Quote :

"I see what they did there. Excellent turd polishing skills ITT. I mean props for making some affordable semi-cool bikes for those who can’t afford anything else, but who really wants to be seen on a custom Chinese bike that tries to be something else? Also, by “engineered in Cleveland” do they mean letting a Taiwan Factory know which bunch of Arlen Ness catalog look-alike parts to slap on an equally ripped-off engine and frame design?"

I concur.

8/30/2011 3:36:43 PM

I do want to emphasize the excellence of their turd polishing skills. I looked at the guys' website and they are pretty passionate about what they do. Hey, if it get another person on the bike and lets them mess with it and customize in an affodable way, I am cool with that.

However, i really want to see more people like Eric Buell, Michael Czysz, and the team behind Brammo electric bikes (lead designer is NCSU graduate, w00t) that are truly bringing the innovative engineering and styling to US motorcycles, and then add some soul to it, as oppose to relying on the popularity of a particular subculture to sell bikes (see Harley, Indian, East Coast Choppers, all the cafe racer people currently on TC, and now these Cleveland guys)

8/30/2011 4:07:05 PM

is cycletrader a pretty good way to sell a bike?

what have you guys had the best luck with?

8/31/2011 5:18:48 PM

craigslist

8/31/2011 10:07:14 PM

on various biker or racing forums.

8/31/2011 10:20:51 PM

both craigslist and forums will probably bring less money than cycletrader, but craigslist will probably sell it faster

9/1/2011 9:52:13 AM

Got some play time on a Ducati Hypermotard 1100 S today and DAMN is that a fun bike!

9/4/2011 4:46:22 PM

anybody know where i can find a gas tank for a 1982 Honda CB450? I've looked everywhere and am about to give up

9/6/2011 12:15:39 PM

Hondatwins.net is pretty active. I'd register and ask around there.

9/6/2011 12:20:33 PM

^thanks
i'll check that out

9/6/2011 12:27:01 PM

Did you check with 751 salvage in durham? They had a whole graveyard of 80's hondas.

9/6/2011 12:44:42 PM

There was a real bad wreck here last week. Kid on a rocket got killed and a 86 yr old lady. Guess they think the kid was going around 90 mph.


http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/29064860/detail.html

[Edited on September 9, 2011 at 1:51 AM. Reason : k]

9/9/2011 1:49:54 AM

just got my bike out for the first time in over a year and took it around the block

i might hit up 751 salvage for some parts. is it a junkyard where you show up and look around, or do they have an inventory w/ prices?

does anyone on here rebuild carbs?

9/11/2011 1:34:20 PM

just put my '02 Honda 919 up for sale http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/2593207063.html


looking to replace it with something more sporty, yet not so small that my 6'3 ass looks like a gorilla riding a tricycle on it. Anybody have any suggestions? I've always had my eye on CBR600s, but I'm afraid it might be too small and [relatively] uncomfortable for me.

9/11/2011 2:19:38 PM

I could be wrong here, but I'm pretty sure a 600rr is going to be dramatically more cramped than a 919

9/11/2011 5:12:09 PM

Yeah, more sporty without being cramped is going to be tough coming from a 919, but a Ninja 1000 seems like it might fit the bill nicely.

9/11/2011 5:54:44 PM

I've seen a ton of Moto Guzzis on the road lately.

9/11/2011 6:28:29 PM

600rr's is the gold standard for being the most uncomfortable bike while sitting on it, although you won't notices it if you track it since you are always off the seat.

Also, they were designed for a 90lb japanese rider in mind...

9/11/2011 7:23:42 PM

Ya, I know I'm pretty much asking for the impossible. I had someone offer me a trade for their SV650S. It might seem strange, but the 919 was more than enough for me and I'm hesitant to move up to a liter sport bike. I guess I'm really looking for a sport touring bike? Once I have enough cash in hand I'm hoping that people will be less hesitant to let me test ride.

9/11/2011 11:40:24 PM

if i got rid of my two r6's I'd look at a 636. I new a few tall people who rode them and felt comfortable on them.

