What is your Ride?

[sundaymorningstaple]

then i got into an accident (non-contact controlled braking + sliding without any riding gear except gloves and a shoei full face helmet) in december 2010 and now my wife has banned me from riding all forms of motorcycles in singapore.

present rides (2011 singapore)
red foldable bicycle

Hope you didn't do to much road burn. I can feel for you. I dropped my Yamaha back in '69 at 70mph on Route 50 in Maryland at 7 am in the morning after hitting a patch of black ice. As it was bloody cold (sub-20's F) I only destroyed about a grand's worth of clothes and cosmetic damages to the bike (well, a bit more than cosmetic, but repairable without costing an arm & a leg or having to use insurance). Wearing a business suit, 3/4 length suede coat, helmet & gloves and a $300 pair of Alligator Tony Lama's! (in '69!). Fortunately, I walked away from it unscathed, only to total it several months later in a head on with a 65 Plymouth Satellite in Ocean City, Md. (which I also walked away from).

Had an old '74 750 Honda Magna for a while here in Singapore, but the wife constantly harping every time I got on it, had be getting rid of it and retiring my helmet for good I guess (unless I do sumtin stupid when I retire back to the US.)

[QRM]

How many people have done this? Get on the fancy super bike with all the leathers, give the throttle a few blips so everyone notices the loud exhaust and try and make a dramatic exit from the parking bay. The bike rockets forwards the next second you are spread eagled on the road having just been flung head over heel across the handle bars.

The bloke who came and picked me and the bike off the floor, laughed and said not to worry he has done the exact same thing... forgot to take the disk lock off!

[Michael_A]

Nope, never used disc locks, they cause more damage and accidents than they are worth.. my bikes are usually locked up at home anyway, and if i am out or touring, they are never too far away from me..

SMS, i was 5 when you had your accident..

[Michael_A]

piaggio mp3-400

ok, i got to ask you this.... why a mp3?

this is an old post of mine! why an mp3...? my wife refuses to get on any bike i ride in singapore except the mp3 because she thinks it's more stable and larger looking on the road plus it has plenty of storage space compared to other bikes (rivaled only by the x9).

since october i have bought 2 more sportbikes - a ducati and suzuki. then i got into an accident (non-contact controlled braking + sliding without any riding gear except gloves and a shoei full face helmet) in december 2010 and now my wife has banned me from riding all forms of motorcycles in singapore.

my wrecked bike has been parked outside a neighbor's house since then. i'm not sure what i'm gonna do about it because come september it will be time for an inspection...

i don't want to repair it but i can't sell it either.

present rides (2011 singapore)
red foldable bicycle

Hope you didn't lose too much skin.. ouch...

always had a few strict rules ... never get one the bike without covering skin, and never let anyone tell me when i can and can't ride ..

[x9200]

always had a few strict rules ... never get one the bike without covering skin,

Not too practical if you use your bike for a daily commuting.

[Michael_A]

how is it not practical to cover all skin?

Whether commuting to work or just down the shops.. or would you rather skin grafts?

always had a few strict rules ... never get one the bike without covering skin,

Not too practical if you use your bike for a daily commuting.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Nope, never used disc locks, they cause more damage and accidents than they are worth.. my bikes are usually locked up at home anyway, and if i am out or touring, they are never too far away from me..

SMS, i was 5 when you had your accident..

Doesn't surprise me, looking at your stable of rides! Man my age should be drawn & quartered even thinking about a Ducati!

Biggest bike I've ever owned was an 850cc. But when you only have a 28.5" inseam, large bikes are the devil to maintain in an upright position at a stoplight unless it a lowrider hog.

I've owned little Yamaha trail bikes (55 & 80cc) back around 65-66 and 300-350cc Yamaha's (300 is what I dropped).

Then I had a '52 KR framed 45ci stick shift Military Hog with sidecar mounts & reverse gearing (but was never able to find an original military sidecar - the bike was military surplus straight out of the case for $150 USD - completely covered in Cosmoline and OD green). Kept it about a year until I knocked it over in the yard and couldn't pick the damn thing up (I only weighed around 112 lbs back then and was only 5'2" tall).

