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Yamaha Jog (CE50, CG50, CY50)
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RupmiscParticipant
I would have left this alone but how could you pick Farah over any of the other Angels? At least the bike you bought is beautiful, even if it has big teeth. .
RupmiscParticipant2002 BMW M5. Don’t like the new ones. Love this car, but will probably replace it soon. I will probably go smaller, to have more fun. Keep the 18″ Z tires on in winter, so it mostly lives in the garage on a tender from November – April.
2002 LandCruiser. Best handling of any SUV I drove (expect those with little luggage capacity). Has real independent 4-wheel, locking center differential, shift to lower gearing. This car will carry 8, holds tons of luggage, and can tow 8000 pounds. Overkill, but ever so reassuring. Will eventually trade for same new version of the same.
Gas mileage is not my first priority.
RupmiscParticipantI have a certain amount of business experience and both business and legal training. It is certainly easy to believe that what you said is true. If you are in a better place now, consider yourself lucky, and be happy.
“The strange thing was, the really smart people were the most down to earth and easy to get along with.”
Universal truth (or at least pretty common). Smart people are valuable and they know it. Especially in a field where technical expertise is required. Having no need to prove themselves, they are secure, and don’t need to push others down to raise themselves. They benefit from happy co-workers. Exception: some smart people are ambitions and unscrupulous, they compete without rules. Both types are common in all companies.“The amount of internal politics that went on was incredible.”
It’s quite credible. It is quite common.
“The was a definite hierarchy within the company with the Windows group at the top and MSN at the bottom. My biggest complaint though was there seemed to be no importance attached to the creative people”
A common belief with two sides. Let it suffice to say you need to find a balance. Personally, I loath marketing people (unreasonable personal prejudice based on unfortunate personal experiences). But a good idea gets totally screwed if you can’t do something with it. My own experience tells me that while you can’t exist without creative people, at some point you have to let managers manage and creative people create. It’s why so many entrepreneurs can build, but can not manage. Doesn’t mean that some managers aren’t a hell of a lot better than others. Best suggestion for a pure creative: make sure you can work for yourself.
You are so totally not alone. And microsoft is just one of many, or most.
I thought your post was pretty rational for a self described “rant”. In my case, verbosity over, but will probably recur soon.
September 28, 2008 at 6:10 pm in reply to: Me, 10 years ago, introducing myself…respond as you would =P #12898RupmiscParticipantSince we don’t have PMs, I thought I’d ask here since you mentioned going to take pictures. I am a serious amateur photographer – which means I can do what I want and don’t have to please clients (lucky me). I’m still working my way up (and will be) to a bike that will have enough carrying capacity that I can carry a Canon kit (big bodies, a few lenses including serious telephotos). Are you carrying gear on a bike. How? How big a bike. Anyway, happy to discuss this elsewhere if you are interested.
RupmiscParticipantSorry, seem to be posting the same comment twice. feel free to remove
RupmiscParticipantSmokeizfire, I read your prior post, and I have three questions. Feel free to answer or not.
1. Do you really find that political correctness is a real presence on this site? If anything, I’d say most people lean the other way, tolerating almost any speech even when it borders on gross stereotyping or personally offensive. I don’t think I’m especially PC, nor would I consider Elwood PC. The list could go on. This is a pretty diverse group that shares an interest, and in most cases mutual respect because of that interest. People on this site are also pretty patient. Newbies, like myself, have received pretty nice answers to questions which were born of ignorance, and previously answered. So I don’t think you need to make disclaimers to PCees. I also notice that you use capital letters a lot. The first on this thread. Why?
2. I do not understand why you would want to be in neutral rolling into a stop. I don’t agree or disagree, I just don’t understand. I really only go into neutral if I need to take my left hand off the grip, while at a stop. If I want the gears not engaged, I hold the clutch in. Is there a benefit? I know cars and motorcycles are different, but (at least since the advent of synchronized manual transmissions) I wouldn’t have my car in neutral unless I needed to remove my left foot from the clutch because I wouldn’t me moving for a while-I’d be in first with my foot all the way in). You can easily shift from second to first, or the reverse without involving neutral. Why be there? Hell, on my bike, even trying to find neutral coming to a stop would be more distracting than finding first. So you are absolutely entitled to ride the way you want, but I’d like to know why because I’m open to other ideas.
