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| Pappasgarage | | Set |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 05/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 371 | | Location | : | Espoo, snowbird in California, Finland |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 12:41 Post title : Rocket3 on the dark side | | | Been long time away from this forum. Here??s a good one that I just had to post.
My younger brother road his Rocket3 from Pennsylvania to SoCal following the route 66
He got a new rear tire that will now hold at least 3x the distance.
The good thing also is that you dont have to put your feet down at stop signs and red lights.
And still one thing, it handles still fairly well.
| Speedmaster 2004 in Espoo Fi, Rocket3 Touring 2014 in Oceanside Ca. IBA Finland SS1000
and T-Bird 09 gone
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 13:40 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | | Hey, at least he wore the sides out on his. It looks like he was getting into the throttle a good bit coming out of corners!!! 
| There are those who own and there are those who ride! 
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| DizzE | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,141 | | Location | : | Sunnyvale, CA, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 14:40 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: CornerBanger) | | | You can easily shape the corners when new. I've seen guys use a draw knife and take 1 -2 pound of rubber off each tire
for car racing.
| | Post edited by DizzE on 27 Sep 2012 - 14:40 |
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 15:19 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: DizzE) | | | I like the idea that he was drifting and it wore the sides down better than cutting the rubber off with a knife... 
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| davetac1 | | Thunderbird | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/09/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,379 | | Location | : | Haverhill, Ma., United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 17:58 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | | WOW!! I'd say this gentleman got his monies worth,and then some,out of this rear tire. Do ya happen to know just how many miles were actually on this tire??? Dave!!!
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| Swagger | | Jupiter | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 15/04/2012 | | Posts | : | 1,100 | | Location | : | United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 18:29 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: davetac1) | | | That can't be right can it? Surely there's an accident waiting to happen right there. It's a car tyre .... it'll throw the bike off line in any corner ... won't it? Jeez I don't think I'd like to try that
| The Force is strong in this one
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| zolti | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 23/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,127 | | Location | : | newcastle , United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 18:46 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Swagger) | | |
Swagger wrote:
That can't be right can it? Surely there's an accident waiting to happen right there. It's a car tyre .... it'll throw the bike off line in any corner ... won't it? Jeez I don't think I'd like to try that |
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me neither
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| WookieNH | | Set | | | Reg. Date | : | 13/08/2010 | | Posts | : | 82 | | Location | : | Nashua, NH, United States |
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| | Posted : 27 Sep 2012 - 19:21 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | | Wow, now here's a rider who clearly doesn't spend much time on the center strip of the tire. Either that or it was severely under-inflated to wear both sides more than the center. 
Now - taking into account that he tends to lean the bike - a lot - I'm surprised he'd opt for a squared off CT. Seems counter intuitive really. It'd be interesting to hear how his riding style has changed.
As a side note, for a motorcycle, I'd prefer to have something that handles better than "fairly well". My dad's old Buick handled fairly well, on the interstate, but I wouldn't want to dive the twists in it.
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| Pappasgarage | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 371 | | Location | : | Espoo, snowbird in California, Finland |
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| | Posted : 28 Sep 2012 - 09:39 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | |
Pappasgarage wrote:
Been long time away from this forum. Here??s a good one that I just had to post.
My younger brother road his Rocket3 from Pennsylvania to SoCal following the route 66
He got a new rear tire that will now hold at least 3x the distance.
The good thing also is that you dont have to put your feet down at stop signs and red lights.
And still one thing, it handles still fairly well.
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The Journey started already in April from Oceanside California and went to Florida end ended up in Pennsylvania.
This all 11k on a rear Metzeler and 1/2 of the trip one on. And trying to avoid the Interstates.
In August from Pennsylvania to Oceanside doing all the possible mountain roads and the whole
journey 2 on and the Metzler now lasting only 7000 miles. There could have been still 1k on the center
for some Interstate cruising.
The car tire is 245mm wide and has a best ever braking grip on the rear tire. It??s done ap. 1,5k and performes
well in (not fairly, after now talking with my bro about the tire) all situations.
I??m still in Finland, but after 3 weeks I will be in Oceanside for a 1/2 year and have the bike for my needs when
I dont use my T-bird and when the bro is in Finland most of the time.
| Speedmaster 2004 in Espoo Fi, Rocket3 Touring 2014 in Oceanside Ca. IBA Finland SS1000
and T-Bird 09 gone
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| daz | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,705 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Sep 2012 - 18:17 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | |
Pappasgarage wrote:
(not fairly, after now talking with my bro about the tire)
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that would be entirely dependent on the individual who says it and how hard he does/can ride. There are people here that would have a heart attack if they found themselves on top of thier bird in a corner at the speed some others might take that corner at. I don't know how hard you or your brother ride, but if it were possible for a car tire to stick as well at limit testing speeds i think there would be a lot more guys using them, even on sportbikes where you see exactly none using them.
