I passed the MSF course last month and got myself an old KLR650. Just curious if there's anyone else here that rides.

What do you ride?
How long have you been riding?
Why aren't you riding yet?

I got one because I was getting tired of riding my bicycle everywhere and having to budget the car between myself and the wife. My duplex only provides one car parking and then it's very limited street parking from there. Aaaaaaaand I might've wanted to have a motorcycle all my life, too.


So far it's been working great. I now have the freedom and options to do almost anything and go almost anywhere I want when the wife is using the car; neither of us have to feel guilty when we need to go somewhere and leave the other behind at home, now that we each have a vehicle. Previously, when the wife was gone doing yoga or whatever else she does, if I wanted to do anything I would be limited to walking or biking range. Living on a big effing hill that's a pain in the ass to go back up.............my perceived range was much smaller than actual, and I always ended up convincing myself that I don't really want to leave the house after all.


In short....I have so much more options for activities!

I've been riding since I was eight years old.  Started on a Honda Z50a in my back yard.  I've owned seven motorcycles so far.  The current is a 2000 model Kawasaki Vulcan 500, which is plenty of bike for tooling around a small island like this.  My favorite of all the bikes I've owned was a Honda Nighthawk S, which I foolishly sold to help finance my move to Hawaii. 

Rode 3 years in college in the early 80s (NC); rode in OK in mid-late-80s; rode in HI in late 90s, then stopped riding about 2003.

The drivers in Hawaii scare the piss out of me    .  I was rear-ended twice while sitting at a stop light  ... just tapped me, but enough to tell me there are inattentive (or just poor) drivers here that represent a major concern for all other drivers, in particular the less protected biker.

If I move to a place where I can actually RIDE for a day, not just make doughnuts around an island in stop & go traffic,  I will probably get another bike.  At age 51, those chances are diminishing, but at least I've LIVED to be 51!! 

YMMV   

No

1. My short legs would have a hard time reaching the ground.
2. Had an uncle do an end-o in the 70's and almost died because another motorist didn't see him.  As a kid it had a big impact on me.
3. http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/09/18149729-us-traffic-deaths-rise-for-first-time-since-2005-motorcycle-rate-a-big-contributor?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=1

Been riding (on and off, to be honest) since I was a kid.

My current bike is a Suzuki Marauder 800cc. Not the bike I'd choose if money were no object but I got a killer deal on it from a friend. I rode it a lot when I first got it 7 years ago, but not at all for the last year and a half or so. For one thing, I bought a car that gets good gas mileage, for another the bike developed an electrical problem that I've had trouble tracking down. Sometimes doesn't have enough juice to start and you only get 4 or 5 tries before the battery is too far down even if the connection was solid. Got stranded a couple times when I had to be somewhere on time. :/

Currently looking at a Honda Nighthawk. I had a CB750 after High School so the Nighthawk is tugging at the heartstrings. Better mileage than the Marauder, more comfortable and maneuverable. Also a good deal from a friend. Just waiting for him to go get it legal again.

My bike is also not legal at the moment. Need to track down a friend with a truck to go get it safety checked. Its a bit of a ride to the any check station and I don't feel like chipping in some extra funds the the PD because the safety and plates are expired. All the trucks in the ohana have caps, though. :-/ One young friend of mine just got an open truck, but it also isn't street legal, yet. I can only laugh.

Though, to be honest, I'm not really keen to risk riding as a commute much anymore. I don't feel ~unsafe~ on a bike but I'm well aware that the risks are considerably higher. If I didn't have a good car I'd be more tempted to save the gas by riding the bike... but with no insurance and sporadic work its not really a wise risk to be taking on a regular basis. The saving grace is that the BI, and my normal routes in particular, are fairly bike friendly and folks here are more aware of bikers than in other places.

I ride off and on when my dad/uncle/gramps let me take one of their bikes.  It's usually a Harley road king.  Were planning to take the motorcycles safety course within the next few months.

I also went down to check out a sportster. Was ready to buy.  Should be getting one within the year.

I used to ride, but then my daughter came and the bikes had to go!! 

I started with a GSXR-750 and ended with the GSXR-1000....that 1000 was a bad ass bitch!

I REALLY miss riding but the risks out weigh the rewards for me at this point in my life! 

There are bold riders and there are old riders but there are no old and bold riders     As some have already said, "I survived".  Put in enough miles and it'll make sense later.

Sold every bike I had to move back to Hawai'i.  Couldn't take it so bought a scooter (not really a moped, a Puch is a proper moped) for awhile for night school but sold that too. 

GL, head on a swivel and keep the shiny side up.

I used to ride, but then my daughter came and the bikes had to go!! 

I started with a GSXR-750 and ended with the GSXR-1000....that 1000 was a bad ass bitch!

I REALLY miss riding but the risks out weigh the rewards for me at this point in my life! 

I had a friend back in high school...very attractive hapa girl.....her tall haole gruff-looking musician tough-guy dad would pick her up every single day on his cruiser. Was kind of cool lol.

