Kids these days

2006 Views 28 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Thumper, Oct 17, 2006

coastie

Discussion Starter · Oct 14, 2006

A friend stopped by last night with his gf and her younger brother, who was in town for the weekend visiting. I don't know his exact age but he looked about 18-20, still lived with parents but at least he ran his own lawn care business.

Anyway, while he was checking out my Duc he asked how it handled, followed by the remark "I've heard Monsters handle like bricks". His riding experience is limited to a couple months on a 250 Ninja (at least he started right) that he sold and is now looking at a CBR1000RR. I guess if it's not a GSXYZFCBRZXRRRRRR-r then it's no good according to him.

I know the Monster isn't a Superbike, but I've never thought while riding "I wish this handled better". I'd like to meet him on a tight track and show him what a "brick" can do, except I wouldn't want to be responsible if he wiped it trying to keep up.

I'm not starting a my bike's better argument, nor am I bragging about my riding abilities. Just getting old and ranting I guess.

[laugh]

1 - 20 of 29 Posts

socalrob

· #2 · Oct 14, 2006

On just about any non cruiser I'd say its 10 percent bike, 90 percent rider. And that may be giving too much to the bike.

Talk about embarassing, coming down Angeles Crest Highway one day after getting a ticket I got passed by a scooter. The rider was flying. I'm sticking to the story that I was going the limit & no faster & thats why the guy passed me. Probably made his day.

Thumper

· #3 · Oct 15, 2006

Only on a closed course and ridden by the same rider, can one determine which bike produces better lap times.

However, with all of the Jap bikes I've owned, and I've owned them all, I must say that my S2R1000 is the best handling out of the bunch. I can't contribute to why that is exactly, perhaps a combination of weight placement, suspension set up, steering angle, geometry? But I do know this, when making an extremely sharp turn (wearing the rubber down past the edge) with my Monster, I do not have to give it one thought. I don't have to "set myself up" for the turn. Knee out, off the seat bringing weight to the center and lowest point of the bike, make sure I'm angled correctly and looking throught the apex, rolling casually onto the throttle as I'm going through the turn and then twisting a bit more as I pass through the apex. Normally, with all my other bikes, these are typical steps I take when making a sharp turn. I've got it down to a science.

With that said, the Monster is the only bike I've ever owned where I don't have to put a single thought behind my turn. I just counter steer and go. Should I decide to change lines mid-turn? Done. I don't even think about it. Perhaps, this is "untraining" myself for future bikes. But I do know that I can take a turn just as fast with the Monster as with any other bike I've had without putting an ounce of thought behind it. I drag my entire side of my body in a turn and never even come off the seat. While I'm draggin my body (not just knee) I can change my line in an instant without any thought.

I'm honestly amazed how well my bike handles. Better than anything I've ever had.

Tom

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skdmrks

· #4 · Oct 15, 2006

I got taken by a scooter as well. We meet up at the light... and in the few things we exchanged, I realized he had nothing to lose. I on the other hand was considering a lot of things. He probably felt great, taking on a S2R. I know the bike can spank his or most others out there, but it is all about the rider.

I do not have the experience (on the bike) to push it to it's limits. Nor will I ever try to take anyone on. Not my style. All I want to do is ride, have fun and hopefully one day soon, learn to use all parts of my tires.

Maybe it all has something to do with being 33 and riding my first bike... If I were 20 maybe things would be different. I would hope not, but the ignorance of the youth is directly proportional to awareness and experience. Which is to say, the more ignorance, the greater risk one is willing to take.

Ignorance just being a state of learning. The lower part, but learning never the less.

count

· #5 · Oct 15, 2006

Ah yes, the 20-year old who has heard everything there is to hear about every motorycle made. :

teddy037

· #6 · Oct 15, 2006

one of the biggest compliments I got was when I took my bike in for dyno-tuning... the only shop here that can do it is primarily a jap bike shop, and I was chatting w/the owner while checking my bike in, and he was all, "so how do you like the italian?" to that, I was thinking, "well, it's pretty obvious since I bought it instead of a crothc rocket" but I just said that I loved it.

then he smiled, and said, "gotta love how those ducatis handle. I have to buy me one some day..."

