Bowing out

[buggsubique]

Fellas, I've cleaned up the DR-Z and she's for sale now. Decided I'm too immature to keep riding that bike on the roads and gravel around here. Had a mint 200+km ride out to Waitaria Bay (other side of Kenepuru Sound) on Friday and I really can't get any kicks unless I'm going hard or sliding through the corners. So after losing it in one corner, overshooting a right hander and having two cars on my side in another couple of corners it's time for someone else to take the reigns.

Time to focus on my two young boys (7yrs & 16 months). I'm gonna miss it like hell - more the trail riding, but will keep a background profile in the forum till I wise up and get a more sedate bike. She's listed on that yellow site, along with a millionty other DR-Z 400's, but hopefully this setup will attract a buyer....we'll see. Might just have to keep riding it...[secretly wishes]. :done:

[JATZ]

Never met you but I bet you don't last long without having to go for a ride.

Get something reeeealy expensive that your to afraid to drop would be my advice

[buggsubique]

Yeah I used to do heaps of mountainbiking so planning to get back into that a bit...my thoughts to regarding a new bike. Pro'ly get a much bigger machine to 2up my wife around the country on...in like another 15 years (!!!!). Probably some aluminium & steel alloy frame with a rotary hydrogen engine or some such by then, lol.

[Crisis management]

How about keeping the DRZ but only use it for trail riding, that way you get to improve your skills without the traffic hazards?
Sounds like your making a sensible choice otherwise, I got out of road bikes for a similar reason but i know I would regret getting out of bikes altogether, i just had to find a combination that allowed the thrill without the danger.

Which ever way you go, good luck!

[buggsubique]

Yeah I know I'm going to miss it, but hopefully not regret it. If I was just going to trail ride, i might get a hotter bike and it wouldn't be plated. Just time to slow up for a few years before I have a midlife crisis and splash out on something shiny with 2-3 times the engine capacity! cheers

[ducatijim]

Hi Bugs, well I don't know you either, but from your riding description I can picture you out there! You seem to have made a wise decision, not just for yourself but your wonderful young family: just how would they cope without you, or with you paraplygic?
You have a 'lifetime' ahead to get back to bikes, maybe with your wife on the back, and maybe with a more subdued attitude.
I too know what its like when only pushing the envelope rings your bell well.

All the very best with your future.

Jamie.

[Underground]

Your riding looked alright to me when you were out here Buggs . Youre right about the pillion thing tho ,nothing like having the handbrake on board to help to moderate the attitude , I can recomend it as an option for future riding .

[buggsubique]

Cheers Jamie - that's pretty much what did it for me. Got to the point where I would feel guilty for riding hard and I wrote one of them "hooroo, guess I died on my bike" letters. At that point I thought I could stop being selfish for a few years for the boys.

[buggsubique]

Your riding looked alright to me when you were out here Buggs . Youre right about the pillion thing tho ,nothing like having the handbrake on board to help to moderate the attitude , I can recomend it as an option for future riding .

Ha, did the same thing again on friday though - into the drain, dragging the pedal along the bank...back out onto the road. At least the highside was only at about 20-30k's:laugh:...MT21's were a bit hard this time.

[Underground]

Good move for the kids tho, I remember doing a similar thing for similar reasons many years ago and didnt ride for a great number of years ,but dont worry theres plenty of ways to nearly die that arent related to motorcycling :laugh:

[Padmei]

Hard decision Bubbs.

I stopped MTBing for a while while I got into Adv riding. Now I find I need to do both as the Moto doesn't quite exhaust the body the same way MTBing does. I also find they compliment each other, however I have heaps more scars from MTBing.

Wakamarina rocks:Punk:

[NordieBoy]

I've got to get back on the MTB.
One of the reasons I got the lathe was to re-build one of the full-suspension ones.

Buggs, maybe your ears are just bleeding from the exhaust?
:dodge:

[buggsubique]

Ha, yeah they were ringing a bit - took the plugs out for the return trip.

Funny thing is that my youngest boy (not quite 1 1/2) can actually start the bike himself. He can turn the key and press the magic button...the din doesn't daunt him either!

[warewolf]

Good on you for making a tough call.

Me, I get sent out by my wife to go for a ride - still do despite having a newborn in the house. We both accept that risk management is more important than not taking any risks at all. And mental well-being is as important as physical. Having said that, the more I ride in 'closed course' conditions, the less committed I ride in public places.

Mtb is an interesting one... surprisingly big cause of injuries! I've said before with mtb, you can't really push yourself too hard, because as you get tired you can't pedal as fast so your speeds tend to be contained. Whereas riding a motorcycle, you can easily keep twisting that throttle till you hit the wall and beyond - hopefully figuratively not literally. Off-road motorcycling (closed course stuff, not adv) is the most intense energy-sapping thing I've ever done.

