UCP opinion on two wheels

[W.R.]

I was just wondering what everybody thinks about motorbikes, whether or not they are as appreciated as cars or spat at; and if you get as excited about seeing the latest superbike as you would the latest supercar. Also the type of bike that you most like/aim at when driving.


(No organ donor jokes)

[DesmoRob]

I'm a bike fanatic. Up until early this year I owned a Ducati 749 Dark. I get giddy every time I see a Ducati. Mostly excited about the superbikes, not so much monsters/hypers/etc. Biking is obviously dangerous, and every summer tons of them die in my area. Its quite sad, but people driving cars just tend to forget we exist sometimes. Lots of the time its biker stupidity too though. Speed becomes addicting, and overconfidence is a real killer. Lucky for me I have a good enough head on my shoulders not to attempt any of the stupid crap that others have gotten injured or killed over.

My favorite bikes are obviously Ducati and MV Agusta. I have a soft spot for the Benelli Tornado Tre1130, too. Thats as far as it goes for bikes. I don't like anything non Italian. BMW looks overdone, and the Asian bikes although pretty, sound too waspy for my liking.

If and when I buy another bike, it will be the latest Ducati liter superbike.

[LeonOfTheDead]

I'm a bike fanatic. Up until early this year I owned a Ducati 749 Dark. I get giddy every time I see a Ducati. Mostly excited about the superbikes, not so much monsters/hypers/etc. Biking is obviously dangerous, and every summer tons of them die in my area. Its quite sad, but people driving cars just tend to forget we exist sometimes. Lots of the time its biker stupidity too though. Speed becomes addicting, and overconfidence is a real killer. Lucky for me I have a good enough head on my shoulders not to attempt any of the stupid crap that others have gotten injured or killed over.

My favorite bikes are obviously Ducati and MV Agusta. I have a soft spot for the Benelli Tornado Tre1130, too. Thats as far as it goes for bikes. I don't like anything non Italian. BMW looks overdone, and the Asian bikes although pretty, sound too waspy for my liking.

If and when I buy another bike, it will be the latest Ducati liter superbike.

what he said.
Just I don't like the Benelli, and I never owned a bike. Was supposed to buy the Ducatti Sport620, but I entered the dark world of university and living out of the nest.
I almost got killed with a Gilera scooter, so shit happens a bit too often on a two wheels for me to own a bike in the near future.

[DesmoRob]

Honestly, if I knew I would live, I'd choose riding over driving any day of the week. The time I spent with my Ducati was the happiest period of my life. Everything from polishing it, to opening up the throttle, to parking it on the sidewalk on a busy day at the mall and watching the looks on peoples' faces as I walked away from it.

The sense of passion and freedom that I got from that Italian rocket were so strong it felt like I was constantly high on the happiest drug in the world. The day I sold it, I actually had tears well up in my eyes.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Honestly, if I knew I would live, I'd choose riding over driving any day of the week. The time I spent with my Ducati was the happiest period of my life. Everything from polishing it, to opening up the throttle, to parking it on the sidewalk on a busy day at the mall and watching the looks on peoples' faces as I walked away from it.

The sense of passion and freedom that I got from that Italian rocket were so strong it felt like I was constantly high on the happiest drug in the world. The day I sold it, I actually had tears well up in my eyes.

that's true.
When I used the scooter to as a commuter, every trip was a pleasure, despite having just 5 bhp to fight against 90 kg of it plus mine (65/70 kg).
Throttle always wide opened, wind, passing cars at the crossing lights, parking wherever I felt like, freedom indeed.
A normal car, an econobox is just a car for the most of its time, until you find the right road, the right day and zero traffic, then in a couple of bends it will be understeering too much or rolling over, the road too tight and that's it.

[drakkie]

A bike can be pretty nice but IMO the extreme dangers of riding one don't add up to the few minutes benefit that can be achieved on the Dutch roads. I'm sticking to cars and lorries for my transportation.

Especially since I am driving long distances every day, I wouldn't enjoy doing so on a motor cycle instead even though it might be faster. You miss some comfortable things like a radio and so. Plus I don't think my back would be able to cope with riding for more than 1 or 2 hours.

I used to have various scooters in the past, a Puch Maxi and later a Benelli K2. Fun stuff but waaaay too dangerous for me.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Ddddddddddddddooooooooooo iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The day I sold it, I actually had tears well up in my eyes.

