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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Live Reveal - Thursday 12th of June at 1700BST

    Motorcycles

    Hobbies and Pastimes
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    • GraemeG
      Graeme
      啓蒙家
      Joined:

      My brother is off to the Handpulled Rally in Ripon this weekend. He owns a Moto Guzzi Griso, and has always told me that it's far cooler than my BMW.

      Last night he tried to fire up the bike, and, err, it didn't. Got to love Italian electrics! So he's borrowing mine to get himself over there.

      Am I allowed to feel smug? 😃

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • GraemeG
        Graeme
        啓蒙家
        Joined:

        And it's now at Devil's Bridge, a famous haunt of bikers. Without me. 😞

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • BluegrassB
          Bluegrass
          Joined:

          Feel smug for sure!  i'm sure you wish you were with the bike - looks like a great time…

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          • G
            grandmasterben
            Joined:

            I realize this is a super vague question but…. How did you dudes get into motorcycles? They seem honestly amazing but I don't know anyone that has a motorcycle and I have no clue how I could even ride one around a parking lot or something.

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            • harley daveH
              harley dave
              Joined:

              if you can ride a bicycle you can ride a bike its sort of like driving a car but with your hands its the same principal clutch in ,put it into gear ,clutch out ,move forward .
              on a side note my new bubble visor (flip up ).

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • BluegrassB
                Bluegrass
                Joined:

                My Dad had a 72 Honda 500Four - and later a Harley.  He just gave up riding last year, at age 80.  I rode mini bikes and dirt bikes as a kid, and have always been fascinated - always knew I'd have one (or 4, haha). They seem "dangerous" but "not so dangerous" at the same time.  You can be stressed, in a bad mood, pissed off, and nothing calms you down and gets you out of your own head like a ride.  Even 1/2 hour will do it - much cheaper than seeing a psychologist.  Oh yeah, and chicks like motorcycles - almost forgot that.

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                • louisboscoL
                  louisbosco
                  啓蒙家
                  Joined:

                  @harley:

                  if you can ride a bicycle you can ride a bike its sort of like driving a car but with your hands its the same principal clutch in ,put it into gear ,clutch out ,move forward .

                  i can ride a bicycle, but i've never figured out to ride a motorbike. even after trying on my friend's smaller cc bikes. i think at that time i couldnt figure to control the weight of it..

                  "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                  • Harvey Specter
                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • xchenX
                    xchen
                    Joined:

                    ^ I feel the same as you LB. I've ridden friends Vespas (and laid then down). I'm afraid of how awful I'd be on an actual bike.

                    That said I'm completely comfortable on a bicycle.

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • harley daveH
                      harley dave
                      Joined:

                      with bikes unfortunatly sooner or later you will crash it will hurt and it will be expensive but if you have the passion nothing can stop you riding you just get back up,and off you go ive crashed pretty bad a couple of times but i cant stop riding ,even after losing about 6 or 7 friends i cant stop .
                      its difficult to explain if you have the passion for bikes like me it overides most things i think about bikes every day it is my life .
                      ooh went off on a bit of crusade there ,but those that feel like me know what im talking about its a feeling you have a love yopu have for the motorcycle in every form .
                      this is me on the second day of a 14 day tour to the sahara ,sometimes it goes wrong ,you just patch it up and get on

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                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        And the beer goes where?

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                        • SeulS
                          Seul
                          Joined:

                          Belgium…

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • BluegrassB
                            Bluegrass
                            Joined:

                            My dad rode ~60 years with no accidents.  I'm at 30+, with plenty of close calls.  I know it could happen, but I just don't think about it.  I lost my cousin, age 62, last month.  Someone changed lanes and bumped him off the road - he had some broken ribs, and seemed like he was "OK" but his mom found him passed away.  He was an "adventure rider" like Dave - they'd ride 100s of miles to go off road, packing all their gear to camp, repair their bikes - and yes, they always found room for some adult beverages.  The guy who gave his eulogy was one of his riding buddies - very moving.  Very sad, but he had a very rich life.  I can think of lots of worse ways to go.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • harley daveH
                              harley dave
                              Joined:

                              i hasten to add the beer was at the campsite after we trailerd the broken bike there ,do not drink and drive you will spill it
                              bike was fixed with isopon/body filler /bondo and we proceeded on to the sahara only to have it stolen when i got back to the uk

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                              • injunjackI
                                injunjack
                                見習いボス
                                Joined:

                                Gmb  It all started when I was about 5 or so when I put a "flapper" (don't know the correct word) to my bicycle rear wheel so it makes "motorcycle sound" ….

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • GilesG
                                  Giles
                                  IHUK Crew
                                  Joined:

                                  Flapper works….

                                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • Finn666F
                                    Finn666
                                    Joined:

                                    brings back memories IJ! 😃

                                    btw. just informed myself about getting the motorcycle license here in switzerland. seems like i'll be getting a bike somewhere in 2014 🙂

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • louisboscoL
                                      louisbosco
                                      啓蒙家
                                      Joined:

                                      @Finn666:

                                      brings back memories IJ! 😃

                                      btw. just informed myself about getting the motorcycle license here in switzerland. seems like i'll be getting a bike somewhere in 2014 🙂

                                      i too am thinking of getting one in Australia. but not a 100% confident..

                                      "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                                      • Harvey Specter
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                                      • Finn666F
                                        Finn666
                                        Joined:

                                        the thing is, here in switzerland you don't need to do practical driving hours before riding your bike (even though it's more than useful to do so!)…you only have to visit some courses and do a theoretical test and after passing that, you can ride bikes up to 27kw!

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • louisboscoL
                                          louisbosco
                                          啓蒙家
                                          Joined:

                                          ahh. seems easy enough. though i dont know how much is 27kw???

                                          though here in australia, or rather WA, since i already have a car license, i can ride a 50cc or less moped bike and take my lower class with 250cc or less without having to take any theory. though of course like what you mention it's more useful to take those driving hours.

                                          "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                                          • Harvey Specter
                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • Finn666F
                                            Finn666
                                            Joined:

                                            27kw = 36ps or 36hp 🙂

                                            i'm in love with this one…

                                            Yamaha XJ550
                                            http://thebikeshed.cc/2013/08/27/toms-xj550/?utm_source=feedly

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