Been on 2 wheels most of my life. I bought a 2011 BMW 850 GS and rode from deadhorse,AK to Key West last fall over 10k miles on the bike today and still don't have a ML...

Alaskabound wrote:Been on 2 wheels most of my life. I bought a 2011 BMW 850 GS and rode from deadhorse,AK to Key West last fall over 10k miles on the bike today and still don't have a ML...

Goes that make us the real "outlaw" bikers?

Best,
O-2

OscarDeuce wrote:

Alaskabound wrote:Been on 2 wheels most of my life. I bought a 2011 BMW 850 GS and rode from deadhorse,AK to Key West last fall over 10k miles on the bike today and still don't have a ML...

Goes that make us the real "outlaw" bikers?

Best,
O-2

I'd like to think so, but both times I've been pulled over (Saskatchewan and Missouri) they only wanted to talk about the trip and Alaska. Neither noticed the lack of ML...

I never "let" myself get pulled over. Of course, back in the day the cops weren't so trigger happy.

Best,
O-2

OscarDeuce wrote:I never "let" myself get pulled over. Of course, back in the day the cops weren't so trigger happy.

Best,
O-2

I would never run from cops, I have way too much to lose, but....

I had several friends who were motor officers. I also had the city contract to supply parts, gear, and service for their fleet of BMW's. I got to participate in a "training" exercise on bikes once and was suprised that some of them had little to no skill on a motorcycle and were just there for the job.
I talked a few of the more motorcycle savy officers into staging a little pursuit exercise. I ran, they chased. I was on my 450 supermoto. We were well outside town and not really near anyone, and we agreeded to keep it at safe speeds.
I was able to get every single one of them to fall over chasing me and I doubt I ever went over 50. I stayed in parking lots and little access roads around the city dump and just kept leading them into boxed in corners and between narrow obstacles.

Since I am telling motor cop stories,

I picked up a WSP BMW for service while on my way to a WMRRA race at Pacific Raceways. I wasn't racing, I was doing support. At lunch they have a deal where want to be racers can pay $20 and do a few laps of the track following an instructor. Since I had to verify some a runability issue with the BMW, I went out with the lunch group. Full lights and sirens of course. I feel bad about the kids who rode off the track, but I still laugh when I think about it.

I built BMW RT's to order for a lot of departments, and have a lot of police equipment missuse stories, but that's it for now.

Yes. At age 13 in Bayard, NM. Under 5 hp license. Never stopped riding, 44 years now.

Our personal trainer from the YMCA went off the road Easter Sunday on his Harley. No helmet. Dead.
Hope you healthy young males at least have the common sense to have a donor card in your wallet when you ride.
I (maybe mistakenly) feel some protection in the plane with a shoulder harness and some tubing around me. But, I do
have a donor card. Anyway, for those of you still riding (I did in college) be careful and keep a heads up attitude.

I got a ML so I could ride my street legal dirt bike on roads to access trails. I love riding bikes (road, mountain and motor). About 10 years ago I was doing about 40 mph along on a country road, on my way to some local single track.

I see this car approaching on an intersecting road, stop at the intersection ahead of me, where she had a stop sign and my road didn't, so I kept driving thinking she saw me, NOPE. She proceeded to pull out right in front of me (must have mistakenly activated my stealth switch). I took evasive action to avoid smashing into the side of her car and went hauling ass, crashing into a road-side ditch. I was LUCKY and had all the dirt bike PPE gear on so no injuries. I realized that shit can go bad very quickly on a bike and distracted drivers are EVERYWHERE these days. When they make a mistake they get a ticket, but the motorcycle driver often gets severely injured or killed. Better to try my luck someplace like flying airplanes, where I'm largely in control of my safety.

IMHO Motorcycles are on the opposite end of the control spectrum from aircraft. With planes, it's usually your fault if you get hurt or killed, so if you're careful, then you've got a very good chance of a safe flying career. With motorcycles not so much.

I love motor bikes, but with all the people glued to their phones, its too much risk for me. All you motorcycle riders out there, have fun, but heads up.

I have had a ML for about 20 years, but ride very little. Too many deer and bad drivers!!

Just got my 7 year old a KTM sx65, he was complaining his CRF50 was too small.

It turns out a clutch doesn't make much sense when you are 7 and can't touch the ground with both feet at the same time

lancef53 wrote:Just got my 7 year old a KTM sx65, he was complaining his CRF50 was too small.

Awesome!

My little brother had a KX60 when we were young, I would always park my CR80 to commandeer his bike because it was so much fun. Kinda like parking the Skywagon to play in a Cub.

Some days I just want to go pick up a new 450SX and head to the track, but there's a 95% chance it would end in a broken everything.

4Whitey wrote:.....I see this car approaching on an intersecting road, stop at the intersection ahead of me, where she had a stop sign and my road didn't, so I kept driving thinking she saw me, NOPE. She proceeded to pull out right in front of me .........

That is what ruined riding for me when I bought a Sportster several years ago, after being out of bikes for about 15 years. I did most of my riding on back roads, not the main highways, but even so, every time I approached an intersection at the same time as a car I got nervous. I guess that unlike my youger days, I realized that I am not bullet-proof. Decided after about 6 months to sell it off & stick to airplanes.

