Bikes. I should hate the bloody things.

[shrub]

When I think back to the 30 odd years of riding the bloody things, they have caused me incredible physical pain on several occasions and put me in hospital once after bloody near killing me. I have arrived at destinations so cold I was probably suffering from hypothermia, been so wet that even the contents of my wallet in a plastic bag were mush and had such cold fingers I couldn't undo my fly at a gas station toilet with a predictable outcome. I have pushed the bloody things for many, many kilometres, including in heavy rain, when they broke down (I used to ride old Brit bikes) or run out of gas. I have sat in a cold shed all night trying to get an engine back together, lost vast amounts of skin, burnt myself on exhaust pipes, been covered in oil and dropped stuff on toes and fingers. I have spent the GDP of a small African nation on buying them, fixing them and feeding them with tyres, go-fast bits, parts, chains, oil and general bike shit. They've cost me relationships, I once let my lounge suite get repossessed because I spent my money on new tyres and I got kicked out of a flat when my landlord looked in the window and saw my bike sitting in the lounge.

I really should hate bikes, but I don't; I love the things. What is it about bikes that gets in your blood so much?

[Pixie]

When I think back to the 30 odd years of riding the bloody things, they have caused me incredible physical pain on several occasions and put me in hospital once after bloody near killing me. I have arrived at destinations so cold I was probably suffering from hypothermia, been so wet that even the contents of my wallet in a plastic bag were mush and had such cold fingers I couldn't undo my fly at a gas station toilet with a predictable outcome. I have pushed the bloody things for many, many kilometres, including in heavy rain, when they broke down (I used to ride old Brit bikes) or run out of gas. I have sat in a cold shed all night trying to get an engine back together, lost vast amounts of skin, burnt myself on exhaust pipes, been covered in oil and dropped stuff on toes and fingers. I have spent the GDP of a small African nation on buying them, fixing them and feeding them with tyres, go-fast bits, parts, chains, oil and general bike shit. They've cost me relationships, I once let my lounge suite get repossessed because I spent my money on new tyres and I got kicked out of a flat when my landlord looked in the window and saw my bike sitting in the lounge.

I really should hate bikes, but I don't; I love the things. What is it about bikes that gets in your blood so much?

If you were REALLY cold you would have pissed in your pants for the warmth

[shrub]

Yeah, that's something that's crossed my mind, only problem is I knew that after a few miles I'd be even colder and smell even worse.

[gijoe1313]

Ee'by gum icky thump, I think you take this biking thing a bit too seriously! Not that I would know!

[DIN PELENDA]

Ee'by gum icky thump, I think you take this biking thing a bit too seriously! Not that I would know!

You are Hippocratic.

[scott411]

i know how you feel, this morning we have 2 poeple missing form 4 that work upstairs here at Mr Motorcycles, my business partner in auckland hospital with a infection from knee surgery to fix a motocross injury, and one of the parts guys is in Middlemore awaiting surgery on a broken collarbone he broke racing at one of our mx fundays yesterday,

and since after a major shuffle around we are still here, but all i can think about is how nice it would be to go for a ride this afternoon if i could find the time, road or dirt would not matter it would get my mind of things, this is really like an addiction isn't it,

[shrub]

this is really like an addiction isn't it,

Hello, my name is shrub and I am a motorcyclist. I haven't ridden for 17 hours (polite applause).

I guess it is an addiction, but unlike alcohol or drugs where there is a physical addiction, I wonder what it is about what is basically just a form of transport, and one that is uncomfortable and inconvenient that makes it so addictive? I was riding to uni last week and it was cold and drizzling, and when I thought about my car with heater and stereo, all i could do was grin because I was on a bike. Are we all mad?

[R1madness]

Ahh yes the magic question..... why do we do it to ourselves. I cant answer for everyone but for me it goes something like this...

Everyday life is full of stress and life has a way of putting the shit in from time to time. Family life, a mortgage, running my own business etc all the stuff we do from day to day just to survive. Then comes the weekend.... Lawns mowed, kids taken to rugby (or whatever), wife taken out to dinner the night before, gardens done, spouting painted, and the sun is starting to poke thru the clouds. I have 4 hours left to do whatever i please, so its helmet on and bike out. Its been a stressful week and i just want to get away and relax for a bit so i take the GSXR and find a nice twisty road, Since i am just a guy i can only do 1 thing at a time, I cant think about work and ride well so the brain switches off work and onto the task at hand. Several hunderd km later and my nervous twitch has gone, my blood pressure has dropped and my brain is calm and relaxed. I am now cruising and life is good. Up ahead its raining and i know i am going to get wet and cold but i just dont care. Its part of the experiance. A fellow rider appears out of the rain and gives a friendly wave and a shrug of the sholders as he passes. I respond with a Flick of the hand and a nod and we both know why we are here.
Is it the risk? The challenge? The peace and quiet? The smells of nature? Its all those things and more. Actually there is an old biker saying.... If i have to explain motorcycling you just wont understand. I guess its more than just the words, its a feeling, an addiction and a passion.
Ride free and have fun.

