You guys are great teachers!

[Thorgrim]

I've been away so long I got an automated "welcome back" from the forum when I checked in. Things have been busy, but I haven't forgotten this place even though I still don't own a Ninja.

Yesterday my roomy and I rode down from northeast TN through the backroads to near Ashville NC and looped back. Nothing crazy, obeying the speed limit in the settlements but letting it out a bit in the hinterlands. Conditions weatherwise were nice, +/- 60F but road surface was crappy at times. Due to forecasts of possible heavy snows in the previous week, the north-facing areas had salt absolutely dumped on them - I didn't realize how damned slick a half-inch or more of road salt can be. Then, the day before there was a heavy rain that washed small gravel and sand out onto many places, although it didn't wash off the salt in the overgrown spots. There are places in this part of the Appalachians that could nearly be called jungle,as they are triple-canopy. There's one road not far from hear that I've never found dry, because direct sunlight never hits it.

So that was the ride. My roomy/buddy rides well, and was pushing it where it was safe (traffic-wise) to do so, and I was riding "drag". I remembered something that has been said here about tight corners, "put your chin on your inside shoulder and look at the exit", and ... that **** works! Buddy's on a liter bike (SV-1000) and I'm on a CB500F so he gains ground in the sweepers, but I'm flat-out on his azz in the tight **** to the point of having to back off to keep from hitting him. Come to think of it, that super-tight Appalachian and Smokey Mtn twisty crap is pretty much eastern MX transferred to pavement. No wonder it feels natural, once I learned to unclench.

Thanks for all the tips and help, folks! I might just end up on a crotch-rocket yet. Meanwhile, I bought a DR-Z400SM to scratch my dirt-itch on the street, and things are coming together ... with lots of grins.

[c-dog]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I might just end up on a crotch-rocket yet. Meanwhile, I bought a DR-Z400SM to scratch my dirt-itch on the street, and things are coming together ... with lots of grins.

Nice! I want one of those or a WR250X.

Sounds like you had a great time on your ride.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

...............Come to think of it, that super-tight Appalachian and Smokey Mtn twisty crap is pretty much eastern MX transferred to pavement. No wonder it feels natural, once I learned to unclench...............

[csmith12]

Don't forget that butt clenching still counts. lol

[JohnnyBravo]

Sounds like a great trip, minus the salt fun anyhow

[nickjpass]

...crotch rocket...

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

forecasts of possible heavy snows in the previous week

Were the forecasts correct?
Sounds like you had a great time.

[rasta]

I've always wondered how liter bikes (and super sports in general) handle hairpin twisties. Do they ever even need to leave 1st or 2nd gear..?

[csmith12]

Yep, especially 2 up, we call it the 4th-5th gear glide. Liter bikes have enough torque to just pop in 4th and roll on, even in the twisties.

[rasta]

Dang, I feel like that would be lugging around engine

[csmith12]

Maybe your making it more than what it is, there is serious power there there. This is where you FULLY realize there is more than enough power for any street application.

[rasta]

Oh, at this point, I have PLENTY of bike left when I'm hitting the twisties. The main reason I feel absolutely no need to upgrade. Ugh..I've derailed another thread, I gotta work on that

Back to topic!!!

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by rasta

Back to topic!!!

We do what we can, but ultimately we are just words on the screen. Hopefully there is someone there for you face to face.

[Klondike1020]

Well as long as nobody here is accusing me of teaching anything good to anyone haha.

Isn't the new cb500f supposed to be a sport bike ?
Or is that not an "crotchrocket" ?

[CycleCam303]

Thorgrim if you get that supermoto bike then we can teach really fun stuff.

Instead of almost running into your friend you'll be passing him on the inside...sideways and then power wheeling out of the exit.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by CycleCam303

Thorgrim if you get that supermoto bike then we can teach really fun stuff.

Instead of almost running into your friend you'll be passing him on the inside...sideways and then power wheeling out of the exit.

Oh, I bought it and I'm having a blast on it. I found a deal on supermotojunkie.com, a fellow who was selling his DRZ400SM but putting it back stock first, so I have a MRD pipe & muffler and flat slide carb ready to change out as soon as I get better lighting in the basement of the new apartment. There's also a set of "E" cams (stage one), quick throttle and some other goodies in the box. My new roomie is good with a wrench, so I should have a better-running bike in a couple of weeks.

As to "running over" my buddy, that was at the pace he'd set - he can ride faster. We swapped bikes so he could ride my supermoto, and I found out that his SV1000 is a torque monster. I want one.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by Klondike1020

Well as long as nobody here is accusing me of teaching anything good to anyone haha.

Isn't the new cb500f supposed to be a sport bike ?
Or is that not an "crotchrocket" ?

I believe that in the sport bike world "crotch rocket" is fairly exclusive to 600s/750s/1000s and any other 600cc+ fully faired race replica. To the general public though, if it has fairings it's probably a "crotch rocket" I've had several people refer to my 300 as one.

[Thorgrim]

By "crotch rocket" I meant generally a 600/1000cc cammy street-legal near-race bike. That didn't need to be my re-introduction to motorcycles after such a long time off two wheels, but I'm getting back into riding again to the point that it feels natural again. That doesn't mean I think I can pin a supersport bike without getting into trouble.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

By "crotch rocket" I meant generally a 600/1000cc cammy street-legal near-race bike. That didn't need to be my re-introduction to motorcycles after such a long time off two wheels, but I'm getting back into riding again to the point that it feels natural again. That doesn't mean I think I can pin a supersport bike without getting into trouble.

well you can, on an empty highway or a track. That's about it since they're pretty ridiculous.

[ally99]

Originally Posted by Sirref

I believe that in the sport bike world "crotch rocket" is fairly exclusive to 600s/750s/1000s and any other 600cc+ fully faired race replica. To the general public though, if it has fairings it's probably a "crotch rocket" I've had several people refer to my 300 as one.

According to about 95% of the human population, my 250 was a crotch-rocket!

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by ally99

According to about 95% of the human population, my 250 was a crotch-rocket!

was?

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Sirref

was?

She sold her 250, it's past tense to her now she has a new love for her 300.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by csmith12

She sold her 250, it's past tense to her now she has a new love for her 300.

I forgot that she has a 300, but the 300 looks like more of a crotch rocket so it's only a matter of time until it gets called a crotch rocket too.

[Thorgrim]

I have a line on a 2007 SV1000 unless a Craigslister with a handful of Benjamins gets there in the next couple of days (have to transfer some funds out of savings). Bitchin' bike, I hope I'm the lucky buyer. Odd to think that a mere year ago I looked at one and was afraid to get on it.