Who rides motorcycles?

[Gem99ultra]

I would like to do that tour. I would like to visit Sturgis, but not during the rally.

My SO had done a ride from Houston to Sturgis with a few of her girlfriends some years back. So, we decided to do the run together, just the two of us, for grins. As you said, Sturgis isn't much of a town without the half-million bikes there... just another little empty town. And, like you, I'm not much for big crowds.

We decided to make the trip worthwhile, going to Devil's Tower, Yellowstone, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and back down through Nevada, etc. on that trip. About 7,000 miles all together in 11 days. Of course, on our Haley's we could easily lay down 800-900 miles a day and still have plenty of time in the evening for a nice dinner and a good night's sleep, so just the miles weren't much to write home about. In fact, at one time we used to ride from Houston to Thomaston, GA and back over 3 days weekends. Ride there, have a BBQ sandwich, visit her Mom, and ride back home for work on Tuesday.

What we learned was that laying down lots of miles wasn't nearly as much fun as slowing down and 'smelling the roses'. It's what you see and do between start and finish that's important - not the A - B - A rides. We pretty much wore out one pair of Harley's burning up highways, and broke in a second pair really well There's NOTHING as good as being out IN the environment (rain, shine, hot or cold) - not simply seeing it through a glass screen inside the car. "Good times were had by all."

 

[MoPops]

I think I've ridden through there (Sturgis) three times. Great roads. I won't go near it during the rally or the two weeks on either side of it. Way too many people and bikes traveling in giant groups, going very slow. Just not me..

 

[Sawyer Rob]

In 1975 I bought a new Honda Gold Wing, that's the first year they made them... I made two longer trips on that bike, starting off from Alaska I rode it down the ALCAN to the lower 48, then all over the lower 48 states, before returning to Alaska.

On that trip I totaled up, right at 15,000 miles, riding through most of the providences of Canada and all over the US, including Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone and many other places...

That was my second trip on that bike, on the first trip I totaled 12,300 miles, also starting out in Alaska...

SR

 

[oosik]

Ha, ha - SR - you can always tell somebody who has lived in AK. They always ride DOWN & OUT of AK. Lived in AK 20+ years myself.

The trip I made to Sturgis, during the rally, was w/out the wife. So next year we both went by car - not during the rally. It IS a small town - if you've seen main street you have seen the most of it.

Well - I must be a lot older & more brittle than some(Gem99ultra) - a 400-450 mile ride on my bike is about it for me. If I HAVE to go beyond that - its popping Tylenol & washing it down with Jack. I always travel the back roads, enjoy the scenery & avoid the freeways, like the plague. And on my new bike - 2015 BMW R1200R - I can actually hear the wind & the song birds.

Gave my '98 FXDL to my son last year. I still enjoy the sound of a Harley going past me under full power.

 

[Sodo]

I still enjoy the sound of a Harley going past me under full power.

I like the sound of a ( BUILT ! ) Harley, going thru the gears, at full power, in the distance. I'd feel sorry for most people nearby though. I sure don't hear it often but I have one in my memory that I enjoy (and replay). V8s too! I think they are more pleasurable when heard sparingly. Pretty much gotta hold onto those memories though.

I like the sound of owls in the distance but next to my window can be annoying (if it goes on too long at 4AM). If you hear songbirds that is probably a good life. Having a tractor (and needing it) is another indicator of the good life. Having motorcycles and the time for long rides pretty much caps it off!

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Got back last week from a nine day 2500 mile trip to Billings and back for a BMW rally. 400-600 miles/day, all on back roads as twisty as I could find. Yellowstone, Beartooth and Lolo Passes, wide open plains as well. The rally looked like someone kicked over an ant hill, 6-7000 of my closest friends camped a$$hole to elbow. Couldn't wait to get back on the bike and get out of there. The best part were the days on the road, with loosely planned overnight stops in small towns with easy to spot motels within walking distance of a decent meal. Met lots of friendly locals, too, some even with tractors!

As far as bike noise, I live on the edge of a canyon, and about a half mile away on the other side is a lightly traveled through road that is popular with motorcyclists. I fail to see the attraction in something that can be heard three miles coming and going, especially when 99.9999% of the rest of the time, my neighbors and I hear nothing but the wind in the trees and birdsong. In good years, there's a lake at the bottom of the canyon that is popular with water skiers. It's not very popular with me when some thoughtless slob fires up a big V8 at 6AM on a Sunday. That same boat doesn't cause any irritation at all when it's running wide open at 3PM, but that's not the way the idiot at the helm sees it. The reason the AMA is so active with their sound mitigation program is to prevent unjustified discrimination against motorcyclists. We lose thousands of acres of off road trails a year because of noise, and communities all over the country are passing unfair restrictions that ban ALL motorcycles just because a few people don't have the sense to keep their noise to themselves. I've been to Sturgis, but not during the rally, but I've been to Daytona during bike week. Never got a single night's sleep for all the racket going on outside the motel room, and I can't imagine how bad Sturgis would be. I may sound like a cranky curmudgeon, but I've been like this since I was in high school. Loud pipes don't save lives, they just piss off everybody but the rider on top of them.:2cents:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Loud pipes don't save lives, they just piss off everybody but the rider on top of them.:2cents:

I still have my old Gold Wing, but these days I mostly ride a Harley AND I agree 100%!

SR

 

[Deerherd]

I have a Triumph Scrambler, it's been a great fun ride. It's stock mufflers never have offended anyone I don't believe. Unless you just dislike British twins in general......��

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I have a Triumph Scrambler, it's been a great fun ride. It's stock mufflers never have offended anyone I don't believe. Unless you just dislike British twins in general......��

View attachment 436860

Nice! they did a great job styling that.

Have you guys seen this wild video with Robbie Maddison?

403 Forbidden

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Have you guys seen this wild video with Robbie Maddison?

Yeah. My first thought was: If I was laying on a beach in Tahiti and some SOB on a dirt bike came screaming along on a wave, I'd want to drown him! You wanna do that kinda stuff, head for Australia where everyone seems to be into that kind of macho BS. :laughing: