Latest Code Wheelie School Schedule

[sportbike_pilot]

Hey, hey,



Fantastic - Finished 7th in the race, upgraded my license, and the helmet camera footage we shot during practice is great. We went out with the pros during the session we shot most of the video and it's instructive (and humbling) to watch my buddy and I getting strafed by the pros while turning 1:40 laps on our FZR400's (which ain't exactly sitting still). Pete came up Saturday evening and it was good to talk with him while we were not in the middle of some catastrophe.



Next time you guys: you, Pete, Ebass, Fonzie, Steven V, Sean, et. al., should all come up for a WSMC friday. I think that I can get some track time for MO if we write about it. I'm going to make the pitch to Sean next week. I'd sure be fun.



seeya

[tonyharrah]

...the kind that gets employee interest rates. I've been making more in the market (so far) than I've been losing in interest anyway. They key to it is this: Large down and short term (3yrs). Otherwise, especially on a sportbike, you'll be upside-down in a hurry. Financing a sportbike is like financing a Hyundai. It might be a good, reliable vehicle for a long time--just don't ever sell it or you'll get hosed! Another downside to financing is having to carry full coverage. However, I've got a spotless driving record so the premiums aren't THAT bad considering I'm only 26.



-Tony

04 ZX6R

03 BMW F650GS

[BMW4VWW]

Mine was a 67 also. The last year of the round finned engine. You are lucky that your primary case screws vibrated out. If you actually had to touch them with a screw driver you would find that they were made of some secret British mixture of silver paint and mozzarella cheese. The horn mine came with had a rubber squeeze bulb. It too was lost on the road along with handfulls of whitworthless fasteners. VWW

[mscuddy]

My 441 was the worst bike I've ever owned, period. Like it would either start on the first kick, or have to be towed, for miles.



Once, a buddy of mine, ruined the crank bearings on his Yamaha 180 twin, in some vane attempt to start the Victor.



No, but really, the primary case screws were the last straw.



After suffering suffering burnt zeiner diodes, broken carb slides (throttle stuck wide open), and the aforementioned parts shedding, along with a long list of other maladies. When I looked down, and acutally saw two or three primary case screws vibrating out, that was it.



My next bike was a pre-unit Triumph...some masochistic streak, I guess...

[BMW4VWW]

The Victor was not known for easy starting. The first day that I got mine it backfired during start up, and just about lauched me over the handle bars. My right ankle was so swollen that I had to park the Victor on a hill before shuting in down (that is when it didn't stop of it's own accord), for a month, as kick starting it was not an option. Strangely I sort of miss the P O S. I guess thirty-seven years has dulled the sense of angst over it's quirks and reliability. VWW

[Jexter]

If Ducati does introduce a V-4 street machine, expect stock horsepower levels to exceed those from Japan's 1000cc 4-cylinder superbikes.



HAAAHAAAHAAHAHAH-*gasp*-AHHAAHAHAAAA!



No, but seriously, I'll "expect" them to be in the ballpark. Left field, perhaps. I hope they're not trying to get into a full-blown hp war with the Japanese, 'cuz that'll drain a lot of money, and they don't need to outrun the big 4.

[kowalke67]

A friend of mine and I bought Suzuki DRZ400SÂ’ March '04. I have more fun on that bike than I thought possible. Mind you I live in Chicago so most of the miles are riding it around the city (I just rolled over 500 miles yesterday, 5/23). Every pot hole, speed bump, even the smallest dirt patches, concrete drop offs, anything you would normally avoid like the plague on a street bike, you make a point of running over on the DRZ. Adults stop and stare, little kids mouths drop wide open (and they constantly make the "do a wheelie" motion with their hands to you) when you ride a big blue 400cc dirt bike through the city. It's nearly beyond your control to resist popping wheelies in 1st and 2nd gears every time you shift through them (Until you see a cop. Then you act like Mother Teresa for a couple blocks until your inner child takes over again- and you think itÂ’s safe). I've even managed to find some dirt areas to play in right down town. Not exactly legal areas but so harmless no one cares. Well, the two homeless guys living in defunct dumpsters might not like it when we buzz their door at 40 mph but I try not to do that when I know they are "home". Plus, I bought them a 12-pack as insurance against having a wire tied across the "trail" or some other bobby trap setup. Ahhh, city life. But, I digressÂ…



I say go with the four stroke dual sport and definitely consider the DRZ400S. It's incredible fun and one of the most respected dual sports made in the last five years. For riding around city streets it may be better than any street bike because it soaks up road imperfections mindlessly and it has more than enough go in it to entertain you. Best of all it is a true dirt bike (not an MXÂ’er but trail bike) that can handle anything the trails throw at it.

[kowalke67]

You may want to try ebaymotors if cycletrader.com doesn't pan out for you. I had no luck selling my last bike off cycletrader (granted it wasn't the most sought after kind of bike, bmw f650gsa dakar). I sold it no problem on ebaymotors. The ad got nearly 1800 hits and I got a good fair price for it. Just an FYI if you haven't already considered it.