jaimev34

I think Pirellis are German, though the name is misleading. Scratch that. They're Italian. Oops.

I've had my Angels for a few months (and a few thousand miles [probably over 3k miles]- got to check my records to see what the mileage was when I put them on to know exactly how many miles they've run) and I like them. They're wearing great. Turn in is good, and I'm used to the nice PP turn in. We'll see if they turn to crap near the end of their lives. Of course, I'm not riding nearly as aggressively as I used to, so that may be a reason why I don't have any gripes with them. If you're more of a chill, laid back rider, then these are definitely good tires.

I've got over 2,000 miles on a rear Pirelli Angel I plugged a few months ago, and it hasn't lost ANY air since I plugged it. In this case, though, I'd probably use a patch since the hole is so small; however, if I didn't want to remove the tire from the wheel, I'd plug it without much worry.

Too big in the butt and waist. The inseam was too short. The waist to crotch distance was enormous. Don't think there was one part of the pants that fit. It wasn't like when you go to the store and try on some jeans and they could almost fit if they were a little longer/shorter or if the waist were a little bigger/smaller; It seemed like the proportions were completely off. But like I stated above, maybe my experience was just an anomaly. If you do purchase a suit from these guys, make sure your measurements are spot on. You could even go to a tailor.

I ordered a pair of custom Spartan pants last year and they didn't fit at all. I sent them back for another pair with adjusted measurements based on the ill-fitting pants, and they didn't fit. Either I did a crappy job of measuring (my GF and I were very meticulous), or something's up with the labor in Afghanistan (where they're made, IIRC). Customer service was good to a point (when the second pair didn't fit, the owner essentially said I was SOL), but in the end, I had to sell the pants on Craigslist for really cheap since I couldn't use them. Based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend Spartan, but maybe you'll have better luck. I'm sure they've had satisfied customers. BTW, I'm sold on the virtues of kevlar. Check out motoport/cycleport when you get a chance. Kevlar is more durable, more resistant to abrasion, and cheaper than leather. Don't know if they make 1-piece suits, but they do make 2-piecers. Leather starts to crack after time, and especially when exposed to moisture. Plus, the stitching on conventional leather suits is pretty crappy. Just an FYI. Oh, and the padding/armor is really good on the motoport stuff.

VFRD. Maintenance. Thinking about riding. Thinking about another potential bike. Thinking about a project bike. Thinking about a farkle for my bike. Researching said farkle. Purchasing said farkle. :biggrin: Maybe I'll try boxing. Always thought that'd be a fun thing to learn.

Damn it, I'll bite. I started riding because I was always interested. When I was a kid, I always longed for a yz125, but never had one. Finally, a few years ago, I took the plunge and bought an SV650. A year later I bought my VFR. Once I began riding, It was even better than I imagined it could be. I've loved every moment of it. I was putting on miles at a fast rate. I've logged around 50k miles in a little over 3 years. A couple of years ago I sold my car and relied on only my bike for about 6 months. Once that proved impractical due to rain and cold, I bought another car. After a bad wreck, I cut my riding down to only the weekends. I've loved riding, maintaining, and talking about bikes for that same period. I thought I'd be doing this for the rest of my life. The reason I say it's selfish is because of the fact that it can affect those around us if we get injured; it doesn't just affect us. Would you not say it's selfish to do something knowing it can affect others?. Maybe it's because I live in a very congested region where people drive really aggressively that I've decided it's too risky. Maybe if I lived in a less populated area with less cars and less traffic, I'd feel differently. The risk has always been there and I don't think it's necessarily gotten worse since I've been riding, but I've finally come to the conclusion that it's not worth it to me, no matter how much I love/enjoy it. Maybe it's because I've already been in the hospital and NEVER want to go back. Maybe it's all of the above. One thing I don't question is how much I love this sport. During the short period I've ridden, I've learned so much about riding, wrenching, and everything associated with motorcycles, and this has enriched my life tremendously, and I doubt I'll soon find something that'll replace it. I've read every book I could get my hands on, read every thread I could, taken track classes, etc. to be the safest rider I could be, but sometimes that's not enough.

