I find myself not caring about cars anymore...

"titsinmymitts" (titsinmymitts)
03/30/2015 at 20:03 • Filed to: None

...Since signing up for my MSF course.

Don't get me wrong, I still like cars. But, it really puts things into perspective when you can spend the base price of a Mazda 3 on a sportbike that would dust a Veyron or P1 to 195 miles per hour.

Just three more days...

DISCUSSION (23)

E. Julius > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:05

Argh I can't wait to get my cycle endorsement in June!

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:09

yep!

People are always amazed when they learn i'm a car guy and then go: off, whats the new lambo like? i heard its fast, Do you like it? I soo want it

Then I go: meh. Another lambo. I wonder if audi offers the A5 in tdi?

They dont get that to compete with a sport bike in a straight line, you need to pull out something BIG.

as well: all of that "Oh the miata feels sooo connected to the road and its SOOOOOO comunicative" pfft, yea right. The most communicative car on earth isnt as good as the least communicative bike.

titsinmymitts > bob and john
03/30/2015 at 20:17

Yep. I could see myself even selling the ST at some point and just rolling in a Civic or Fit instead, to be honest.

I should have been super excited for the 911 GT3 RS, but I just wasn't.

I mean, I will never drive a P1 or a LaFerrari. But a Ducati 1199 or S1000 is as little as three or four years away.

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:25

ehhh. While I personally would fall THAT far down the food chain, I would be perfectly happy was an A3 TDI.

Finacially 3-4 years away....

Actual riding....probably a bit longer.

seriously, 3-4 years is no where near enough time for a bike like tht. I had a blast for 1 year, then my SV for 3. I'm still not ready for one of those monsters.

Jonathan Harper > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:45

I forget about cars when I have tits in my mitts ;)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:52

fucking sweet video! It seriously makes riding on two wheels seem like the right way to adventure. However, that constant fear of death is just too much for me. I can't get over the fact that so much worse can happen in simple collisions that could happen at any moment. I wish I could though because nothing will ever beat that horsepower to weight ratio of a bike! Maybe I'm just a panzy lol

lucky's pepper > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 20:53

Not trying to dampen the enthusiasm for cycles, I've been riding for two decades and as you said for cheap speed they can't be beat. But the first time your life flashes before you eyes (and IT WILL HAPPEN) you may rethink the whole cycles are the greatest thing ever idea.

Be careful out there!

titsinmymitts > lucky's pepper
03/30/2015 at 21:00

Yea, there's definitely a trade off in terms of safety IMHO.

I won't be jumping on a supersport or superbike any time soon that's for sure. And truth be told I'm a little uncertain of when I'll actually pick one up.

But, I have a lot of respect for the speed modern superbikes are putting out.

titsinmymitts > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/30/2015 at 21:02

No i totally get that too, truly.

My girlfriend is definitely not happy about any of this. And the initial investment costs are pretty off putting if you're gonna do it right.

lucky's pepper > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 21:34

I'm talking about the ass-clowns we all have to share the road with! I've done some silly shit on bikes over the years, but the "OH MY GOD, I'M GONNA DIE!!!!" moments were all due to some idiot in a car or truck not paying attention or just not caring.

titsinmymitts > bob and john
03/30/2015 at 21:34

Yes, I meant financially of course. I honestly don't have much interest in a literbike. It's a bragging rights thing.

My buddy has a ZX10 and he's told me multiple times that he thinks it sucks on the street compared to the Raven R6 he had because it's just too damn fast.

Question, 2008 Ninja 250 with 15K on the odo for 2,500? Eh? If I can get it down to 2200 would you say that's a decent price?

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 21:38

yep, thats a pretty good price. milage seems a bit high though. oh well

i would get it, ride it around for a little, then put on the brasse body kit for it.

http://31blk.com/products/31blk…

but first, GEAR. and GOOD gear, not 25$ helmets you find on ebay

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > lucky's pepper
03/30/2015 at 21:45

Annoyingly, it's the opposite for me. I have a feeling my ES300 is a magnet for anything that's the personification of all things evil.

titsinmymitts > lucky's pepper
03/30/2015 at 21:46

Yes, sadly that is the truth.

I have considered just building a shifter/race kart instead of pursuing my thrills on public roads.

I must say, my girlfriend is very unhappy about this development...probably for good reason.

titsinmymitts > bob and john
03/30/2015 at 21:48

omfg that is ridiculous.