[thumbsup]

of course, he was kind of an older guy. the kids tend to assume my bike is slow, and handles like a brick. but I know I'm slow ;D

Thumper

· #7 · Oct 15, 2006

Hey, we were kids once to ya' know. I remember the day when I thought I knew everything. Then, I grew up.................now I KNOW I know everything [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] [laugh] ha ha ha ha, even more stupid now then 20 years ago..ha ha ha

Tom

Ksr620

· #8 · Oct 15, 2006

skdmrks said:
Maybe it all has something to do with being 33 and riding my first bike... If I were 20 maybe things would be different. I would hope not, but the ignorance of the youth is directly proportional to awareness and experience. Which is to say, the more ignorance, the greater risk one is willing to take.

[thumbsup]

I'm a little late to the game myself, but I know it's for the better in my case. I shuddered when I read about the kid with the CBR1000. I hope he's got his head on straight. I know I didn't at his age.

truerider

· #9 · Oct 15, 2006

Thumper said:
I can change my line in an instant without any thought.
I'm honestly amazed how well my bike handles. Better than anything I've ever had.

Yeah it is nice. The bike has perfect balance. A perfect center.
It becomes one with the rider and waht you think is what you get.
Brilliant, Ducati, Brilliant. [thumbsup] ;D

punker248

· #10 · Oct 15, 2006

teddy037 said:
one of the biggest compliments I got was when I took my bike in for dyno-tuning... the only shop here that can do it is primarily a jap bike shop, and I was chatting w/the owner while checking my bike in, and he was all, "so how do you like the italian?" to that, I was thinking, "well, it's pretty obvious since I bought it instead of a crothc rocket" but I just said that I loved it.

then he smiled, and said, "gotta love how those ducatis handle. I have to buy me one some day..."

[thumbsup]

of course, he was kind of an older guy. the kids tend to assume my bike is slow, and handles like a brick. but I know I'm slow ;D

I had a similar thing happen to me, if I'm busy and lazy, I'll let the local jap bike shop change my oil, it's happened once or twice for every bike I've owned, just once for the monster so far, but when I dropped it off there shortly after I got the bike, the shop manager who checked me in made an almost identical comment about the handling of the bike, and how he thought they were nice. He's an older guy. When I picked it up though, one of the younger (low 20s) techs brought it out for me, and was like "Those are cool bikes, love how they're different with that L-twin, lots of torque, dry clutch too, that just cool. How do you like it?"

It was cool.

wvboarder

· #11 · Oct 15, 2006

I'm 22 and admit a lot of my friends are not that smart (ok just plain dumb). It seems most of them will total a bike and then buy a more powerful bike for reasons beyond my comprehension. One now has a CBR600RR (but thank god has lost his license) and another with a GSXR1000. Both nice bikes, both have trouble keeping up at times when straight roads are not involved. Someone needs to teach us kids that any idiot can go twenty billion mph in a straight line but that talent is shown on twisties.

And some of us only get to meet up with friendly police officers when on rides with older and more experienced riders *cough ducpainter cough*

sconly

· #12 · Oct 15, 2006

I love these conversations and then smoking people.

Thumper

· #13 · Oct 15, 2006

For those who may claim to be newer riders, with a basic knowledge of how to compliment your bike in a turn, I really think this book should be purchased and read. http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-B...f=pd_bxgy_b_img_b/104-4635436-1534304?ie=UTF8

I ride my bike tighter on the street, then most people I've met do on the track. For example, to drag my entire side of my body in a turn going through a 2nd gear intersection just takes some basic knowledge and practice. My Monster easily takes these turns without even a hint of lowsiding. Highsiding is all rider error and is not in my vocabulary.