[Edited on September 11, 2011 at 11:44 PM. Reason : ]

9/11/2011 11:43:48 PM

The SV650 makes a nice midsize sport tourer if you mod it out right. I've put luggage and some other ergonomic amenities on mine and it's all the bike I need for daily commuting and the occasional trip or weekend fling in the twisties. You may find the power a little underwhelming compared to the 919, but it's a reasonable balance of power and comfort. The best part about the SV is that it's just an extremely versatile platform, and does acceptably well in just about any role, whether it's racing/trackdays, commuting/touring, or just blasting through back-road curves.

9/12/2011 1:55:38 PM

Anyone got opinions on a ZZR600 or FZ6? Maybe even a honda 599? Next spring I want to upgrade to something I can still ride long distances. I borrowed an SV650 for 50 miles after work one evening and I dont think its the bike for me. I thought it would really impress me too which was dissapointing.

9/13/2011 10:07:39 AM

what i have discovered is that to be fast, you never want the bike to feel fast. you want the processes in your head to be faster than the bike and never need to back off to catch up. you may not be interested in track riding anymore, if that's the case, check out a supermoto or adventure bike.

9/13/2011 11:02:44 AM

I'm still interested. This was for more of a commuting platform. I'll keep the 1/4 lber around dont worry

9/13/2011 12:00:00 PM

We have an FZ6 that my wife rides mostly. It's very comfy and the power is reasonably face-melting if you wind it up, but it's a good commuter or midsize touring platform. Working on anything is a PITA b/c all the electrics are under the gas tank and you can't lift it without disassembling the front cowl - battery, fuses, everything. It's a pretty ridiculous design, but other than that it's very well made and thought out. You can actually adjust the fuel map and get diagnostic sensor readings right from the gauges, no special crap required.

9/13/2011 1:09:28 PM

pretty fucking unbelievable. I'd hope the mayor gives them some sort of appreciation.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/09/13/utah.motorcycle.crash/index.html?iref=allsearch

Quote :

"A group of construction workers, students and other bystanders turned into a ragtag team of first responders to save the life of a motorcyclist trapped underneath a burning car in Logan, Utah. The incident occurred Monday morning on a street near Utah State University and was captured on video. Sgt. Jason Olsen of the Logan police was the first officer on the scene. He was about to motion to a fellow responding officer to grab a jack when, "I realized that these citizens had already organized and were just going to manually lift (the car) up." The crash occurred when a BMW pulled out of a parking lot and in front of the motorcyclist. Jeff Curtis, assistant chief of Logan police, said the motorcyclist tried to avoid the car, which resulted in him laying the motorcycle down. After crashing, gas spilled out of the motorcycle and ignited, engulfing both the motorcycle and the front end of the car in flames, Curtis said. The motorcyclist became lodged underneath the burning vehicle. The video shows several startled bystanders looking under the BMW as flames leap into the air. The crowd quickly grows to include a man in a suit, construction workers wearing hard hats, a woman in sandals and a young man carrying a backpack, the video shows. After one person in the group tries to pick up the blazing car, the crowd joins in and lifts the 4,000-pound vehicle. "I do remember one gentleman saying, 'We need everybody to come and help lift,' and that's when everybody ran over," Olsen recalled. One of the bystanders drags the fallen motorcyclist's limp body from under the vehicle, the video shows. The motorcyclist was identified as 21-year-old Brandon Wright from Logan. He was rushed to a hospital and was in stable condition after surgery Monday evening, Curtis said. The driver of the car was not seriously injured. Police are now looking for the Good Samaritans to recognize them at a city council meeting for their actions. It was a "life-saving move that the Logan Police Department does not want to go unnoticed," Curtis said. The area where Wright crashed is highly trafficked, Olsen said. "I think had this accident happened in a suburban area we wouldn't have gotten that kind of response -- we would have never had that kind of manpower," he said. He added: "It speaks volumes to what people will do in a tragic situation to help another person out.""