I'm just trying to set the record straight here because this subject isn't something that there is one answer to when asked how it handles, how safe, etc. You could likely be safe on a greased steel wheel if you were Dave ! Sorry Dave, but you say it yourself. In short, how safe a car tire is is 100% dependent on how hard it's pushed. I would put down a lot of money on a bet that says if pushed closer and closer to the limit till they fail to hold the road, a car tire would not go nearly as far to as a good bike tire. But again, if you don't ride hard theres a point under which it will surely seem to be safe and all that. I also can't imagine it handles as smoothly in corners as a bike tire being square. Metzelers square off as they age and when i'd put a new one on the difference was fairly dramatic. And a metz worn out and squared is a lot rounder even then than a car tire. Nope....ya just can't convince me it's all that close a contest. at least not for me it isn't.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Sep 2012 - 19:19 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: daz) | | | Although you make good points, one can never know unless he himself tries one than the other.
I dont think it is for me either, especially the way I ride, but I would be willing to test ride one just to see what it was like. Like food, I will try it and if I dont like it i wont try it again. I am curious to see what it handles like.
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| Pappasgarage | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 371 | | Location | : | Espoo, snowbird in California, Finland |
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| | Posted : 28 Sep 2012 - 20:48 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: daz) | | | The type of a rider my bro is that he rides a V-Max in Finland and is a real pusher has to be always up front, thou the Max is no
sport bike it has the power to over take most bikes.
I??ll get back on the issue after a few weeks when I have some experience of my own.
| Speedmaster 2004 in Espoo Fi, Rocket3 Touring 2014 in Oceanside Ca. IBA Finland SS1000
and T-Bird 09 gone
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| daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,705 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 29 Sep 2012 - 02:36 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: CornerBanger) | | | I get that. And I imagine my findings might well be better than i think. But i still can't imagine it being that close. if for no other reason than the compound alone. When i started riding in '69 the compounds they used for bike tires was no different than car tires. And i found myself on the pavement a number of times because the tire wouldn't stick in a corner. And i'm talking corners that today on todays tires you couldn't slip till you doubled the speeds i went down at back then. I have no doubt that if i were running tires today with the same compound i wouldn't be able to ride anywhere near how i do. My point isn't that a car tire won't do just fine in many cases, it's that it would make no sense what so ever that it would match a bike tire when ridden near or to the limit for many reasons.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
| | Post edited by daz on 29 Sep 2012 - 02:36 |
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 29 Sep 2012 - 13:09 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: daz) | | | But our bikes can't push modern tire limits because of it's lean angle.
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| daz | | Zeus | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,705 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 29 Sep 2012 - 23:17 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: CornerBanger) | | | To a large extent, yes. But i'm just pointing out that i don't think car tire compounds are nearly close enough that you can say the same about them.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 01 Oct 2012 - 11:51 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: daz) | | | Yes you are correct.
I agree 100% that the tires are very different in their construction and compounds.
I would still like to try riding one just for the hell of it.
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| Pappasgarage | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 371 | | Location | : | Espoo, snowbird in California, Finland |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 07:13 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side | | | The Rocket is good for the Interstate, heavy to ride in the city and the twisties.
| Speedmaster 2004 in Espoo Fi, Rocket3 Touring 2014 in Oceanside Ca. IBA Finland SS1000
and T-Bird 09 gone
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| feduke | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 11/08/2009 | | Posts | : | 2,441 | | Location | : | Daytona Beach, Florida, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 15:05 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: Pappasgarage) | | | I have to disagree slightly Pappa. Yes, at really slow speed the Rocket is a bit heavy but very controllable. Twisties? I put Avon Venoms and Pregressive suspension on mine and rode the infamous Tail of the Dragon like a sport bike. The only thing that really bothered me was trying to back it up in a gravel parking lot with my short legs.
If I was still doing distance riding I would still have the Rocket instead of the TBird.
| I'm a secondhand vegetarian. Cows eat grass. I eat cows.
| | Post edited by feduke on 26 Oct 2012 - 15:05 |
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| feduke | | Thor | | | | Reg. Date | : | 11/08/2009 | | Posts | : | 2,441 | | Location | : | Daytona Beach, Florida, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 15:10 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: CornerBanger) | | | It's interesting that everyone that is appalled by the "Dark Side" has never tried it and everyone that has tried it finds it does everything quite well. I'm with you CornerBanger. I've never tried it either, but would like to. 
| I'm a secondhand vegetarian. Cows eat grass. I eat cows.
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| DizzE | | Thor | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,141 | | Location | : | Sunnyvale, CA, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 15:21 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: feduke) | | | Interesting comment about distance riding on the Bird. I hate to admit it, but you know, these twins really vibrate. I came back from Vegas in the rain and maybe it was a tension based monkey grip, but my hands and arms were purely wreaked after 6 days in the mountain twists at altitudes.