3) Is there really a huge dispute about skipping a gear when downshifting. Budd has a point about going one gear at a time, it is probably less strain on the machine, and you are less likely to have a rev matching problem. You may also be more sure about what gear you are in. On some bikes, pushing down doesn’t always work, especially in multiple shifts. Skipping increases the risk that you won’t be where you think you are.
On the other hand, you have a point. I think everybody is in situations where it is desirable to get into the necessary gear quickly (not everything on the road is perfectly predictable). If you know what gear you are in, you can certainly match revs, and be where you need to be now. Just how bad it really is for the gearbox probably depends on the bike, and with modern clutches may not be harmful at all. Something unexpected may really require you to go from 4th to 2nd. As you said, somewhat differently, I don’t tend to go from 5th to 1st (35mph to stop on my Nighthawk) at a stop light. I don’t always know when the light will change, and I want options which are easier if I wait to gear down, and coast in a higher gear, downshifting to 1st when I’m sure I need to stop and not stay out of the way of the guy behind me still doing 20mph.
So, I see some merit in both positions. But I don’t see why we need the shouting.
Aside: Do you really think that having the most toys is that important? I’d be happy to discuss that on a different forum. Meet you on the OT forum?
RupmiscParticipantAt least until you break your back and have your head severed at the neck.
But megaspaz has a point, once you get used to it, forward is not unpleasant on your back (and I ruptured a disk about 12 years ago, so I care). I agree about the triumph, I could see it being a strain on long rides. Sport-Touring bikes provide more support. I’m not sure that I would be comfortable with my arms and feet stretched out in front of me.
It could be that the 696, which is more upright than the 848, feels a lot like the position you take galloping a horse or riding to a jump. Your body is aligned with your motion, you can move your upper body forward or backward as required, and your legs are in a position to help you rise above a bump, or shift your weight. Since I used to jump horses, I may relate to this position in a way that others wouldn’t.
For total back comfort over long rides, I suspect you’ll need a combination of back exercises and a less than ideal position from a control standpoint.
RupmiscParticipantSorry for the off topic but, I’ll but put on your wide lapels, wide tie, or liesure suit — get into your ugly car – and do the hustle. Maybe the early ’70s weren’t so bad, but you can keep the rest. I will concede that you could probably find a few exceptions, but not many. Etc. I guess we can agree to disagree.
RupmiscParticipantBen’s post was done between the time I started, and the time I posted. He would certainly know more about the Ninja 250 and the Vulcan 250 than I do.
RupmiscParticipantBased on a 20 second check, I think that a 400SM is a one of these:
http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/suz_drz400sm_3_lge.jpg
light weight, relatively tall-dual purpose, kind of thingy. Just want to make sure we are talking about the same bike. If, given the plethora of bike designations, you rode a completely different bike, then “never mind”.1. The wind. Sitting upright means you get the wind, unless something redirects it. This is true for all cruisers and standards. Windshields and fairings keep wind off the rider. Some people like the wind – they learn to lean into it, or just hang on like many cruiser riders (some back support can help). Riding leaning forward on a sport bike, may feel strange in traffic, but allows the wind to actually help support you at speed. The lightness of the bike is not going to change whether you feel you are going to be blown off.
The lightness of the bike will affect how much the bike gets blown in the wind, or truck generated air flow, on a highway. So will height, a little (broader sail). Streamlining makes some difference with head winds, but bikes aren’t designed to deflect crosswinds or tailwinds. My guess is that, as a practical matter, any bike defined on this site as a beginner bike (and many others) will be affected by moderate winds at speed. I suppose that we all have to learn to deal with it.
If you are worried about being blown off the bike, you might get this feeling less on a ninja 250 or 500 that have small windshields and fairings. They also are shorter.
