and learned wisdom with other... in particular, a knucklehead such as myself. Same reasons I so highly cherish, value and enjoy my relationship and often over cooked verbal communications with Tetge.

I am also competitive, callous, suspicious and highly untrusting of others, which leads me to wasting much of my life searching, "reading through, and looking past the "face value" of relationships and situations, constantly searching for "the real motivation" behind someone wanting to associate, assist or carry on communicating with me. Particularly on a deeply personal level.

That said, I think you would prefer that you all just keep my DRZ-SM, as with all your new, fancy, high tech, high-class machinery places me in a position of being an even easier "mark" for you all to slay... even if all that is gained from it is a few good stories and well documented bragging rights.

OK, KTM 1290R "full factory race-kitted up" Super Duke it shall be. It has become clear to me that through all of your embellished stories and hyped up skills, in combination with your skillfully edited videos and well spun yarns in combination to the Immortal skill and heroics in the saddle, it is clearly the only way I can live up to, or attempt to maintain the pace, reputation and embellished expectations of those I meet at these future rides or social gatherings.

[Tetge]

Fortunately, after beginning to read the latest posts, I had the foresight to stop and go put on my waders, which, barely kept the BS at bay. Of course, a KTM 1290R is a monster, but, such is not necessary and is also a toy for a very well fixed person as even routine parts are very expensive, not to mention the initial costs. For instance, to date no one has cracked the locked down KTM ECU's found in the bikes from 2013 on. So, if the bike develops some mysterious electrical glitch, you will need a KTM dealer with their proprietary equipment to work on the bike. And while you will find Honda dealers all over, there are a lot less KTM dealers to be found. One needs to also factor in the realistic amounts of power necessary to do everything that a sane person might wish to do with a motorcycle. And, it certainly doesn't take the 170 HP 1290R to do this. In fact, down Dennison Grade, my little brother, on his rigid 1952. 350 Velocette MAC, rated at 17 HP, and with primitive drum brakes, will take most people to school, regardless of their ride. I do not recollect him ever telling me that he was passed down Dennison. I expect that he also can give most people trouble up the hill on the same motorcycle, which, as I recall barely cracked 60 mph in the 1/4 at LACR. And we have seen Slider on his full race, cheater, Commando, with the skinny tires, pass us and disappear. And, of course, there are all the DR-Z kills done by folks such as Brakelate and mikedbike2002, some of which are also documented on video.

So, there is no excuse for wanting a lot of HP unless you are drag racing, or doing top speed runs, or, going to a big, fast road course. Of course, this is only my opinion. But, it is solidly rooted in my long motorcycle experiences. In fact, way back in the late 1950's and early 1960's, people were still mostly riding Harley's if they were going to tour. But, then, people started to ride Triumph 650's and it became clear that a 40 incher could easily suffice for extended road work, even packing double. Some said that it was a British invasion, and it might have gone on forever were it not for the Japanese and British labor issues and other factors. But, none of these bikes made close to 100 HP, including the original Honda 750 four, which was a game changer. I seem to recall that dyno results on my first year GS1000 Suzuki, on which I packed double all over the place, were 74 RWHP. And it didn't get passed as that was a lot of nice smooth HP, and it only had a five speed trans.

Now, in a much more patrolled and regulated America, somehow people expect big power in their cars and bikes. Sort of ironic, since the old bikes had sufficient power to get you arrested. So, since I am always sincere and helpful, it is obvious that you don't need any more motorcycle than the DR-Z that you already have. And, that will save you a ton of money. However, I still would recommend getting a good seat, such as a Corbin, if you are going to tour on it.

And, yes, you could still easily slay me with your DR-Z and everyone knows that is the truth. In fact, the KTM may not even be much faster than a DR-Z. You can trust me on this........

[mikedbike2002]

Speaking of buying bikes,Tetge. Last Saturday I went out to The Grange track with no bike. The mini race group was having an open practice day & members brought their bikes for people to try out & also see if this racing was for them. I went cause I wanted to try our a Honda Grom. I hadn't been to grange in 5 or 6 years & forgot how much fun the little bikes can be! Rode a Grom & it handled like a piece of dog do do! Spent most of the day riding a stock XL 100 Honda with motard tires. HAD A BLAST. Decided not to buy the Grom. Lawyer says my $ should be here in a few weeks. So I will be getting a Honda CRF150BW & converting it to super motard. I could care less about racing anymore but I love open track practice days!!! Plus when I go up North to visit Lisa & we go out to Infineon for a track day I'll be riding the same bike she is on. TA DA!!

[Tetge]

Speaking of buying bikes,Tetge. Last Saturday I went out to The Grange track with no bike. The mini race group was having an open practice day & members brought their bikes for people to try out & also see if this racing was for them. I went cause I wanted to try our a Honda Grom. I hadn't been to grange in 5 or 6 years & forgot how much fun the little bikes can be! Rode a Grom & it handled like a piece of dog do do! Spent most of the day riding a stock XL 100 Honda with motard tires. HAD A BLAST. Decided not to buy the Grom. Lawyer says my $ should be here in a few weeks. So I will be getting a Honda CRF150BW & converting it to super motard. I could care less about racing anymore but I love open track practice days!!! Plus when I go up North to visit Lisa & we go out to Infineon for a track day I'll be riding the same bike she is on. TA DA!!

A CRF150 makes sense. It is a real motorcycle yet it is light enough to be very manageable, and, it will respond to traditional motorcycle tuning. It is not super fast, although I hear that there are hop up parts in case you need to have an edge against Lisa, but, it will go good enough to insure that you can scare yourself if you wish to. Good solid choice as a fun open track practice ride.

Was the Grom stock? Some seem to praise its handling so I am surprised that it was as bad as you describe. But, perhaps those who gravitate to the Grom don't have a clue what good handling is? DR-Z riders can be fussy about handling.

[Brakelate]

A mood struck me, guiding me away from all this performance, competitiveness and brought me back to a moment in which I desired a smooth, classy, mile-gobbling machine that was unique and reasonably affordable. Perhaps it was even a slight desire to not only for nostalgia, but also the memories or riding a CHP labelled machine.

I stumbled across this, and thought what a comfy, unique machine it would be, that would make all the "right" noises, vibrations and the feelings of the controls that would allow me just to relax and enjoy the ride - any ride - at my own pace. This is really pretty attractive, in it's own unique way.

http://8868.mycyclesearch.com/v/1248263 ... hotos-full

[jhwalker]

Good thread. Couldn't find a subscribe function...

[Tetge]

The Guzzi is certainly unique, and very stylish. But, a Kawasaki 14 costs less, I bet, and there are parts and dealers and it never breaks while Guzzi is marginal in comparison. And, if the sun should happen to hit all that white paint and seat and all on the Guzzi, you could be blinded. But, different stroke for different folk, I guess.......

[xbacksideslider]

Brakelate, the respect is mutual. Thanks for the kind words.

[xbacksideslider]

If I found myself behind Tim descending Dennison Grade, I'd try to push him just enough to set up a good show, there's nothing like watching an old school low narrow agile single with shitty to non-existent brakes running fast down hill.

Downhill in the Park, I once barely out ran a plated AFM racebike, a GS 1000, piloted by a truly fast club racer - Dennis Smith - on my drum brake Suzuki 250 X6 Hustler. It was all about high cornering speed, listening to that monster howling and chattering as he closed on me at the end of every straight. While he was accelerating and braking, I was making arcs, defending real estate, slithering, all the way to the bottom of the hill. The adrenaline . . . .