[Advice] Some Tips on Riding Crotch Rockets

[ethics]

When on hgwy and road curves you need to lean before you hit the turn. Countersteering is the best strategy here and you will be in a lean faster and with more precision vs. if you were just trying to wrestle it in to a lean. (used this method from the start, today tried without countersteering and whoa... bit of a difference and I would highly recommend CS).
When getting on the hwgy, bring down that face shield. Bugs will be splattin before you know it and they fuckers hurt.
To battle write cramp, tighten your legs and thighs around the fuel tank and ease off the write one side at a time. All you need is some different posture on the wrist to get the blood flowing again.
ALWAYS use two breaks (front and break).
You know and everyone else knows you are the fastest thing on the road. But some idiots will still try to outdo you. The problem here is that you remember whom you passed but these jokers will be on your 4 or 7 o'clock before you know it and if you are changing lanes this could be lethal. So ALWAYS check the sides and not just mirrors.
Bikes can break a LOT better than any car. Great news, right? No, because even if you break in time, guess where the car behind you is going to go? Break early. If downshifting, play with your break light so the cagers behind you know what you are doing.
When going over a bumb, small stick, etc... raise your ass and let your legs take the impact. This guarantees a smooth ride, and that the bike will continue on as if nothing happened. If you let the ass take the impact it MAY throw you off the bike.
When going in to a curve -- say to the right, stay closer to the left of your lane. Gives you more visibility and more room for error vs going from center or (God forbid) from the right of your lane).

[Biker]

1. 70 percent of your braking ability is in the front brake.
2. Not only is countersteering good for turns, practice it often for use in obstacle avoidance.
3. If your ass is cramping while riding that crotch rocket, it's definitely time to get a Harley! :lol:

[ethics]

If your ass is cramping while riding that crotch rocket, it's definitely time to get a Harley!

You know what's weird, and I am not knocking anyone here but I just don't see how I can go from my Rice Rocket to a Harley. To me, the Cruisers seem boring? Please tell me I am full of it. :P

[Biker]

You look at your bike as a toy/hobby. You'll most likely never attempt a serious road trip with it. Your mind set is different from those who look at their motorcycle as their primary means of transportation and would think nothing of pointing the front tire in a direction and find out where it goes, regardless of the distance.

Do an iron butt run.. Betcha you rethink your comfort after the first 500 miles. :haha:

[ethics]

I am planning an MA run with the MC on July 4th weekend. The whole MC is crotchies so will let you know how that goes. I am sure there will be a few stops in between. :)

[Biker]

Heh.. An iron butt run is 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less.

[ethics]

Heh.. An iron butt run is 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less.

Fook that. Why would you do something like that anyway?

[Coot]

Fook that. Why would you do something like that anyway?

Sturgis anyone?

[Biker]

Fook that. Why would you do something like that anyway?

LMAO! Like I said, your mind set is different. You're looking at riding to Mass in July. That's what? 150 miles one way? Hell, we'd do that on a Friday night just to get to a run site and party all weekend. That means carrying our camping gear on the bike as well.

You're one of those that would trailer your bike to Sturgis. Shameful......

[ethics]

You're one of those that would trailer your bike to Sturgis. Shameful......

LOL! You trolling, Cruiser boy?

No, I wouldn't trailer my bike to Sturgis because Sturgis is not something for me. If I were to put miles on mine I'd do from NY to California in 2 weeks as a vacation. But Sturgis is not my crowd and not my type of an event. :)

[Biker]

Anyone who rides needs to do Sturgis AND Daytona at least once in their lifetime. Seriously..

[tke711]

If I were to put miles on mine I'd do from NY to California in 2 weeks as a vacation.

NYC to California....on a crotch rocket? Man...I think if you look up insanity in the dictionary you see your quote above as the definition. ;)

Here's my take on the crotch rocket versus the cruiser.

Crotch rockets are fun as shit for short rides. Their acceleration and handling is amazing and perfect for those young bucks who need to prove they have a penis.

Cruisers are fun as shit for nice relaxing rides and longer trips. They are built for comfort riding, not taking a slalom course at 50 mph. Basically, they are built for the guy who knows he has a penis and just wants to enjoy a nice ride.

;)

[Biker]

LMAO!!!! Those that DO ride from NY to California and back on a crotch rocket are those that are at the dealership the very next day choosing a more comfortable bike.

[ethics]

Crotch rockets are fun as shit for short rides. Their acceleration and handling is amazing and perfect for those young bucks who need to prove they have a penis. Wow, talk about stereotyping out of your ass. I can turn around and say Cruisers are for old farts, full of wrinkly skins that were attempted to glaze over with tattoos. Crotch Rocket takes skill, kiddo, anyone can cruise. That's why they don't race Cruisers, young ignorant one.

