BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

NIiiIICE, Papa Big!

Black powdercoated wheels, low seat height, and the checkerboard pattern on that side stand looks GREAT! I go could go for a bumpy ride right 'bout now.....

*POOF*
It's gone.

Ten at night, and it's quiet around here..... don't even want the radio on. The cats know some'n just happened, but they could care less. My back decided to go into spasms midway through the deal..... I haven't had a problem since putting those bars on the bike; why tonight. (Hell, I don't even remember where I stashed that Vicoden)

One might suggest that there is a reason for everything,
or for everything there's a reason.
Maybe it's simple chaos, maybe it's synchronicity

whatever.

I'm a cage driver now, a lone Biker without wheels.
Another "grounding" of sorts.

But I realize I lived too often too much for the next ride, frequently at the expense of other (more important) things. I found plenty a stretch of road to flirt with my mortality at speeds in excess of 130 mph, I dressed (as if) for battle before dueling with squirrels for a clean line through fast sweepers. I didn't hesitate to have a beer, JD, or Vodka/tonic before setting off down the road again. Controlled recklessness.

I thought I was a "good" rider, not accomplished..... just good. Truth is I was lucky, I'm fortunate, and I make it a practice to listen to that inner voice...... and I'm alive & unscathed to talk about it.
None-the-less I live.... to motor again another day.

LIFE (and motorcycles),
what a GREAT RIDE!

Gee Pat, that's quite a story.
Damn shame really.

Consider a play thing whilst waiting to return to "big" bikes. How about a nice 75/5 toaster. They handle nicely, look great and you still get to enjoy the ride without (as much) concern for speed.

These days they don't depreciate either.

It's much more fun riding a slow bike fast, than a faster bike too slow anyhow!

Selling your bike w/no immediate plans to replace it?

I'm surprised you didin't have a grand mall seizure (mini-mall?).

For now you'll just have to be our philosopher/poet on feet.

I've had great luck with the peony recently planted. It went into seriously sandy, rocky soil, promptly got snowed on, flooded with rain and has zero shade.

And, the silly thing seems happy. It's growing, even. I'm told not to expect it to blossom this year. Hell, I just don't want it to die on my watch.

I'll bring a cutting with me to discuss over that pinot. Something Russian River? Melissa Stackhouse up at La Crema has been doing some good work (and she's killer good looking into the bargain of being very fun to hang out with!).

Cheers, Pat!

-rkd

...someday.

This is a sad day for you I know. But once you bounce back from the tickets and get the finances in order...and the associated blues and blahs (been there, done that) are only nasty memories, the old familiar itch of the wind in your teeth will return. And by then your perspective may be all different. You never know what's around the next corner.

Man, we all treasure your comments and riding wisdom here in this little community, and I truly hope you will continue to provide us with them while you are not riding your own pony.

Have you ever thought about moving to another state? With your experience you could find a job easily here in Georgia and since Robbie is moving here...this could become the quintessential Beakster rider Mecca!

Ah yesss, Melissa...... I forgot.
Without a bike, I may now remember that there are women out there! Are they any less expensive to maintain than 30,000 miles a year on a bike? (Then again, I don't want to 'own' one..... a woman that is...)

Boxer,
Five or six more years of hanging with these dis-eased California liberals, and four more years of working with these corrupt/inept co-workers at the prison.
Then I may well indeed MOVE!

Aw Hell, Pat...

If all else fails take some of that recent Trumpet sale cash and support the world's oldest profession...



It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, and it will give ya' a whole new outlook on life...



Cheers!

Dallara

Pat - I have not posted on this thread, although I typed a response at least three time and never submitted it. Shock I guess.

All I have to say it hang in there buddy and please, please keep hanging around here. You enrich this place tremendously. I am sure you will be back on a bike one of these days.

Pat, I was stunned and saddened to hear your news. As long as I still have the Roadster, and you just gotta have a fix, you're more than welcome. Perhaps a track bike is in store?

Pat,
You may have been circling the cure when you were wondering about a track bike. After a couple of track days - real, knee down hard, didn't know I could corner like that without falling down, where did my tire rubber go - track days, you may find that going fast on the street loses some of its appeal. The first time you go off course at the track, you will never look at the streets the same again - streets have no run off, many hazards, no crash truck, no ambulance waiting nearby. After my first few track days, I was keenly aware of all the hazards on the street. I slowed down.

It doesn't work for everyone, of course. But I don't know any racers who feel that they have something to prove on the street.

I also know that I personally must stay away from in-line fours. They whisper "go faster" in my head.

Pat,
I've waited a while to post. I think I understand many of your thoughts; the main reason I did not replace my K12RS with a new one was my inability to maintain a "reasonable" speed. In Alaska, and taking trips "out states" to the Western states and Western Canada gave me lots of chances to turn up the wick.

Moving to Northern Illinois made me a bit nervous. The R bike has really helped me in that respect. I know that if I got a faster bike my license would be toast in no time.

Many of the suggestions given to you by people who know and care about you are excellent ones. Buying a classic BMW, a classic anything will keep you in the fraternity without causing you to answer the primeval urges surging within.

You are still welcome in Palm Coast, with or without a bike.

Frank

PS: Of course there is another way -

Frank.... thank you.
I got a special love for a select many of the site, you is one of 'em!

I need to learns ya how to post yer pics though, I hooked up the above posted image..... you posted the URL to the entire page of your album.

- Select and click your desired image open.
- Via "Properties" (or however it's done on a Mac), Copy the URL of the specific opened image you wish to post.
- Paste your copied URL into your post.....
- Click onto the "Img" button to the upper right immediately after pasting the URL.
Done.

