Motorcycle-licensed pilots

[xysn]

Lane-splitting with your bike on the 401 at night, probably not all that safe, even for a seasoned rider. Cruising along country roads on a bike, wearing a suit and helmet, probably not all that dangerous.

Also, a surprising number of bike deaths involve alcohol and / or lack of helmet, perhaps just as as surprising number of flying deaths involve fuel exhaustion or flying into IMC. Easily controllable risks.

[Shiny Side Up]

Conspiciously missing from this thread is a certain pilot (and avcanadian) who entered the brotherhood of two wheels after 50 years on this planet, proving that you're never to old to start.

[digits_]

Its the illusion of safety that matters Colonel.

You have two possible responses to threats to one's flesh, you can fear and avoid them, or you can get back in the saddle and resolve to make yourself better at dealing with them. That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Of course there's still a chance it might kill you. The funny thing I always find is that people are always out there risking themselves in ways that they're unaware of anyhow. As long as the illusion that they're safe holds up, then they don't really know where the Grim Reaper hides in day to day life.

Oh yes, I fully agree with that. Keep showing the pictures, I hope to change my mind someday...

[NovaBoy]

Been riding for awhile,

http://youtu.be/QlkH4q8SRuk

[vstrom]

Allegedly this is the only way I can keep my bikes upright..

stuck.jpg (145.99 KiB) Viewed 2898 times

[ant_321]

This past spring I decided to do the responsible thing with my income tax return and bought a bike. A 2001 ninja 600. Can't wait for the snow to melt to get her out again. I keep telling the fiancé I want a bmw 1200gs for Xmas. Let's see what happens.

[Pavese]

Its the illusion of safety that matters Colonel.

You have two possible responses to threats to one's flesh, you can fear and avoid them, or you can get back in the saddle and resolve to make yourself better at dealing with them. That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Of course there's still a chance it might kill you. The funny thing I always find is that people are always out there risking themselves in ways that they're unaware of anyhow. As long as the illusion that they're safe holds up, then they don't really know where the Grim Reaper hides in day to day life.

Oh yes, I fully agree with that. Keep showing the pictures, I hope to change my mind someday...

OK, here's how to dip your toe in the pond and greatly reduce the chances that you, yourself will hurt yourself before you get over the learning curve stage: A) Take a rider training course! (inexpensive, they provide the bike) and B) Follow that up with some quality time off road on a dirt bike like vstrom shows.

The training course will get you over the rookie, dangerous to yourself stage in a controlled environment with experienced instructors keeping an eye on you (and at the end you'll drive away with your license) and the dirt riding will teach you the muscle memory of how to "feel" the bike and hear what it's telling you at a much lower (safer) speed than anything you'll do on the road.

Part "A" didn't exist when I started but healthy doses of Part "B" did and it was a ball! On the other hand, Ms. Pavese did the course, started with a sensible lightweight bike (Kawi 305) and now rocks a Ninja 600 with confidence.

You train with an instructor to be a pilot and fly low performance (trainer) planes to learn and get your license, pretty clear parallel there isn't it.

I'm a big believer in "growing into" a bigger bike as you gain experience and are less danger to yourself. I think too many people do the course on the training bikes then jump into something too big, too fast, kind of like getting your license in a 152 then going out and buying a new Cirrus. That's the benefit of starting young, you can't afford something too big until you're ready for it.

Go do that course! Discover another way to get that rush!

D

[Colonel Sanders]

There are some really good starter bikes now:

http://motorcycle.honda.ca/sport/cbr250r

I can't honestly recommend the CBR125
except for parking lot training.


http://www.kawasaki.ca/product/ninja-300

The Kawi ex 250/500 have been "the" starter
bikes for many years. Quality is not the best
compared to a Honda, though (I own both).
They traditionally have good power and not
the best handling - long story on corporate
culture and an airport, actually.

I haven't ridden this one yet, but Suzuki makes
one heluva motorcycle:

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20L ... GW250.aspx

Suzuki's gixxer thou and Busa are legendary motorcycles,
I'm sure this one is a good one, too.

[geodoc]

Why We Ride:

[Shiny Side Up]

I haven't ridden this one yet, but Suzuki makes
one heluva motorcycle:

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20L ... GW250.aspx

Suzuki's gixxer thou and Busa are legendary motorcycles,
I'm sure this one is a good one, too.

Suzuki makes your best bang per buck when it comes to bikes. Most of their bikes these days use the same bulletproof engines they've been using for years. I've been considering finding a 'busa for a while. Its an awesome bike, though I'm not sure I really need that kind of performance given how much I ride. That aside I'm keeping my eye out for a mid model GSX-R 1100 for a project.

[tractor driver]

Thanks for recommending the course to the beginners guys. I must agree since I've taught it for 20+ years.
We try to have a mix of bikes for the novices to try. Cruisers, standards, sport and endure-ish. Inevitably, the majority gravitate to the sport bikes (we use Ninja 250's with the fairings removed 'cause if we didn't do it, the students will.....
And as you say, a license to learn. Some knowledge and skill, now the experience is required. If the newby's come out with the idea that where you look is where you're going to go, we feel we've done our job @ the M2 level, many return for the M2 exit to the full M. We've received some pretty cool post cards from past students who've expanded their horizons.
Great bunch of posts here, amusing that bikers are sometimes seen as riff-raff, and pilots as elite, yet this is one of the most civil and good natured threads I've seen lately.
Any one know what night The Shepard is on this year?
Cheers!
g

[Colonel Sanders]

I've been considering finding a 'busa for a while

Busa is the King. If I didn't have the RC51, I'd have
to get a Busa. Gen1 would be fine with me.

