Motorcycles & Rural Living

[Harleymsn]

Oh the Tail, yes it is about 65 miles from my home here, but I rode for 35 years living in WNY and road nearly every scenic road in the N/E. I had a great christmas tradition that I rode Every Christmas eve (got caught in more than a few blizzards), when I got down here i of course continued that tradition, but it's a whole lot warmer. Thought they are not as acute as the tail, the roads here on the plateau near home are great riding roads.

 

[1bush2hog]

I'll agree - any riding, on any bike, is good riding.

I've ridden dirt bikes, atv's, and street bikes. Currently have a Roadking that I don't get to ride near as much as I would like to, and primarily use my atv to work.

Every year my Dad and I plan a week long trip together - riding. We don't do any of the events, we just ride about 3000miles/week. A couple of years ago my father almost got taken out by a wild turkey on the Natchez Trace Pkwy. We allow a week and have a general route planned, no reservations, no schedule, etc. - just one week of pure riding wherever we want to ride.

Farm - Don't miss riding your bike across the bridge in Tampa when you go. We did a trip down the gulf coast of FL to the keys and back up the EC. We got to do the bridge one night and then Alligator Alley the next night - Don't think my windshield has ever seen as many bugs after going thru the 'glades at night -

My wife also has a bike, but only rides for a couple of hours at a time - She is such a wimp I never push her though as she needs to do what she feels comfortable with.

Lots of good twisties in N. GA and WNC too!

 

[Corm]

Hi folks. I'll be one more to chime in and agree - any riding is good riding!

I started riding while in high school. Honda 50, then a 305, and then bought a brand new 1970 Norton Fastback. What a bike! Wished I still had it... I went thru a couple of Nortons, then got married. After our two kids got old enough to ride, I got a 750 Yamaha, and my wife had a 500. Eventually we both moved up to BMWs - mine was a R100RT, hers an R80RT. As our kids were growing up, we took all of our family vacations on our bikes, eventually traveling thru and camping in most all of the lower 48 states.

In 1993, after the kids were gone from home and we started having a few extra $$ to play with, I bought a new E Glide Classic. Still have it. Has about 75K miles on it now. It's the best bike I've had. My wife now has a 1200 Sporty. We don't ride as much as we used to, but still enjoy it when we can.


On funny story I'll share with you folks - On one of our family vacations, we were at a camp ground somewhere near Manhattan Kansas. We were set up on a camp site, and had just returned from relaxing dip in the pool. All of our wet swimming clothes were strung out on lines, we had our tents set up, and were working on cooking supper. As you can visualize, with two tents set up, all our clothes hanging on lines, and our cooking stuff set up, it looks like we had a lot of stuff. Well, there was a couple just taking a stroll around the campgroud. They stopped at our site and were looking over all of the stuff we had. Along side my tent, I had my two removable saddle bags from my R100 on the ground. When the lady saw my two saddle bags, she poked her husband in the ribs and said "look, then even brought suit cases. Now where did they put them?" My wife and I got a real laugh out of that one.

The next morning, they walked over to our site and watched us pack everything on the bikes before we left. They just couldn't believe it all fit. We still laugh about it!

Corm

 

[450EXC]

Hey, I've got your backhoe. I was going to use this to trench for a new elec line down to the barn. They make a larger displacment engine that comes with a bigger bucket.

The second picture shows the confusion of this winter. Usually something is pushed to the back of the barn but this year who knows what you will be riding one day to the next.

 

[shvl73]

My favorite ride is NH Rt 28 to Conway,then Rt 5 through Lovell Maine to Bethel, Rt 2 to Rt 17 to Rangley. Then you head back south to Rt 16 through Errol NH and on to home.

 

[cisco]

I tend to use my cycle for trips to/from my country property (about 22 miles from town), and on an occasional trip in the NC mountains (get there with cycle in bed of my pickup). Started 2 wheel stuff at 13 y/o (50 cc Peugeot), graduated to a used Honda 305 Superhawk (1967) in college (too poor for a car) and drove such across the US in the late 60's - darn near got killed a couple of times by folks who took exception to cyclists and tried to drive me off the road, throw beer cans out as they were passing me, etc. Gave up cycles and got with the family and career stuff in the 70's, but when the "kids" went to college I got a used Honda 450 Rebel (1986) and recently switched to a used Yamaha 535 Virago (1996). The 450 and 535 came very lightly used, the Virago with 4000 miles when a decade old - the usual story of some guy with a Harley buying a smaller cycle for his wife, but she never gets enthusiastic about riding and the cycle spends most of its' life in a garage on a trickle charger.
The 305 was rock solid reliable in the 60's, when there was precious little else around that one could ride across the US, including long stretches in the mid-West of "nothing", and not have to worry about being stranded. I prefer lighter cycles (5'10" and 180lbs), as I don't have another rider on board, most treks are short, and I like to feel comfortable on gravel/dirt country lanes, steep stuff or whatever, knowing I can quickly and easily control the cycle should things go poorly - like some genius pulling out from a parking space in front of me - and if it ever goes down, I can get it back up (if I'm still alive).

 

[AlanB]

My family and I ride a sport called Observed Trials. It is not about speed, rather about skill in riding and controlling the motorcycle. You loose points when you touch the ground or crash, and low points at the end of the day wins.

It is an excellent time with my kids, and this is one of my favorite photo's of my son when he was about 7.

 

[SkyPup]

I've been biking for over 40 years now, currently own six bikes.

Here are my two daily rides, a two KTM 640cc Super Thumpers!!!

 

[Bird]

You loose points when you touch the ground or crash, and low points at the end of the day wins.

I think I understand, but at first that looked to be backwards, Alan.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Ken,
I have ridden most of my life. First bike was a Honda Scrambler 450. I cant even remember all of them to be honest. Suzuki 185 dirt, Penton 125, Kawasaki 750 H2, 1971 Harley Sportster, 1976 Harley Sportser, Suzuki GT 550, Honda XR-250, Harley Superglide 06 actually thats my sons bike but I use it Rode enduros for a few years. I managed to break my left tibia pleateau in 98, that was bad Going over a jump in the woods. The wife would like to see me stick with slow moving vehicles now, spelled tractors

Sorry I cant remember all the other bikes. There had to be about a dozen anyway !