Total Motorcycle Community Forums

use left foot to steady yourself, and the right foot to apply brake. give it a little gas and slowly release the clutch. As you release the clutch, release the rear brake as you get into the friction zone. It takes practice though and can be tricky to pull off. Find a hill somewhere and practice ...

I like Hunter S. Thompson, but I think he was off a little on this one. I get the feeling he was directing his comments at "harley riders". And in this day and age, most harley riders aren't trying to look like "outlaws". Sure, we're trying to look cool, and there is certainly a feeling like you ...

40 and feeling pretty good about it!

Wally

I keep being warned I'll make the mistake of waving at a Harley someday and get the bird instead of a wave but..eh..

..whatever. :kicking:

i ride a harley, and i'll wave at anyone on a motorcycle, no matter where it's made. I know a lot of people that ride harley's, and i don't know a single ...

no, you won't look like an idiot on a cruiser. You will look as cool, or cooler, IMO. And age doesn't have anything to do with it. Whatever feels comfortable.

Sportsters look cooler!

What year sportster? The sportster motors are unbalanced. I think in '04 they finally started mounting the motor with rubber mounts. Older sportsters supposedly will shake the hell out of you.

Wally

This has been a good thread. At least it gets us thinking about how bikes are perceived, and how our riding style can effect our safety.

For me the bottom line is driving as defensively as possible, and never getting complacent. I just like to just cruise, enjoy the ride, and never get in a hurry ...

I bought a Wolf brand cover for $20 at Walmart, but i don't see it for sale on walmart.com. But I did find it on ebay for $25. The quality of the cover is very good.

I'm pretty sure he was referring to a stopped, or nearly stopped situation...maybe even on a hill, or high crowned road. I don't think he meant stabbing your foot in a turn to stay up. I could be wrong, though.

Thank you. Right, i said at a stop sign. Or maybe a very slow roll. And again, I'm 6'2 ...

ok, I'm new here, and a somewhat new biker, but I'll chime in here. He's 6'2" 320 pounds and looking at cruisers. A 500 or 750 will seem way too small within an afternoon or two of practice. As someone 6'2" myself, long legs and more body weight give a big advantage in bike handling at slow speeds ...