Cruisers are fun as shit for nice relaxing rides and longer trips. They are built for comfort riding, not taking a slalom course at 50 mph. Basically, they are built for the guy who knows he has a penis and just wants to enjoy a nice ride.Or a guy who has rickety bones, no muscle to handle anything more than a "comfortable ride".

See how that works? I don't believe the above, but I can play the asshole game as well as anyone so a word of advice, don't play that game. Pound for pound it takes a lot more to be a successful supersports biker than a Cruiser but you never see me bad mouth cruisers.

[Biker]

Age DOES have a lot to do with it. In my younger day, I rode a hard tail (no rear shock). It was chopped out, had the ape hangers, suicide clutch, jockey shift, the works. Today? No way. Not as a serious long haul riding machine. Be OK for bar hopping, but that's it. I prefer to arrive in comfort, especially after I've knocked out a few hundred miles of pavement.

[ethics]

Tom, that's fine, it's a preference. I don't think what you prefer is wrong or bad. It's just that something I don't prefer. If I lived out where you are, where there's more road and less cars, I'd dig that. Here? With the traffic? I need something thin and nimble.

[tke711]

Wow, talk about stereotyping out of your ass. I can turn around and say Cruisers are for old farts, full of wrinkly skins that were attempted to glaze over with tattoos. Crotch Rocket takes skill, kiddo, anyone can cruise. That's why they don't race Cruisers, young ignorant one.

Or a guy who has rickety bones, no muscle to handle anything more than a "comfortable ride".

See how that works? I don't believe the above, but I can play the asshole game as well as anyone so a word of advice, don't play that game. Pound for pound it takes a lot more to be a successful supersports biker than a Cruiser but you never see me bad mouth cruisers.

Wow dude, I can't believe you even took that post as even remotely serious. I was just fuckin' with ya...thus the winkies and what I thought was the obvious joking tone with all the penis crap.

I've rode both kinds of bikes and like them both. What ever works for you is cool by me. Sorry you're so sensitive. ;)

(Again....to be clear....I was just fuckin' with you again there.) :)

[ethics]

Sorry, I AM sensitive when it comes to people stereotyping and not just the supersports but ALL motorcycles in general. It's my new hot button. :P

Too many idiots get my in the face special when they claim something as you did.

[Biker]

Oh man, eventually, you'll start playing on people's fears. Some are so blatantly afraid it's a riot. :biggrin:

[Elspeth]

I have never driven a motorcycle but I can tell each type of bike needs there own set of skills. Of course I have only ridden a crotch rocket once and that was enough for me. I have done the iron butt trip. 4600 miles in 16 days on a 1981 Honda Goldwind Interstate. I learned to sleep on that bike.

[Violet1966]

Sorry, I AM sensitive when it comes to people stereotyping and not just the supersports but ALL motorcycles in general. It's my new hot button. :P

Too many idiots get my in the face special when they claim something as you did.

Any bike is cool with me and hubby here. The most important thing is if it works for you and you can handle it well where needed. I don't like rockets with totally high back seats, so for me as a passenger, I prefer not to be on one. I've been on then though and they're great bikes if the rider is a good rider. It always depends on the rider. You can have the nicest looking full dressed cruiser or fat boy, and some shmuck who can't control it and ride it properly. That doesn't make the bike great. ;)

[Kluge]

Anyone who rides needs to do Sturgis AND Daytona at least once in their lifetime. Seriously..

I drove a sports car to California and back, skirted Las Vegas by 500 miles on each side.

I went to an Amateur Astronomer's camp-out / convention for 5 days and I think that was close enough to Sturgis for me... quiet people using telescopes all night... wild, man, wild!

Ethics, you are starting to sound like Swampy does when he talks about Global Warming. I submit this quote from a Jamaican in my best Jamaican accent:
Once in a while we take a ride down to Philly, mon, and 'ands are 'urting, feet are 'urting.
Philly is maybe 3 hours from Queens.

I don't do the rat-race commute and I can see how sport bike performance & skills would be handy and maybe even necessary for it, but I would suggest changing focus from speed to safety and off-road skills. A hard rain at 60 mph has my bike barely jittering the way a dirt road feels at 20 mph, and I unexpectedly found dirt on an exit ramp of the Van Wyck expressway, almost lost control going way faster than 20. I was lucky it was a very short stretch of dirt.

Sometime when the weather's nice, maybe try a ride up to the Bear Mountain Parkway, apply mellow attitude and try the twisty there, and on the way back check your dirt skills on whatever streets are torn up coming down through the Bronx. There's got to be some patches of dirt there and it's worth the experience (if you're careful, of course, it would be silly to dump your bike nearly on purpose)