Why I ride a "RAT" bike

[Doc]

Got my old rat bike out on the road yesterday. A thought came to me as I cruised along, blowing the cobwebs of winter from my mind. The "wind" I'm "in" is the same wind I'd be in on a brand spanking new BMW R1200R. But it's FREE! No 400$ a month payments. Insurance at less than 20% of what a new Beemer would cost. I can easily cruise at the legal speed limit plus the 15 kms I need to stay "normal". It'll pass a semi in less than 3 seconds. Sure, a new bike would probably give me "pride" of ownership, need frequent washes and, generally look "better" parked in front of the mall. But that's not what a bike does for me. It's a stress releiver. Not a status symbol.
Thoughts?

[BoostedNihilist]

Flash back to 1999. Arrive at my buddies house and see a shiny new black and yellow gsxr750... The tires had turned about 15 revs and the smell of new bike hung in the air.

Proud poppa comes out, swings a leg over, starts her up... the scream of 4 pissed cylinders caught my ear as the exhaust exploded out his carbon slip on.

Fast Forward to 2000. I arrive at my buddies house, to see his now, 1 year old black and yellow gsxr750. Still a thing of beauty with not a single custom love mark on any of the fairings. I hop off my 1985 fz750 and knock on his door. Out he comes. He walks over to my bike, which had definitely seen better days, comments on the drilled bolts and the lack of requisite safety wire and asks me to start it up. The starter clanks over and the bike roars to life. Volume is spit from my 4 into 1 kerker (a-la eddie lawson) and a smile is put onto my face. My four cylidners of pure fury will soon be pushing an extra few hundred pounds through the twisties at a rate of speed some might consider unsafe, I call ludicrous.. as in super ludicrous.

Gixxer takes lead and shoots down the road. With his horsepower advantage my 1985 fz750 languishes a couple hundred yards back... still at a ludicrous rate of speed I am unable to overcome my weight and drag disadvantage to close the gap... We dive into the twisties punishing our contact patch and bending our clip ons as we twist the right hand to the max. The engines scream as we blip and downshift into the apexes then cressendo as we rev up down the straight repeating this process through the endless labyrinth of corners in the woods.

We ride for hours, out over the ferry to the IMO best motorcycling road on the planet, see the cute x girlfriend and scare the brown stuff out of some of the local hippies... (watching a hippy get mad is funny.. the wave their hands and yell but it's like they don't quite know what they are doing)

We stop for lunch, he takes his helmet off, a huge smile on his face, I take my helmet off a huge smile on my face...

I pay for lunch because my bike was 2000 and his was 12 note my smile was still as wide

After our ride we both come to the conclusion that we had the best day of riding that could ever come to be anywhere, anytime for anyone and we still talk about that day even 8 years down the road.. We are now both getting slightly crusted, and are both bikeless. My shitty equipment never is the focus of our conversation, unless it is in rememberance of a truely awesome piece of 80's tech.

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Hop in the time machine and join me in Uganda Africa. It's morning.. I am slightly hung when I hear a concert of 'pop pop pop' coming down the road. I rouse myself from my state of restless sleep and get ready for my first day of riding in over five years.

I Walk out the door to see a motley crue of tourists standing in front of a bunch of rather apprehensive looking Africa boda boda drivers guarding their machines as if they were soldiers guarding the crown jewels. The look of apprehension is mirrored by the tourists who are about to embark on their first motorcycle ride... ever.

One of the Ugandans approches us, I will call him Chief. Chief comes up and asks for a show of hands "how many of you have ridden a motorcycle before" I stick my hand up... Only I stick my hand up and the look on Chiefs face goes from a positive optimism to a shattered realization that he is about to turn a bunch of mzungos loose on his livelihood and only 1 has any degree of experience.

The morning is wisked away as Chief and I train a bunch of mzungo warriors on the proper usage of the necessary controls. Chief decides he has seen enough, and has agreed to turn us loose on the island for some sight seeing, with the caveat being that we all must arrive at the top of the hill with both us, and the Ugandan owner still on the bike. Chief hops on with a beginner and he sends his 2ic to go with me. Well, all hell breaks loose I click down into first and two cylinders of parallel evil erupt in violence as I rev up and dump.

The skinny pizza cutter spins as the rear begs for traction... I modulate the throttle and we are on our way, with me and one severly shaken Ugandan boda boda driver. We hit the hill at terminal velocity and I bank to avoid the selection of rocks and garbage on the road. Monkeys, screaming, run from the centerline as this angry contraption speeds towards them. I look to avoid any flying feces and return the throttle to its full wide open position.