My next choice of bike will be something that I can flat foot it from. All my bikes get me wound-up even BEFORE I climb aboard. That's where/when the tension starts. And so in similar fashion, I'm not only reallyready/hyper/tensed-up to ride...... I'm so tightly sprung, I WANNA RACE!!!
This is not a good frame of mind for those of us with either insecurities, complexes, or left for want'n. I want ALWAYS to ride fast.

My next choice of bike will have to be something with an entirely different attitude, more conducive to the "relaxed" mode of riding. Let the insecurities manifest themselves in ways other than speed........

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(......but a Track Bike does sound like a SPLENDID idea, doesn't it?!?!.....)

GJBushman,
you're too funny! I thought for a moment though, that the story was leading to the short bald guy being approached by his long sought after soul-mate..... that he was no longer to be "that weird guy who's never married, and only cats for room mates."

Patrick, that's the next page, you just need to write it. Perhaps she is in that crowd watching you shoot or perhaps she's at that exhibit or show you put together. I see you shoot a lot of landscapes, very well. They make great stock photos but don't sell well at shows. From what I see in your posts you also have a great many friends that you shoot. I know a photographer in Sacto who got her start shooting b/ws of her friends and their cats. Shoot people, serious environmental portraits. As a great photog you'll let down your guard and bang, you'll see maybe that special women has been standing there all the time. That's a story very close to my own. Hey, we both know that only a very few people can make money doing the photography we like to do, our own. I've gotten away from it but recently went back to help repair a relationship with my daughter. It worked for a bit and got me sparked again. Now I'm thinking of selling all my film gear and going complete digital. Ooops, I digress.

Anyway, just shoot some people, old and new friends. You know, just ride the damn thing. Don't wear the thong while shooting though, it could be dangerous. And you know, that wierd, bald guy with the cats is the guy that will get the girl. You don't want to change that. Maybe getting off the bikes for awhile is a smart thing, and is probably the right thing for you to do for you. My bikes have been an escape from a tough few years raising my kids. I can walk away from the bike anytime, I can't the kids. So I think of these aspects of photography and motorcycles in my life as chapters in a book that I can put on the shelf when there are other things to do and I can go back to when the need or desire is there.

Damn..... I guess you're saying it's up to me.

Thanks for your kind comments regarding some of my images.

I'll start writing that next chapter soon.

Pat, a bike is not required to post here, so I hope you will stay and continue to entertain us (a your expense, LOL!). You wil always be welcome, and frankly I dont care if you have a bike or not!

If you find the right bike someday and perhaps are a little older, wiser, relaxed, get back on and ride! For now, I recommend:

http://automobiles.honda.com/models/mod ... ected=True


Its the closest thing I've driven thats like a motorcycle. Amazing little Honda.

Two things here:

One, Pat -

I'm sure you'll weather the weather. Keep on truckin' as they used to say. Someone with as long a history on two wheels as you have will return to two wheels. It's in the blood...

Two, Frank -

What, no gear in that pic?

Race, Patrick.

Seriously. I've got a buddy moving up to lightweight, selling two completely prepped GS500s and a ton of spares for $3k.

You can get into a single bike for less than half of that. In Ultralights you can get 3+ weekends out of a set of tires at most tracks, races fees and gas for a weekend will usually not top $350.00. Then you get to run as hard as you possibly can, until you're so tired you don't want to any more!!

Nothing, I'm quite serious, nothing will slow you down on the street like racing. It uses up all your need to push, and puts a VERY healthy fear of the uncontrolled public roadways into you.

For less than $5k you can do a complete racing season and couple track days. That will scratch the speed itch, keep you on two wheels and allow you to save up for the low-slung, custom of your dreams.

I've never met anyone who has raced and regretted it. I've met plenty who've regretted giving up racing.

Food for thought!

Cheers,

-rkd

Yeah, Pat...

Exactly what RK said!

You will learn more in one day on the race track in competition than you learned in all your years of street riding, and might show you just how much motorcycles are truly capable of doing.

But it will also make you realize that anything you could possibly want to do on the street is nothing compared to the thrill you get on the track, and that "hangin' it all the way out" on the street is a ludicrous exercise...

I pretty much had ot quit racing... Too many busted pieces that couldn't stand to get tagged again.

But more than he realizes, in my case, RK's words ring so very, very true...

I have never regretted one single moment (including the crashes and injuries) that I spent racing either off-road or on, but there is not a day goes by that I don't regret having to hang it up...

You'll most likely lose more than you will ever win, but the feeling of accomplishment and pride you get from pressing yourself to your own limits is... How do they say it in the MasterCard ads?

Priceless...

Oh, and chicks dig racers, too!

Cheers!

Dallara

Pat, I can certainly identify with some of your situation... my social life pretty much consists of motorcycle rides, and I have a couple of dogs instead of cats. You gotta do what ya gotta do. I recall your interest in a Triumph Bonneville a while back, and I can vouch for the fact that they're sort of like a cruiser without actually being one, if that makes any sense? I think you'd enjoy riding one, it fits what you described pretty well. See ya 'round the campus, I hope...

Pat,

my heart goes out to you. I have in the past drifted toward the dark side and been punished for it. I will never forget the sickenning feeling when the Police pull you over. In my case, I got between them and a Porche 911 doing 94mph. They lost it because I got in the way. So I had to take the rap. I was doing 76 in a 70 but they booked me doing 94mph (because that speed was on their readout in the Police car!). I was arrested at the roadside but allowed to continue on my way after handing over my license. I had no witnesses so I took the points and fine (the fine and points would have been the same at 76 or 94mph).

I decided the best way forward was to get back on and ride and not let this incident get me down. However I now have a different view on the Police.

I like this Triumph America, customised by someone in Italy. Is this your cup of tea?



I hope you get riding again soon as it is in your blood and like an itch you have to scratch it once in a while!

Mike UK