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Honda Grom: Beginner Bike Profile + Owner Reviews
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October 3, 2008 at 4:06 pm in reply to: Where’s Elwood????………I hope you alright out there buddy! #13249RupmiscParticipant
but Spaz, baby, give be a break of the ol’ farter stuff. Being that I am an older farter, of course.
RupmiscParticipantOk, if you really want to redefine the term “politically correct” as watching words too closely, we can have a different discussion, or better yet, pass.
To me, it means parroting an accepted but unsupported notion, because to do otherwise might prove offensive. I would hardly consider myself politically correct. I do, however, watch some words closely because they can be revealing.
As to the McCain reference, I don’t think PC came into play. I’ll happily participate in a political discussion, or not. But I didn’t want to see any more unnecessary heat on the Bike Forum. If there is going to be heat, let’s save it for bike opinions. Why go looking for trouble.
I’ll be frank. you seem to use capital letters, a lot. You seem to get into a lot of “he said, I said” posts. I think your signature line is pretty silly, if you mean it. Signatures are intended to reflect, in some way, the personality or beliefs of the poster. I could go on with the analysis of your posts, but you think I already watch words too closely.
I suspect that the economic gyrations of the last few months, and the current crisis, have magnified my desire to vent. Otherwise, why am i starting off topic threads? So, feel free to take everything I say with a grain of salt. But, there is no reason to look for smoke, or even an ember, just to fan it into flames. You seem to do this. I was hoping to keep things more civil on the motorcycle threads. I hope that this post, in the OT threads, was frank enough for you.
RupmiscParticipantI don’t know about you, but I want the person making important decisions to be educated, educable, well rounded, experienced, honorable, and willing to put the common good above personal interest. By definition, that would rule out any politician. We’ll just have to take the best we can get.
But, standing alone, someone who was an editor of the Harvard Law Review has real evidence of intelligence. Among lawyers, that is pretty elite, and in the real world, real people, are willing to pay big dollars in a free market, to get that person’s advice. Doesn’t mean you have to share principles. Doesn’t make him an elitist.
I agree with Reindeer about defining Elite. On the other hand, false humility would only be an indication of either stupidity (some people are smarter and/or better educated than others), or insincerity. In an area where I am an expert, I admit that I can lose patience with people who, without knowledge, or experience think that their opinions mean something. The reverse is true in this forum, I don’t believe my opinion is worth as much as someone who has much more knowledge and experience. Even with the overly affected cuteness, I guarantee you that some candidates (notice I’m not saying SP) don’t believe themselves to be smart. In it’s own way, believing that if you use a few folksy words while evading real answers shows more contempt for “main street” than anyone who uses the same big words he’d use with people he considers his peers. Just who is the elitist, the person who talks to you in detail and complexity (may seem boring or out of touch), or the person who thinks that a sound byte is all you need, with your short attention span, to keep your support. I’ll take the Eastern Effete Impudent Snobs, thanks.
It doesn’t make you an elitist to say I don’t want a poorly educated, inexperienced person to run a company, or be in a position where they could run a country. Does this make me an elitist? Possibly? It isn’t personal, or even cultural but smart is smart, and educated is educated, and reasonable is reasonable.
I’ll skip my rants on short attention span, culture wars, a political system that doesn’t permit moving to a reasonable middle position, I just want to add that I started this thread to note the foolishness of the statement “He who dies with the most toys, wins”. Also, I want to say that citing the Huffington Post is unworthy of you Ranette. Why not cite Rush while you’re at it and we can really up the quality level of this discussion (not). What ever happened to “objectivity”?
RupmiscParticipantI’ll agree with your last sentence, Smokeizfire. Most of the point of trying to make large dollars, would be to see that your kids never have to worry quite so much, or have other advantages.
Otherwise, the comment seems to be from some throwback sentiment that life is some sort of competition to acquire. I have nothing against having toys, but think they are a means to an end, not the end in itself.
Also, I understand the concept of “rich”. It may mean different numbers to different people, but I understand it. I don’t understand “mesh” with. I guess you may believe that rich starts at $100 million. Maybe it does.
I’m not sure how you intended “elite”. So the following is a comment I’m not directing at Smokeizfire, but just a general rant about a term I’m hearing a lot lately, and not in flattering tones.
What is this “elite” stuff. I hear this a lot these days, usually coupled with “eastern” or “educated”. Is “elite” someone who has something one wants, and is therefore resented? We refer to US Marines, and certain others, as “elite troops”. Is that a bad thing? If you are smart, hard working, or lucky enough to get an ivy league education, is that a bad thing? Is it bad to be smart? I know teachers who went to “elite” schools. I tend to respect them more for deciding to do what they do. Sorry if I’m adding a little Palin overload to this post, it wasn’t any prior poster. But “elite”. What, we worship the ignorant now?