[buggsubique]

Yeah I used to do a helluvalot of downhill and XC when it was just taking off - only KO'd myself once and that was the worst I did. Certainly plenty of grazes though. I just figure I'll get back into the hunting and fishing a bit more. That's it though - too easy to twist that throttle! I think it'll just be a matter of time before this existential anxiety will pass and I'll be back on the horse, haha. Just too young to get pasted just yet (he says, having served in Afghanistan,lol).

[buggsubique]

but you're right, it is about risk management - I just don't seem to be able to manage it... Kinda like fat people who que up at KFC... mmmmm KFC...

I wonder if going to the DR 650 will give a bit more of a laid back attitude. Kit her up to take a bit of luggage. I just find the 400 makes me want to go fast...if that makes sense... [anyone?]

[warewolf]

I don't know about going to the Dr650, that philosophy. Could be like low-tar cigarettes: you don't get the fix you crave so you smoke them harder and more often... causes more issues than if you got your hit from full-strength ones in the first place.

Depends on whether your riding style changes to suit your mount, or if the wrong mount will just drive you nuts! Suck it and see; the 400 and the 650 are pretty common and shouldn't cost a bomb to buy & sell.

[cooneyr]

...I wonder if going to the DR 650 will give a bit more of a laid back attitude. Kit her up to take a bit of luggage. I just find the 400 makes me want to go fast...if that makes sense... [anyone?]

I've done exactly this - go from a lighter bike to a heavier bike with more power (I know the DRZ and DR are similar in power) in order to slow down. There were a number of other reasons as well passenger, better road traveling comfort.

I previously had a DR650 which I use to throw around the place (I'm 6'2" and 110kgs) and now have a XTZ750 Super Tenere. The XTZ is about 70kgs heavier (yes 230-160 makes 70kgs) and has about 32hp more (75-43). This might sound like a silly move, more weight and power but I've found that I slowed down cause the engine doesn't need to be thrashed quite so much which makes things calmer and I feel more in control and slower. The weight keeps it interesting though, in that I'm now washing out both ends if I push it too hard :eek: but this again helps with controlling the speed. The rare as hens teeth plastics also help with keeping things under control.

Think about how you would drive a WRX vs a Ford XR8 (go Ford :rockon:), probably hang the arse out of the WRX vs cruse in the XR8. Well this works for me anyway.

One little problem though. Instead of putting some money in the bank you may have to find some more :D

Cheers R

Edit - WW is probably right. The DRZ and DR might be a little to close to each other. A KLR or similar might be a better go if you want to get away from a trail type thrasher.

[CrazyFrog]

Bugger Buggsy, I was lookin forward to chasing you thru the gravel on the DRZ I just bought. Rode it from Hamilton down to Nelson over the weekend, with some good gravel roads chucked into the trip including the 42 Traverse at Nat Park. I needed as arse transplant when I got home last night tho, I'm thinking about ordering a gel seat already.
Take care man, stay in touch.

[Underground]

You're right about riding attitude v KG's , my riding attitude is alot different on the @ than my ktm because you just cant afford to overcook a corner on a 200kg+ bike so I ride accordingly , whereas on the ktm the brakes and suspension sort those little probs out and you can just slide your way out of it, I just keep that bike to scare the shit out of myself on occasions:shit:

[NordieBoy]

Just too young to get pasted just yet (he says, having served in Afghanistan,lol).

Pfffttt, Afghanistan :apint:

I've been in the Swan Hotel in Motueka when the Lost Breed got their arses handed to them by the local rugby club.


(I was about 12 and having dinner in the restaurant and was wondering what all the noise was next door).

[bart]

I went through a similar thing a few years ago. Going way too silly on litre sports bikes (when 250kmh feels slow, it's time to give it up). Went back to the dirt/adventure and haven't looked back.

Had a few big offs but never been injured. Had way more injuries playing Rugby.

[Padmei]

Mmm..KFC...

[buggsubique]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Tony W]

but you're right, it is about risk management -

I just find the 400 makes me want to go fast...if that makes sense... [anyone?]

OH YEAH !!!..:2thumbsup...eh MOTOXNUT ?...eh Bart ?..eh Bikeflite ?
...and now... eh Crazyfrog ?

[buggsubique]

OK, it's been a week now. At first I thought I could go cold turkey...then I just had to start the bike up in the shed to hear it again.

Before I knew it I'd committed to riding Mt Patriarch this weekend...

Just one more ride...

[JATZ]

Never met you but I bet you don't last long without having to go for a ride.

Get something reeeealy expensive that your to afraid to drop would be my advice

See you Sun then.

[buggsubique]

yup...haha. Now where's that humble pie, I'm hungry.

[CrazyFrog]

OK, it's been a week now. At first I thought I could go cold turkey...then I just had to start the bike up in the shed to hear it again.

Before I knew it I'd committed to riding Mt Patriarch this weekend...

Just one more ride...

Good on ya, my man!!

Don't sell it, just bloody behave yerself on road and get ya thrills off road.

Be seeing you this weekend then:2thumbsup

[Crisis management]

Don't sell it, just bloody behave yerself on road and get ya thrills off road.


Exactly wot he says.....listen to him!


I'm sure I can hear the faint strains of Hotel California in the background