[Shane]

My wife also does not like the motorcycle idea. She hates motorcycles. To make things worse……..

My wife’s dad was just in a motorcycle accident.
My wife’s uncle was rear-ended and paralyzed (normal car accident).
My good friend was killed in a motorcycle accident (been riding about 20+ years).
My uncle was in a motorcycle accident.
My wife and just I had a baby about 4 months ago.

…and of course, while I am trying to explain to her all the things that can make motorcycles safer (full gear, etc..), up on the news pops a story about a kid just killed in a motorcycle accident…literally WHILE we were having this conversation.

Eventually, what it came down to was this hobby is something I would like to explore. I have always tried my best to research the heck out of a subject before taking part in it. This, with regards to motorcycles, deals largely with safety. This is somewhat soothing for her and although she still is not warming up to the idea at all, she does see me reading about it all the time, learning about safety, asking questions to people, etc..

Her biggest concern is not how safe I am, but rather how unsafe other people are. There is actually a lady in my office that purposefully tries to cut motorcycles off when they are passing because she is tired of them going fast or lane-splitting (she admits to it). She is one of the biggest idiots I have met in all of my 31 years of living (and not just with regards to driving). However, the DMV thinks she is “a-ok”. She is so dumb she could quite possibly be a freak of nature. It’s people like this that worry your wife and mine….and for good reason. We can do everything right and still get the short end of the proverbial stick.
—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Park it in your living room.

If you are married, tell your wife it is a conversation piece.

Btw, don’t knock my reasoning….it’s a work in progress.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Certain terms are inherently derogatory. It is pretty widely known that terms “nip and/or jap” are derogatory in nature, so just don’t say them. Simple. Using the excuse that somebody will always be offended by something is no more than a poor way of justifying one’s actions. “Someone will always be offended by something” is inept reasoning and therefore fallacious since it is wrong to use derogatory terms either way. There is no way to justify their use.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

“Free speech” does not apply in privately owned forums. Never has.

On a side note, if somebody finds the terms offensive, why say them? Wouldn’t it be easier just to respect those who dislike it and use different terms?

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

I heard the 09 *may* be the last of the Ninja 500, hence them not updating the look. Time will tell.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Find new friends. lol

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Thanks, Kirk!

I put a deposit down on an 09′ Ninja 250r “just in case”, but the GS500 is still a very viable option. My buddy at the dealership (known eachother about 9+ years) told me the deposit wouldn’t be a bad idea just to insure I can get one if I do go that route. The GS500 seems to be quite a bit easier to find so hopefully everything works out well.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Ben, I think the jacket is the ICON UX Hooligan Textile jacket, but I am not completely sure.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Here is link to the pic of the document stating that there will not be any more 2008’s shipped.

http://www.2fiddy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/kawasaki-ninja-2009-doc.jpg

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

2008 250r orders that have not already been filled have been cancelled. The 2009s should be out relatively soon though (probably mid/end of September is when shipping will begin). Somebody posted a link to a document from a Kawasaki rep. o another site (I will try and find the link).

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

You looked to be a similar hieght and build to me and you have a 250. I wanted to compare you on one to how I would fit.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

After talking with all my friends and family who ride, the answer I recieved was, “Cruiser”….and quite a few of them ride Sportbikes. As the name implies, “Cruisers” seem to be better suited for comfort/travel. They many not be as fast as Sportbikes, but a good majority of them don’t seem to be lacking in the power dept. either. The riders I know who own cruisers seem to love them, same for the Sportbike folks with their Sportbikes. I think it really comes down to what you are using it for. You stated you would be riding double a lot but would also like some performance, the question is how you define performance. Do you mean, “The ability to haul 2 people comfortably for possibly extended periods”, or do you mean “The ability to go 130mph down the freeway”? I think many of us have different definitions of “performance” and how it relates to what we are looking for in a vehicle. What is your definition?

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Some people seem to have a great experience with them while others don’t. It’s a little hit and miss.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

They certainly are getting easier to find used. I found 3 in my area and they aren’t to bad price wise (one is $4000). A few of the dealerships in my area said they were getting some more in this week or next week so I am on the waiting list (so I get the chance to at least sit on one and see how it feels). I found a few more last night new, but I have not decided if I am going to buy one or just wait for the 2009 model. My MSF course isn’t for another month or longer anyways, so I may just wait and pre-pay for an 09 when that option arises at one of our dealerships. Or I may just go get a GS500F.

Have fun and stay safe.

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Shane]

Budd, nails work well too. I’m not saying I’ve used them, I’m just sayin’…….. lol

—-

The birds are calling my name, thought Caw.

[Author]

Posts