Disclaimer: as I recall, both our current President, and John Kerry attended Yale University. Both had pathetic grades. W has an MBA from Harvard. Neither is exactly the brightest bulb on the tree. I don’t want anyone to believe that I think that going to a certain school makes you smart. In general, a well rounded education should help you to understand the world.
RupmiscParticipantI would, almost anything (it’s the legal training). I won’t defend your right to shout “fire” in a crowded space (where there is no fire). You would be endangering people (this is a standard exception to free speech, as is “let’s lynch the bastard” to a crowd). Beyond that, you have the right to say anything. But I have the right to say you are an ass. And if you use some speech, I am not going to convict someone who knocks your teeth out.
Offense is generally in the ear of the hearer. But there are limits which people can generally agree on. Racial, ethnic, gender slurs, stereotypes, aren’t something that people need to ignore.
Sometime, someone may challenge indirectly by saying “you shouldn’t do that” which leads to free speech arguments. Maybe it is more direct to say, “you are either ignorant, or a jerk”. Just more exercise of free speech.
I think I’m working toward the concept that free speech should not be confused with responsibility for content. You can say it, but people may make judgments about what you say. Munch may not care what people call him based on his location [?], but cracks about some group of people by someone else, especially by a non-member of that group, can be offensive.
Or is being a bigoted asshole perfectly OK because it is free speech. To me, that person is free to speak, but the speech makes them an asshole. And it would be OK for other posters to tell him so. I think it is OK to be aware of offense given to others. Something about seeing that other people get treated the way you would like to be. So I am offended by description of “black lady” drivers on cellphones. I have no problem with mentioning the cellphone, but a white guy on a cell phone is just as oblivious. So what is it about the poster, probably subconscious, that makes him/her believe the rest is relevant. It may even have been pure description, with no ill intent. As Freud said “Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar”. But in light of all of the people through history have used certain words in evil ways, I prefer to be a little more aware of what is said.
Aside: Munch, the early Brooks is the best: “The Producers” with Mostel and Wilder; “Blazing Saddles”, “Young Frankenstein”. Brilliant.
RupmiscParticipantHappens all the time. Glad you are unhurt enough to be angry.
RupmiscParticipantIf its got more oomph than the 696, and it should given the engine size, did you need to go higher than 4th gear? Oh, oh.. , probably the wrong thing to say, humor or not. But good for you.
I have pickup trucks pass me on 93 all the time when I am in an M5. Any idiot can hold down a throttle. Good for you for not being rattled and riding your ride.
I picked up the 696 today and drove it 40 miles home. So far, I’m delighted. It didn’t take long to get used to the brakes, but I will really have to keep an eye on the throttle, and the speedometer. I will talk about the bike on a new thread when I have enough experience with it to say anything meaningful.
RupmiscParticipantI have been known to argue either side, myself (reformed lawyer). That was a good post, and I haven’t worked my way through all of it. It really doesn’t matter if we agree or not, the rambles are interesting.
I don’t, however, want to take credit for something that isn’t mine. “Dazzling urbanite” comes from the mind of Mel Brooks in “Blazing Saddles”. The Kid asks Black Bart “What’s a dazzling urbanite like you doing in a place like this”. Noteworthy because later, the “Kid” tells Bart that he shouldn’t be concerned about what the townspeople think . A rough paraphrase is: “These people are simple people, their farmers and small townspeople, salt of the earth, … you know, morons”. I confess that while where they live, or what they do for a living doesn’t make much difference to me, I do think that there are a lot of morons out there. Not very PC. But if you haven’t seen it lately, or never saw it, give it a look.
RupmiscParticipantYes, I think PC is a crock. Mostly because truth becomes a casualty. This is true for the right, left, and center. Examples (not necessarily my opinions): if you say that Islam is not a tolerant religion whose history is filled with conquest where the conquered are given a choice to “convert or die”, then you are culturally insensitive- not PC. But if you say the religious right in the USA is not a hell of a lot different than the Taliban (if they could have the power), or why do people make such a fuss about gay marriage, when they make much less fuss about polygamy in the southwest with 14 year old girls forced to marry – then you are an Eastern Effete Elite snob- also politically incorrect.
You want to be called a redneck, more power to you. You want to call yourself a Gangsta, up to you. I don’t have a problem. But if were to call Sarah Palin “Trailer Trash Barbie”, she might have a problem. And of course, some terms might or might not be considered offensive. It depends on who is on the receiving end, and it depends on the intent. “Yankee” doesn’t strike me as generally offensive. But, you insensitive so and so, I may live in New England and own a BMW, but I grew up in LA and Manhattan, and I consider myself a dazzling urbanite, not a goddam yankee (just had to say that).