[Bald Eagle]

"If i have to explain motorcycling you just wont understand"

thats all that needs to be said really.

[shrub]

Ahh yes the magic question..... why do we do it to ourselves. I cant answer for everyone but for me it goes something like this...

Everyday life is full of stress and life has a way of putting the shit in from time to time. Family life, a mortgage, running my own business etc all the stuff we do from day to day just to survive. Then comes the weekend.... Lawns mowed, kids taken to rugby (or whatever), wife taken out to dinner the night before, gardens done, spouting painted, and the sun is starting to poke thru the clouds. I have 4 hours left to do whatever i please, so its helmet on and bike out. Its been a stressful week and i just want to get away and relax for a bit so i take the GSXR and find a nice twisty road, Since i am just a guy i can only do 1 thing at a time, I cant think about work and ride well so the brain switches off work and onto the task at hand. Several hunderd km later and my nervous twitch has gone, my blood pressure has dropped and my brain is calm and relaxed. I am now cruising and life is good. Up ahead its raining and i know i am going to get wet and cold but i just dont care. Its part of the experiance. A fellow rider appears out of the rain and gives a friendly wave and a shrug of the sholders as he passes. I respond with a Flick of the hand and a nod and we both know why we are here.
Is it the risk? The challenge? The peace and quiet? The smells of nature? Its all those things and more. Actually there is an old biker saying.... If i have to explain motorcycling you just wont understand. I guess its more than just the words, its a feeling, an addiction and a passion.
Ride free and have fun.

End of thread. Nothing else to say and nothing more to add

[Grubber]

Yep Yep Yep! what can i say. Was feeling a little drab yesterday with work issues knocking me about. Friend phoned and asked if i could pick her up and go for a ride. Hmmm....not really being in the mood but had promised to to take her soon as i had the time. Hopped on bike and rode off with only a half a heart in the job. 2 friggin hours later i didn't want to stop. Shit i felt good again. Somethin about those bicycles i guess!
For me it's been like that since i was a wee fella.

[Bren]

AAAH, the connection between the motorcyclist, the bike and the road....Here is my view...When you are in a car you are on the road travelling from one destination to another...hey the car might be nice but at the end of the day you are locked in a cocoon protected from all the elements...

On a bike on the other hand you become part of the road...let me explain what I mean. Lets say you were following a stock truck in a car....windows up aircon on etc etc...now you may get the occasional whiff of poop, but thats it....and if its a wet day your car may get sprinkled but you are safe and sound....On a bike though you get the full assault, the smell, the shit, the whole hog...Another example of it is freshly mown lawns....you all know what I mean...

The corners become magical on a bike....when you are in the zone you are really and truly at one with the road...you and your machine are part of it...

You all know what I mean because you all ride...but try to explain it to a cager....

[Grubber]

Ahh yes the magic question..... why do we do it to ourselves. I cant answer for everyone but for me it goes something like this...

Everyday life is full of stress and life has a way of putting the shit in from time to time. Family life, a mortgage, running my own business etc all the stuff we do from day to day just to survive. Then comes the weekend.... Lawns mowed, kids taken to rugby (or whatever), wife taken out to dinner the night before, gardens done, spouting painted, and the sun is starting to poke thru the clouds. I have 4 hours left to do whatever i please, so its helmet on and bike out. Its been a stressful week and i just want to get away and relax for a bit so i take the GSXR and find a nice twisty road, Since i am just a guy i can only do 1 thing at a time, I cant think about work and ride well so the brain switches off work and onto the task at hand. Several hunderd km later and my nervous twitch has gone, my blood pressure has dropped and my brain is calm and relaxed. I am now cruising and life is good. Up ahead its raining and i know i am going to get wet and cold but i just dont care. Its part of the experiance. A fellow rider appears out of the rain and gives a friendly wave and a shrug of the sholders as he passes. I respond with a Flick of the hand and a nod and we both know why we are here.
Is it the risk? The challenge? The peace and quiet? The smells of nature? Its all those things and more. Actually there is an old biker saying.... If i have to explain motorcycling you just wont understand. I guess its more than just the words, its a feeling, an addiction and a passion.
Ride free and have fun.

Oh and adding to this....
Ask a dog why he sticks his head out the window.....he knows.

[bogan]

the bad times you listed in a single paragraph, the good would overload the kb server, maybe even the whole internets

[slofox]

1. I once let my lounge suite get repossessed because I spent my money on new tyres.

2. I got kicked out of a flat when my landlord looked in the window and saw my bike sitting in the lounge.

1. My house is on the market to finance my latest bike...

2. Yeah. Me too. Many years ago now, but just that. It was bloody clean too and being rebuilt. Bastard!