Originally written by Gummiente on 7/30/2006 9:48 AM<BR><BR>I'm still amazed, though, that the OPP even let an event like this happen much less be a part of it. I've never been to the rally (for obvious reasons, considering what I ride) but I have several friends on sportbikes who have. This year's event was apparently even more of a squid fest than in previous years, so I'm told, which really makes me wonder how bad it actually was. I recall riding past Parry Sound two years ago shortly after the rally; there were many fresh flowers and helmets along the roadside marking the spots where riders had crossed the final "finish line" on a public road.Obviously, a closed course run by the OPP is better than the alternative of impromptu drags on the town's streets and surrounding highways. But I'm curious as to how many riders actually took advantage of it and what, if any, pre-qualifications were needed before taking part?
This year a squidfest? Not really.. at least i didn't witness the blatent ass-hattery of the past years past. There was a bunch of retards ripping it up on the industrial road by Foley, but a cop hiding in the cemetary with instant-on lazer and some performance coupons put an end to that pretty quickly, during the day anyway.
This was the weekend to commit an armed robbery in Northern Ontario, seriously. The presence of OPP drawn into Parry Sound from parts elsewhere was definitely "in your face". You deserved whatever you got, if you still tried to step on your own dick for the public amusement.
It was a smaller Sportbike Festival this year - it may well be the last - They had a total of 294 paid registeries (I was one of those).. i'd estimate about 5-600 bikes in the Parry Sound environs total. That is down a LOT from 2004 (the last year of Cycle Canada guidance), and even 2005, which was a messed up, heavily policed, and somewhat more law enforcement oppressed rally too. