By Billl on Wednesday, July 17, 2002 - 09:42 pm:

Looking forward to my FJR this week, I was thinking about how many of you guys on this forum are in my age group (50+) and remembered a funny situation that I ran into. I was riding my 1983 Kawasaki GPZ 1100 to a softball game and turned onto a small, residential street with a speed limit of 15 mph! I was creeping along in maybe second gear when I saw a cop ahead waving his arms at me instructing me to pull over. I stopped and he walked up to me while I was removing my helmet and started ranting and raving that I was speeding in a school zone going 18 mph in a 15 mph zone. I was taking my gloves off and then my helmet with a dark shield on it. Al the while he was going ballistic about my outrageous speed. When I got my helmet off and he saw that I was bald and much older than the bike would lead to believe, he lost his composure and couldn’t talk straight. I smiled at him as he walked away saying, “Well just keep it down from now on”. I’m sure that if I were 18, I would have gotten a ticket for sure.
Any other old riders on fast bike stories?

Bill L. 

By Shan on Wednesday, July 17, 2002 - 11:35 pm:

@Bill

Gilbo would be your man slightly older and tells

a good few old stories

and has a fast bike as the black ones are faster 

By Bagman on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 12:10 pm:

and balding, don't forget the balding

Softball ??? is that like Rounders

Stu.. the bagman.. 

By Irish on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 01:50 pm:

Even one better, I was riding home Last sunday full fase helmet and sunnies pulled up behind a taxi cab at traffic lights with three young ladies in the back. one of the girls sees the bike and calls out an invation to join them at the Seaview Hotel for the Sunday afternoon Sesh. Two of them turned around and exposed their brests to me as addeded incentive. Indeed one playing with her nipples. Yeehaaaaa! I came very close to following the cab and pulling up behind them outside the hotel and seeing their expressions when I took of my helmet and sunnies. 'Oh my god its like our father' he he he. never happened to me before. God I am glad I ride an FJR......... 

By Liz on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 02:23 pm:

Funny the assumptions people make when they can't identify your age / gender etc.

It's always an amusing moment when the girlies realise they are flirting with another woman.

Liz 

By Silverbullet on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 04:41 pm:

Ask Nocchi, he must have millions of them.... 

By Billl on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 06:34 pm:

I just saw Wayne in Texas' pictures with the girl that he didn't know wanting a ride. I guess the FJR makes you an instant stud too as well as fast looking!
Oh Bagman, is Rounders anything like, "I'll have another rounder of beer?" If so, that is what Softball is all about!

Bill L. 

By Silverbullet on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 06:44 pm:

And to think I was thinking of plastic surgery... Ponce De'Leon was wrong, the "Fountain of youth" is in Japan.... 

By Gilbo on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 07:59 pm:

How come Iv,e got more hair than Baggy and I'm balding,it's the weight of my appendage on a gravity fix.Did you hear the one in Aus it goe,s.
Up jumped a Bagman,camped down by a billabong.I'll give em discounts and upgrades for free,As he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled.You,ll get a b&b, ole Ronda with me.

No,neither have we. 

By Nocchi on Thursday, July 18, 2002 - 11:31 pm:

Silverbullet is fast turning into a silverpull-it  

By Jwm on Friday, July 19, 2002 - 01:49 am:

To Bill.
I know the feeling, Bill. A couple of years ago we owned an 0nsite van on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. At the time I owned a VFR750 with a high riser carbon fibre pipe.
One day I took my step daughter, 15 yrs old, for a ride on the bike through the local suburbs and was followed and wheeled in a by a highway patrol officer who obviously saw the young lady on the back with flowing locks and assumed that the ride was a similiar aged hoodlum.
After pulling me over he walks up to me with his Infringement book in his hand and starts having a go at me about young blokes having noisy exhausts on their bikes. Being a curtious sort of bloke I decide that I should take off my helemt to continue the discussion, so I takes off the helemt and this coppers jaw hits the ground and he is absolutely lost for words.
A couple of seconds pass, his attitude does a complete about face, and he makes a comment that maybe I need to get the noise level of the exhaust checked at my convenience. He then turns and walks away. I'm sure he is till shaking his head to this day. 

By Ssmv650 on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 03:54 am:

I got pulled over by an unmarked for
doing a standup wheelie through two
gears on my overly loud ninja 900.

As the cop handed me the ticket for a loud exhaust I was told I am too old to be doing that type of ••••.

Oh and that "motorcycles were death machines and I could die!" (He repeated this phrase three times to me during my quality time with him).

My reply throughout the whole conversation was "yes sir" Ahh! "Yes Sir"

I could not help but smile every time he brought up about the Death machines.

ssmv650
(Not that old not that wise)

I do respect police they do have a hard job. 

By Asphaltburn on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 06:27 am:

Ssmv650,

Got welcomed into my club heh? 

By Niel on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 04:58 pm:

Please define what age ====OLD  

By 20valves on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 09:14 pm:

Here's a report from and old rider (45) on two fast bikes this morning. I had a buddy come over this AM and he took my R1 and I took the FJR and we went for about 100 miles before it got so damn hot out we had to come home.

I REALLY love my R1. It has the suspension all sorted out (Race Tech forks and Penske shock) and it is just a helluva nice ride. Totally plugged into the road and just handles fantastic. The motor's all stock but, well, you know about the motors on those things, they rage, even stock.

That said, getting off the R1 and straight onto the FJR you are struck immediately by how easily the FJR swallows every bump and zit in the road. While on the R1 and looking at the FJR moving at highway speed, you can see the wheels working up and down while the chassis just glides along. Very nice. And it still doesn't get upset in the curves at anything resembling a sane pace.

While the R1 can be tossed around more easily and is more precise when really hustling along, the FJR actually steers lighter. The FJR holds its line beautifully though and feels very planted. With a little planning and focus, the FJR should shock the heck out of some wannabe sportbikers.

The R1 still has its charms for sure. But if I had to choose one bike between these two (and I'm afraid the wife will force that choice on me soon!), it's a no brainer-the FJR, hands down. 

By R1derbike on Saturday, July 20, 2002 - 09:57 pm:

20 valves:

I'm glad someone else has noticed the somewhat heavy steering of the R1! My old ZX900 Ninja steered lighter until it was get-down and boogie time, and then the R1 kicks its ass proper.

I haven't done the 180 rear or upped the tubes, since all my riding is on the street, and I'm perfectly happy with the stability of the whole package right now for just street riding.

Best comment yet is you would pick the FJR as the better all-round bike...thanks...I needed to hear that!

Outta here...Charles (viper)

'00 RWB R1 #34...faster than a speeding ticket!
'85 ZX900 Ninja...'cuz my girlfriend won't ride on the R1 (sold).
'03 FJR 1300...'cuz ya' gotta keep HER happy!
Click on link below to see my R1, Ninja, and other bikes.
http://www.picturetrail.com/r1derbike/823464 

By 20valves on Sunday, July 21, 2002 - 11:52 pm:

I'm like you, were I going to race, I could adjust the ride height on the rear with the Penske (stocker doesn't have that adjustment). That would quicken the steering without losing ground clearance.

Yeah, it's weird, the R1 feels heavier steering but it definitely changes direction quicker. With the R1, you really communicate with road. The FJR kind of makes the road disappear. I am loving having them both right now, don't know how long the Mrs. will allow it though.
 

By R1derbike on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 01:20 am:

20valves:

Updated my photo website with two R1 & FJR pix, if you want to use the link below, they are in the sidebar at left, scroll all the way to the bottom of the thumbnails, and voila!

Rode an FJR for the first time today, text follows:

Well...first, buy Boggs breakfast, and he'll let you ride
his new FJR! ;-}

We switched bikes for a bit today (I was on my R1
with my girlfriend) and I walked away impressed!

The gearbox is far superior to the clunky R1 gearbox,
and shift effort is minimal...it does seem it needs a sixth
gear for super-cruise on the highway, though.

The bars are about an inch to inch-and-a-half too
tall for my liking, I don't understand HOW anybody
would want them any taller...that would be ape-hanger
territory.

The windscreen is just a tad tall in the down position
for my 5' 8" frame, slight helmet buffeting at times, but
nothing distracting. The highest position would no
doubt give some protection from the rain.

Steering was surprisingly light-and-neutral, the shock
was in its softest preload position (didn't change it) and
two-up does need the hard setting. It didn't have the
"on a rail" feeling that my R1 does, even two-up, but
I'm sure that was because the suspension was not setup
for a passenger.

My girlfriend was grinnin' from ear-to-ear (well, hope it
was a grin and not gas...) when we dismounted to give
it back to Boggs...two thumbs-up from her back there.

I'd say Yamaha has a winner here...it felt good as soon
as I got on it. I'm going to stick my neck out here and
say I will probably get some aftermarket suspension bits
for more precise handling, that opinion may change when
I have mine in my hands and start obsessing about the
handling...

Thanks, Boggs!

Outta here...Charles (viper)

'00 RWB R1 #34...faster than a speeding ticket!
'85 ZX900 Ninja...'cuz my girlfriend won't ride on the R1 (sold).
'03 FJR 1300...'cuz ya' gotta keep HER happy!
Click on link below to see my R1, Ninja, and other bikes.
http://www.picturetrail.com/r1derbike/823464 

By 20valves on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 04:16 am:

Yeah, I agree, I wish my R1 shifted as well as the FJR. The FJR's tranny gets better with use, the engine seems to keep smoothing out too. I've got about 300 miles on it now.

I like it more each day, this is a really great all around motorcycle. 

By Agre on Monday, August 05, 2002 - 11:14 am:

i have a friend 72 years old, and he drives and CBR600 2001, and he is so fast, he´s THE TURBO GRANDFATHER.

but my case it,s different, i´m 27 year old, and some people think´s it´s the bike of my father

 

By Kieth on Monday, August 05, 2002 - 02:47 pm:

To R1der, and 20 rider, I am 52 years old and also own a 2002 R-1 and a FJR. When the going gets tight, and Knarly I'll still take my R-1. After proper setup the R-1 does not turn in hard, on my 98 we modified the steering head and changed angle. It made all the difference in the world. My 2002 does not need the mod. I do love the FJR and it handles 95% of my riding, but I don't think I'll sell it because it is just too much fun. The FJR is like having a good wife and the R-1 having a mistress. (some one else said this ) but it is true. I am going to add an OHlin rear shock to my FJR because of my Weight 285lbs. But I love the bike it is a keeper. Kieth 

By Murf on Wednesday, August 07, 2002 - 10:17 pm:

Got stopped on M4 near Newport 76 in 70.Riot act etc.Told by plod they have lots of trouble with Hells Angels on Barry Island.Off came helmet me & Mrs.53yrs & Ex Plod. Gob smacked serving plod