Motorcycles

it's about balance and tuning. On 4 cycle engines you do not want exhaust back pressure. But, pipes can be tuned to provide low end, high end performance or compromise for all around. It sounds like in your experience they were "tuned" for high end which is useless for v-twins (not your bike)

To get the most value you need to address all, the intake, the fuel delivery and the exhaust. To re-jet or go larger injectors is useless if the exhaust is restricted or the air intake is restricted.

 

It is SOP and has been for over a decade to always use a device { Power Commander }
for Fuel injection or Different jets for carb models.Yes,back pressure is an issue.
But that will stick out like a sore thumb.A bike with pipes that aren't dialed-in
will spit and backfire and stall out.It could end up costing more than the experience { or
the added sound effect }. I will never even contemplate aftermarket pipes for my Rune.
Take Jay Leno.I really don't think he spends endless nights worrying about how Loud
and manish his Motorcyles exhaust sounds.Yet that is exactly what motivates most
Harley Bikers.
Which is why I'm agin em.There's basically little boys playing G.I. Joe.

 

This is the Superbike training tours for tomarrow's races , filmed about 1 hours ago , I dont know why the video stand laterally .


http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7948/niwqhgzeyxcjelaaobrxki.mp4

 

Everyone likes to talk about the brand and model of the motorcycle they own and hate it when someone else puts down their ride. As I've mentioned I talk with owners of all type of motorcycles all of the time and the first thing I do is ask them about their ride. It's an ice-breaker that always leads to great conversations.

Are there rude snobs? Of course but that's just people. Normally they're not and everyone wants to take about their ride. So my advice is the next time you meet a Harley owner ask them about their ride before anything else but then ask them what their first motorcycle was. Rarely is a Harley the first motorcycle a person owns and they've owned all sorts of motorcycles and often still do.

When you talk about your own ride tell them why you selected it. For example a dual sport is for someone that does a lot of off road riding and a heavy-ass Harley sucks in lose dirt, gravel, or sand. A crotch rocket is about performance and not comfort. Small displacement motorcycles could be selected because of affordability or personal preference. Each has its own reason for the rider and that's the most important thing.

It really is about mutual admiration because two wheels are better than four.

 

.. i just got back yesterday from a ride to toroweap, north rim grand canyon.. here's a clip..

[video=youtube;Lrg7328KWrE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrg7328KWrE[/video]

 

I run the original pipes on my Harley but understand that all motorcycles must comply with the sound levels established by law. In WA where I live a muffler is required and we have a "Maximum Sound Level of 86 db(A) measured at 50 feet."

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rights/State-Laws.aspx?stateid=47

There is a mantra by many motorcycle riders (not just Harley riders) that "Loud pipes save lives" but I call that BS. Being aware of everything when riding a motorcycle saves lives. Of interest my neighbors across the street have a dual-sport that's a lot louder than my Harley and is as loud as any Harley I've ever heard.

 

What a great ride. Now I could do that on my Sportster but with my street tires and highway suspension it wouldn't be my preferred choice. It would be very slow going. Gimme a dual-sport anytime for that one.

What type of camera did you use and how did you mount it?

 

It's a contour hd.. i've had it for several years, made a mount that velcros around the chin guard on the helmet.. it's fairly out of the way, but follows my sightline for recording. It still works for me well, though i'd like to upgrade to the newer one that is completely waterproof. This one is 'resistant', & i've run it in the rain before.

One of the guys rode a v-strom, & it performed well, though this was an easy ride by our standards.

Here's some tougher single track from a cpl yrs ago..

[video=youtube;cdGEgUmBcW0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdGEgUmBcW0[/video]

 

rocks, hills and mountains

I remember those. We have sand, sandy soil, wet soil and where it's wet, poisonous snakes, wild hogs and gators. I stick to the street around here

 

OK, I don't do that one on my Harley ROFLMAO.

If it wasn't for the prohibition of motor vehicles you could easily do this ride down from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to the Phantom Ranch.






