Can motorcycles think?

[ital916]

Hey all,

Well I went on the shortest coro loop ever today for me, that is all the way out to bombay and back. Sounds odd I know, but the events causing it were more so.

Everything was going peachy, the bike was gassed up, chain was tightened and lubes, tyre pressures were spot on and she had just had new braided lines installed and new brake fluid. In fact she was running better than ever! Was at the tail end of the pack going to bombay when I realised even though I was only doing 100 the throttle was wide open, as in as far as it could go. The speed kept on dropping, as we were approaching a hill I thought chop down a gear and keep the revs high.

Doing this resulted in a mighty TWANG! and even less power, I barely made it to an off ramp. Shut the bike off, gave it a once over...nothing seemed out of place, so set off very slugishly too find my mates. learning emergency signals came in handy today as my....I'm in a fucking tight spot signal actually worked as my mates had pulled over waiting.

My brain was telling me to go home and check the bike out, my other brain was telling me to do the fucking coro! My proper brain won haha.

Anyway, the odd thing is as soon as I hit pukekohe the bike starts working beautifuly, no engine trouble, revs clean, picks up speed well on hills. Got home and tucked her away.

Was thinking about this for the last hour. As there is nothing wrong with the bike that I can tell, why would she *it?* do that. Ominous feelings are one thing, but has anyone had the experience like today. Where something goes wrong as if the bikes telling you nope you shouldn't do that. Can bike think? My belle sure as hell makes it look that way. Odd question..well odd theory anyway as bikes are obviously inanimate objects....even though we motorcyclists form human like bonds with them.

Thats my little spool

P.S, this sort of karmic warning mega sucks on sunny days but on the bright side, summer is coming and there is no point in getting worked up over it haha

[Mountlocal1]

... Put down the weed and back away from the inscense stick... :whistle:

But seriously I think everyone on this site at some stage or another has had something happen at the start of a ride that has made them stop and think.. I know a couple of people that have stopped and gone home and sure enough someone else has binned later in that same ride..

2c

[xwhatsit]

Lay off the pies, dude!

[portokiwi]

Its happend to me, I got it down to crap in the fuel. had the jet blown cleaned the carbs and it was hot to trot again..... Yes I did find little specks in the glass bowl. caltex fuel.

[ital916]

Pipes..what pipes *shifts box under bed with foot*..now excuse me, I'm just talking to my spirit guide....I'm about to embark upon my vision quest.

[Oakie]

Its happend to me, I got it down to crap in the fuel. had the jet blown cleaned the carbs and it was hot to trot again..... Yes I did find little specks in the glass bowl. caltex fuel.

Yep. I'd be putting it down to something like this, not the infinite power of the universe or your bike's wisdom.

[Ixion]

I don't know about think, but I certainly had a Kockasucky 500 that could plot and scheme. It spent every night scheming new and inventive ways to kill me the next day.

[ital916]

Meh nothing ventured, nothing gained, logical thinking is boring. But how cool would a bike able to think for itself be. "no sir, I shall not go through that 45 at double plus 10" :lol:

[Mom]

Meh nothing ventured, nothing gained, logical thinking is boring. But how cool would a bike able to think for itself be. "no sir, I shall not go through that 45 at double plus 10" :lol:

Or, YEEEHAAA!!! a posted 45kph to take at 145! :pinch:

Nope, no thinking bikes for me, although Ixion I reckon a stern lecture with a bit of a whipping thrown in for good measure would have sorted your wench :yes:

Could have been some sort of "message" Drider87, in case it is all in your mind though :doctor:

[slofox]

Mine thinks - if I listen real hard, I can hear a little voice saying "I wanna go fast, I wanna go fast, I wanna go fast!" Reminds me of a three year old....

[bomma]

my bike talks to me all the time....it says "kill them, kill them all" but so far it hasnt made sense.....one day ill understand i guess.....:mellow:

[TOTO]

Hey Mr. trouble, you need a Honda.

[McJim]

I used to commute to work on my bike - one day, at lunchtime, I got the notion to take the bike home and come back n the cage. It was a really nagging sensation so I gave in to it.
Came back to work in the car and put in a solid afternoon's work.

On the way home....http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=51284

Sheesh - if I'd been on the bike I'd be dead.

[Reido]

I've had something similar to this too, today actually.

was out riding (yay) went to pass someone doing 90 ish out near Dairy Flat, pulled out and bike just lost all power (what little power there is anyway), tucked back in behind the car and all fine again. So just cruised at 90 instead.

Made me think a little. I need to be more patient.

And yeah, always listen to those little nagging feelings, they seem to know whats best for you.

[AllanB]

Mine's the opposite - some days it goes too fast and thinks its a F18 Hornet

[swbarnett]

But how cool would a bike able to think for itself be.
It's called a horse.

[MIXONE]

I had a triumph bonnie that refused to start whenever I tried to ride it pissed.The rest of the time it was a 2 kick starter.Probable saved my life on more then one ocassion but I had some uncomfortable sleeps beside it.

[glice]

I had a triumph bonnie that refused to start whenever I tried to ride it pissed.The rest of the time it was a 2 kick starter.Probable saved my life on more then one ocassion but I had some uncomfortable sleeps beside it.

ha, are you sure it wasnt just the fact that you were too pised to start it :laugh:

[EJK]

Drive a Volvo. Just press the shiny orange S.O.S button and this lady voice will talk to you.

[KelvinAng]

Before my lil' ol'hornet had her wee slide down a ditch near Lake Coleridge west of Christchurch and left me limping for 4 weeks after that, I thought I felt the sensation that I shouldn't be riding further on towards the Lake. In fact I nearly lost control of the bike twice the moment I exit Darfield, for no apparent reason along straight country roads at 50km/hr. I almost turned back but eventually put that down to my noob riding skills and the erratic winds at Windwhistle. Next time I'll listen to her :yes:

[Ixion]

I asked Von Klunken what he thought of this notion. He thought it was a load of bollocks and sneered at the notion of unterraden being able to think. And opined that even if they could , they should be actively discouraged from doing so. Their place, he thinks is not to think but to follow orders (his, I think he means)

Fairly definative answer I guess.

[avgas]

Some ride, some have a mistress.......i have both in the same vessel.
sometimes she just tells me to fuck off and go home.
so yes - you are correct.
My fathers 955i has one of those smart brains - i think they call it EFI or something. I think its a cats brain cos everytime he wets it with the hose it refuses to to anything.

[Ragingrob]

There was an almighty TWANG? Well that makes things a bit more interesting anyway. Have you done the coro yet by the way?

[slimjim]

yup gota say... somethings are just left as it is on the day.. you were not meant to be ... however the ... twang.... yup ... please inform...