More motorcycles than cars

Friday

Go outside and play
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It was awesome.
Took the supermoto out for 100 miles of backroad today, and snaked my way down to Chimney Rock/Lake Lure.
Motorcycles were everywhere, not just at the lake. (which is popular with the bikes)
At least 2 to 1 over the cars.
Outside of bike week type events, I don't know that I've seen that before.
 
I rode over to Baytown yesterday to meet up with my buddy. Every other vehicle on the road was a motorcycle, or a pick up pulling a boat, jet skis, 4 wheelers, or SXS. This was the first weekend that things were opened up in Texas. It was a beautiful day and folks were taking advantage of it.
 
It was a beautiful day out today!
It was awesome riding weather here too. High 70's, blue skys, puffy clouds. I shoulda been mowing the grass, but take them perfect bike days when you can! I made the right choice. :D The roads were clean and empty and it was a good day for Supermoto in the mountains.

Saw some car club guys too at the lake. About 5 guys on those Polaris 3 wheel slingshot things, probably 12 or 13 guys in those little Mazda roadsters, but what really turned my head were the the guys in the 3 Vipers. :cool: Sweet.
I only saw one other Supermoto guy. Mostly cruisers and a few sporty bikes.

Family and friends were together in little groups, but the groups all gave space between each other. Folks were good about the spacing, but no-one got freaky about it and no-one had a mask on. Bunch of people swimming in the river. Kids running around with an ice cream cone. Not a cop in sight. The world did not end.

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I did a 500 mile same day round trip last Sunday on the Road King. It was great to get out.
I always liked the Road King and it's old school bagger look.
My friend Tim in Daytona, mechanic, his boss put a supercharger on his Road King. Big ol belt driven blower thing hanging off the side of the motor. Absurd! I love it. It got him 100 hp and 100 lbs of torque out of that bike.
 
I had the opposite experience, but I just rode a short 2-hour loop that reached the edge of the foothills. I was surprised at the number of cars and pickups out and about, but didn't see as many bikes as I expected. I guess they all made it to the mountains.
 
Blue Ridge Parkway Rangers gave out Public Urination tickets this week so watch out.
How convenient. Something they themselves do twice a day.
Raw.
I guess they all made it to the mountains.
Might have. Lake Lure is a popular destination for the bikes. Lots of SC guys riding up.
 
I've had a lot of motorcycles in my life but not in the last five years. Mrs Aardvark gave me the no-reservations green-light to go ahead and get another a couple years ago but I haven't done it. Crap. :)
 
I've had a lot of motorcycles in my life but not in the last five years. Mrs Aardvark gave me the no-reservations green-light to go ahead and get another a couple years ago but I haven't done it. Crap. :)
What do you wanna get?
 
Took my old girl out for spin after new tire and some snazzy new parts. Beautiful day.
Wish there was twisties somewhere around here.

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I don't want to be held responsible, but there are plenty of curves on NC 42 between about Kidds Place Sporting Clays and Salem Presbyterian Church outside Broadway. I'm not sure how far that is from you. The back way down toward that area is also pretty curvy based on my memory.
 
How convenient. Something they themselves do twice a day.
Raw.

Might have. Lake Lure is a popular destination for the bikes. Lots of SC guys riding up.
They stop quite a few DWLR ,mostly VA side. Speeding is the other thing.

I saw more 35 mph signs going up too, sadly :mad::(. 45 mph is the right speed for the majority of areas.
 
Took the supermoto out for 100 miles of backroad today, and snaked my way down to Chimney Rock/Lake Lure.


I went 64 to Bat Cave, then up NC9 towards Black Mountain yesterday afternoon...I pulled over at least 6 times to let bikes go by. Was crazy.
 
I don't want to be held responsible, but there are plenty of curves on NC 42 between about Kidds Place Sporting Clays and Salem Presbyterian Church outside Broadway. I'm not sure how far that is from you. The back way down toward that area is also pretty curvy based on my memory.

Those look curvyish. But looks like a really nice ride.
I really appreciate the suggestion. Been wanting to go cruise around the Lake anyway and thats not far at all. Thanks.

Probably have to go to mountains for a few days to hit the real twisty technical ones.
 
I hope The Meltdown happens. I know it had to be postponed. I've been wanting to ride the old 'Zook, "Hooptie" up there, but always seem to have a conflict. This year, it would have been the carbs being gunked up again.

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I went 64 to Bat Cave, then up NC9 towards Black Mountain yesterday afternoon...I pulled over at least 6 times to let bikes go by. Was crazy.
Thanks Tim. I always appreciate when folks do that and be sure to give em a big wave.
 
Those look curvyish. But looks like a really nice ride.
I really appreciate the suggestion. Been wanting to go cruise around the Lake anyway and thats not far at all. Thanks.

Probably have to go to mountains for a few days to hit the real twisty technical ones.
Old liberty road is pretty good. Runs from liberty to asheboro. There are a couple of one lane bridges to watch out for and some times gravel near the shoulder but it’s a good ride.
 
Old liberty road is pretty good. Runs from liberty to asheboro. There are a couple of one lane bridges to watch out for and some times gravel near the shoulder but it’s a good ride.

+1 Old Liberty Road is awesome. Some nice side roads out that way as well. One of my go-to routes.
 
Thanks Tim. I always appreciate when folks do that and be sure to give em a big wave.
I wish I could kiss you.

I always do as soon as it’s safe.

What pissed me off though is the 3 young asshats no more than 3 ft from my tailgate waving me over when I had no place to go. They ended up passing me across a double yellow just as you get into Bat Cave coming from H’ville. Not exactly many spots to duck over in that stretch.
 