It's funny how many times I'm passed by silly kids on a straight, but then they come to a complete stop in order to turn. Twisting the throttle is something a 3 year old can do. Learning how to ride takes knowledge and practice.

I've read this book over 5 times, and to me, it's the "bible" of riding. It teaches you about survival reactions and how they can hinder your riding, as well as teaching you how to use your periphial vision and many other day to day techniques. Although it has a small section about track racing, it's really a book that teaches you how to ride.

With the proper technique, anyone can ride without fear of riding themselves of chicken strips.

For a couple bucks, this book will teach any newer rider what they need to know to become a great motorcyclist. I highly recommend this book.

Tom

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MonsterDuc

· #14 · Oct 15, 2006

sconly said:
I love these conversations and then smoking people.

+1

I'm not good at trash talking. I let my riding speak for me....I'm not good at that either.

jagstang

· #15 · Oct 16, 2006

Hey! Quit ripping on 20-year-olds

The portion of the riding population that falls withing my age bracket isn't completely insane and/or stupid and/or know-it-alls. I know must of us ride around on yamasukawahonda 600cbr6gsx6rr's in nothing but shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt. But there are a few of us that actually kinda-sorta know what we're doing.

For example, right now, I've got some winter riding gear coming in the mail, and I'm trying to behave myself while breaking in my second motorcycle ever (second monster, too [thumbsup]). Meanwhile, Adam is mourning the broken engine in his Alfa Romeo, and is doing his own valve adjustment, probably as I'm typing this. And Neil just sold his S2R so he can buy either a ST or a Multistrada for long distances, as well as twisties. And we're all well under 30.

So don't write off all of us young guns

Thumper

· #16 · Oct 16, 2006

Yeah, but do you know that:

"big bad bill is sweet william now, doing the dishes and moppin' up that floor, yeah he is. Well he used to out drinkin', lookin' for a fight, now he's gotta' see that sweet woman every night, big bad bill is sweet william now.......doin' the dishes, big bad bill is sweet william now.......moppin' up that floor, big bad bill is sweeeeeet wiliam noooooowwwww"

ha ha ha ha ha.............David was cool.

Tom

jagstang

· #17 · Oct 16, 2006

Dave rocked. Sammy sucked. And that song is now stuck in my head. Happy trails.

Thumper

· #18 · Oct 16, 2006

ha ha ha ha ha ha..........see? I'm an old guy with a great feel for music and a good memory.

As far as Sammy? I knew him before Van Halen was even around. When he was with Montrose. He joined with Halen, now Halen's gone.........but not Sammy. He'll continue to rock until his fingers fall off and he dies. I just saw him with the Wabbarinos here in Florida. The guy is unstoppable.

You may not like his voice, but you've got to respect the man for his persistance and drive. He is a true rock lover and will play till he dies.

Tom

jagstang

· #19 · Oct 16, 2006

Ok, I'll give you that. But for me, the six Dave albums are some of my all time favs. Partically my soundtrack through high school. I still go for runs listening to Women and Children First.

But enough threadjacking. Back to the issue of youth. We're not all stupid little squids. Although one of my dreams is to race in the Isle of Man TT some day. I just love the whole concept of that race!

sodark

· #20 · Oct 16, 2006

i have to add my opinion in here, i love my S2r1K, its bar none the most fun bike to ride that I've owned, and I've had them all. I had a cbr600 and thought it was ok, had a 954rr, which was hella fast and handled decent, out of all the others i agree partly that the monster handles great, but most of that is determined by how easy it is to stay smooth with the throttle without concerning yourself with the correct throttle position through apex. Now go and get on an SV650 and try to tell me it isnt the smoothest handling bike out there other than an aprilia 250. What most people fail to realize is that a good portion of the way your bike handles is the blend between correct suspension set-up and throttle position as well as rider.
Like is said, i love my monster, but even though it'll smoke my sv track bike, its not close to beign as sharp and on line. Just being a realist. of course given the choice, i'd get rid of the sv first, the duc is just too cool

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