What is Self Control?

[nt650hawk]

Just get a Hawk GT. You know how it can handle a track. Rip thru 5 gears and you are still legal.

[taxonomy]

This thread has boiled down to:

Get anything but a modern supersport. Supersport stupid motorcycle configuration for the street. Buy any other type because, it turns out, all motorcycles are pretty much fun to ride and doing so may broaden your experience. You may find yourself enjoying the ride in a way you'd formerly scoffed at. Style and displacement don't matter much, as long as it will meet your intended basic use. All motorcycles are fun to ride. (except the Jesse James style bikes of the early 2000s)

Really, get anything but a supersport.

[feralchimp]

CRF250L or WR250R, geared down

[Kenn157]

Smutty look at my Thruxton. It's your style all the way. You're a "rocker"

[Paul_E_D]

This is true. Those chops would look pretty sweet with a puddin bowl and some goggles...

[RandyO]

This thread has boiled down to:

Get anything but a modern supersport. Supersport stupid motorcycle configuration for the street. Buy any other type because, it turns out, all motorcycles are pretty much fun to ride and doing so may broaden your experience. You may find yourself enjoying the ride in a way you'd formerly scoffed at. Style and displacement don't matter much, as long as it will meet your intended basic use. All motorcycles are fun to ride. (except the Jesse James style bikes of the early 2000s)



Really, get anything but a supersport.

I have heard you can get addicted to hookers and blow too

[slowkermit]

This dilemma is exactly why I love my Grom so much. My last 2 street bikes were ZX10r and Tuono. My Grom is way more fun to ride. Fire it up, pin it, and never let off. I've seen 64mph, but only in a full tuck. Sitting straight up, 55 seems to be about it. If I ever get pulled over, I'm pretty sure the Cop is just gonna laugh at me.

[shortbus]

Hope KTM brings this gem to the USA : http://www.ktm.com/supersport/rc-390...l#.U03tXq1dVhY



Thats what I'm doing.

[markbvt]

At risk of sounding like a lame old geezer... it all comes down to what you get out of riding a motorcycle. If the speed and the adrenaline rush are all you crave, then riding on the track only might not be a bad idea.

But you might also want to consider other perspectives. Example: I had gotten to a point that I was regularly exceeding the speed limit by an arrest-worthy margin (saving grace is that I was riding a caféd Bonneville so could only barely make it into the triple digits). I quickly realized that I couldn't own a sportbike because I'd lose my license, or my life, almost immediately; and as it was, a series of speeding tickets (mostly in the car, ironically) further convinced me that I needed to slow down. I started focusing less on scraping pegs in the next corner, and more on the countryside around me. I realized that riding a motorcycle is absolutely the best way of getting out into the world on a beautiful day. It doesn't need to be about the rush all the time; it's also incredibly rewarding to just relax and enjoy the ride through awesome landscapes. I got into touring in a big way -- and I've got to say that my best days of leaning the bike over in the twisties pale in comparison to experiences like seeing Labrador from the back of a motorcycle.

Fact is, forcing myself to slow down and relax a little ultimately made me fall in love with motorcycling much deeper than before. Don't get me wrong, I still love a good twisty road, but it's just part of the overall experience for me now.

For what it's worth, even if touring holds no interest for you, the same basic logic applies to other things as well. The Bonneville is fun for me in different ways now -- the minimal nature, the smell of gasoline and hot oil and the heat rising off the air-cooled engine, it all appeals to me in an old school, basic, elemental way. It's motorcycling stripped to its core, in a sense. Maybe a vintage bike would appeal to you, something you need to get to know well, something with a distinctive character and sound and even smell.

Motorcycling can mean so many different things to people. If you're getting too focused on one specific angle, maybe it's time to broaden your view.

--mark

[csmutty]

Smutty look at my Thruxton. It's your style all the way. You're a "rocker"

I'm actually really digging the scrambler. Just out of my price range for now.

[lrrs428]

MOTARD

[Falko]

........
For what it's worth, even if touring holds no interest for you, the same basic logic applies to other things as well. The Bonneville is fun for me in different ways now -- the minimal nature, the smell of gasoline and hot oil and the heat rising off the air-cooled engine, it all appeals to me in an old school, basic, elemental way. It's motorcycling stripped to its core, in a sense. Maybe a vintage bike would appeal to you, something you need to get to know well, something with a distinctive character and sound and even smell.

Motorcycling can mean so many different things to people. If you're getting too focused on one specific angle, maybe it's time to broaden your view.

--mark

Exact reason I ended up on a Guzzi. Albeit a newer one, the air cooled v-twin feel just really got to me. Love that bike....

[SprintPoser]

My second bike would be a Thruxton if I wasn't so pained between my shoulder blades when leaning over the bars. That leaves the Scrambler, and there are some deals out there on used ones. Or, it doesn't take much to make one out of an older Bonneville.