Later, after leaving the military in '68 I picked up an old BSA Gold Star 500ci (I also grew 5" after going into the military). Interesting bike. Was thrown over the handlebars a number of times (eventually you learn why that 500 single has a compression release!).

The last bike I owned prior to coming to Singapore was a restoration project that was a real gem. It only had 2400 miles on the engine and was in pieces in a barn as the supply boat captain who owned it, had bought a custom frame for it and after pulling the bike to bits, ended up in a divorce and lost the farm (literally) so had to sell the bike as is. I picked it up for a song and after lovingly redoing the original frame with black Imron paint, I had me a virtually new 74 850 Norton Commando. Fantastic bike - I believe it was the last year they had a separate kidney-shaped transmission housing.

Then I came to Singapore and quit riding for almost 15 years until my Kiwi neighbour went to Perth to work for BHP and gave me that Honda Magna. That bike, like the BSA, was a tall bike and the Magna was even heavier so it was a hard bike for me to ride (well not the riding part) with my stubby legs. So I was never really comfortable in heavy stop & go traffic with it here in Singers.

At 63 today, the odds of me getting another bike are slim..... Those were the days!

[sundaymorningstaple]

always had a few strict rules ... never get one the bike without covering skin,

Not too practical if you use your bike for a daily commuting.

While dropping the bike in sub zero weather is one thing, when I had the head-on several months later, it was the middle of the summer and the temps were in the upper 30's C. I wasn't wearing leathers, but I was fully kitted out in heavyweight denim's (Jeans, Jacket, boots, gloves & helmet). While the accident happened at around 40 mph to 0 in an instant, I hit the car (or should I say the car hit me?) directly head on so I was catapulted directly OVER the car - never touching the car at all but landed behind the car with just a bit of slide. Small burn where the right glove rode up and got it on the inside of the wrist. Bruised hip/leg & shoulder and a cracked helmet. I was one of the few who wore a helmet as there were no helmet laws in Maryland back in the 60's - in fact there weren't too many states with any helmet laws at all back then.

Even when I had that Magna here in Singapore, damn the heat, I was fully covered as well. I'd rather sweat than ride without protection. But that's just me. Chinese motorcycle boots? No way in 'ell! (flip-flops)

[Michael_A]

Nope, never used disc locks, they cause more damage and accidents than they are worth.. my bikes are usually locked up at home anyway, and if i am out or touring, they are never too far away from me..

SMS, i was 5 when you had your accident..

Doesn't surprise me, looking at your stable of rides! Man my age should be drawn & quartered even thinking about a Ducati!

Biggest bike I've ever owned was an 850cc. But when you only have a 28.5" inseam, large bikes are the devil to maintain in an upright position at a stoplight unless it a lowrider hog.

I've owned little Yamaha trail bikes (55 & 80cc) back around 65-66 and 300-350cc Yamaha's (300 is what I dropped).

Then I had a '52 KR framed 45ci stick shift Military Hog with sidecar mounts & reverse gearing (but was never able to find an original military sidecar - the bike was military surplus straight out of the case for $150 USD - completely covered in Cosmoline and OD green). Kept it about a year until I knocked it over in the yard and couldn't pick the damn thing up (I only weighed around 112 lbs back then and was only 5'2" tall).

Later, after leaving the military in '68 I picked up an old BSA Gold Star 500ci (I also grew 5" after going into the military). Interesting bike. Was thrown over the handlebars a number of times (eventually you learn why that 500 single has a compression release!).

The last bike I owned prior to coming to Singapore was a restoration project that was a real gem. It only had 2400 miles on the engine and was in pieces in a barn as the supply boat captain who owned it, had bought a custom frame for it and after pulling the bike to bits, ended up in a divorce and lost the farm (literally) so had to sell the bike as is. I picked it up for a song and after lovingly redoing the original frame with black Imron paint, I had me a virtually new 74 850 Norton Commando. Fantastic bike - I believe it was the last year they had a separate kidney-shaped transmission housing.