9/13/2011 5:36:37 PM

Laid my bike down in traffic this morning

Some girl was in the lane to my right while we were both turning left onto Glenwood from Lead Mine. She was on her cell phone, of course...decides mid-intersection to swerve suddenly (not drift, not signal and lane-change) into my lane. Only way I could avoid hitting her and being knocked into traffic in the next lane was to lock up and low-side. As we were sliding I didn't want a hot 800lb bike pinning me under it so somehow I managed to push it off me, it righted up and fell on the other side as it slid to a stop. Lept up and stood it up while another girl behind me, again on her cell phone, almost runs over me. Instead of putting the phone down and perhaps making sure I was alright, she just sits there and blocks me from pushing it off the road. Stupid people.

Anyway everything is alright, bounced my head off the pavement pretty good but it's mostly cosmetic damage to the bike and myself. Gas tank, pipes, and most of the chrome made it out fairly well. I'm just pissed my beautiful bike got a little jacked up because some girl was talking on her cell phone in rush-hour traffic.

9/15/2011 11:58:08 AM

daaamn dude. I'm glad you are okay. Did ANYONE stop to help you or get an ID on that girl?

9/15/2011 12:00:54 PM

Nope. I didn't have any time to burn though, I saw she didn't stop (she probably has no idea she even caused a wreck) and once I did a quick once-over of my bike and myself on the side of the road I kept on truckin. Got an accident report a couple hours later for insurance

9/15/2011 12:05:15 PM

Quote :

"turning left onto Glenwood from Lead Mine."

This intersection and turning from North Hills onto Lead Mine are the worst places for lane drifters I have ever seen (and phone talkers too). I hold my breath through there almost everyday and I am in a car.

9/15/2011 1:22:07 PM

^^Glad you are OK! I had same exact situation once on campus once, but my bike at the time was not nice enough for me to even file a report.

9/15/2011 1:25:03 PM

Northhills onto the I-40 W is another bad one, as is Tryon to Walnut St.

9/15/2011 2:05:40 PM

Quote :

"looking to replace it with something more sporty, yet not so small that my 6'3 ass looks like a gorilla riding a tricycle on it. Anybody have any suggestions? I've always had my eye on CBR600s, but I'm afraid it might be too small and [relatively] uncomfortable for me."

All supersport bikes are gonna be pretty much the same size, regardless of make or displacement. In other words, a CBR600RR isn't going to be significantly different from a CBR1000RR, which isn't going to be appreciably different from an R6, R1, ZX-6R, ZX-6R, or GSX-R of any flavor.

I've never ridden a 919, but there isn't a ton of machinery occupying middle ground between the 919 and your race-replica type bikes.

How much are you looking to spend?

9/15/2011 2:18:31 PM

FZ1 is pretty roomy, or RC51 if you want something more sport-oriented

9/15/2011 2:25:03 PM

yeah, FZ1 is an option. BMW R1100RS/R1150RS, or Boxer Cup replica, although I don't know that these are really any sportier than the 919 (although they're cooler, in my opinion). Maybe a Ducati 900ss (again, prob a step down in performance from the 919) or one of the hotter Monsters? Maybe a Buell?

9/15/2011 2:30:39 PM

^^^ around $4k-5k, so a BMW is a little pricey than I want to consider.

Coworker has a FZ6, and he likes it for the most part. He's also 6'3 and feels it's a tab bit small. More than anything he wishes it was taller, which is not exactly what I'm interested in. Maybe I can see if he'll let me take it for a test ride. Doesn't sounds like a FZ1 would be much bigger, if at all.

9/15/2011 4:42:03 PM

I got rear ended by a girl today. Was under 5mph. Really wasnt bad. I appreciated all the people around who stopped as if I was going to die ( I didnt even fall over).

Lucky for me it just felt like an agressive stall out. Bike seems and looks fine (still like crap). She scratched the heck out of her bumper with my plate, bent the plate, and then pushed me via my rear tire into the road. I was already in gear and slowly moving so it just felt like i had more power .

Sorry to hear about your incident paerabol.

9/15/2011 5:41:41 PM

dammit, I started looking at stuff to fit the bill for you, and now I want an R1200S. I figure my old airhead (R100RT) needs some company, right?

^ I would have probably gone motherfucking ballistic. Man, the road rage comes out in me big time when I'm on a motorcycle and someone does something dumb to try to kill me. I've calmed down a lot (in that matter and just in general) since my teenage and early-twentysomething days, but the switch just flips when people do dumb shit around me while I'm riding.

