Impressive.
@chrisj1948: ‘1,748 years and counting’ … 
NO, your date of birth 1748!
‘My one motorcycle escapade!’ My stepdad Jim owned a ships chandler business. One fine day in the early 80s, I was helping out at the yard when one of the girls who worked in the office walked in and informed Jim that her motorbike had conked out on the Pittenweem back road. The works vans were busy, and out of the yard. Worried that the bike might get wrecked by a tractor on the narrow, twisty roads out in the farming community - Jim sent me off on my merry way (I was in my mid 20s) to fetch the motorbike back to the yard - some 2 miles from the yard! The bike in question was a single cylinder Honda CB125 and it was decked out in a chrome rack with a wooden top box, the type of wooden box one would transport a racing pigeon in. 
After 30 mins of walking out into the countryside I found a small motorbike propped up against a tree on the grass verge. I checked the tank for fuel, removed the spark plug – it was wet with a strong smell of petrol, I removed the twisted on plug cap and switched on the ignition whilst holding the HT cable so that there was a gap just clear of the cylinder head fins: - I kicked over the engine and looking for a spark but there was no spark. I could do no more than push this ‘seemingly’ lightweight, toy motorcycle back to the yard! Well, after ½ a mile every hill / incline on the road resembled Ben Nevis. By the time I reached my destination at the yard in Anstruther, my arms and shoulders ached as if I’d arm-wrestled Geoff Capes…! Never to be repeated.!! (The bike’s ignition points had closed-up and were burned out.)
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Having a center stand is a must in these instances!
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She must have been very fine, the lass that is.
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Wow!
And VERY strong hands!
If you haven’t read this yet, you must put it on your Christmas list.
“ Buying a motorcycle with over 100 horsepower is kind of like buying a pound of coke. You’re basically saying to yourself, I’m just going to go ahead and be an a$$hole for the foreseeable future, and see what that’s like. What it is like is that the rest of the world is moving in slow motion, and it is excruciating. The lanes painted on the road appear acres wide. The enclosed, lumbering objects you share the road with are essentially standing still, and it makes no sense to abide by their rules.”
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A good summary for those of us who ride superbikes.
All of the bikes I have ever owned wanted/want to kill me.
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Even at my mere 80 hp, I can relate. Intimately.
Until you’ve ridden, you don’t understand what even 50 hp on a 400 lbs or less machine can feel like.
Feels like. Victory.
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Tip for off roaders - pack several large wire ties (zip ties, cable ties, zap straps) on your bike treks. In the event of a flat, attach several ties around the rim & flat - alternating the square clip from side to side if you’re really off road. You can ride the bike slowly if you’re in the middle of nowhere. I’ve utilized this method twice (in one weekend!) - once when I was 30k away from home. On gravel roads I was able to effectively ride (semi-stably) up to about 40Kmh. A bit wobbly but at least got home. The tire survived the first shorter ride home but required replacement the 2nd time. (30km ride at 40 - 45 km/h will do that). When the bike shop fixed it the first time they left a pinch in the tube, so the next day I was a LITTLE cranky about ANOTHER flat… so they replaced the tire as well. 
These were knobby tires, YRMV
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Clever!
I only ride street and track, and thus do not think of tubed tires.
I have been fortunate and have had only one flat (rear) which was quickly patched by one of the adventure type riders with me. Again, I was lucky.
I knew I had a flat only because the traction control was lighting off with moderate acceleration which would never otherwise be the case.
There is always something to learn.
Yup, you learn something new every day - if you’re not careful…
Rode the VMax twice this summer, the poor off road hasn’t been ridden or insured since 2018.
Sad state of affairs. Part of the problem:
From my office or when I pee the dog I can watch traffic and I assure you - at LEAST every tenth car I see pass by is using their #@$* phone. Either talking, texting or looking down at it. Apparently oblivious of how blatantly obvious it is. Personally I think texting and driving penalties should be way stiffer. Like amputation. First texting offense - one finger… Talking - an ear. Hiding the phone on your lap?.. Yu-huh. Cut-it!
Plus this stupid aging thing really interferes with the old care-free have fun lifestyle and starts inflicting you with this silly avoidance of things that might kill you. Or at least hurt you so you can’t work. When did THIS mentality take over?
I don’t LIKE it. Not one bit.
Excuse me - I’m gonna go walk BRISKLY - with scissors.
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I share your view. Cagers are scary.
I live on a curvy, hilly road out in the woods and ride to areas of even greater solitude, staying as far as I can from cars. I ride into the city only if there is maintenance on a bike I am unqualified to perform, like adjusting a Ducati’s valves.
There is a chemical change in the aging brain which mitigates against the willingness to take risks - even if we are wholly capable of performing the task.
Guess I’ll remain single till the end then… 
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I would agree in general, with the exception of the Honda Fireblade RR3 (2003, 954cc). That is the only bike I have owned which I trusted completely. It never put a foot wrong or gave nasty surprises. It did exactly what you told it to. Of course, sometimes the things you told it to do weren’t very smart, but that is hardly the bike’s fault!
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Over the years I’ve owned a number of VFRs and Interceptors which are 750s and 800s. They probably all made just under or just over 100 horse power. I don’t believe I ever had the guts to red line any of them in all 6 gears! It’s scary how fast 100 horse power can propel 700 pounds over 100 MPH. Now I have an R1200RS. That one is 125 horsepower. More subtle power delivery than the Hondas but still deceptively fast. People who live to have 40 plus year riding careers are typically those who learn to temper the right wrist in their 20s. There are only a small handful of riders talented enough to make the most of today’s superbikes and I sure as hell am not one of them.
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Fully agreed, even at the track I cannot come close to exploiting the capabilities of my bikes - neither power or handling.
Modern electronics are amazing at keeping these 200 HP beasts in check. I always keep the nannies on as a safety net.
I hear you with the nannies. My first bike with traction control was my 2014 interceptor. Right about the time the bike got 1000 miles on it, a friend was following me home from work. Well, at 1000 miles conventional wisdom is you can start to explore the red line. I turned onto a main, straight road and pulled the throttle wide open. When I popped it into 2nd gear the was a rise in the road and the front wheel started to come off the ground. Of course, traction control stopped that real quick. When we got to the house my friend said, “I can’t remember the last time I heard you miss a shift.” When I told him what had really happened we both laughed but big brother might have kept me from throwing my shiny new bike down the road. Of course, I’ll never know for sure but I was hot dogging it, showing off, and frankly doing something I shouldn’t have been doing on a public road. I too leave all the safety features engaged at all times.
A great example.
But it can just as easily be that little patch of pea gravel you could not see. I’m happy to have the help.
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