I've made this mule ride, the trail is actually quite good, and at least five feet wide all the way down. There are some places with shear drops of over 500 feet though that make can make you nervous when you come to a switchback and look over the edge.

 

I always ask right off the bat when talking motorcycles with a stranger what kind
of bike they have.I can't say this enough.Harley Owners seldom allow that courtesy to others.
Because that is part of being a Harley owner.To be selfish and not consider other's who
have a POV about motorcycles.case in point.About 6 years ago I took my Illusion
blue Rune to the barber shop.One of the guys that cut hair was a Harley guy.He also
restored classic Chevy's.Especially Corvette's.Well after my cut the barber who I'd known for
years walked outside to look at my bike.He'd seen once before.Up pulls a Cop who
knew the barber and asked him about that aftermarket Harley guide book he'd had.
So Tommy the Barber went inside and got it.That cop never even glanced over at my new Rune.
He went right into talking non-stop about HIS New HoG and what he planned on doing for
aftermarket.Beach bars and this aftermarket exhaust and that new Harley aftermarket part.
I stuck around for about 10 minutes to see what kind of jerk this Young Cop/Harley
owner was.He was ALL about HIS Bike and His new accessories.Never even looked at my
New Rune { I mean,let's Bee 4 Real,the Rune does not look like any other bike }.
I was gonna scold the guy out.really let this Cop in Blue who was On duty have it.
But I didn't.Plus he was bigger than me { probably 6'2" and in his 20's }.
I was mid 50's and gettin' slouchy.But it taught me another lesson.
Harley guys on average are crude,rude and just plain unsophisticated.
Not all but too many for my hay fever.In fairness I remember back in spring
an older gentleman on a new Harley { at the gas station } and started admiring his new
HoG.He was friendly and liked talking Bikes.Said he decided to get back into motorcycling.
The guy was older than me.He explained what bikes he's had in the past and was very
polite and gentlemanly.he paid close attaention to what I said about Motorcycles.
Most Harley guys drift off and get kinda into themselves once the discussion turns away
from Harley's.
That is a big reason I refuse to even consider a Harley.Harley owners are flat out dickheads.
There's a reason for the 60's motto :
You Meet the NICEST People on a Honda !

 

Every consider the fact that it might not be the Harley owners that are rude?

 

I don't care to imagine most Harley riders in that manner but I've seen pictures of some of the passengers and they are quite nice

pssttt, look up at what I did to your quote

 

Oh for cryin' out loud,just open yer eyes man.It's even on most new reality shows
where Bikes and bikers are profiled.The ones ridin Hogs { Harley } are Preoccupied with
acting machismo and Kool.When a real Kool Cat and real motorcyclist like Jay Leno,
bends over backwards to NOT think he's Mr. tough guy on the block.
Harley owners are ALL about themselves and their rides are an extension of their
huge attitudes. They cavort around like their exhaust notes,thinkin' they gotta be heard
to get noticed.Pure adulterated juvenile delinquency.Being a Harley owner is more attitude than
anything else.It reminds me of Mickey Rourke in - Barfly - { 1987 }.
" Why did it have to be Eddie.He symbolizes everything that disgusts me.Obviousness.
Unoriginal macho energy. Ladies man. "

 

Maybe it is different here in the south but most Harley riders I know are friendly and helpfull. When I meet another rider we usually don't talk motorcycles but we do talk riding.

If I meet anyone that is rude it is usually some kid on a sportsbike that thinks he's superman and doesn't talk to lower forms of life because he's too cool.


Harleys have a history and a lot of us that ride other bikes would love to own a Harley...just because its a Harley.

 

Looks like a lot of fun. There is some great trail riding out west. When I lived in Nevada as a kid, my friends and I would hop on our dirt bikes and ride all day in the desert and mountains.... good times.

 

There is one common denominator for all "reality" TV shows and that is that they don't depict reality......... if they did no one would watch them. Do people seriously believe everything they see on TV?

