Thought for the day.

Then, she's going to have to get that Corvette. Ed Ed Ed mk

"Ed Forsythe" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I bought myself a motorcycle, a little 650. It has served me well these past 5 years.

Now I need a bigger one to make up for declining testosterone! :)

You must be younger than me, HPT. I'm old enough that a 650 is still considered a big bike - at least by me.

My 2005 VN800B is a huge road hog to me - yet it was considered a girls bike before it went out of production. (sigh)

Ed Cregger

I can identify with that -- I remember those huge Nortons -- but we've got to remember that our perceptions would have been different if Harley had been spec'd in cc rather than ci (the old 74s were around 1212 cc).

The new Honda 1800s -- now *those* are big bikes.

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I have always liked the Harley look and sound, but I never considered them "serious" motorcycles with all of the break downs they suffered. Even as a youngster they seemed very old fashioned.

Back in the sixties and seventies, there were motorcycles and then there were Harleys, Indians, etc., if you know what I mean...

My present bike is an 800cc Kawasaki Harley look-alike. In fact, it looks more like a Harley, than a Harley. That is why I bought it. Is has the style, but better realiability and it can kick the snot out of just about any Harley in a 1/4 mile. Then again, what can't? But that's not what Harleys are about anyway. Unfortunately, it is what I am about. Even still.

Ed Cregger

I'm a little younger but not that much younger (joined Army out of high school in 1972). Yep, 650 back then (even 500) was considered big. Usually I'll tell a biker that comments about my "small" motorcycle, "You need a bigger motorcycle to make up for a small ."

Some even consider the 883 H-D as a "Skirtster".

Yes, Vulcan 800 is a nice bike.

HPT

"Ed Cregger" wrote:

TP

IMHO, Boss Hoss is big but expensive, a rich man's toy. New Honda 1800 is a barge. I prefer my leetle 650.

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Those bikes much over 1,200 cc's aren't even motorcycles to me. They don't interest me at all. I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone. Just have fun riding. The 800 that I have is almost too large. Almost, not quite.

Ed Cregger

I think 72 was about the time Kawasaki came out with their 900, and everybodies jaw hit the ground...

Made my Mach III 500 rice rocket look like a toy!

That 500cc triple was a hard bike to beat in the 1/4 mile.

Ed Cregger

"Now I need a bigger one to make up for declining testosterone!"

No. You are a modeler. You get a bigger one so you will have enough power to get out of trouble. This is one of the first things I learned from the big boys at our airplane field. But now that I think about it, most managed to get into trouble anyway. I guess their engines weren't big enough.

Ken...1/2A flier.

I much prefer my two-wheelers to be human powered. A Vespa and a bop cap would be about my speed in a motorbike since I won't have one that I can't pick up off of myself.

I have an acquaintance who owns a puny Boss Hoss 350 (c.i.d.) and although I must admit that there's something kinda seductive about just the idea of straddling a big ol' V8, my one and only experience at operating a motorcycle was on my son's Ninja 650 and I had to clean the saddle off when I got back, if you get my drift.

Texas Pete

Anybody remember the Ariel Square Four? (Showin' my age here:-))

Bill(oc)

I not only remember it I had one. Smooth & quiet but you couldn't keep pistons in the rear cylinders because of the heat. Had to run it gentle

You just HAD to do that didn't ya? ;-)

I never had one or rode one, but a friend of mine had a small collection of them, Usually had one of them spread out on the kitchen table, but that's a whole nother story ;-)

I remember reading and hearing about it, Bill. I don't recall ever seeing one in the metal, so to speak. I wish I could have heard one run.

Ed Cregger

I enjoy the human powered ones too, Pete. Or, at least I did when I could ride one.

I traded a Ruger 10/22 rifle for a hand painted Vespa or Lambretta (can't remember which) motorscooter when I was stationed at Luke AFB. That is how I met MSgt. Ed Thompson (Technical Editor at RCM at the time and progenitor of the Digitrio R/C system). He introduced me to R/C and gave me an Ambroid Charger with OS.15 R/C and all of the goodies needed to make it work in the air. All that was missing was a wing and a Tx.

Anyway, the motorskooter was absolutely perfect for off road desert riding too. What a neat little machine.

Ed Cregger

"Ed Cregger" wrote in news:uNZLf.4711$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews4.bellsouth.net:

Savage is a blast to ride, because it is light (352 lbs dry) and being a single cylinder 650, has loads of torque, will out accel an H-D out of the box.

IMHO, I think the manufacturers like people to buy the bigger bikes (greater than 800 cc) because there is greater profit in them. Those who do write-ups in motorcycle mags are used to 100+ HP crotch rockets and can't deal with something putting out less than 60 HP.

My next ride will pro'ly be a 750 / 800.