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If faster bikes come up behind me, I slow, move to the white line and wave them by. I hate it when I catch slower bikes that won't move over. The worst are the ones that are all over their brakes in a curve and then try to hammer it on the straight to keep you from passing. That usually doesn't work because most cruiser style bikes aren't very fast on the straights anyway.
On the BRP, I give them 2 turnouts to let me by. After that, I'm going around double yellow or not. That goes for both cars and bikes.
 
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I always do as soon as it’s safe.

What pissed me off though is the 3 young asshats no more than 3 ft from my tailgate waving me over when I had no place to go. They ended up passing me across a double yellow just as you get into Bat Cave coming from H’ville. Not exactly many spots to duck over in that stretch.

I wish I could punch them.
 
I always liked the Road King and it's old school bagger look.
My friend Tim in Daytona, mechanic, his boss put a supercharger on his Road King. Big ol belt driven blower thing hanging off the side of the motor. Absurd! I love it. It got him 100 hp and 100 lbs of torque out of that bike.

:sigh:
Ok, understand that ive been on Harley's since I was 16. In my yearbook is a pic of me on a 76 Shovelhead. I turned 18 and the next day road an EG to California. Sturgis twice. Quick trip to Shreveport LA etc etc etc

I also raced with the AHDRA (all Harley Drags) for 8 years.

Ok, Im NOT biased against HDs, still own three Buells, one has a 1200 evo engine in it (the S3).

But gosh dang, a blower on that big twin and it STILL only made 100hp???????? And something tells me that if one is going to drop a few grand on a blower that they likely did other stuff too. Plus, it likely has a tun on it.
My little 1200 with cams and exhaust put down that much
 
Or you could just get a 400 lb 600cc crotch rocket straight off the showroom floor with way more than 100HP for much less money!
Or, if you really want some power get a 1000cc with right at 200HP stock and only a little over 400lbs.
 
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I think of the Harley sportster
Even now, decades after my S3 was built by Buell, Harley NOW is hitting the same hp on their 'sporty' sportsters which have the same engine.
THEY OWNED THE PARTS FOR DECADES and they didnt put them on the HDs.
Buell had better heads (especially the thunderstorm heads) and HD just wouldnt put them on.
 
Big HP numbers are not the point to Harleys.
But some can certainly be built to go fast enough.

Truth is, only a very small percentage of riders could really approach the limits on a Sportster, much less a modern Literbike that does 100mph in first gear. Most people buy bikes for the image, not the performance. Sportbikes and HD's.
The old saying "most people don't like riding motorcycles, they like to be SEEN riding motorcycles".
 
Big HP numbers are not the point to Harleys.
But some can certainly be built to go fast enough.

Truth is, only a very small percentage of riders could really approach the limits on a Sportster, much less a modern Literbike that does 100mph in first gear. Most people buy bikes for the image, not the performance. Sportbikes and HD's.
The old saying "most people don't like riding motorcycles, they like to be SEEN riding motorcycles".
I understand, but it's still silly that you put thousands and thousands into a huge displacement engine and it's just hitting triple digits in hp and tq
 
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Plus, 100HP on a 800lb+ bike ain't much.
 
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I think of the Harley sportster
Even now, decades after my S3 was built by Buell, Harley NOW is hitting the same hp on their 'sporty' sportsters which have the same engine.
THEY OWNED THE PARTS FOR DECADES and they didnt put them on the HDs.
Buell had better heads (especially the thunderstorm heads) and HD just wouldnt put them on.


From https://www.hammerperf.com/ttxlheads.shtml


"For 2004, the Sportster got a new rubber mounted motor. Along with that change, the factory adopted a black with highlighted fins version of the Buell XB heads (introduced on 2003 Buell XB models) onto all 1200 Sportsters. In later years an all-black version was also offered. All of the heads also got new 7mm valve stems and a beehive spring pack just like the XB heads. The new seal assembly affords more retainer to guide seal clearance and can safely accommodate up to .550 lift cams, as compared to .500 in the earlier heads."

.
 
I actually got a lot of flak for this video from some derps. I switched to a 45 tooth rear sprocket from the stock 50. The TW200 is a fat tire lumbering little beast more for rock climbing than commuting. Some people on my tw200 forum said I was acting like those crotch rocket show offs. I just hate when people get in my way... it's a mini bike fro goodness
sake. There's a near miss at the end.
 
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Damn man you are brave to ride on I77 at 60mph! You're gonna get run over from behind!
 
When he did that with the blower, me & Tim just kind of looked at each other with a 'um..yeah'.
Tim had his 1100 Suzi and I had my FZR1000 which dyno'd 160 at the wheel.
But we still thought it was cool. And admittedly the bike was a beautiful black and chrome, and the blower was a beauty too.. polished billet and everything.
He did get all the looks at bike week..oooh..aaah...how many blown Harleys do you see? So I think it accomplished what he wanted.

Besides! horsepower is overrated. I'm using a 40hp dirt bike to leave R1's sittin' in the twisties. :p
 
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I actually got a lot of flak for this video from some derps. I switched to a 45 tooth rear sprocket from the stock 50. The TW200 is a fat tire lumbering little beast more for rock climbing than commuting. Some people on my tw200 forum said I was acting like those crotch rocket show offs.
lol. First thing he does is drive under the DO NOT ENTER sign.
And to be a proper crotch rocket show off you have to keep the front tire in the air at least 60% of the time. You didn't even do one little wheelie. Slacker!
 
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