We arrive at the top of the hill, first. We look back to see our dust, a bunch of garbage and rocks, and a group of extremely angry monkeys. Through the dust comes the rest of the group smiles across every white face, the same scared look of panic and what I would describe as the impending look of a meeting with st. peter has found a home on the African owners.

We dismount, gas the machines up and head out for an expedition around the island. Understand, that the sight of a bunch of white tourists riding motorcycles through the African wilderness is not something the locals see often, if ever, and in every village we were greeted by throngs of Africa children, all asking for a ride. I passed out some of my Canada pencils and pins before we left and did a routine walk around on most of the bikes. The drum brake on one was actuated by a shoestring (I am not even joking) and on one bike, only 2nd and 3rd worked... These issues had no impact on the smile on the face of the person in control.

When you're out there punching a hole in the air, you're removed from real life and become part of the environment. Like a bee, or a gnat, you are free to explore the world. Some people have to explore the world in their brand new land rover or on their brand new bike, but in the end, I have always been able to replicate the experience with a box of tools, a couple of spare parts and my hands...

[Phlyer]

I had two FZ750s at one time. This is the time of year I really get the urge to ride again.
Big and heavy and didn't handle like the FZ600 I had some years before that but I still miss it.
I picked up a cutiegirl with it and she eventually became my wife!
I don't think anyone 'needs' a superbike that costs the world, any bike has it's own style.

[SQ]

i'm missing my laverda 750 SF 1973 with its gear on right foot, his fabulous noise and the long cruise on sunny sunday monrning and the day to day rides in town.
I'm missing those fantastic rides in the Alpes in Spring on a ducati 600ss where I learned how to negociate a curve and the thrill that came after realizing what we just did during those races where nobody ever winned
you can barely see at first glance if the guy riding his bike love it or love the image of himself in the mirror and you recognize them by looking at the rear wheel whose profil is square because they don't bank in the curves

[Dex]

But its not a Boxer. The BMW R1200R is a very fine machine to ride. You don't have to pose with it and you dont have to wash it. Just ride it; for yourself! Rent one for a weekend before making a decision.

[SQ]

a BMW needs to be clean only once : when you sell it

[Doc]

Most BMW dealers will charge double the shop rate to work on bikes purchased south of the border. Even used ones. Try buying a good used BMW in Canada without getting screwed. New BMW=second mortgage! No thanks. The dealers are total dinks. I'll take my 1500$ payment free "rat" thanks.

[Hedley]

Look on the bright side, Doc: at least you're not a boomer
with a beemer!

There's always a new model to lust after. But will it improve
your enjoyment of the ride? Probably not that much.

As long as it starts reliably and runs smoothly. The important
thing is to have a bike. Any bike.

[still_bluenoser]

I'll take my 1500$ payment free "rat" thanks.

There's always a new model to lust after. But will it improve
your enjoyment of the ride? Probably not that much.

As long as it starts reliably and runs smoothly. The important
thing is to have a bike. Any bike.

my $500. cb750c has given me 12,000 trouble free km's so far, If you cant do your own maintenance, you shouldn't ride an old bike though.

[niss]

I am still swooning over the F650GS I saw on ebay. One day she will be mine. Until then it doesnt matter what you ride or how much HP is between your legs as long as you ride.

[Rowdy]

Look on the bright side, Doc: at least you're not a boomer
with a beemer!

There's always a new model to lust after. But will it improve
your enjoyment of the ride? Probably not that much.

As long as it starts reliably and runs smoothly. The important
thing is to have a bike. Any bike.

AMEN!!

[Cat Driver]

I gave my wife a shock today that she has still not gotten over.

I told her that if my new career brings in the money that I think it will I am going to buy myself a brand new Harley.

My first bike was a Harley and I don't give a flying fu.k what you guys think about Harleys I want to end my riding career with the same brand I started it on.

Furthermore the image suits an old mercenary like me.

[l_reason]

As I get older (relatively speaking I’m in my late 20's) I seem to want slower and older bikes. I know I wont be good on a new bike. I have a profound need to know what the Vne is on any bike I own. Old bikes will help me live longer.

1972 CB350K (103mph)

[Doc]

Cat has to ride a Harley. He has a 26" inseem!

I_reason......I found the Vne on a GSX R1000. I'm cured!