I know the inline 4's are sweet bike engines - I
have one - but there's just something gnarly about
the big L-twin. The sound, the torque. Years ago,
I went riding with some buddies from work, and
after we stopped, one of them said that my bike
sounded like "a Harley on meth" (full Akrapovic).

Franky though, for a normal person interested in
crotch rockets (do normal people ride sportbikes?)
after they've done through the starter bike phase
and ridden a couple of years, I think a pirate bike
(arr arr) 600 is a great choice. Ridiculously easy
and light to ride and maneuver. Cheaper to insure
than a literbike i4.

PS Take the MSF "gearing up" M2 exit course, after
you do your written. One evening of classroom
then two days of riding on the weekend. You will
learn a lot.

PPS If you're a pilot, you owe it to yourself to do
two things:

1) get on a motorcycle
2) get on the water (powerboat, sailboat)

Try it, you might like it!

[North Shore]

Any one know what night The Shepard is on this year?

Traditionally, the 'As It Happens' just before Christmas - that probably means Tuesday 24th. That's when it was last year.. http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/features/ ... -shepherd/

[Pavese]

And as you say, a license to learn. Some knowledge and skill, now the experience is required.

I'm glad you mentioned that, like a PPL, the moto license (in whatever flavour you get where you drive) is indeed a license to learn and I meant to thread that into my post too.

And to your point about the tone of the thread, I'll second that, well done guys!

D

[shitdisturber]

Conspiciously missing from this thread is a certain pilot (and avcanadian) who entered the brotherhood of two wheels after 50 years on this planet, proving that you're never to old to start.

I've been busy getting ready to head south; not to mention I don't have any good pictures of my bike anyway. But if I don't have to do another test flight tomorrow I'll be tinkering with it again, last chance before I head out.

[Brown Bear]

I have two bikes. 2012 F650GS and a 2002 DR650.

[esp803]

Conspiciously missing from this thread is a certain pilot (and avcanadian) who entered the brotherhood of two wheels after 50 years on this planet, proving that you're never to old to start.

Where is Doc?

[flyinthebug]

Conspiciously missing from this thread is a certain pilot (and avcanadian) who entered the brotherhood of two wheels after 50 years on this planet, proving that you're never to old to start.

Where is Doc?

Rumour has it he was sent on a vacation from AvCanada. The rumour has been confirmed. On indefinite vacation.

In keeping with the new theme of this forum, I will not comment, nor suggest anyone did anything wrong. I will just say I will be contacting one of the mods and asking them to please reconsider their decision.

Doc owns a couple very nice bikes as well. He would have some input on this thread for certain.

Fly safe all.

[sidestick stirrer]

"PPS If you're a pilot, you owe it to yourself to do
two things:

1) get on a motorcycle
2) get on the water (powerboat, sailboat"

So, Colonel, when you mention sailing, are you talking about sails sheeted in until they are taut as a drum, the running rigging so tight you could pluck a tune on it, the standing rigging to windward creaking, the lee rail under while the whitewater foams back along the deck?
As you prefer a Pitts to a a Skyhawk and a sport bike to a cruiser, I doubt you are one of the "set it and forget it" crowd, who are happy to just throw the dock lines on deck with the fenders, hoist the sails most of the way, sheet them in until the wrinkles are gone, kick all the lines aside in the cockpit to find a spot to sit, put one foot on the tiller and occasionally glance towards the bow to ensure not running into anything. As long as the boat is moving, that is good enough...

[Colonel Sanders]

I loved sailing when I was a kid. Spent some vacations
in the Thousand Island, getting sunburned. I love the
water.

Anything that flies, floats or f__ks is magical

[jump154]

Thought just struck me. 2 daughters, 17, twins. One wants to work with kids, into crafts and baking etc. (she jokingly calls herself an 'old lady in training') - The other got her glider license last summer, hopefully will get a power scholarship this summer and has been bugging me for a bike for 3-4 years now. Given this thread, I think she's got "it"! She'll make a great pilot - she's the whiny one

Colonel -learned to sail when I was 13. Loved to crew with a trapeze. I love speed, engines etc. but what I love about Sailing, Skiing and Skydiving is it's harnessing nature to generate speed-- awesome.

There really is no hope for me

[Colonel Sanders]

Started (snow) skiing when I was a little kid.
Taught my kids to ski. Haven't done it much
lately, myself. Getting old.

Always liked the catamaran (Hobie Cat, Tornado)
sailboats. Much more fun. Rented one in Jamaica
a couple years back. Jesus, there's good wind out
on the ocean.

Bigger sailboats never had much appeal for me. Tried
them. Like riding around on top of a whale. Huge,
heavy, slow. Like being on the fattest chick in the world.

Always loved waterskiing, though. Faster was
always better on the water

I've always loved the water. When I'm flying, I love to
get over the water. It's safe. It's home.

Some pilots fear the water. Never figured out why.

Other pilots love the water:

[Shiny Side Up]

Some pilots fear the water. Never figured out why.

Probably has something to do with this.



or this,



or maybe this:

[Colonel Sanders]

Or maybe this?

http://www.bulldogairshows.com/video/20 ... 0water.mpg

[Shiny Side Up]

To be fair I suppose there are also plenty of pilots afraid of the air, a lot afraid of comming back to the ground, and a fair ammount that are afraid of their airplanes.

Call Kenny Loggins, you're getting close to the...



The real connection between pilots and motorcycles.