Why'd you sell it you fool?!

A bike can be pretty nice but IMO the extreme dangers of riding one don't add up to the few minutes benefit that can be achieved on the Dutch roads.

I used to have various scooters in the past, a Puch Maxi and later a Benelli K2. Fun stuff but waaaay too dangerous for me.

Coward.

[NSXType-R]

I don't mind motorcycles at all.

In fact, I think they're pretty cool. I just hate the stupid American choppers with handlebars 20 feet in the air and are 20 billion decibels too loud, like my neighbor does.

They are obviously overcompensating for something.

I prefer sport bikes over choppers, but I still don't mind choppers if they're not overdone.

The fact is, since I like driving more, if any stupid biker decides to screw with me when they're on a bike and I'm in a car, they're definitely losing.

So that's why I don't mind bikes.

[NicFromLA]

A close friend of my father's died on a motorcycle a few years ago and my father literally made me swear I would never ride a bike. So no bikes for me.

HOWEVER, I do love watching MotoGP and reading about bikes. Ducati, MV Agusta and BMW are my favorites.

[wwgkd]

I like bikes. For me it's not really a situation of one or the other since it's such a different experience. I tend to get more passionate about cars, but given the money I'd definitely have both. Ducatis and choppers for me, but I also hate the overdone choppers. Too much angle on the fork is just weird, and I don't care how comfortable it is to have the grips way up in the air, I don't like the looks.

[cmcpokey]

i have bad luck, so i don't ride. i think good luck is essential to survival on a bike. that said, i still really like them. i think they can be beautiful, they are certainly the cheapest speed you can get, they seem to handle very well, but alas i wont drive one. i like to live.

[DesmoRob]

You miss some comfortable things like a radio and so. Plus I don't think my back would be able to cope with riding for more than 1 or 2 hours.

When I was on my bike, the last thing I was thinking about was what was on the radio. Every corner is special, and every straight stretch is an adrenaline rush waiting to happen. There's no need for music, because the sound of that L twin underneath your nuts is far better than anything they'll ever play on the radio.

In regards to the rider position: From what I've seen, the yamaha Virago cruiser that I learned on left me feeling like an old man because of the slouch position that the rider adopts on it. That means your lower back has to take the stress from the weight of your entire upper body. Its a very painful experience for more than half an hour of riding. The Ducati superbikes are arguably the best for your back, because unlike their asian counterparts, the Ducati's more aggressive track setup sets the handlebars further forward, thus putting you in more of a lean to reach them. The gas tank props you up in the middle, and there's virtually no stress on your back whatsoever. I would do over 300 km in a day, and still get off the bike feeling like a new man. The only thing comfortable about a cruiser is their cushy seat, but the position itself is generally a real let down. Superbikes on the other hand, let you lay on them. The only real effort is in your forearms doing some of the propping. To non riders, those sport bikes look uncomfortable, but I'm sure some other riding members can attest to the fact that its a bit of a misconception, and that at least from my own experiences, the cruisers are the real pain.

Why'd you sell it you fool?!

Because when you're 21 years old, $10K of depreciating capital sitting in a garage for most of the year doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Plus, I probably increased my lifespan by doing it. I don't trust half the drivers out there anyway.

[drakkie]

Coward.

I know myself too well. I'd die if i do get one. I always want to know the limits of a vehicle. For my cars i can easily go over them a few times on my "test track" (a nearby 1500 m^3 tarmac area). On a bike it'd be these fast turns and that would be my end.

Plus for some reason it doesn't really attract me as much as cars and lorries do.

[092326001]

I would love to have to own a bike. I am particularly fond of big naked bikes. I rode a honda wave in china once, and it was rather scary.

[Type17]

I don't mind motorcycles at all.

In fact, I think they're pretty cool. I just hate the stupid American choppers with handlebars 20 feet in the air and are 20 billion decibels too loud, like my neighbor does.

They are obviously overcompensating for something.

I prefer sport bikes over choppers, but I still don't mind choppers if they're not overdone.

The fact is, since I like driving more, if any stupid biker decides to screw with me when they're on a bike and I'm in a car, they're definitely losing.

So that's why I don't mind bikes.

What exactly to you drive? It has to be quite the car to take down a sport bike. I mean, the new R6s with a good driver get in the 10s in the quarter mile and Yamaha has always been a handling bike...