2003 gsxr 600
2005 gsxr 600
2002 yamaha r1
2007 gsxr 750
2006 kawasaki 636 special edition
2000 suzuki drz-s 400
2008 kawasaki klr 650

klr is the best bike i have owned for island riding, drz was the second best , dual sports are the lever action 30-30s of the bike world

2003 gsxr 600
2005 gsxr 600
2002 yamaha r1
2007 gsxr 750
2006 kawasaki 636 special edition
2000 suzuki drz-s 400
2008 kawasaki klr 650

klr is the best bike i have owned for island riding, drz was the second best , dual sports are the lever action 30-30s of the bike world

I loved my KLR650

klr is the best bike i have owned for island riding, drz was the second best , dual sports are the lever action 30-30s of the bike world

Awesome! What kind of tires? Mine are full on knobbies right now and I don't know if that's the best thing for a daily commuter.

Hey Dregs, did you take MSF at Leeward? I've been looking into it. How was it? Did they supply a helmet? I know you need shoes, pants...(I hate pants) long sleeve shirt and gloves but have heard differing reports of a helmet being lent during the class...

I know I shouldn't but I would really like to pick up some 600 SS bike...ie R6....but again Hawaii drivers are sketch...it would be awesome in
NV where I go though!

Awesome! What kind of tires? Mine are full on knobbies right now and I don't know if that's the best thing for a daily commuter.

i had avon gripsters which have a horrible reputaution  ,but i never had a problem. 
on my drz i had  kenda k270  front and rear  great tires but i dont know if the make the sizes for klrs
i heard great things about avon distanzias
just make sure they are dot approved and you should be fine

Hey Dregs, did you take MSF at Leeward? I've been looking into it. How was it? Did they supply a helmet? I know you need shoes, pants...(I hate pants) long sleeve shirt and gloves but have heard differing reports of a helmet being lent during the class...

I know I shouldn't but I would really like to pick up some 600 SS bike...ie R6....but again Hawaii drivers are sketch...it would be awesome in
NV where I go though!

I strongly suggest you buy a helmet before your class. It's been over 10 years since I took MSF at Leeward.  But they did have loaner helmets back then.  And they were not something I'd want to put on my head.  No one knew how many people had sweated in them and put them away wet.

If you can still wear a half helmet for class then Amazon has $30 DOT approved half-helmets.  I have a full face one and it got hot sitting out there even with visor up and sunglasses on.  If I knew going in we were going to do a lot of sitting and waiting in the sun I would have picked up a half-helmet just for the class.

Hey Dregs, did you take MSF at Leeward? I've been looking into it. How was it? Did they supply a helmet? I know you need shoes, pants...(I hate pants) long sleeve shirt and gloves but have heard differing reports of a helmet being lent during the class...

I know I shouldn't but I would really like to pick up some 600 SS bike...ie R6....but again Hawaii drivers are sketch...it would be awesome in
NV where I go though!

Yep! I took MSF LCC. Send in the application through email and then call them to see what their real availability is. I signed up for a class a month ahead and they were actually already full up. She gave me one 2 weeks away though yaaaaaaay.


They do have a few loaner helmets, but honestly if you have any plans to ride you might as well just go ahead and buy your own. I don't think anyone actually borrowed one during my class. If you decide to borrow theirs though, the only thing they ask is you wear a bandanna of some sort.
Shoes need to be over the ankle. Long sleeve shirt is definitely plus. One thing they don't mention is you want to bring shades of some sort that you can wear while helmeted up; otherwise you'd have to put the face shield down and it gets hot as shit.

so recap:

They loan out helmets (wear bandana)
over-the-ankle shoes (boots, half-boots)
Long-sleeve shirt
Long pants
Gloves
Sunglasses


I'm no expert on what a good starting bike is. The KLR650 is apparently a different beast. Top-heavy, heavy in general, and too tall for me. 650cc. This is my first bike ever and I'm doing just fine on it. I know the recommended route is going small 250cc first and then working your way up. Honestly I think it's a case-by-case basis; as long as you take the time to learn your bike's behavior and operate within your own capabilities, you're fine with whatever cc you want.

Yeah i'm sure brigging you own helmet is recommended. I just don't want to show up with like a Shoei RF-1100 and everyone else is using like $15 half shells. Think I could use a motocross helmet? Gloves, i'll just assume mountain biking gloves will work..there full finger.

Yeah I know 250's are recommended. Like you said case by case, at least that's how I see it. Figure spending awhile in the parking lot and figure it out!

Thanks for the info! 

I had a Ninja. I was going about 20mph down a side street approaching an intersection and saw a car approaching from my left. He had 2 options, make a quick stop and go or stop and wait for me to go thru. He stopped, I went thru and  next thing I know the car is within inches of me, I pulled my leg up and avoided it being crushed. Left side smashed, I ended up on the hood of the guys car, and bike fell over and smashed the other side.  Mofo said he "didn't see me." Bike was totaled, I was a little banged up. Responding officer said I'm lucky I saw the car or I wouldn't have my left leg anymore. From that day I was not allowed to ride anymore. Hawaii drivers suck.

1974 street legal 900 Z1 making a 9.54 pass. Basically the 1975 900 Z1B was the same as the 1974 900 Z1…a few changes were incorporated on the 900 Z1B, which made it even better.


1975 street legal turbo Z1B 900 making a 9.0 pass. He ran an 8.30 a month later in June 2010.

Matt Hughes and BJ Penn like to ride.