 

yes, I find it quite credible that 8 loser 20 somethings could afford to live in a $8 million waterfront home and go out partying every night wearing $500 sunglasses and $800 dresses

 

I think you're reading too much into motorcycle ownership. I don't see Harley riders, the majority anyway, performing street stunts endangering other motorists. Typically it's metric sports bike riders that are the hooligans on 2 wheels making the rest of the motorcycle community look bad. If anyone is full of themselves it's a few in the sports bike community, that have no concern how their behavior is a genuine saftey concern for vehicular traffic. I would much prefer a long ride with a Harley owner than some sports bike owners who are more concerned about showing off than riding within boundaries. No wheelies, stunts, tricks or lane splitting in traffic..and if you do, I will not ride with you. Let the Highway Patrol scrape you off the pavement when the showing off catches up with you, I don't want to be a witness to it or scare other drivers in the process; giving a bad name to the two wheeled community as a whole.

 

you're right but I understand what he's talking about I've met them as well, poseurs...there people who just because they can afford to buy a Harley think they're better than the rest, these aren't real bike enthusiasts they're wannabes, like my neighbour, he knows absolutely nothing about bikes but he bought a Harley now he thinks he's a bad ass...the worst of the worst I ever encountered would when I pulled up on my CBX would sneer and have some derogatory comment to make about japanese bikes and end every exchange with his favourite "Harley's best ***k the rest"...what made him extra pathetic poseur was he didn't even own a bike (or a car), he didn't even have a license to ride, all he ever had was a Harley t-shirt he wore every single day...

- - - Updated - - -

safe to say dickheads own all sorts of bikes...

 

I think I might have stumbled onto my next new bike.I dunno where my heads been
of late.Every year I make sure and check out whatever motorcycle mags I can
sneak a look at.This year,nothing seemed to phase me.I dint even learn of the new
Honda Cruiser ... the all new F6 { Goldwing turned cruiser }. It looks pretty impressive.
But it was the CB1100 { I just discovered it last night while at YouTube looking at
bikes }. The new CB1100 is a near replica of the legendary Supersport 750.
Bigger engine and fuel injection and better brakes.Same large analog gauges.
I like big analog gauges { My Valkyrie Tourer had them }.
The tank looks yummy.yes,it has a seam.So what.I'm not some anti-seam fanatic
like Willie G. Plus that seam makes the tank stronger.The seat is pretty old-fashioned
simple { like a breadbasket,slightly thicker than the 60's seat }.it has a chain drive. Durn.
I thought I'd never again have to deal with some chain drive.
It puts out over 50 ft. torque from the get go.It has a red line of 7,ooo rpm {rev limiter }.
That is way too low.Should be at least 8,000. H.P. is 82 at red line.
I wonder how easy it would be to defeat the rev limiter.It's 540 lbs. fully filled with petrol.
Doesn't even have a choke.That is how confident the bike starts.I like that.
plus it's $10,ooo. A real bike that's fun and authentic and low maintenance.
Zips around like a motorcycle should.Probably out handles all cruiser models.
I can dig it.

 

Again I don't know where's you've been.But Reality TV shows are about as close to
home as it gets.From Honey Boo Boo to those Little Miss Pageant to them Kardashians.
What you see is what is.
I know sometimes Reality is a hard place to deal with.
Like Harley owners.As soon as they purchase their chosen HoG model,they turn
into Superman.Hog women are even worse.They automatically turn into
Hillary Clinton with chaps and heavy leather.

 

how about the v or wee strom?

 

You mean like a V-Star.Or do you mean the V-Strom.I'd much rather go with a
real 90 degree V-Twin like a Ducati.I was seriously considering the Faux Ducati
cruiser or Diavel.But it's expensive and too techno-loaded.Has keyless entry and
start and 3 computerized riding modes.Don't need any of that.
The Diavel is about the fastest motorcycle out there 0-60 mph.I like that.
It also has about the nicest rear wheel of any production bike {oem rubber is Pirelli }.
I crave a no nonsense fun ride that is lighter than the average cruiser and much
zippier.Starts up right away and has a nice linear power curve.