[Edited on September 15, 2011 at 6:05 PM. Reason : ]

9/15/2011 6:02:12 PM

Quote :

"I'm hesitant to move up to a liter sport bike. I guess I'm really looking for a sport touring bike?"

Yeah, sport-tourers make more sense for most people. I've had a couple of supersport bikes, and they're a ton of fun, but I no longer want to ride hard enough on the street that they're really of much use there. They make a lot of sense for the racetrack, but that's about it...

and a liter-classer doesn't even make sense there (or anywhere else), to me at least. I mean, if you're a die-hard track junkie and have been for a long time, then maybe, but middleweights are SO fast nowadays that I really have no desire for a liter bike. They're fun from a novelty perspective--to grab a big handful of throttle and just go "HooooooOOOLYSHITOHMYGODJESUSFUCK", but I have no desire to own one.

9/15/2011 6:09:34 PM

Damn man, that's crazy, glad you and your bike are ok. What are you riding anyway?

I was at Toxic a few weeks back and there was a bike up there that had been rear-ended at speed on the interstate by a DHL truck...dude managed to keep it upright and coast to a stop but the frame was completely accordion'd. Totaled a showroom-new bike he had bought that same day.

At least people stopped for you, I feel like everyone around me was just pissed for holding up traffic One dude a couple cars back at the red light on Blue Ridge got out and yelled "HEY MAN ARE YOU OK" and the guy at the front of that line basically sacrificed his chance to turn on that light cycle to let me get off the sidewalk and drive off...so that was cool

9/15/2011 6:10:05 PM

Quote :

"but the frame was completely accordion'd. Totaled a showroom-new bike he had bought that same day. "

that sucks.

Back in early '03, I bought a brand-new leftover '02 GSX-R 750 from Kaw/Suz of Durham...they were telling me when I picked it up about some stupid squid a few days earlier who bought a new ZX-6R (636), rode it down the loading ramp from the service bay after they put fluids and a battery in it, and immediately wheelied it across the parking lot...

until he looped it and totalled his new Ninja with about 50 yards on the odometer, before ever actually reaching a road.

hahahahhahahaha

9/15/2011 6:13:45 PM

hahah see i can't feel so bad about shit you bring on yourself...it sucks but i'm still gonna laugh at you

9/15/2011 6:16:14 PM

hope ur ok paerabol, any road rash? good thing the helmet took the brunt of the hit. Watch out if you hit it hard, go see a doctor, better safe then sorry.

9/15/2011 6:17:50 PM

Oh yeah, I mean, I've wrecked more than one motorcycle, and clearly should received have a Snell-approved dunce hat for one of them, but that's a whole new level of stupidity, squiddery, and ineptitude.

9/15/2011 6:18:51 PM

Damn, bad news ITT

Good news: hit 45k on the CB today

9/15/2011 6:29:36 PM

in other news, I successfully jumped a sleeping policeman and got air going 15mph.

9/15/2011 6:31:45 PM

Just a little bit of road rash on my left arm, not bad at all. The part that actually sucks though is I'm just now realizing how sore I am. My back and left rib cage feels like it was crushed, which I guess it was. Sore as hell, hurts to take full breaths and move around. Can't wait for 2 days from now, haha. But yeah all-in-all the bike and I came out remarkably well.

I probably haven't worn a full-face helmet in almost a year, and I ride everywhere, every day unless it's raining or I'm hauling something in my truck. I only put it on today because I was going to renew at the DMV and I couldn't remember if they needed to see a DOT helmet. I almost want to say that if I was wearing my brain bucket I would have heard and seen her in my periphery just a fraction of a second earlier and been able to keep it upright...either that or someone's lookin out for me.

^ dowhatnow??

9/15/2011 6:36:23 PM

you sit a little back in your seat while you do a small power wheelie when your front tire starts to roll over a small speed bump, at the same time, you thrust your body upwards just a little bit. I haven't been completely successful, most tend to be nut busters. It's hard to get your timing down.

9/15/2011 8:47:45 PM

I get the jumping part, where does the cop come in?

9/15/2011 11:00:09 PM

speed bump = sleeping police man...

9/15/2011 11:08:23 PM