My riding season has begun!!!!!!

[myzx6]

Well I pulled my new to me cbr out of storage (moms basement) this weekend. The roads are still pretty shitty and it took all of 30 feet before my beautiful black bike was filthy but it was well worth it. I can't believe the torque this liter bike makes even with a full exhaust and no power commander, yet. I can honestly be lugging 2 gears too high and just crack the throttle and it will pull way harder then my zx6 ever thought of in the right gear hell even dropping a gear!!

The past 2 days I came home for lunch to pick the bike up and have racked up a measly 75 miles so far, atleast I've almost got my brand new q3's scrubbed in. Does anyone else run q3's, is it just me or are they very slick when there new, the first 10 miles were pretty hairy but now I'm really starting to like them.

Has anyone else pulled their bikes out yet or am I the only one who couldn't wait to get some seat time on a new bike and isn't overly concerned with piss poor road conditions?

[Phat Twin]

I hate salt. Nothing is safe on a bike from salt left on the roads when shit is melting and your riding through salt spray from cars and the road itself. I had one of my first accidents taking my bike out early, and now I just wait until all is clear. Be safe.

[NPDCPA]

I agree with PT. A new bike in the garage and slightly above average temps are the sirens singing you towards the jagged rocks. Patience is a virtue. I wait until the street sweepers have gone by to take my first spin.

[SwiftTone]

I wait also until I see the street sweepers though I do dream about riding.

You should try a liter twin for torque

[jwm2k3]

I'm friggin foaming at the mouth to ride...

Pulled the 1198 out of the garage yesterday just to fire it up and listen to the Termignoni pipes and the open dry clutch....

Schwing!

C'mon spring!!!!

[scubasteveRR]

what till you need to pull a fist full of brakes on all this sand, salt, and melted ice...

[TheIglu]

You should try a liter twin for torque

That's cute.


RC51:

[SwiftTone]

That's cute.


RC51:

I didn't know we were comparing bikes over a liter, and non sport bikes as well. That opens up a lot of options for debate.

[nick5446]

I put my SV1000 away for about 6 weeks when the snow was really bad, but I've been back on it for about 2 weeks. Shitty riding beats good driving 9 times out of 10.

Mind the potholes!

[jwm2k3]

Potholes????


It's a fucking mine field out there....

And the frost heaves....

It's the worst I can remember.

[TheIglu]

It's good DR350 weather. Anything else is too big/heavy/nice to ride.

[Viper897]

Wait till there is at least a good soaking rain to wash all the Salt off the road.

I don't wait till the street sweepers but at least a good rain.

Everyone is right though, the salt will destroy your bike. Best advice on that is to wash it ASAP to get salt off. It will eat the aluminum, rust any non coated steel, make your forks get pitted.

I will however be starting up the SV maybe this weekend to listen to it, maybe change the oil and have her prepped to go.

[02redhawk]

RE: Salt
Any suggestions beyond water for getting the salt off? I'm reluctant to test my luck with Italian electronics and a pressure washer. Just wondering if anything is worth considering to clean off the salt film with a garden hose and/or sponge.

[Petorius]

Soap?

[jwm2k3]

WD40 will displace water. Spray it on everything after washing. (obviously not bodywork)

[B440]

RE: Salt
Any suggestions beyond water for getting the salt off? I'm reluctant to test my luck with Italian electronics and a pressure washer. Just wondering if anything is worth considering to clean off the salt film with a garden hose and/or sponge.

A golden shower of WD-40. Enough so that even after a wipe-down, a torque-induced flick of the wrist causes your ass to disengage from the now-shiny seat.

[Viper897]

Wash it like you would during the summer if possible. Get a compressor to help dry critical things like the brake rotors and other exposed metal parts.

My bike like I said stays in the basement (roll out) until a good soaking rain. Then its usually a few short rides at 40% until sides of the roads are cleaned, then I ride at about 50% for the rest of the season. I save the 75 to 85% for the track at that point.

[RacerXnh10]

I put my SV1000 away for about 6 weeks when the snow was really bad, but I've been back on it for about 2 weeks. Shitty riding beats good driving 9 times out of 10.

Mind the potholes!

I disagree. People not looking for you, their traction being limited when they do see you, salt rotting my favorite possession, a complete lack of heat and comfort all suck more than being in a car. Surprise ice / drifts / salt / sand etc are also quite a bit more manageable in a 4 wheeled vehicle.

Sounds to me like you need a different car.

[cdovego]

Let the dirty zebra erase all your early season riding fears.

[Billy]

1) Roads are in piss poor conditions with all the sand and salt. Need a couple of good rainstorms to clean the salt away.
2) Bike will be coated in salt spray. Yea not a fan of that. I heard motorcycles will melt from salt.
3) Potholes and borderline sinkholes are everywhere

Yea I CAN wait......

[myzx6]

Sounds like a lot of fair weather riders on here, if I waited for ideal conditions my riding season would be a quarter of what it is now.

Just cause your on 2 wheels doesn't mean u gotta go balls to the walls all the time. I'd much rather bundle up and take it slow in shitty conditions then take my truck hell any 4 wheeled vehicle for that matter.

I started riding dirt when I was young and the weather or trail conditions never deterred me and I guess I brought that mentality to the street too, as for motorists not expecting or looking for motorcycles yet, what's the difference more times then not they aren't watching for us anyways and I always ride expecting to be cut off or run off the road.

Got a pcv put in my cbr this weekend now I just gotta get access to a laptop so I can download a couple maps even with the map that was in it (2 bros slip on) the low speed fueling is much better then it used to be

[jwm2k3]

I looked at my bike in the garage today...

[repete513]

Supermoto ftw. Even then though i don't really go for "real" rides. Just put around town for a few and crank a few wheelies. Its usually enough to get the monkey off my back.

[Billy]

Who said anything about going balls to the wall? It's about assessing risk factors/levels. I wait for risk factors/levels to drop to my acceptable level. My riding season is generally April till end of Nov/Beginning of December. That's a solid 8 out of 12 months. That's pretty damn good for the New England area. I'd rather give up one month (March) with high risk factors/levels and wait till April which has MUCH lower risks. Just my .02.

[PhilB]

Who said anything about going balls to the wall? It's about assessing risk factors/levels. I wait for risk factors/levels to drop to my acceptable level. My riding season is generally April till end of Nov/Beginning of December. That's a solid 8 out of 12 months. That's pretty damn good for the New England area. I'd rather give up one month (March) with high risk factors/levels and wait till April which has MUCH lower risks. Just my .02.

I'm with you. 01Apr start the last two years; this year will likely be similar. End when it starts snowing -- '14 Thanksgiving, '13 Thanksgiving, '12 Christmas Eve, '11 never.

I can deal with cold. Falling down on ice, I'd prefer to avoid.

PhilB