Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

What are you riding?

... And roughly where?

Sounds like it will be an amazing trip.

Got the wife with me and a months worth of luggage so we've gone for a GL1800.

We're doing "Route 66" from Chicago to LA (via Colorado Springs for Pikes Peak) then up the Pacific Coast Highway to Monterey, Yosemite & finally San Fran. Flying back to the UK on the 30th.

Wow. That sounds epic.

A road trip of the States has always been on my bucket list. Probably in a car or camper - definitely with a convertible mustang for part of it.

I'm probably teaching you to suck eggs but...

... if in doubt don't pack it. Traveling light is always better.

... make sure you have some nice clothes, so you don't look like gimps if you want to go out.

And if you haven't read it Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, seems like a suitable book to take.

Thanks.

We're finalising packing now but it will be pretty minimal and mostly clothes for "going out" in. We're planning on buying t-shirts for daily riding from KMart every other day etc.

Agreed.

Though it was always the NSR that made my eyeballs stick.

Some more porn:

Hit me up in LA if you fancy. Some great riding roads around here - good luck, it will be awesome!

Might do!

We're staying with a relative of the wife so she may end up doing something for the day... I'll be there from the 19th to the 22nd.

I loved touring in the US, have a great time and stay safe.

Should be here then. Got a couple of dirt bikes if you fancy a little light relief on the trails from the wing...

I still wish I bought a TZ or RS250 before they got silly bollocks expensive and parts became so hard to find. Proper 2 stroke GP bikes are utter wonder. I'll get round to reconditioning my old RS125 one of these days.

KTM or someone could clean up sticking a tuned 125 lump in a dumbed down Moto3 chassis and selling it as a track toy. The 4 strokes are OK but they cost such a lot of money to keep working.

I remember it being remarked in motorcycle press and in race commentaries that the last team to run Aprilia's works 250cc effort (with a pair of RSW250s) before the class was abolished at GP level were leasing the bikes from the factory for nearly £1,000,000 for the season. Each...

This is very tempting.

I'll drop you a note closer to the time.

Just wonderful. The 90's were a magical era for GP bike designs, both bikes and liveries.

Soul - sounds good, some great trails just 45 minutes or so outside town. I haven't really got any spare riding gear but if you have textiles and boots you'll be fine.

A little 2 stroke ultra-porn here...

I wanted to post that, but thought it might head slightly into the "fetish" territory.

I fancy a Brighton Run soon.

hmm, will that go into a smallframe Vespa?

Expansion chamber pr0n

Yam 250

V4 Moto GP 500

I did see a project in Thailand that had a stroked, big bore 350 YPVS engine in a Vespa. Think it made 90+ hp. Completely terrifying I'm sure....

Think this one is a repost but always worth another look. Look at that posture - that's 2 stroke ferociousness and no traction control for you. They ride so differently these days.

Last one...

Thought they'd stuck googly eyes on the back for a minute...

True dat

Ok I'll stop...

Had a rgv250 and later a rs250.

Both bought in kit form with fucked engines. Both with standard suspension and they were awesome. Did a track day on the rs250 and it was brilliant. The bike gave me so much confidence.

Very nice, either Criville or Gibernau's bike next to it. Criville won 1999's title but I believe Gibernau's bike is in the museum as it's the NSR500 V-twin (with single-sided swingarm)

As for riding styles, Colin Edwards was also hard on the front end (lolz) just to get the things to turn. But few had as much class and style as the late, great Norick Abe, a style whose I was fortunate enough to witness in action in the flesh a few times:

Looking for recommendations on instructors/riding schools in north or east to do my full test please- currently have a CBT and a 125cc VanVan, which I'll probably hang on to for a while, but would be good to bin the L plates and give me more options for renting when abroad etc.

Eastside Riders appeal as it's near my house and lessons are by the hour rather than run as a 2/3 day course which suits my erratic work schedule