Triumphrat

TOMKRILL

Okay, after 2053.5 miles of which 1/2 were with 6 other bikers, two Triumphs (Bonnie America and SM), a H-D 1200 Sportster, a Honda Gold-wing and 3 BMW's of over 1000cc's, I have concluded that all the accessories with the exception of a windshield, bags, a good seat and good riding clothing the rest of the stuff is not only not necessary but dangerous. If you want to chit chat with your buddies, or your passenger, use a GPS system mounted on the tank, have cruise control and adjustable suspension settings, heated grips and seats, an AM-FM radio and CD player, an I Pod, a blue tooth wireless cell phone connection so you can receive calls while going around a tight corner in the north woods of Wisconsin and Michigan, or foot pegs mounted up on the front on your roll bar- BUY A NEW MERCEDES BENZ, not a motorcycle!! Give me 795cc's, 5 speeds, good brakes, a chain and a safe helmet and riding clothes and if I need to, I can stop, take out a map and a compass and figure out where I am going. Also, I can stop and take off my helmet, take out my cell phone and make a call. :-D

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"The most happy marriage I can picture or imagine to myself would be the union of a deaf man to a knock out blind woman who digs motorcycles."

Silverado57

:gpst:

Tom, I agree 1,000%!
I've put over 12,000 miles on my Speedmaster without ever knowing what time it is, what the temperature is, or listening to anything but the growl of the Speedmaster.
And I refuse to put any more do-dads on my bike.

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Kevin
Luceo Non Uro
NJ USA

badrufus

For the last five weeks, I have managed to arrange my schedule so that I could go up to the Blue Ridge Parkway one weekday, usually a Wednesday. It's been wonderful, kind of like entering another world. This time of year, during the week you can go for miles without seeing anyone else, and when you do, it's likely to be another motorcyclist or several. The mountain laurel, flame azalea, and rhododendron are out, and the views are spectacular. Yesterday I went up to Mt Mitchell, 6600', highest point east of the Rockies, stopped at the restaurant and treated myself so some of the finest grilled brook trout ever. Over these past weeks, my focus has been on GETTING AWAY FROM EVERYTHING. I keep my cell in my tail bag, turned off, for emergency use and to call my husband around 7 pm and let him know where I am and when I'll probably be home. Until yesterday, I didn't wear a watch, and I only changed that policy because I kept dawdling and ending up on the Parkway when the deer are more likely to come out. Every time I have been up there I have had great conversations with riders from all over the country, most of whom were taking a week or more to do the Parkway and areas north and south of it. Great conversations--but often interrupted by cell phones. What could be so urgent as to require answering the phone in the middle of nowhere. If you have an ongoing family crisis, presumably if it's bad enough, you postpone the trip. If you can go on the trip, you can turn the stupid phone off and really get away. I don't really get it. If family can't understand that this is a seldom-taken opportunity to get away and ride in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, and thus respect the fact that you don't need to be disturbed and will call when you've stopped for the night, arggghhh! Frankly I wonder if it isn't the riders themselves who can't cut the umbilical cord that the phone represents. When I'm riding up there, I'm focused on the road (okay, I did take a good gander at the black bear off the side of the road) and I don't need any distractions from my riding, including music, phones, conversation, or electrical doo-dads. I can understand your frustration with all that stuff. Look at it this way, do you really need anything but a good bike and gear if you're here:

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2005 T100

TOMKRILL

Hey badrufas,
Nice looking motorcycle!!

Where does the rufas come from? Rufas Parnelli Jones??

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"The most happy marriage I can picture or imagine to myself would be the union of a deaf man to a knock out blind woman who digs motorcycles."

badrufus

rufus was my granddaddy. And he was BAD!

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2005 T100

Baltobonneville

Agreed!

I admit to adding a clock to my Bonnie, and I carry a telephone in my pocket, but no music, no GPS, no cupholders, no intercom, no extraneous chrome bits, no tassles on the handlebar, no bags, nothing else.

A compass might be useful, but I'll have to think about that.

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Marty
2005 Bonneville Blue 790cc, AI removed, Staintunes RC, Unifilter, no snorkel, 120/40/Thrux needle/1 shim/3 turns, fly screen, tacho, D9 gauge panel, center stand, Ikon 7610s, Hagon fork springs, gaiters, Pirelli Sport Demons, 3 seats.

badrufus

The compass idea is one I've thought about, but I have two concerns. (1) if I'm riding in a remote enough area to require a compass, chances are I'm better off minimizing how often I take my eyes off the road. There are times when I'm out in the boonies and I don't even let myself look at the tach or speedo. That's part of the reason I don't like tank bags with map cases. I figure if I have to do anything other than control the bike, stop and get off. (2) it seems hard to find one that is reasonably small AND protected from all the metal on the bike.

It has been tempting though. I don't have a problem with North and South, but I'm apparently one of those people with some difficulty with Left and Right, which translates into problems with East and West. I've actually thought about getting a small "L" tattooed on my left hand, but that wouldn't help much with the bike--gloves, you know.

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2005 T100

davidc

The watch [time] concept: if I need to be at a place at a certain time, I organize accordingly and leave the same way. THAT is when to use a watch. After you've missed that opportunity, a time piece only reminds you how late you are; I'd rather not know.

Bike gizmo's? Nah!

richb

Well put. And what a nice growl it is, too!!.. :-D

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Believe those who search for truth. Doubt those who claim to have found it -André Gide (1869-1951) Nobel Laureate 1947

wenzel850

Tomkrill,

If the factory didn't put it on the bike, I don't need it. With the exception of a windshield and bags.

I don't own a cell phone, nor do i care to. I've survived all these years without 1, I'll make it longer.

Anything else I'd probably be to engrossed in and get myself wrapped up in a guard rail or around a telephone pole.

My motto is KISS

Keep It Simple Stupid

Badrufus,

That sure is a pretty bike, I happen to be partial to B/W T100's.




[ This message was edited by: wenzel850 on 2007-06-26 14:58 ]

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Quentin

"01-20-2009 I can't wait"