This is probably going to be my last post on this thread (not forum) since I regret starting it and I think this beast should die before if grows any bigger. :beatdeadhorse: But first I wanted to say one more thing. I began this thread knowing what I needed to do, which is to stop riding, but I was curious about what other responsible riders (this is VFRD) would think about my reason for doing so. Not whether you approved or not, but how the main argument resonated with you. That is all I hoped to achieve. It's possible that I didn't word it in the best way and at times I seemed to be trying to convince others to stop riding, but I only continued to dig because I didn't feel like my question was being answered. I was getting a lot of "you've got to live life because life is short" arguments, which don't address the "impact on others" factor. In the end, I was trying to figure out if anyone had thought about this specifically and how they reconciled it and continued riding because I've gotten to a point where I can't quiet that voice anymore. So, once again, apologies for probably not picking the best venue for a discussion like this, and please carry on as if this thread was never started. :musik20:

All, I feel I must apologize for beginning this thread. It's not fair to remind you of how dangerous our sport is. Maybe this is something I should have kept internally (i.e., in my head, or within my family). Know this, though: it was not my intent to discourage anyone from riding, though it may have appeared that way at times. I just like to discuss things.

Thanks for the thoughful post. I've answered your questions and made comments in red above.

If a family member required that I care for them I could choose not to do it. I certainly would take care of them, but I would know that helping out was my choice and I could not blame them for that or hold it against them. I don't know, maybe you're right, and I'm sure this is an easy thing to say in a hypothetical situation and harder in real life. I just think it's an important distinction to make because I never want anyone to do something nice for me solely because they are compelled to do so. I do see your point, though. By compelled, I mean that you probably wouldn't leave your significant other/child/parent alone to fend for themselves. You'd care for them out of the goodness of your heart, but wouldn't it suck to have to as a result of a preventable situation (such as riding for recreational purposes), versus enjoying that person's company when they're in good health?

Question: What do you mean "family doesn't get a choice?" You're saying you don't care that you'd basically be ruining your wife's life if she's relegated to being your nurse for the rest of your life should something bad happen while riding? I bet you she cares. When you get into the mind of a RIDER, this is the way they think you want my opinion, get a bullet and write your name on it , incase you become a burden every time you go ride , say today is your day to die I guarantee, you'll be safe as Gold in Fort Knox I consider myself a rider, but I still care about how my choices affect others. Trust me, I LOVE to ride and didn't think I'd ever quit, but sometimes a reevaluation is in order. Even with all this discussion, I'm still trying to justify riding. What we have is an illness, an addiction. No matter what could happen, we're willing to ride and worry about the consequences later, or not at all. About the bullet: if I could ensure that my dad or GF (though I doubt she'd be willing to go through with it) wouldn't be prosecuted for pulling the plug, I'd be cool with riding. I'm a firm believer in the "pull the plug" ideology. I don't want to be around if I can't enjoy life, so being kept alive by a ventilator isn't for me. Hard to shoot yourself when you can't pull the trigger.

Question: What do you mean "family doesn't get a choice?" You're saying you don't care that you'd basically be ruining your wife's life if she's relegated to being your nurse for the rest of your life should something bad happen while riding? I bet you she cares.