Nor do I disagree about people who are overly sensitive. It can make a great excuse for other failings.
Just for the record, being tactful, to me, means finding a not hurtful way to deliver bad news. Sensitivity is realizing that your preconceptions might be stupid, and being aware that, in light of all the surrounding facts, some things are unfair and known to be unfair. Even if I concede that someone might not have meant offense (which I won’t always do), there is still no excuse for speaking blatant stupidity, and not at least being called on it, admitting the error, and apologizing.
Give me a break. Does your skin color determine your driving ability? Do West Virginians really screw their siblings? Is it OK not to know that “Jap” is normally considered to be a derogatory reference, like “Chink”, “Gook”, “Wop” etc. Next thing you know, someone will be talking about “real Americans” (as if you aren’t one if you don’t agree with the speaker).
To another of your points, “libertarian” is descriptive when I use it to refer to my point. I suppose it could become a stereotype is you assumed that because some libertarians were tall, that every libertarian was tall. Terms like that tend to be generalizations, which reflect basic political positions. They mean different things to different people, but aren’t, on their own, stereotypes.
I could go on longer, but I’ll gut off now. Like Munch, these things get a little long. My original point was that free speech doesn’t excuse stupid or even wrong speech. I agree with Munch that who says something, and context make a difference. But the stuff I was talking about, unthinking remarks about other people’s race, sex, religion, etc. are offensive (though protected free speech), and that I can respect the right to speak, but still tell the speaker that he/she is a jerk. On the subject of respecting people’s rights to their own beliefs and freedoms, no one says it like H. L. Mencken did:
“We must respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart.”
“Nature abhors a moron.”
RupmiscParticipantI have just resigned myself to using a car for carrying stuff, or for when I have to dress in anything other than casual. A seat bag doesn’t hold that much. One day, when I can handle a heavier bike, I hope to have one for fun, and a sport tourer with panniers for serious trips, or for errands. Then I’ll have a place to put stuff when I need to.
To me, for now, a motorcycle is for pleasure, but it won’t replace my car for serious transportation.
RupmiscParticipantFirst, many Ducati (singular plural?) had dry clutches. The 696 has a wet clutch. Its a great clutch for downshifts – very forgiving. It is not good for instant acceleration. Still the manual says don’t ride it. I believe that is also true of Ranette’s GT1000, but don’t know if its true of Megaspaz’s 848. We should ask.
Others here, have suggested that you shouldn’t ride wet clutches generally. That was different from what I have heard, and Ducati aside, I wanted clarification. You might look at the downshift thread, for some posts that suggest not riding the clutch.
So I take that using the friction zone to moderate speed is both good, and desirable?
RupmiscParticipantI guess its OK to go OT on the OT threads. After today, and thanks to our stupid CYA gutless House of Representatives, there are going to be a lot fewer dollars around for discretionary spending on toys. Was it Churchill who pointed out that (to paraphrase) democracy sucks, it’s just better than anything else on the table.
New motto for congress “I’ll lose my honor, just not an election”.
Also, on thread, good point Mattn.
RupmiscParticipantLove my macs. Only use one PC to run one piece of software. Everything else, especially photography and video, much better on the Mac. But I don’t build my own.
Don’t blame you on the main topic, but I do think it’s worth a try.
RupmiscParticipantI have the GX Air Series 2. Jacket, rain liner, and insulated liner. I like it. I don’t think it would do as well as a non-mesh jacket for fall or winter in the east. For 45 degrees and up, it is quite useful. The padding seems good.http://www.Motorcycle-Superstore.com/1/1/39/15019/ITEM/Cortech-GX-Air-Series-2-Jacket.aspx
RupmiscParticipantThank you Oggi and Ben for the nice words.
The only new bike which is both standard and under 600 cc’s is, I think, the Honda Nighthawk CB250. Take a look in the recommended bikes, there are some 500s pre owned bikes(Suzuki GS500 in various forms) that are upright. Look in the recommendations section. There are also upright 650s (Suzuki SV650 and SV650S) which some on this forum think are beginner bikes (I’m not expressing an opinion having never ridden one). There are Kawasaki R650s from 2008 and earlier which have been mentioned as possibly comparable to the Suzukis. For 2009, available who knows when, there will be 3, count ’em 3, 650s from Kawasaki (upright faired-R650 with some changes, upright naked – [en 650??], and the Versys – same engine, taller, “adventure”?].
You can look them up.
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