"Scooter Talk"

[slowGEEZR]

Since we're sharing, here's a pic of one of my favourite bikes, my '98 BMW K12RS. This pic was taken in VA.

Ah heck, while I'm at it, I might as well include an action shot. This one was taken on route 33 in western Va or in eastern WVA (not sure which side of the border I was on at that precise moment). It was only about 36 degrees F when this pic was taken and I was wearing about 4 layers of clothing! That was the ride that finally pushed me into buying a heated jacket liner!

 

[Beakman]

Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.

 

[MDSPHOTO]

Suzuki School

Since we are going "Hog Wild" on pictures, here's one of me taken at the Kevin Schwantz Racing School at Road Atlanta.

 

[slowGEEZR]

Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.

Beauty. I really liked Laverdas, but never had the opportunity to ride one.

 

[Beakman]

Beauty. I really liked Laverdas, but never had the opportunity to ride one.

Ever have a good looking woman beat the crap out of you?

 

[twich54]

Ever have a good looking woman beat the crap out of you?

No.......but where do I sign up ! LOL !!

 

[MotorToad]

Ok, Here's my former love, before the Blackbird:
"Bub" Jota cans, "Witt" ignition, "executive" handlebars, 42 tooth rear sprocket, I forget who aftermarket rear springs & shocks, tweaked fork dampening and those loud Italian aftermarket horns Not shown: Slater Bros. full floating front disks.
Sorry, no 4C jota cam but the Ducatisti still didn't know what hit them.

Wow. Love that Laverda. A couple of Questions, did they use 120º cranks and were they counterbalanced like the new Triumphs? I'm thinking it might not have been by your comment about getting beat up.

Action shot: this is me on Cherohala Skyway.

 

[Beakman]

Wow. Love that Laverda. A couple of Questions, did they use 120º cranks and were they counterbalanced like the new Triumphs? I'm thinking it might not have been by your comment about getting beat up.

Mr Toad,
The RGS series (~1982-1986) had a 120 crank, but I can't recall how well the counterbalancing was configured. It would sound almost like a Jaguar V-12. The bottom end was developed from a Fiat 3 banger car engine and overall, bulletproof. Mine was a bit beasty overall from stiffer rear springs and shocks, higher viscosity fork oil and brace and a little trick with the venting, and racing grade clutch springs. Some relief came from mounting the higher handlebars in place of the Marquis de Sade original units, designed from some cafe racer's crack-addled pipe dream. When this near 600 pound freight train was underway at speed or being flogged it was very compliant, but god pity you if you had to go downtown.
All this was nothing compared to the first Laverda I rode, my brother's 3C, which my daily transportation for about a year. Take most of the above but with a 180 degree crank, cable clutch instead of hydraulic, right side shift and no fairing. Add on the bonus of the Hieronymus Bosch ignition that let you push the bike home once in a while. But that engine, ripping through the near open jota pipes, sounded absolutely magnificent.

PS: The other comment, yes , that is a direct analogy for riding a Laverda. I left out the part about throwing expensive baubles at her on a regular basis for the privilege

 

[MotorToad]

REading around the interwebnettubes I found this about Laverda's V6 race bike.

 

[slowGEEZR]

Ever have a good looking woman beat the crap out of you?

Ha ha, no, not yet, but I did own and ride a '70 BSA twin and I know what it's like to be numb from the waist to the knees. (Not really that bad, but you did lose all feeling in a certain "nether" region.

 

[twich54]

Ha ha, no, not yet, but I did own and ride a '70 BSA twin and I know what it's like to be numb from the waist to the knees. (Not really that bad, but you did lose all feeling in a certain "nether" region.

Steve, I know you're tougher than that !!! My '58 "Pan", rigid frame, 18" Ape hangers.....now ride that thing for more than a half hour when the weather is cold and there is NO blood left in your hands ! LOL !

Regardless.......I do miss that bike.

 

[MotorToad]

Don't loan your $72,000 Ducati.
Don't loan any bike to a track newb.

Original thread.

 

[Statman]

Don't loan your $72,000 Ducati.
Don't loan any bike to a track newb.

Original thread.

OUCH!

At least it was dropped on the track where that bike should be! Cold tires will do it to you everytime. Hope the owner ordered the spare carbon fiber bodywork before taking it to the track?

 

[MotorToad]

The sad thing, it wasn't the owner that wrecked it. He loaned it to a track newb because some girl was passing him (he on a Monster, she on a Buell) and his 1098 was in the shop... with accident damage! Nothing to do with cold tires, just an idiot and an idiot.

 

[MotorToad]

 

[VanDaRo]

Ouch !! Target fixation will getcha every time !!

~VDR

 

[MiTT]

Ouch !! Target fixation will getcha every time !!

~VDR

Yep, even mountain biking that can be a problem. If you look at it, you're likely to hit it.

 

[theWB]

Ouch !! Target fixation will getcha every time !!

~VDR

Ouch is right, I can feel his pain just watching it.

See it happened on a curve.
I was reading somewhere that 80% of all motorcycle accidents happen on curves, could it be because we like to accelerate through the twistys.

 

[MotorToad]

Ouch is right, I can feel his pain just watching it.

See it happened on a curve.
I was reading somewhere that 80% of all motorcycle accidents happen on curves, could it be because we like to accelerate through the twistys.

I think it's mostly because a great majority of people out there haven't the faintest clue wtf they're doing but think they're the most talented riders in history. :-\

I never thought I was really the best rider in the world, but man, I remember my newb days... I shouldn't have survived!

 

[TomDac]

YIKES!! Nice sneakers on that guy...

ATGATT:
All
The
Gear
All
The
Time

Hope that guy was OK.