Then I came to Singapore and quit riding for almost 15 years until my Kiwi neighbour went to Perth to work for BHP and gave me that Honda Magna. That bike, like the BSA, was a tall bike and the Magna was even heavier so it was a hard bike for me to ride (well not the riding part) with my stubby legs. So I was never really comfortable in heavy stop & go traffic with it here in Singers.

At 63 today, the odds of me getting another bike are slim..... Those were the days!

Wow, and to think of the value of all those bikes now... especially the Norton.. my older brother had a few Norton Commando's and wishes he'd kept them.. there's always a Harley...

[Michael_A]

always had a few strict rules ... never get one the bike without covering skin,

Not too practical if you use your bike for a daily commuting.

While dropping the bike in sub zero weather is one thing, when I had the head-on several months later, it was the middle of the summer and the temps were in the upper 30's C. I wasn't wearing leathers, but I was fully kitted out in heavyweight denim's (Jeans, Jacket, boots, gloves & helmet). While the accident happened at around 40 mph to 0 in an instant, I hit the car (or should I say the car hit me?) directly head on so I was catapulted directly OVER the car - never touching the car at all but landed behind the car with just a bit of slide. Small burn where the right glove rode up and got it on the inside of the wrist. Bruised hip/leg & shoulder and a cracked helmet. I was one of the few who wore a helmet as there were no helmet laws in Maryland back in the 60's - in fact there weren't too many states with any helmet laws at all back then.

Even when I had that Magna here in Singapore, damn the heat, I was fully covered as well. I'd rather sweat than ride without protection. But that's just me. Chinese motorcycle boots? No way in 'ell! (flip-flops)

Agree.. it gets to 40+ degrees here too, but if i am getting on the bike is either leathers (track) or full riding gear otherwise... not worth the risk, especially in traffic, the tin tops are too dangerous ... i spent 3 days in hospital from a huge highside at the track about 18mths ago.. landed head first, broke my wrist and had minor bleeding on the brain.. and fractured my big toes... i have always had the best riding gear i could afford, and in my opinion this probably saved me from a lot more injury/damage...



they cut my almost new leathers off at the hospital..

[x9200]

A helmet is a must, quality boots probably a good idea, but frankly, what from more serious injuries is preventable using a typical, even high quality full body armour?
Ultimately it comes down to your riding style that probably comes with age. I am not that young neither. Besides, I would look like a complete idiot riding my X9 and wearing a full body suit

[Michael_A]

horses for courses..no one is saying full body armour all the time, i only wear it on the track.. if i am commuting around town, then still boots, gloves, helmet, jacket with protection and a back protector, and kevlar jeans....

A helmet is a must, quality boots probably a good idea, but frankly, what from more serious injuries is preventable using a typical, even high quality full body armour?
Ultimately it comes down to your riding style that probably comes with age. I am not that young neither. Besides, I would look like a complete idiot riding my X9 and wearing a full body suit

[shanky]

hmm...do you guys head out for meets..? i mean like outings or trackdays..? I got a Kawasaki krr 150 recently in sg. past rides

Yamaha R15
Royal Enfield 350
Bajaj Pulsar 180

all in India.

[Michael_A]

don't know about the other guys, but will be looking to do that when i get there... anyone know anywhere that hires bikes?? would like to ride Sepang.. any other tracks close by??

hmm...do you guys head out for meets..? i mean like outings or trackdays..? I got a Kawasaki krr 150 recently in sg. past rides

Yamaha R15
Royal Enfield 350
Bajaj Pulsar 180

all in India.

[shanky]

don't know about the other guys, but will be looking to do that when i get there... anyone know anywhere that hires bikes?? would like to ride Sepang.. any other tracks close by??

there is another track called pasir gudang (PG)..it's an ex-wsbk track i think, it's closer than sepang. Not sure about bike hires though..i have seen only some small scooters up for hire. Maybe someone else has some clues..