Motorcyclists, Check In Here!

[peejman]

16 hours ago, Rob112o said:

What picture hosting site are you guys using to dumb down the pics?

I use smugmug.  It isn't free but I can offer a discount code if you're interested. 

[Darrell]

I picked up a new-to-me bike this afternoon. Drove 4-hrs each way to stinking Atlanta for a 2014 BMW S1000RR. The amazing thing is that this bike has only 340 miles on it! That's good and bad. Good as I know it's never been thrashed and the paint is perfect. Bad in that it has the original oil and fluids in it.  Oil change coming as soon as I can get a filter, and then I'll flush the other fluids soon. 

Sold my two Ducati Superbikes, so the Beemer is more a less a trade for those two. I'm really jazzed to get the thing out on the road!

Edited September 13, 2022 by Darrell

[Smith]

It's great riding weather! Enjoy the new ride!

[Erik88]

I have some exciting news. I reached a compromise with my wife. Instead of ordering a motorcycle I heard about what are essentially electric dirt bikes. 50 MPH, 60 mile range. I ordered a Talaria Sting.  Pretty excited about it. 

Here is a stock photo for now. I'll post more once I pick it up next week. 

 

 

 

 

[Garufa]

So you got a hipster motorcycle to break your neck on, lol.

That actually does look pretty cool and mighty fun off-road.

Is there a local dealer or do they ship and you assemble? 

Edited September 14, 2022 by Garufa

[Darrell]

44 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I ordered a Talaria Sting.

I'm curious to hear your impressions of the electric bike. So far the magazines seem pretty sold on electrics, but then there are usually full-page ads next to the review. I'm sticking with ICE, but I know that eventually electric is going to be the primary choice for most folks. Like to get on my bad motorscooter and ride, so the 125-150 mile range of an electric isn't gonna float my boat, but for a local commute.... maybe.

[gregintenn]

1 hour ago, Erik88 said:

I have some exciting news. I reached a compromise with my wife. Instead of ordering a motorcycle I heard about what are essentially electric dirt bikes. 50 MPH, 60 mile range. I ordered a Talaria Sting.  Pretty excited about it. 

Here is a stock photo for now. I'll post more once I pick it up next week. 

 

 

 

 

I’d like to take one for a spin!

[Erik88]

2 hours ago, Garufa said:

Is there a local dealer or do they ship and you assemble? 

No local dealer. I had to order from a company on the West coast and they ship it in a box. It's mostly assembled. I have to install the front wheel and handlebars. 

1 hour ago, Darrell said:

I'm sticking with ICE, but I know that eventually electric is going to be the primary choice for most folks.

That would have been my preference too. I really wanted a Honda Dual sport. I'm hoping this will let me get my feet wet and once my wife sees I haven't killed myself she will ease up 

Having said that, I think this will be a lot of fun. The reviews are very positive. 

 

https://youtu.be/aJIN4I4tZP8

 

 

[Frog4aday]

I test rode a Zero electric street motorcycle & I liked it a lot. It was light, quiet, and simple to maintain. It handled well. It was simple to ride (just gas & brake; no clutch or shifting gears.) If I was just commuting back & forth to work with short 30 to 45 min rides on the weekend, I could see getting one. But as a streetbike the way I like to ride, their range is just too short for me. 

But as a dirtbike, like @Erik88 is getting, I think electric is a perfect entry level ride. The range is adequate, maintenance is minimal & it will be quiet. It will also be fun & that's the real point of having one. It's going to get his foot in the door with riding w/o freaking out the wife. It seems like a solid plan.

I had friends test ride some KTM dirtbikes in CO & they were really impressed with them. These were hardcore ICE-type guys who came away wanting the electric KTM if there was a way to swap battery packs or do a rapid recharge like over a lunch period. They liked to ride a lot when they went out & needed just a little more range but they were not "average" riders either. Electric dirtbikes make sense to me if you aren't doing the Pan-American trail or something like that.

I look forward to hearing how it goes @Erik88.

Edited September 15, 2022 by Frog4aday
Left out "the"

[Tom B]

I have a buddy in CT that bought a similar electric dirt bike, its a Surron. He has had it over a year now and absolutely loves it. And the fact that he also rides a Beta X-Trainer tells me the electric bike must really get the job done.

[gregintenn]

Quiet, light, interchangeable batteries. No way that thing isn’t a barrel of fun!

[Erik88]

2 hours ago, Tom B said:

I have a buddy in CT that bought a similar electric dirt bike, its a Surron. He has had it over a year now and absolutely loves it. And the fact that he also rides a Beta X-Trainer tells me the electric bike must really get the job done.

Yes the SurRon and Talaria are very similar. People that made the SurRon broke off and started Talaria. The main difference is that the SurRon has a belt, and the Talaria has a gear box. From what I read, you can't go wrong with either. 

[peejman]

I experienced something this morning that I've read about. All those fancy lane holding and collision avoidance features with all their fancy sensors... don't see motorcycles. 

I was in the left lane and this newer Hyundai comes up on my right. I looked over as he came alongside and about when my front tire even with his door, on goes the turn signal and here he comes.  Never turned his head to look. 

I grabbed the brakes, hit the horn and high beams.  He was about half way in my lane with my right bar about a foot from window glass when he realized the problem. 

Turn your frickin head and look!!!  Sheesh. 

Don't let your wife read this Erik.

[Tom B]

Its only going to get worse as more and more people rely on their car to drive itself.

[peejman]

1 hour ago, Tom B said:

Its only going to get worse as more and more people rely on their car to drive itself.

I started this rant when daytime running lights became a thing....  if you took the time and money spent developing all this "safety" technology and used it to train people how to drive, the world would be a safer place. 

[Smith]

It's an odd balance that the more "safe" and better handling cars become, the more unsafe people tend to drive them. It's like my wife and the back up camera. Can't tell you how many things she's nearly hit because she will not turn her head and look with her own eyes. Helps are helps not a substitute for what good gave you.

[Rob112o]

When I first got it:

1980 BMW R100 

[Rob112o]

Now:

[Rob112o]

82 Honda FT500. She is a blast to ride through the mountains.

 

[Darrell]

8 hours ago, Rob112o said:

82 Honda FT500. She is a blast to ride through the mountains.

I'm generally not a fan of Hondas, but that's one I might like to own.

[Frog4aday]

@Rob112o, that is quite the transformation on the BMW! I do like the more simplified look, but the seat on the original pic looked pretty comfy. Looks vs practicality is always a balancing act.

That '82 Honda FT500 strikes a cord with me. Those old, light, simple air-cooled bikes were just the ticket for casual days exploring the backroads. Looks good, too.

[gregintenn]

Wow! Rob certainly knows how to maintain a classic bike! Those look great. That Honda is a bit of an odd bird. You never see them.

[Whisper]

Didn't the VT500 originally come with a rectangular headlight?  That was such an '80s feature.  This one looks much nicer than the VT500s I remember.

 

[gary_boom]

The VT 500 had the square headlight 

[Erik88]

On 9/14/2022 at 7:16 PM, Erik88 said:

I have some exciting news. I reached a compromise with my wife. Instead of ordering a motorcycle I heard about what are essentially electric dirt bikes. 50 MPH, 60 mile range. I ordered a Talaria Sting.  Pretty excited about it. 

Here is a stock photo for now. I'll post more once I pick it up next week. 

 

 

 

 

It has arrived! Took it for a quick spin earlier. It's a blast. Surprising amount of torque and I haven't "unlocked" full power yet. I'll do that tomorrow.