Yea, good gear is essential. Honestly, I'm thinking about getting a two-piece suit with a back plate. I really won't be using the bike for anything besides a weekend toy, so perhaps that's the way to go.

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 21:55

hmm..that might be a BITTTT much.

my gear consists of:
good helmet (I got a CF one only sold in canada for 350$, and its ECE certified!)
good jacket (leather bike jacket with armor in the elbows, shoulder, back)
a icon stricker vest UNDER the jacket
motorcycle jeans ( armored and lined with kevlar all the way down)
boots (alpinestarts MX-3)
gloves: dianese

lucky's pepper > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
03/30/2015 at 21:55

Maybe it's cursed!

lucky's pepper > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 21:58

When the soiled pants-inducing incident does happen DO NOT TELL THE GIRLFRIEND! If you do you may never be allowed to ride again.

titsinmymitts > bob and john
03/30/2015 at 22:04

Think you could provide a rough estimate for how much that cost you total?

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 22:11

i got my helmet 350...
jacket: E. Julious got a REALLY nice dianese peice a few weeks ago for <250...soo i'll say 300
icon vest: 100
pants: 150
boots; 210
gloves: 100

total: 1210. all brand new

titsinmymitts > bob and john
03/30/2015 at 22:40

Yea that's about what I estimated. Damn, shit is expensive and NOT something you can cheap out on.

I know we've discussed it before, but do you do a lot of commuting or just ride for fun only?

bob and john > titsinmymitts
03/30/2015 at 22:43

I commute on mine. I think last year I did about 10,000 total miles in 4 months

also, aside fromt he helmet, you can find most stuff on craigslist. Aside from the helemet, everything else can be bought second hand, as any damage is MUCH easier to spot

TJDMAX > titsinmymitts
03/31/2015 at 11:27

I don't want to sound like a parent here, and i'm sure you've had plenty of people tell you their opinions on what bike to start on and all that. But i figured I would just lend my 2 cents in for whatever its worth.

So without question, and i'm sure you are aware, but good gear is a must. Buy a helmet brand new but there is nothing wrong with buying used jackets, gloves, etc. on craigslist. Lot of people out there that bought brand new gear and then had a close call or financial issue etc and are selling nice gear for pretty cheap. So look around there for good deals on the jackets and pants and boots.

Now in terms of bike....it depends on the type of person you are. I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and i'm 5'11" about 185 and i consider myself a pretty solid athletic strong build. So i knew that i wasn't really interested in buying a 250 as a first bike. I rode some buddies' around and while the thrill of riding was there, the bike just wasn't very "fun". Now i got my first bike while living in a small town without lots of traffic so i wasn't as concerned with stupid shitty drivers...but it was definitely a concern of mine. But i also knew that if i went out and got an R6 or something i would have died instantly. The position, the speed, it would have equaled a very shortened life for me and i didn't want to tempt myself. So I ended up falling in love with supermotos. I bought a 2011 Husqvarna SMS 630 and it was a hell of a lot of fun. Its a single cylinder 600CC bike that made something around 40hp and 65ft-lbs or so. It has the riding position of a dirt bike and is geared as such so it is a blast on city streets (super torque-y acceleration) and it could cruise on the highway at around 80 mph fine, but it wasn't happy for long commutes. It also had a top speed of maybe 105 mph or so (with stock gearing) which was fine.

The best part about the bike was how nimble it was. I was able to build confidence in myself and my bike quickly and that is important when it comes to the emergency situations. Having the muscle memory and skill to be able to avoid an obstacle in a split second is key to staying safe and alive on a bike. Inevitably you will have an incident where you will have to do some evasive maneuver and having confidence in yourself and your bike is a must.

My last point i'll make, is that confidence and skill comes with practice. So if the bike is just a weekend toy for you that is fine, but you want to get some miles on it on the weekend. Hit some back roads where you can get confident leaning the bike over in turns. But i think it is also important to get experience riding around town. Get a feel for how the drivers in your area are. Do they notice motorcyclists? Can you split lanes? It also helps you stay aware of situations and forces you to start becoming a much more aware rider. You will find yourself scanning the road much more than you do in a car. You'll notice people's heads through their back windows and you will be able to guess where they are going or what they are planning next.

So the TL:DR version. Buy a new helmet, look for used jackets and such. Buy a bike that will allow you to develop as a rider, but won't tempt you to ride beyond your limits in a hurry. Also be honest with yourself and pick a bike you won't be uncomfortable on. And get out there and ride and ride safe!