[klp]

Well you've got several choices to make. Others have already hit on what worked for me - kids will force you to think about slowing down. You still may not do it though. Age will do the same but takes a while depending how old you are.

Something that no one has mentioned is old bikes. I've got an rd400 that is pure fun and you can rip through the gears without getting going too quick. It will power wheelie 1st and 2nd but at like 15/35 mph. Always entertaining. It looks pretty cool IMO and sounds like nothing else on the road.

Old bike suspension and brakes are always there to remind you that going super fast may not be a good idea. There are plenty of older bikes that encourage sane speeds by way of their power delivery and suspension/brake sophistication.

Problem is if you're set on going fast you will - no matter what the ride.

[markbvt]

Exact reason I ended up on a Guzzi. Albeit a newer one, the air cooled v-twin feel just really got to me. Love that bike....

Yeah, my Bonnie's an '01 -- it's the new generation so fixes all the classic model's oil-leaking quirks, but it's still air-cooled and carbureted, and has sent just enough oil through the crankcase breather to dirty up the top of the engine case a little and smell good when it gets hot.

I'm seriously thinking about de-caféing it, because the forward-leaning riding position is just not very comfortable for long distances. Higher bars and lower pegs would get me to start putting a lot more miles on it again.

--mark

[nhbubba]

Scramblerize it! Can you get those high-swept pipes aftermarket?!

I love me a Scrambler. Do want.

[Marc R]

And if I get something that lame I honestly don't know if id want to ride. The r1 makes me shake with excitement before every time I mount it.

I've watched your LRRS videos, very impressive. My adrenaline is certainly diluted compared to what you've experienced. Are you craving the same level of adrenaline? Can you turn it off in urban areas? The answers are none of my business, but maybe take a year away from street riding if the craving is too much.

[markbvt]

Scramblerize it! Can you get those high-swept pipes aftermarket?!

I love me a Scrambler. Do want.

I've seriously thought about Scramblerizing it, but it would be really expensive (longer forks, entirely new exhaust, etc). Plus I have the Tiger, which is the bike I would choose for ADV rides, and the XR650L, which I'd choose for the dirt rides. So what I'm thinking instead is to put taller bars and lower pegs on the Bonnie, maybe add a flyscreen to get some of the windblast off my torso, etc. Suspension is already pretty damn good due to upgrades I did years ago. So with minor mods I could turn it into a fun bike for minimalist paved-road touring. Sort of a very old-school sport-touring bike.

--mark

[Paul_E_D]

I'm a seasoned 43 years old and Just bought my very first supersport bike for the street and track. I love it in both venues. The 675 motor is nearly the perfect powerplant. Torquey enough to not need to rev it out on the street, and just revvy enough to make it a full on SS contender.

Self control is getting tested on the street though, mostly because the chassis is just so composed that it never really breaks a sweat even at double the limit plus some... I don't need to go fast in a straight line, but this thing begs to carve.

It remains to be seen if I am "old" enough to handle this as a streetbike.

[taxonomy]

Exact reason I ended up on a Guzzi. Albeit a newer one, the air cooled v-twin feel just really got to me. Love that bike....

I have an Eldorado.

Every where you go, people love it. Handles pretty good too.

[csmutty]

I've watched your LRRS videos, very impressive. My adrenaline is certainly diluted compared to what you've experienced. Are you craving the same level of adrenaline? Can you turn it off in urban areas? The answers are none of my business, but maybe take a year away from street riding if the craving is too much.

Thanks.

I honestly can't answer that. I have no idea. I think its more that the bike just begs for more and handles everything thrown at it with such ease. Basically rides itself. Like paul said the bike is extremely composed in the chassis department.

[McBiggity]

You're young. Take a break from the street until you can come back and be reasonable. Shit, I'm married with a 2 year old now. The striple is exactly what I want in a bike. Something that can be tame when you want it to and a beast if you feel so inclined. The difference is that I very rarely feel so inclined on the streets now a days.

[Kitt]

you may need a vmax

[csmutty]

you may need a vmax

Hahaha yeah cause that has no power...

[Yknot]

Having found myself in a similar type scenario, I chose to just stay off the street. Modern street bike are WAY more capable then the posted limits allow. I tried the cruiser route, which was fine, slowed me down and enjoyed the view. It was definately a way to ride on the street reasonably, but not overly exciting. Since you have had the track experience, I would guess that the street will just not fill that void. Although, there have been several good points made in the thread. The question is will they meet your needs or desires and that is a very personal decision. You have a good head on your sholders so you should be able to answer that.

I for one would vote for a plated dirt toy so you can do the dirt classic in June. Be nice to have you there with a nice contingency of NESR folks as well.