2) You are asking about going from a tall dirt type bike to a standard (though faired) semi-sport bike. I haven’t ridden the ninjas, but I have ridden a NIghhakw (standard, naked honda 250), and I have sat on both Ninjas. The new 250 is more upright than the old 250 or the 500 (which is unchanged from last year). I am 6′ 190 and felt more comfortable sitting on the 2008 250 than I did on the 500 or an older ninja 250. Downgrade? Depends on that you mean. The 500 will still go 0-60 faster than my M5 (at least on paper). It has both a bigger and faster engine than the Suzuki. I suspect that in terms of acceleration, the Ninja 250 is not a downgrade. But, the 400 was not designed to be a sport bike. Both ninjas are reported to handle well. But I’d be happier taking the 400 on a dirt road. At 6’2″ there is undeniable appeal about a taller bike that is light enough to handle easily. But upgrade/downgrade is apples/oranges, sort of meaningless.
3) I’m a new rider, and I’m 54. I find just sitting on a cruiser with my feet in front of me, to be uncomfortable, and a strain on my back. I’d love less bend in my knee (more distance from seat to peg) but haven’t yet found a bike I liked that wasn’t more powerful and heavy than I like. Moral: do more research and look around. Unless you know what feels comfortable, it isn’t easy to answer your questions. As others have done, I recommend “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles (fourth ed).
Although this is a subject where opinions differ, I am of the cc’s are not the only variable. A 650 cc cruiser is not the same as a 650 cc sport bike. 2 cylinders aren’t the same as 4. Do more homework.
Finally, you didn’t mention obtaining any formal training, and said that you had no prior experience. But you took the bike on a highway to work? Perhaps the MSF course? If nothing else, you’ll get to ride a different bike. Good luck.
You need to do some research (and I do too). The Suzuki 400 SM is a one cylinder engine producing 40bhp (I think) , and weighs in at 300 pounds dry.
RupmiscParticipantCongratulations. The 696 comes with Brembo brakes too. Don’t know if they’re the same, but their sensitivity is the biggest change I expect to have to get used to. Bike gets delivered Tuesday. Hoping MA weather will let me get 1000 miles on it before it sleeps for winter.
RupmiscParticipantThe Triumphs are gorgeous. The 2009 T100 is out, and now has a liquid cooled engine. There are new Bonnevilles coming in the spring that are supposed to look more 70s than 60’s (which, having lived through the period, I question as a marketing strategy – – nothing looked better in the 70’s) but also have alloy vs. steel wheels. I suspect that control will improve.
Budd, I read your post on your experience in this site. I’m going to tell you here that it is a great post. It is so good, that I don’t want to post there until I can say something that really adds to what you said. I’m thinking that post should be a sticky. Alone.
RupmiscParticipantI wanted a little instant gratification before winter. Getting the 696 next week. Time will tell if I should have waited to see the new Kawasaki 650s (or other 2009s) in the spring. So many bikes, so little time, so little space.
Well, I’ll report back. I am not, however getting rid of the nighthawk. I am very glad that I bought the Nighthawk. As I have noted elsewhere, I do wish that the Nighthawk had disk brakes. Believe it or not, it is brakes, not throttle, that I feel are a bigger jump. I will practice. I hope that the 696 will, because of its handling, become a good next step bike. It may be fun, too.
As always, thanks for all the input. This is a great site.
September 27, 2008 at 1:26 am in reply to: Motorcycle – “old fashioned” – for a beginner 41 years old, 6 ft 3 in tall 205 lbs (4,000 – $10k) #12839RupmiscParticipantAgree with the prior post. You should do your research, and the book Rab recommends is quite good (I wonder when they will update it). A used nighthawk 250 is quite retro and can be had used pretty inexpensively.
RupmiscParticipantEven on a Nighthawk 250, you want to roll off the throttle before you let the clutch out on an upshift. Failure to do so may result in some unexpected acceleration.
With all due respect, there are enough issues on this forum without getting into politics. It is quite likely that at least half the members here have strong opinions there, as well. Could we save it, at least, for the “off topic” forum. Things get hot enough here, without inviting non motorcycle arguments. I grant anyone their right to say anything they want (I prefer truth to fraud). But do it for some reason.
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