China Romance
General Discussion and Useful Links => The Campfire => Topic started by: Irishman on August 16, 2010, 02:25:03 pm
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I used to ride bikes for many years before i got old and decided a car would be more sensible..
However getting married now and all, I wonder would it make sense for her to use the car and me go back to bikes - the insurance and petrol is a lot less for starters.
I guess 0-60 under 5 sec is not really the kinda ride I'm looking for these days ::) ;)
I never thought about this before but are there any bikes with a medium sized engine , say 600cc about which are bullet proof like a Honda Civic car?
Low maintenance with a little poke is what I'd like.
Any bro's got bike advice?
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I did my Bike riding mostly in the eighties , but unlike you .. I gave it up ( because of the Helmet Law ) . I had a nice 650cc Honda and that was enough for my learning and pretty much only for fun-filled weekend trips into the mountains away from all that traffic . I alway's was thinking of a larger Bike , but I decided .. staying alive was more important . I was actually thinking of getting back onto one to re-experience those wonderful Rides with Qing again . But the LaoPo has spoken .. No No .. not safe !!! So for now , we'll leave it at that . But I can still day-dream though .
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Honda makes what they call a 550 4 cylinder its a medium bike and runs pretty good.Kawasaki makes a good 750 unless you want to get into a 1000 then you might as well get a gold wing lol.I cant imagine you riding a crotch rocket those are about as uncomfortable and more for the younger guys.
Ron
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I don't ride anymore (Suzuki 650cc) but am still licensed to. Had to drop the bike one day and snapped my collar bone. No helmet law here in Florida (Arnold) but I wouldn't ride without it. Drivers here are bad enough. I use to ride to work (in the summer) a few miles from my home then. For me it's fun for the day but to do it everyday? No A/C? I'd rather sit back and drive in comfort then on a bike. But that's here Europe is different with bikes.
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As you know, I have a 'scooter' ... Vespa 250cc back in TO. Brought it brand new, has only 300 km on it ... it's a toy for me as I prefer the safety of car.
If the reason is just to get from A to B at a leisure speed, 125 cc bikes are good enough. Irish and I have seen plenty in Taishan where they carry everything they can think of ... chickens, rice sacks, construction 2x4s, propane tanks etc etc etc.
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Mike no thanks on that "chrome" bike. I couldn't handle cleaning it after every ride, for 18k it should clean itself. ;D But I did have the same problem SPEED. It was just that trill that I wonder how I made it through.
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Ha, I seem to remember in one of Ronan's early photo's he had his BIKE on top of his car , but I do not remember it have a motor , I think it had pedal power , one way to save petrol ha ha ;D
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No A/C? I'd rather sit back and drive in comfort then on a bike.
I glanced at a bike parked on the street in chinatown (Toronto) last saturday night. I think it was a Honda. The thing had A/C Vince. I looked at the model but I do not remember what it was. I knew I shoulda taken a picture of it. Looked at the controls on the dash and everything else. (could see the compressor and condensor in front) Thought it was a useless option on a bike.
Dave C
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Hahaha .. what's next "Airbags" and "Seatbelts" . Retracting Wing's to fly over trouble area's ahead ?
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Irishman,
I have a picture or two for you......hehehe! darn, one is too big. I guess it will only be the one.
Dave C
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I guess they can have cooled air pass by while riding? Mainly useless though. But that's Toronto, Here in South Florida? it's in the 90's (33 C) almost all year and doesn't cool down at night.
A buddy of mine who had been calling me to get another bike (motorcycle) bought another new one a few years ago. On the way to Coco Beach he's sitting at a light, a car in front of him and some moron plows into him from behind and he flies onto the car in front. That new bike is totaled and he said that was it, no more bikes? Took a couple of years but he got another.
As for that picture? That happen to me on a bicycle when I was a kid. Racing down the street and pulled a wheelie and the front wheel took off on it's own. I ended up smashing my face to the pavement.
Once in a while I tinker with the idea of getting a bike? Well maybe? but not to soon.
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Hey Mike,
You live in a chinatown, but the GTA has 4 of them (Dundas and Spadina, Gerrard and Broadview, Steeles and Kennedy (sorta) and the one in Mississauga...although this one is really just a strip plaza).