[l_reason]

Superblackbird CBR1100xx Vne found, I'll never get on it again.

ZZR1200 2 up, 2nd-3rd gear Maxthrust wheelie, I was unable to reach Vne due to passenger induced attempted vasectomy.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a334/ ... G_2495.jpg


To anyone who likes cool old bikes rent the DVD "Worlds Fastest Indian"
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/74902/wor ... st_indian/

[North Shore]

To anyone who likes cool old bikes rent the DVD "Worlds Fastest Indian"

x 2,3,4 & 5!!

[Hedley]

As I get older (relatively speaking I’m in my late 20's)

Older?!

I found the Vne on a GSX R1000. I'm cured!

To anyone who bumps off the rev limiter in 6th on
a literbike:

FYI there is a "gentleman's agreement" amongst the
japanese superbike manufacturers (Kawi, Suz, Honda, Yami)
of 300 kph or 186 mph. They all have electronic governors,
which of course can all be defeated.

Back to the real world ... an excellent "starter bike" is
the Kawi ex500. You can buy one a few years used,
ride it for a couple years, and sell it for what you paid
for it. Easy to insure, enough power for a 400 highway,
but not enough power to try to challenge the 300 kph
limit.

Don't buy a new bike. You're gonna dump it. Get one
that has already got a scratch or two - dropped is ok,
but crashed is not - so you don't cry when you scratch
it.

More info on the ex500 aka "ninja 500"

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/ ... 15103.html

[5x5]

Since just getting back into bike ownership this spring - I agree that having a bike is sooo much better than not having one. I'd kind of put it out of my mind for the past 30 odd years with family and work restrictions. But I realize now I missed it a lot. It would be nice if everyone's neural rev-limiter was better developed, then we wouldn't need manufacturer imposed ones.

Personally, I really enjoy knowing that the Bandit can provide immense kick should I decide to use it. I think that I would be frustrated on a much smaller, less powerful bike. That being said I don't anticipate that I will ever encounter the max speed available to me (which from what I've read is in the neighborhood of 250-260kph).

And always, always, always assume you're invisible to everyone else on the road and ride accordingly.

[Dex]

Most BMW dealers will charge double the shop rate to work on bikes purchased south of the border. Even used ones. Try buying a good used BMW in Canada without getting screwed. New BMW=second mortgage! No thanks. The dealers are total dinks. I'll take my 1500$ payment free "rat" thanks.

"New BMW=second mortgage!" !!! Not where I live. I think the average home price is like $500,000 now. As far as getting ripped off, may I suggest not letting people know you are a pilot and/or a doctor. (If you are a doctor). If money's tight then stick with what you got. If you can afford it, a new BMW with optional (and switchable) goodies like ABS and ASC could easily justify the cost of a BMW and extend your riding season. Although where I live that is pretty much year round anyway
Good luck!

[still_bluenoser]

f you can afford it, a new BMW with optional (and switchable) goodies like ABS and ASC could easily justify the cost of a BMW

No I can't, and No it wouldn't.

[Crobe]

Hey Doc, thanks for starting a new bike thread just as i'm about to buy my first bike! I need some advice from the bike guys on here. I can justify up to 4k on a bike and want an enduro/ dual purpose. Have been looking at the Honda XR650L and a few different KTM's. Have thought about the KLR650, but have been told its "rattley" and to stay away. Going to be using it mostly for commuting in the city, but I am an outdoors boy at heart and need to get dirty on the weekends. Oh yea, and its my old mode of transport if that makes a difference. Any opinions, suggestions and advice would be appreciated!

Thanx,
Chris

[still_bluenoser]

if your looking for a street and trail, and doing mostly city driving, don't go for a 650. the DRZ400 is lighter (way better on the trail), and has just as much power.
Agreed the KLR650 is rattly, but that is not reason to stay away, they are one of the toughest bikes out there, and have allot of after market options for touring.
if your on a budget, I dont think that KTM is your best choice.
It seems that there are alot of dreamers on here that think that they will find some sort of eternal bliss if they are driving a BMW or Ducati. Get a bike that suits most of your needs, and wont have you unable to pay for gas to put in it!
Good luck!

[still_bluenoser]

speaking of "rat" bikes, I'm trying to sandblast the frame of my wifes basketcase.
DO NOT BUY SHITTY SANDBLASTERS!!! the little handheld ones should stay on the shelf.

I'm delivering it to a shop tomarow to be striped the right way.


maybe a new bike would have been easier..........