The ying and yang of motorcycling

[carpe_diem]

Apologies if this has been done before or is unutterably shit, but I thought it might be fun to enumerate the things that make us grin from ear to ear about motorbikes - but this being an awful world where nothing comes for free, I'd also like to see something that makes you want to rip your own balls off in sheer annoyance and frustration.

As a starter for ten, here's mine:

+ the traffic light GP when you time it just right and take advantage of your superior acceleration to burn off a cage. Yes, this can even be done on a 125.

- the misery of wet legs when you've not got your waterproofs on and you're travelling on a soggy and fast road
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Currently riding: Suzuki EN125 | Previous rides: Vespa 125PX, Yamaha SR125

[SophR so good]

It's yin.
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You win again, gravity! - Zap Brannigan, BCF BBQ 2016

[Fisty]

[Skudd]

I had that with fried rice.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[Howling TerrorOutOfOffice]

Just fried rice?
I had the full p'tang yang kipperbang...with fried rice.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
Singer songwriter, Artist and allround good bloke Listen to Andrew Susan Johnston here
The Harry Turner Project

[Ste]

[carpe_diem]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

The good ; the weather, filtering
The bad ; the weather, having fiat 500 keep up on the twisties
The ugly ; https://www.honda.co.uk/motorcycles/range/custom/nm4-vultus-2014/overview.html
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[Barnoe]

Good - The feeling of going from leaning one way then the next on twisties
Accelerating at speeds car drivers will never understand without spending a £million
The community of bikers

Bad - Shit gear in bad weather
Gripping the seat with your arse cheeks passing over slippery surfaces you cant avoid or didnt see until last minute!
Cage driver that cant see you!

Edit....
I should also add as a plus, i love the way bikes look.
Not just one brand... all of them, can walk round and stare at one for 10 minutes.
Cars...meh, box with wheels :/
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You know you are old when you're told to slow down by your doctor and not the police.

[Hong Kong Phooey]

[Derivative]

+ parking wherever i like
- westminster

[talkToTheHat]

+Destroy anything short of a supercar with a budget 600

- The people that have tantrums about you revving the bollocks off of it when starting on choke/enrichener/fast idle
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Teflon-Mike]

The surreal sensation of sitting on top of quarter ton of steel and aluminium, balanced on two fifty pence piece sized patches of rubber, at about 45 degrees to the vertical, gravity trying to pull you down, centripetal force holding you up; acceleration pushing you round, wind trying to hold you back; a web of invisible forces in constant flux, always shifting, competing, fighting over your fate....

The mystery and majesty of it, and the foolish delusion that some-how I must be 'in control' of it all, when in fact, I am merely a passenger with influence...

The metaphysical detachment of being in such perilous physical state of chaos; whilst simultaneously, mentally, being on a different plane of being; in which time occurs in random packets, where the trivial, the tedious, the meaningless mundanity of life is rendered into insignificance, whilst the magnitude of simply 'being' is drawn into sharp focus and amplified. It transcends such conundrums of karmic categorization; there IS no Yin or Yang, merely the wah, 'everything' it's strength, its weakness, its power; it's very essence, its very energy, exposed, displayed, and offered for you to draw on how you may.

Look, you started this Yin & Yang crap!!!!! go read Zen & the art of Motorcycle maintenance!!!!!

[faffergotgunz]

Nice thread!

Good: Too many to list.

^^^What he said up there ultimately ^^^
Riding a new found road, up in the mountains, rolling hills or sea view and the sense of wonder and exploration you get from it.

The sunrises in the morning, the foggy mist along the Cotswold fields. Knowing that commuting to work could hardly get better than this.

Riding in pissing rain, everyone is in their steam boxes thinking you're mad. You however, are warm and dry and more alive in that moment than anything.

Moment when you think 'feck it' and hold on to 2nd gear through that bend. Give the bars a bit of a push, lean over, everything flows. Was that the neatest you've cornered yet? Oh and the smooth sound of that inline 4, sexy as feck!

Watching down the road, like a road Judge. You see that brake light 4 cars down, an indicator flashes, you show a brake light to the car behind. Following your actions are the 3 cars in front. You saw that first.

The bubble guts I get often, pre journey or commute. Like I'm gonna die today. Then you rarely notice as it disappears in an instant as you pull away for the ride ahead.

When your bike breaks down, only to be fixed with a Philips screwdriver, pair of snips and some insulation tape. Such simple but needy mechanics. Satisfying to fix so easily.

50mpg, 0-60 mph in 4 seconds. Are you for real?!

I could go on...

Bad bits.

Additional risk of death and broken body. Nothing much we can do about that. It's also part of the fun, live to ride another day.

That itchy heat you get when arriving somewhere in winter. The heatings on and I've got 10 fecking layers on.

Helmet hair.

Mouse fart horns.
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Sent from Samsmums mobile using Tapanarse

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Saraya]

I think I’ve said on here before, but I never realised that riding would be more than just a way to get from A to B. I love the feel of the bike beneath me, the change of smells through a cracked open visor as you travel through different areas and the feel of different road surfaces. I’m still loving the novelty of getting myself to places, rather than relying on hubby and taxis. And while no means a speedy rider, I love that feeling when you kick it up a gear, let the clutch out and give it some.

For me, the ball (lip?) ache, is the prep. On with the gear, cover off, disc lock off, almax off. I just want to get on and go!
I’m also frustrated with my newbie-ness. I’m still not confident with twisties and know I slow down too much for bends. This stops me from joining the group rides that I’d love to take part in – as I don’t want to piss others off. I hope I get good, soon.

[Aceslock]

Good, getting on the bike and giving it a little........ok a big rev and hearing it roaar

Bad, Sticking it in 1st gear forgetting to put the sidestand up
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Previous Bike: Skyjet SJ27
Sold: Yamaha YZF 600 R Thundercat. Sold: ZX636R
Current bike: R1 14B (Beast)

[pepperami]

The good: opening the garage door on a sunny day and there it is, all shiny and ready to go.
The good: roads that have very little traffic on them and I'm on it.
The good: when on the bigger bikes, accelerating so hard, it feels like the bike is trying to rip your arms out
The good: getting off the bike at the end of your journey and you your heart is thumping and you think " yer baby yer!"

The bad: intermittent problems that you can't find the reason for, like a mis-fire or hesitation in picking up on acceleration ?
The bad: getting soaked and cold.
The bad: twat cagers!
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Motorhate]

[Rogerborg]

Yang: Sunshine on.
Yin: A rainy day.

Yang: Always being able to make progress even if it's via the footway in extremis (yes, I'm all right, thanks for asking).
Yin: The hours spent not riding but in maintenance, fettling and enrobing/disrobing.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[Kris]

+ Getting away with it.
- Not getting away with it.


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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[Flatbadger]

The good - getting 100mpg
The bad - never getting 100 mph
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If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
You're in ISIS

[MahatmaAndhi]

Pro - Cheap, fast transport
Con - Having to put on an extra set of clothes to use it.
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2008 Aprilia Sportcity 250

[carpe_diem]

Definitely agree with all the sentiments about how annoying it is to don extra shit in order to ride (although obviously not as annoying as road rash or other injuries that come from not being adequately dressed). The fettling can be quite calming, though. Not that I've been able to do much recently, like.
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Currently riding: Suzuki EN125 | Previous rides: Vespa 125PX, Yamaha SR125