I would not mind a go on a Darkside Rocket. Or any Rocket, I may go test drive one. But, I doubt if I could have two bikes.
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 18:02 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: DizzE) | | |
DizzE wrote:
Interesting comment about distance riding on the Bird. I hate to admit it, but you know, these twins really vibrate. I came back from Vegas in the rain and maybe it was a tension based monkey grip, but my hands and arms were purely wreaked after 6 days in the mountain twists at altitudes.
I would not mind a go on a Darkside Rocket. Or any Rocket, I may go test drive one. But, I doubt if I could have two bikes. |
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Fun as hell to ride Diz. My buddy has a 2011 roadster, fast as a MF!!! But the down side is the mileage; 27 ish... Also, it eats back tires.
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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| mat1600 | | Thunderbird | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 06/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,596 | | Location | : | Bridlington, Democratic Independant State of Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 26 Oct 2012 - 19:13 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: CornerBanger) | | |
CornerBanger wrote:
DizzE wrote:
Interesting comment about distance riding on the Bird. I hate to admit it, but you know, these twins really vibrate. I came back from Vegas in the rain and maybe it was a tension based monkey grip, but my hands and arms were purely wreaked after 6 days in the mountain twists at altitudes.
I would not mind a go on a Darkside Rocket. Or any Rocket, I may go test drive one. But, I doubt if I could have two bikes. |
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Fun as hell to ride Diz. My buddy has a 2011 roadster, fast as a MF!!! But the down side is the mileage; 27 ish... Also, it eats back tires. |
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Mega fun to ride. I was looking for a second bike so went to test an R3 last week. Loved it. Soon got to 130mph on a dual carriageway (two up) and the kid on a sport bike behind me chickened out. Found it great in slow traffic and town, open road was fantastic but takes some slowing down after a fast overtake. Had to have a push from an admirer to get out of a park space. But it was a no go for us as the pillion seating position was not as good as the Birds - I'm not happy if my pillion isn't. But yes heavy on fuel. Prefered the tourer to the roadster.
| My first natural instinct is to breathe. My second is to evade tax's.
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| coneye | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 29/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 420 | | Location | : | adelaide, Australia |
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| | Posted : 27 Oct 2012 - 04:07 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: mat1600) | | |
I find with my rocket ,if theres a incline even a small one i have to make sure i back it in to park , i can't push it uphill backwards , (my legs are to small ).
Regards riding i was originally a bit intimidated in the slow stuff and the twisties , now though i can go through the twisties quicker than i could on my t bird , its balanced has good has the t bird and more clearance , i can get there quicker than on my bonnie , and my mate , outruns sportsbikes on his in the twisties ,
To be honest the rocket the bonnie and the t bird , i probably go into bends at the same speed on all of them ,, but its coming out of the bends where the difference is , there the rocket feels like rocket when you let it rip . and thats what gives me the edge over some others when were having a spirited ride ..
Regards car tyres , well i've seen a rocket owner with one , who throws his roadstar around like its a 250 sports bike , but myself , don't think so , maybee if i go round Australia and stick to the highways , but if i was to go round aust i would try and do all the good bike roads , and for that i would want a bike tyre
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| Pappasgarage | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 05/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 371 | | Location | : | Espoo, snowbird in California, Finland |
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| | Posted : 28 Oct 2012 - 01:05 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: feduke) | | | I meant that the Rocket was a bit heavy with the car tire. With a normal mc tire it performs better than the tbird.
Thats my opinion having ridden both bikes on all kinds of roads.
| Speedmaster 2004 in Espoo Fi, Rocket3 Touring 2014 in Oceanside Ca. IBA Finland SS1000
and T-Bird 09 gone
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| DizzE | | Thor | | | | Reg. Date | : | 12/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 3,141 | | Location | : | Sunnyvale, CA, United States |
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| | Posted : 28 Oct 2012 - 02:48 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: coneye) | | |
coneye wrote:
I find with my rocket ,if theres a incline even a small one i have to make sure i back it in to park , i can't push it uphill backwards , (my legs are to small ).
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I do that on the bird, easier to just be part of the drainage, or climbing out. I agree. Just more, what if??
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| CornerBanger | | Jupiter | | | | Reg. Date | : | 07/07/2010 | | Posts | : | 1,113 | | Location | : | Charleston, SC, United States |
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| | Posted : 29 Oct 2012 - 17:23 Post title : Re: Rocket3 on the dark side (Re: mat1600) | | |
mat1600 wrote:
Soon got to 130mph on a dual carriageway (two up) and the kid on a sport bike behind me chickened out. Found it great in slow traffic and town, open road was fantastic but takes some slowing down after a fast overtake. |
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I find a lot of those kids on the sport bikes chicken out at about 100mph. I love to run them.. Old man on a cruiser just dusted you...
| There are those who own and there are those who ride!
2010 Thunderbird
2007 Kawi KX250F
2010 Kawi KX85 (My boy's ride)
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