[TheDarkHorse]

I got my start with motorcycles in the early 1970's when my Father used to put me on the back of a CB750 and go for rides down county roads in Georgia. I got my first motorbike at age 8... a 50cc Honda. Over the years, I have only owned a handfull of bikes as I have a "relationship" with my bikes and they are hard to part with. I've always performed all my own maintenance, a labor of love. I currently own a 2006 Shadow 750 and I have only put about 32,000 miles on it, so it is just starting to get broken-in.
I've owned a Harley Davidson and have had opportunities to own other brands but I have always come back to Honda. The fit and finish of a Honda is superior and the reliability is unmatched. My interest in the new CBR250R should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. I have been thinking about a second bike for some time and my checklist of "needs" includes: Fuel Injection, solid wheels (vs. spokes) and an engine/transmission package that would deliver superior gas mileage. Sound familiar?
I have yet to get my CBR. Times are tough. I have to move one thing to make room for another. But it is my bike of choice and it will be my next bike. I'm looking forward to the day that I can ride it home from the dealership, change the oil for the first time, and all the other firsts that come with a new bike. I recently told my wife that I feel more comfortable on a bike than anything else. And once I get my CBR, I won't even own a car. But I'm the first one to tell anyone... I'm not a biker. I'm a rider. When you understand the difference, then it won't matter what bike you ride, as long as you ride.

 

[madd-trapper]

Great post. Sounds similiar to me. Hope you get your CBR soon.

 

[debra stanley]

well put...there are those that tear up the road as fast as they can and then there are those that enjoy the experience and journey...Im the latter. Ride on...

 

[Michael]

I I'm not a biker. I'm a rider. When you understand the difference, then it won't matter what bike you ride, as long as you ride.

It is interesting how words take on different meanings in different places.

In NZ, where I come from, if we talk about "bikies" we are referring to members of motorcycle gangs, or wannabes. They used to all ride Triumph or Norton motorcycles, and wouldn't be seen dead on "Jap crap". Now they all ride Harley Davidson. Stateside you would call them bikers.

In England, when I bought a motorcycle I became a biker. I don't know if it has changed, but then anybody who rode a motorcycle of any size or brand was a biker. As far as I am aware there were no motorcycle based gangs; not then anyway (1990's). All sorts of people rode rode all sorts of motorcycles. I lived in a country pub that was host to a couple of biker rallies each summer, and the Ariel Club for its mid winter meeting (a long weekend, in tents).

Back in the sixties England did have the Mods and Rockers. The former rode scooters and dressed very smartly. The latter rode motorcycles, and went for leather jackets and jeans. They each had their own culture, and there were some violent clashes between them. By the 90's that was long gone, though the "scooter boys" with their ancient (mostly) Lambretas and Vespas still didn't join biker rallies; they had their own, and probably still do.

In 1953 the film The Wild One came out and the outlaw biker thing grew. Honda challenged that in the early 60's with its slogan "You meet the nicest people on a Honda"..... and went on to decimate the American and British bike industry.

Here in Thailand motorcycles are mainstream. They outsell cars nearly three to one. There is a small "big bike" sector, and biker gangs have a presence. However they are swamped by sub 125's, which outsell cars nearly three to one. Honda dominates with more than 65% market share. They produce and sell well over a million step-thru's and scooters a year in the local market alone.

There is no stereotype....!

 

[may2nd]

Darkhorse, i am a new rider and long time surfer what some would call a soul surfer due to the fact that i just love paddling out and catching waves big or small just feeling one with the ocean.. that is the same way i feel when getting out on two wheels. even though motorcycling is new to me it is a sensation that is rivaled by surfing..the two activities put all your skill and instinct to the test..and the freedom, and fun factor is explainable only to those who ride motorcycles or waves.

 

[debra stanley]

Hi Michael from Thaland: I've been to Thailand several times. Travelled north to south. It was mind boggling to see the amount of bikes on the road and of who rode them. In Chang Mai I saw a young girl riding her Dream bike with a yellow lab sitting on the back lol. Whole families with wicker high chairs balanced in front of the driver with a baby sitting it. Young girls applying make up on their way to school. Personally I wouldn't have the guts to ride there, rider or passenger...it's almost a blood sport. Yikes!!!

 

[may2nd]

Cool littlw nugget of international moto history Mike! Three to one ratio in Thailand! Thats wild! Maybe the good ol' US of A could take some notes instead of clogging all of our highways with gas guzzlers while people talk on cell phones and text while driving them! Im no saint though..proud owner of a ford f150..

 

[Michael]

Hi Michael from Thaland: I've been to Thailand several times. Travelled north to south. It was mind boggling to see the amount of bikes on the road and of who rode them. In Chang Mai I saw a young girl riding her Dream bike with a yellow lab sitting on the back lol. Whole families with wicker high chairs balanced in front of the driver with a baby sitting it. Young girls applying make up on their way to school. Personally I wouldn't have the guts to ride there, rider or passenger...it's almost a blood sport. Yikes!!!

Yes, riding on busy roads in Thailand is a bit different from the more orderly traffic in most western countries. Safety is a token issue at best, and accidents are frequent. In Phuket in particular, it is not for the faint hearted. That being said, there is a pattern. Once a rider knows what is going on it can be managed.

I have managed over 100,000 km here (in Phuket), and another 20,000 in other parts of Thailand without an accident, though will concede that on just about any trip there is likely to be a near miss.

There is some wonderful riding to be had away from the cities in Thailand, especially in the North. The Mae Hong Son route is one, with over 4,000 bends on mountain roads.

...... I 'll try starting a new thread with this one