Any other riders out there?

[8802Gator]

Great vid.


I do want to tour the Isle of Man someday - though at much saner speeds. It is one of the Meccas of motorcycling. There was a time a few years ago when deaths were a regular occurrence racing on that track.

What changes did they make to make it safer? Doesn't seem like there is much to do to make a cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other any safer.

 

[PatDooleySucks]

I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog.

 

[8802Gator]

I can get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog.

Just when I think your posts couldn't get any worse you go head and post something like this... AND TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF.

 

[NavetG8r]

I had a Honda Interceptor 500 when I was young and dumb. Grew up on lawnmower engine minibikes and a Honda XR75.

 

[PatDooleySucks]

Just when I think your posts couldn't get any worse you go head and post something like this... AND TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF.

 

[PatDooleySucks]

Just when I think your posts couldn't get any worse you go head and post something like this... AND TOTALLY REDEEM YOURSELF.

 

[Gatorbreath]

Dang right. Hopefully I can switch names to heavyandcomfy

Ha. The Bar and Shield is all you then.

 

[Gatorbreath]

What changes did they make to make it safer? Doesn't seem like there is much to do to make a cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other any safer.

I've read that they've added some more modern barricades and the like and the road surfaces are better - but my comment was directed mostly at motorcycle technology and safety gear. Bikes today have much better braking systems than in years past. Tire technology has improved drastically - the contact patches are much "stickier", and modern suspensions keep the bikes much more stable at all speeds. Today's helmet technology distributes the force generated by crashes more effectively and body armor is much better (and universally used).

From the web:

Between 1907 and 2015 there have been 246 competitor fatalities during official practices or races on the Snaefell Mountain Course (this number includes competitors killed during the Manx Grand Prix and Isle of Man Clubman TT races). The worst year for fatalities was 1970 when six competitors lost their lives. Another racer died at the Manx Grand Prix later in the same year.

Due to the ongoing dangers and safety concerns, doubts are expressed every year over the future of the TT. The Sunday between practice week and race week is known as "Mad Sunday" where many members of the public ride the course. In 2012 there were just four accidents on the open day; while in previous years there had been dozens. In 2013, a rider lost control on the first lap of the Senior TT, and his machine hit spectators near the bottom of Bray Hill, close to the start area on the outskirts of Douglas. Eleven were injured.

Riding the Isle of Man (again, at sane speeds), and the the run from Seattle to Prudhoe Bay, AK are two of my top rides to complete within the coming years. Vastly different riding - but each fun and challenging in their own right.

 

[Gatorbreath]

Originally posted by NVGator
Gotten up to about 125mph, 128mph. Got the shakes pretty good and that was about it. Crazy this was watching my buddy zoom by me at that speed on a Hayabusa.

Only thing I've driven faster was a different friends BMW M5. Smoked 150mph in it.



I hit 167 on mine. In the Ocala forest of all places. I really put the dumb in young and dumb.

Damn. You guys are crazy. I got my RT up to 110mph once and thought I was going to soil myself....

 

[heavychevy]

Damn. You guys are crazy. I got my RT up to 110mph once and thought I was going to soil myself....

I made it from Gvegas to the Oasis in St. Augustine in less than 40 minutes...Putnam county and Palatka PD aren't big fans of me. Took the long way home that evening. Only time I ran from the cops.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zambo]

I've spent a good deal of time on two wheels. My first car was a bike, a 1986 Yamaha Fazer 700. Fast bike, got it up over 150 a few times. Wrecked it out by the vet school heading from Campus over to Archer road, broke my wrist. Bike was okay except for a dented gas tank. Sold it when I joined the Marines.

Next bike was a Honda Nighthawk 750, nice little cruiser. Traded that in for a Ducati SS900, which was a really nice bike. I strapped a suitcase on the back of that thing and with a buddy of mine headed from Pensacola up thru DC, NYC, Boston, Quebec, Montreal, Atlantic City and other places along the way. Fun two week trip but a long ride on a sportbike. Did some naughty, naughty stuff on that trip, including the famous Deal's Gap with a bunch of time with less than two wheels on the ground. Rode over the George Washington bridge into NYC at night in the rain doing over 100mph.

Next was a Cagiva Grand Canyon, same motor as the Ducati but in an adventure bike. Nimble and fun bike. Got a reckless driving, speeding, and failure to stop ticket trifecta in one day on that thing. Had to show up to court for that little display.

For off road I've had a Kawasaki KDX woods bike, and Yamaha 250 two stroke motocross bike, and a CCM desert bike with a Rotax engine. Lots of fun on every one of them.

Too old to break bones any more. With age comes a cage as they say. Biggest part would be the financial hit if I were to get hurt at this point, so bikes are in the rear view mirror.

 

[NVGator]

I've spent a good deal of time on two wheels. My first car was a bike, a 1986 Yamaha Fazer 700. Fast bike, got it up over 150 a few times. Wrecked it out by the vet school heading from Campus over to Archer road, broke my wrist. Bike was okay except for a dented gas tank. Sold it when I joined the Marines.

Next bike was a Honda Nighthawk 750, nice little cruiser. Traded that in for a Ducati SS900, which was a really nice bike. I strapped a suitcase on the back of that thing and with a buddy of mine headed from Pensacola up thru DC, NYC, Boston, Quebec, Montreal, Atlantic City and other places along the way. Fun two week trip but a long ride on a sportbike. Did some naughty, naughty stuff on that trip, including the famous Deal's Gap with a bunch of time with less than two wheels on the ground. Rode over the George Washington bridge into NYC at night in the rain doing over 100mph.

Next was a Cagiva Grand Canyon, same motor as the Ducati but in an adventure bike. Nimble and fun bike. Got a reckless driving, speeding, and failure to stop ticket trifecta in one day on that thing. Had to show up to court for that little display.

For off road I've had a Kawasaki KDX woods bike, and Yamaha 250 two stroke motocross bike, and a CCM desert bike with a Rotax engine. Lots of fun on every one of them.

Too old to break bones any more. With age comes a cage as they say. Biggest part would be the financial hit if I were to get hurt at this point, so bikes are in the rear view mirror.

Pvssy.

 

[GatorBart]

Commuting? I hope you don't have knobbies.

Yes commuting, and I got slicks on for the commute.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Some of you guys were slow learners, especially Poo.