I don't think I'd be happier by not riding, but I'd be happier not being a vegetable or paralyzed. I think riding ceases to be a personal choice when it affects others. What I mean by this is, one makes the personal decision to continue riding though it's dangerous, and his/her loved ones are left with the baggage if something happens. Seems selfish to me. It's personal, as in, no matter what you decide - I'm going to continue to ride. Nothing you do or say is going to change my mind about how I live my life. And, having said that, I would expect that you act the same(meaning make your own decision as you see fit). I have multiple insurance policies to cover my finances in case the worst happens. Life is great because we choose what we want it to be. Seb, I'm inferring from your post that I've offended you, which was not my intent. All I'm trying to say is that unless we don't have parents, significant others, or kids, or even friends, it's selfish for us (including me) to ride due to the high potential for injury/death. Can you deny that if you die, become paralyzed, or become mentally incapacitated it won't significantly affect those around you in a profoundly negative way? If you think about it you'll probably come to the conclusion that it will. I'm sorry for discussing something that most of us would rather not talk about, but I value the opinions of those on this board, and am always in search of the truth, even if it sucks. I'm not necessarily going to continue or stop riding based on these opinions, but it's good to read them. Furthermore, I'm not stating that anyone should stop riding. These are my thoughts about my riding and the impact on my family. To those who say that it's the familie's/GF's/kid's decision whether or they want to take care of you if you become incapacitated mentally/physically, I say, would you not feel compelled to take care of your wife/husband/kid/dad/mom/sister/brother if something like this happened to them? Based on my experience with the fine members on this site, I'd say most of you would. I'm just finding it hard to continue riding without regard for what it can do to the lives of those around me. When I start thinking about it, I can't put it aside and say "what happens, happens" or "I'd rather die living, than live dying" because I imagine leaving those around me with an endless worry. The people around me are of such good character, so loving and loyal, that they wouldn't be able to walk away, though that's what I'd like. I didn't know what to expect when beginning this thread, but I'm glad that everyone's been cool and supportive. I was hoping to not get flamed, but expecting a little bit, and the VFRD community has one again demonstrated how great it is. Thanks.

I appreciate all the thoughtful posts and words of encouragement, but nobody has addressed the real topic at hand: how you feel about drastically changing the lives of those around you, if Zeus forbid, something bad happens. When I ride, I'm not thinking about bad things happening. I'm actually enjoying the ride. As others have mentioned, it's a kind of meditative state - while thoroughly aware of my surrounding, I'm simultaneously thinking about life. It's wonderful. However, no matter how wonderful riding is, an no matter how much it completes my life, there is a very ugly reality: that something really bad can happen in a split second. It's already happened to so many of us, but we continue to ride because we love it and because we can. Some of us have nerve damage as a result of wrecks. Some of us can't walk as well as we used to. Some of us have aches and pains that make life a little more difficult, but we continue to ride because we love it. Few people, other than riders, understand how/why we'd continue riding if we've already crashed, it's kind of anti-Darwinian (self preservation). But that's not what this thread is about. It's about how riding affects the lives of those who love us, and whether it's fair to them. I don't think responses like "it's a personal decision" answer this. If I could ride the rest of my life and only risk breaking bones or death, and not becoming a paraplegic, I'd have no problem riding (even though dying from a wreck would devastate my loved ones, which is selfish too, not to mention that breaking bones could affect my ability to perform my job, which could affect my career, which is also selfish). Furthermore, paralysis and severe brain trauma as a result of a crash are not that rare. It's a very realy possiblity and that's why I'm discussing it.

I've been thinking about this for a long time and I've come to the conclusion that the only way one can continue to ride is to think something bad is not going to happen to him/her, especially with all the evidence of how dangerous our sport is. But this is a false sense of security. There have already been comments about slowing way down to mitigate for the risk, but sometimes, no matter how slow you go, something bad can happen. Pretending that nothing bad is going to happen, or making comparisons about the dangers of relatively benign activities that can (very seldom) go wrong, such as bathing or walking the dog, will not protect us, and when/if something bad happens, are we okay with it changing the lives of those around us? I've come to the conclusion that I'm not okay with that. My girlfriend (of 6 years I may add - she'd already be my wife if we believe in that traditional stuff) has been very supportive about my riding, even though I know she always worries about me. I just don't think it's fair for her to be saddled with me if something bad were to happen. She says she'd take care of me if something were to happen, and I sincerely believe her, but isn't it effed up that I would put her through that, or that any of us would put the ones we love through that? Bad thing about me not riding is I don't get to do something I love. Good thing is that a lot of farkles will soon be for sale.

