Text 21544, 78 rader
Skriven 2011-08-01 09:34:17 av Roger Nelson (1:3828/7.0)
  Kommentar till text 21542 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Motorcycles (was: Guest Editorial)
==========================================
On Sun Jul-31-2011 18:51, Robert Bashe (2:2448/44) wrote to Roger Nelson:

RN> As one gets older and loses balance and the strength of youth, getting
RN> on a motorcycle that is not only more powerful, but heavier nowadays
RN> is not a wise decision to make.

 RB> The "heavier" part was the thing that stopped me. I had a Zuendapp
 RB> 50cc (two stroke) light cycle in 1966-67 - small, maneuverable and
 RB> quite fast (up to around 110 km/h). Plus, it was light.

If someone gave me a 1956 Triumph in good working order, I might be tempted to
ride it.  We have a HD Classic outside that I refuse to even get on to start it
for fear that I will somehow tilt it over and it will flatten me like a
pancake.

 RB> I once got on and started to ride on a street with glare (black)
 RB> ice without realizing it - luckily early in the morning with no
 RB> traffic. 

I had my run-in with ice back in 1984 while delivering Christmas food baskets
on a Sunday.  It had snowed the previous two days and while I don't fear the
snow, the ice is difficult to see.  I started to skid out of control and then
remembered to turn the wheel in the direction the car was skidding.  I then
regained control and came to a stop.  If I had not done that, I would have
ended up in a very steep culvert.

 RB> Suddenly I found myself sitting on the street and the bike 20-30
 RB> yards further on its side, motor still running. Didn't even hurt. I
 RB> went to the bike, righted it without difficulty and continued on
 RB> _very_ cautiously.

 RB> Then there was the time I lost traction while crossing streetcar
 RB> rails on a rainy night. The bike landed on me, but all I had was a
 RB> bruise on my left ankle. Again, I righted it and continued on home.

You were lucky -- twice!

 RB> With the Suzuki Bandit 600 I bought in 1989, I didn't have a chance
 RB> of righting it once it fell over - which was frequently, as my legs
 RB> are short and the center of gravity is high. Tip it just a few
 RB> degrees off center and there's no way you can hold it - just get
 RB> out of the way. Over 200 kg of solid iron and aluminum, break your
 RB> leg easy if it landed on you. The times it tipped over, I needed
 RB> help to right it. Tried several times to do it on my own - I know
 RB> the "tricks" - but just didn't have either the strength or the
 RB> leverage.

I used to have a Kawasaki dirt bike that I got from a guy by swapping an
outboard motor for it.  It was a fun ride, once I fixed a minor problem with it
and then made the mistake of letting my two sons take it for a weekend.  I
never saw it again.

 RB> I finally gave up and the Bandit sat more or less unusued in the
 RB> garage for several years until Michiel van der Vlist expressed an
 RB> interest - I was happy to sell it to him and be rid of it.

I hope he's enjoying it.

 RB> Unfortunately, they don't make light motorcycles like the Zuendapp
 RB> nowadays. It's either light and terribly underpowered, or heavy and
 RB> hard to handle. Nothing in between, as far as I've been able to
 RB> find.

A nice looking motorcycle.  About the only thing I could handle right now would
be my 1948 Servicycle.  (-:

 RB> Anyway, I prefer a car or (in the city) bicycle nowadays, depending
 RB> on the weather.

Too hot down here to ride a bike.  The temp yesterday hit 95F and was so humid
as to be unbearable.


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: NCS BBS - Houma, LA - (1:3828/7)