For those near or flying through Fort Worth or Dallas, there are motorcycle rentals on the field at Northwest Regional (52F).
They are actually operating out of a hangar a very short walk from the east side tiedowns.
I stopped by and talked to Kim and she was very nice (seems new to the aviation environment) and has a decent selection of bikes at reasonable prices as well as helmets, jackets, etc. (ideal for a pilot flying in and maybe not wanting to carry this gear).
I haven't rented from them yet, so can't review the service, but I may do so sometime in May.
I would love to see more of this type of "to do" stuff and not just hamburgers!
2wheelsinmotion.com

^^^^Thats pretty cool. I have a couple 50cc scooters left over from when I had a motorcycle dealership. I was considering renting them at the Chelan airport this summer since there is not a loaner car. If it drew people in, I could see getting a couple beginner dualsport bikes like TTR 225's (fun for beginners, experts still like them) and renting those too.

D.

That's a great idea! There is or at least was a little outfit next to the airport at Roche Harbor (on San Juan Island) that rented out mopeds. I always wanted to get some people together and rent some to tour the island, but (like a lot of my plans) have never yet followed through on it.
That's the biggest problem with going anywhere to do more than eat on or near the airport-- lack of ground transportation.

Been racing and making a living riding motorcycles for the last 25 years.
yes have a license.

www.motoadventuring.com

hotrod150 wrote:That's a great idea! There is or at least was a little outfit next to the airport at Roche Harbor (on San Juan Island) that rented out mopeds. I always wanted to get some people together and rent some to tour the island, but (like a lot of my plans) have never yet followed through on it.
That's the biggest problem with going anywhere to do more than eat on or near the airport-- lack of ground transportation.

I don't have everything together yet to officialy rent scooters but it is one of my medium term goals. Getting going with Rotax engine repair and maintenance is more important and what I am focusing on right now.

But, if any BCPer's want to rent a scooter under a casual rental/loan agreement, we can work that out. Town is 5 miles from the airport. The 50cc scooters go 40 to 45 MPH for the most part, HWY 97 is 60 and uphill, but there is a huge shoulder and about 2 or 3 miles after getting on the hwy, it drops to 50 and the 35. 50's do not require a motorcycle license. I have a 150, it will do 65 to 70, and it does require a license.

D.

DavidB. wrote:

hotrod150 wrote:That's a great idea! There is or at least was a little outfit next to the airport at Roche Harbor (on San Juan Island) that rented out mopeds. I always wanted to get some people together and rent some to tour the island, but (like a lot of my plans) have never yet followed through on it.
That's the biggest problem with going anywhere to do more than eat on or near the airport-- lack of ground transportation.

I don't have everything together yet to officialy rent scooters but it is one of my medium term goals. Getting going with Rotax engine repair and maintenance is more important and what I am focusing on right now.

But, if any BCPer's want to rent a scooter under a casual rental/loan agreement, we can work that out. Town is 5 miles from the airport. The 50cc scooters go 40 to 45 MPH for the most part, HWY 97 is 60 and uphill, but there is a huge shoulder and about 2 or 3 miles after getting on the hwy, it drops to 50 and the 35. 50's do not require a motorcycle license. I have a 150, it will do 65 to 70, and it does require a license.

D.

Where do you fly out of again? It's nice to know what may be available and definitely a bonus if there's a way to get away from the airport once having arrived.

Nevermind, I just looked back through the posts.

This topic strikes a cord with me as I grew up riding motorcycles on the farm, never raced but had alot of fun with friends and quit riding when I became involved in aviation. Fast forward 30 years, my son got me back on the bikes about 10 years ago and I love it! Mostly dirt bikes, as street bikes do make me nervous and especially my wife as she has much experience patching people up as an operating room tech. That being said, in the years I have been involved in aviation I have lost at least 15 friends, competitors or people I knew to airplane crashes, so the thought aircraft are safer is a bunch of sh....
I am to the point of having to fly because of my profession (and I do still kind of enjoy it), but my passion is now back to motorcycles, esp. with the sons and grandsons.

My 2 cents. Be careful in the air cause I am sick of funerals!!!

Been riding 47 years. I always tell the people that give the dangerous spiel that if I wanted a safe way through life I wouldn't have picked motorcycles.....or aviation.

I ride everyday. There was a couple of weeks this year I couldn't ride because it was 20F. and the roads were iced. If it is over 40, I will probably ride unless I need the Jeep for something.

I don't drink, often. Never drink and ride or even drive. I always where at least an armored jacket, current SNELL approved helmet, armored gloves, boots, and heavy duty pant (like Charhart) and real armored motorcycle pants if I am going far, or fast. (I know, I am taking a risk with the pants thing)

With all that said, here is the publics perception of what will happen to me eventually:

http://lakechelanmirror.com/main.asp?Se ... cleID=5957

Notice they say he is a life long motorcycle rider with years of experience. His blood alchol was also way over legal, and as they said, it was his firts ride of the year. Jeeze, I was still being carefull on my dirt short cuts because I have not got used to riding on dry ground again since the ice has all melted away.
I am not saying I can't and wont have an accident, but I will do what I can to keep up the skill, and take the precautions to not have a stupid accident.

Some of you said you stopped riding because a car pulled out if front of you, or too many people talk on the phone. I have survived 20 years of Seattle, several working vacations in Italy (where my employer will only supply a bike for transportation) and Great Britton (IOMTT) on bikes. One thing one must always remember:

YOU ARE INVISABLE, THE DRIVERS WANT TO KILL YOU, AND IT IS YOUR RESPONIBILITY TO AVOID THEM, NOT THIER RESPONIBILITY NOT TO KILL YOU

I live, (literally) by that when I ride, and it has worked for me. I may hit my brakes and slow down, or take evasive action for no reason on occassion, but I am not falling victim to someone elses stupid. Kind of suprised to see some of the respones to this thread from pilots, I have the same attitude about flying as riding, and I believe it will lead to a long record of safe flight for me.

D.