A few observations I have made in the past year of riding. Please feel free to add to the list! I would love to hear comments and additions from others!

1. There is no such thing as smooth pavement.

2. Being in a car really cuts off the odors of the outside world.

3. A corollary to #2 above: People smoke A LOT OF WEED in Gainesville. OK, honestly, I DID know this already. But I DIDN'T realize how many people smoke it in broad daylight in their cars on their way to/from school, work, etc. I almost get a contact high sitting in traffic by the university.

Here's my reaction when I smell it on the cycle: :o --> :shock: ---> :roll: ---> 8)

Translation: "What's that smell?" ---> "OH, that's what that is!" ---> "Geez, can't people wait five minutes to get to their dorm?" ---> "Whoa man, that's powerful stuff, must be hydroponic or something!"

OK, enough about weed. Anyone else want to contribute?

vonD

...my wife really was not going to divorce me if I got one.

I never knew a locust could hurt so bad. Especially at 50mph to the collar bone!

There really is such a thing as a cloak of invisibility - it's called a motorcycle.

How people must have felt about their horses back in the days. I swear (yes, I'm a dork sometimes) I pet my bike like it's a horse. Did I mention I love horses?

I never knew a locust could hurt so bad. Especially at 50mph to the collar bone!

Consider the collarbone lucky... I caught one to the throat...

All those little bugs that usually end up on your windshield really suck when they're stuck in your mesh jacket...

I never knew that something could be equally effective as both a stimulant and a tranquilizer, that a tank full of fuel may actually contain one of the most effective mood-enhancing chemicals know to man- gasoline. When taken with 2 wheels, the result is intoxication, with the side-effect of permanent addiction. :D

I also never knew that a bumblebee, desperate to exceed its own maximum self-propelled velocity, would consider hitching a ride in my shirt pocket. Nor would I have guessed that he would remain there in sublime glory, unbeeknownst to me, until I arrived home, only to fall out onto my bathroom sink unscathed, and staring at me as if to say, "Thanks for the ride!" :shock: I wondered what that thwapp in the chest was I felt about 3 miles back! :thinking

I never knew a locust could hurt so bad. Especially at 50mph to the collar bone!

Consider the collarbone lucky... I caught one to the throat...

All those little bugs that usually end up on your windshield really suck when they're stuck in your mesh jacket...

I caught a grackle on my right pec at about 55.
1st thought was "If I'da caught that in the face with no helmet I think it woulda cleaned me right off the bike."

Yeah I hear ya on the weed thing...amazing. I'm always looking around and usually shocked when I see who it is... Mr. Best Buy manager... Mrs. Postal Worker! Hahaha! Some tough lives out there.

Oh, more than smells the thing that gets me is temperature variations. You can feel when you hit a pocket of cool air, really... ahh... well... cool. :lol:

I never knew a locust could hurt so bad. Especially at 50mph to the collar bone!

Junebugs dude.... that was the final straw to buy a decent jacket.

I never noticed that bikers all wave to each other until I took a long roadtrip. Even harley riders give the low five wave to me.

That temperature variation thing is real apparent on I-43 by lake michigan.

I love the smells of riding. I love being able to SEE all around me. I love feeling the wind and heat and cold. The sensual charge of riding is immense, and I love all of it!

Oh, and the vibrations at certain RPMs are pretty sensual too . . . . :lol:

I never knew that folks (mostly kids) would look at me like I was the coolest dude in the world.

Oh gosh yes. and when you are a woman rider, the looks on the faces of the little girls in cars is just GREAT! You can tell that every one of those little spitfires is going to be a rider someday, because you waved at her! :D

I think it's funny when I ride my bike to a store and the cashier gives me her number without provocation. :banana

....I never realized that how you tie your shoelace can be important. A few years ago, (20 years actually :shock: ) on my Interceptor 500, I came to a stop in my yard. As the bike leaned , I went to put my foot down, and my shoelace loop caught on the foot peg. I could't remove it, and the 400+ pound machine fell to the ground with my leg under it. :oops: Luckily, it was in the grass. Apparently motorcycles are even dangerous when not moving at all! Now I tie tight little loops that can't catch on the pegs. Live and learn.

You can also just tuck them into your shoe. I used to, but I don't really any more... guess I should...

guess I should...
You should get proper boots to protect your ankles, that's what you should do :wink: (Don't mind me, I'm getting all paternal in my old age.)

The shoelace comment is certainly a good one.