BTW, any time for a dumpling meet in the near future?
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We'll have to make arrangements after. Maybe we'll see that bike you saw.
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Mike O,
mustfocus,
We were at "Il Gatto Nero" at 720 college. I think it was Spadina I had to drive north on to get there. All the signs were in english and mandarin so I was guessing it was Chinatown I drove through. Mike, I probably drove right past where you are. (drove north from the Gardiner on Spadina, I think)
Irishman,
Most of the bikes I like are Harleys. I never owned one though. I just love a well done custom chopper. I worked with a lot of "bikers" and saw a lot of nicely done bikes. The other bikes that I would see were the typical type of crotch rocket. When I was 17 I was going to get a Honda 360 just for getting around town. When the neighbours' daughter lost her leg to a drunk driver running a red light I dropped the idea. Later I got a Kawasaki 1100 as part of a sale for a car I sold. I briefly thought about trying to use it but ended up just selling it. 8)
Dave C
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I was all set to get a Honda Deauville after reading a bunch of bike reviews online.
Then yesterday there was a big rain shower outside and as i looked out the window I saw a biker getting drowned and a bunch of people in cars sitting in comfort and I realised..I'm too old to ride a bike in Irish weather now!
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Saw what I thought was a very nice Harley coming up behind me in another lane the other day , but oh no it was what I believe is called a Fatboy , had a v8 in the engine bay , I assume a small block Chev all chromed and tags saying 420 bhp , had a pillion on and when he got baulked by a dickhead he braked then he was gone , but I bet he does not take it out in the rain , regards Robert .
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A Fatboy is a Harley, just one of the models. Here in the US and especially here in Florida there are plenty of bikes. There is even a bike week in Daytona Beach (in March). I've seen that v8 and a load of other custom bikes. I remember back some years one guy had a whole dragon thyme, looked like he had his own little float (as in parade float) going on.
The rain is a good deterrent. I got caught in a few rain storms, it's not fun.
Looking through some online photos here's one I thought a little strange. Hey Irish drive this one to work?
(http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/xlarge/Rats_Hole_gator_bike.jpg)
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Last price I heard for a fatboy was 50,000 Just for the base model.
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I have been farting around with a picture of a bike to put up here but the file size is too big. A custom chopper powered by a 600 hp Viper V-10. That would put a couple bugs in your teeth! I will keep playing with it and see if I can get it up.... post the picture that is. ;)
Dave C
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I like the Honda Shadow V Twin very cool cruiser Looks good. I have owned 3 over the past 30 years. All of them 1100. Bullet proof super easy to maintain. Runs like a Honda. Have been thinking I might like another.
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Jimmy what mpg did you get on that beast?
The Honda Deauville I linked to earlier is very heavy and from what I've read only does around 50mpg - that's less than my car!
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A Fatboy is a Harley, just one of the models. Here in the US and especially here in Florida there are plenty of bikes. There is even a bike week in Daytona Beach (in March). I've seen that v8 and a load of other custom bikes. I remember back some years one guy had a whole dragon thyme, looked like he had his own little float (as in parade float) going on.
The rain is a good deterrent. I got caught in a few rain storms, it's not fun.
Looking through some online photos here's one I thought a little strange. Hey Irish drive this one to work?
(http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/xlarge/Rats_Hole_gator_bike.jpg)
Vince I'm all for mods if done well, that thing just looks ridiculous, though I bet the owner is big and hairy and I'd be to scared to tell him that!
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Jimmy what mpg did you get on that beast?
The Honda Deauville I linked to earlier is very heavy and from what I've read only does around 50mpg - that's less than my car!
MPG Man I was young and didn't even care, I rode round trip to work everyday about 80 miles. And could ride all week on a tank of gas. Which I think with reserve was like 5.5 gallons. But around 50MPG would be a good estimate. Top end was about 100MPH . I was generally just crusin, but I think every rider ever got on a bike will run it up at least 1 time just to see what its got. The interceptor I rode for awhile 1 time was enough with that crotch rocket. took half a mile to stop it.
Oh lord to be indestructible again I miss those days.