I agree with what you write, but one thing that's not being addressed is how you'd feel about getting into a wreck serious enough to paralyze/cause severe brain trauma and change the lives of those around you. Imagine your life now. Now, imagine your life if you could not work anymore, if your wife/parents had to take care of your most basic things, if you couldn't even wipe your own ass or feed yourself. That's what worries me, not dying. If I die, I'm dead, and although it's possible I'll be missed, I wouldn't be a burden. Furthermore, it's one thing to be a burden because of an unforeseen accident like slipping in your tub and hitting your head, but to knowingly risk becoming a burden because you like to ride a motorcycle and "you've only got one life to live," sounds selfish. Is it not? And I'm guilty of this too, BTW.

Don't know about that. Plus, what about spinal cord injuries and paralysis? I fractured my t9 vertebra in a wreck almost 2 years ago. Others in similar situations haven't been as lucky as me and are confined to wheel chairs.

I don't think I'd be happier by not riding, but I'd be happier not being a vegetable or paralyzed. I think riding ceases to be a personal choice when it affects others. What I mean by this is, one makes the personal decision to continue riding though it's dangerous, and his/her loved ones are left with the baggage if something happens. Seems selfish to me.

For a while I've been debating if I should continue riding. I love it to no end, but I've had some spills and am very aware of my mortality. I used to be one to test my limits and go very fast on the twisties. I was careful, but careless at the same time. Now, I've slowed down and am very cautious. I'm mindful of my surroundings at all times and ride at my pace. However, no matter how careful I am, I can't deny the fact that the risk of injury/death is still there. We can't control what others do in their cars and we can't always avoid the obstacles on the road. My fear is not death or breaking an arm or leg. My fear is paralysis or brain damage and being a burden on my girlfriend or parents for the rest of my life and much of theirs. I feel like it's selfish for me to continue because it's not just my future I could potentially ruin, but that of others. A buddy of mine, who's a nurse, just started riding. He's recently had two motorcycle accident victims in his wing. One guy's sleeping bag unraveled from the back of his bike and got caught in the chain and sent him flying. As a result, he has severe brain trauma and he's pretty much a vegetable now and will be cared for by his parents for the rest of his life. My buddy cared for this guy and still wants to ride. Does he think there's no chance that'll happen to him? There are a ton of other examples - everyone knows someone who knows someone, or at least have heard of someone, who's had a bad wreck and been severely affected by it. I'm not writing this to convince others to not ride, but to find out how we can continue riding knowing that we can severely negatively affect the lives of those who surround us, not just our own. What do you guys think?

I am a fan of the stock grips. They last forever. Not as squishy as some others, but I lik'em.

Good luck, dude!

I say keep it as is. That color is rare and is damn sexy. If you're looking for a change, find some rashed up body work and a spare tank, fix them up (which isn't too difficult-or have the guy do it for you), and have those painted. The plus side is you can sell them if you want to go back to flat black.

I'm getting ready to put the stock can back on now. The donut went on, and is nearly flush with the end of the metal pipe. It won't twist down anymore, and I don't want to deform the donut for the sake of the 1/16" of the edge of donut that's above the edge of the pipe. I'm sure it will settle in, and I can re-check the exhaust clamp torque after the bike warms up. The can won't easily fit over the gasket. You'll find that you'll have to push it over the gasket, which will scrape some material off and damage it a little, at least that's what happened to me.

Once the gasket is installed on the pipe coming from the headers, how do you get the stock can/midpipe combo back on without squishing and damaging the gasket? Are the gaskets ever reuseable, or are they always so damaged from installation/removal that one must replace them?