I never realized how impossible it is to go the speed limit when on a motorcycle. :D

I never realized how impossible it is to go the speed limit when on a motorcycle. :D

:twisted: +1

The difference between 55 and 75 is a surprisingly small twist of the right hand.
Speaking of speed limits, an officer spotted me doing 72 in a 55 along route 311. I told the truth, that I wasn't looking down at the gauge... and he said "well ok, keep it down and I won't give you any trouble, and watch for deer." And he sent me on my way.
Also, his hands were visibly shaking the whole time. Maybe he has a medical thing, or maybe he was concerned that I was going to pull out a bazooka on him. He actually politely requested that I not pull out a bazooka.

Speaking of large doses of acceleration, I've got a habit of downshifting and gunning it when passing (much more than is necessary) on a two-lane and I'll often end up doing over 100 before I realize it... 3rd gear can take you pretty far when you're used to 200 hp cars and trucks... it's scary to think there are 1000s and 13-1400s out there that can eat my bike alive...

...that i don't need no stinkin' helmet... i just use Chuck Norris' beard
and that i can ride my 599 in nutcruncher jeans and cowboy boots and
still deliver roundhouse crotch kicks to harley guys :twisted:

I think yeroC has been is close contact with canabis :wink:

Yes, I have patted my bike on returning home safely in thanks for a fun time and a safe ride. No whinnies so far.

I had to find out what a grackle was. This looks like it would hurt. Did the bird survive?
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3728/mpr080502100043sfl7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Best discovery, How little I knew about steering and how much fun it is when you do it right. I love the feeling of accelerating out of a turn at just the right moment. Ahhh.

I've got a habit of downshifting and gunning it ... I'll often end up doing over 100 before I realize it...

Tell me about it, I catch myself speeding a little too much, it's either check the speedo or get crushed by a soccer mom in an H2

I had to find out what a grackle was. This looks like it would hurt. Did the bird survive?
http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/3728/mpr080502100043sfl7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Best discovery, How little I knew about steering and how much fun it is when you do it right. I love the feeling of accelerating out of a turn at just the right moment. Ahhh.

Yes. it Did.
No. It did not.

+1. Never understood high speed steering either. I was a "leaner" (steer by shifting balance.)

I never realized how impossible it is to go the speed limit when on a motorcycle. :D

I hardly ever double the speed limit ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, in 1st gear.

Wow, I didn't know what a grackle was either. That does seem like it would hurt quite a bit.

Yes, I rarely double the speed limit in first gear as well..... unless of course I'm riding around and there is one of those speed signs that you have to see how high you can get the number :twisted:

...didn't know what a grackle was...
Sound like some long lost unit of measure to me... :cry:

Like
"Hay how much haggis do you want?"
"Oh, I'll take a grackle and a half."

Worst thing I can remember taking a hit from is a 12" piece of board from a pallet that the tire of a car in front of me kicked up. Right to the helmet. That could have really hurt. I don't tailgate too much anymore :lol:

... unless of course I'm riding around and there is one of those speed signs that you have to see how high you can get the number :twisted:

Ohhh, that's what those things are for... I've been totally losing at this game...

I never knew what a swan-dive into the pavement felt like (year - 1998) Or that I would ever be doing a cartwheel across a highway at night off of my head (year - 1996).

I never knew that people could "suffer" from moto-withdrawl. I feel like a f-:yell crackhead in rehab and it's only been two weeks since I've ridden!!!!

I never knew that people could "suffer" from moto-withdrawl.
You know...there are options...

NAMBLA...National Association of Man-Bike Love of America.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/tescosuicide/ALa2/ALa3/CaptionIt_Motorcycle.jpg

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

At Motorcycle Addiction Group

Hi, I'm Chris,

Group: Hi Chris

It's been two months since my last ride, and I'm starting to get the shakes. I have the urge to run to my dealer and pick up a 250 just to get a fix.

Thanks for sharing Chris.

Now that we have done introductions, has anyone here earned a "chip"?

:lol:

Serious.

Till I purchased a bike to ride for real on the street, all legal and stuff, I never knew how stupid expensive it really was (is).

I never knew that people could "suffer" from moto-withdrawl. I feel like a f-:yell crackhead in rehab and it's only been two weeks since I've ridden!!!!
What's stopping you? You're in LA!

I never knew that people could "suffer" from moto-withdrawl. I feel like a f-:yell crackhead in rehab and it's only been two weeks since I've ridden!!!!
What's stopping you? You're in LA!
Work and rain, but mostly extra long hours and weekends at work lately.

I never knew that people could "suffer" from moto-withdrawl.
You know...there are options...

NAMBLA...National Association of Man-Bike Love of America.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/tescosuicide/ALa2/ALa3/CaptionIt_Motorcycle.jpg

That's just wrong. Everyone knows bikes do better laying on their left sides. :lol:

Anyway, I learned why roller coasters are irrelevant. 8)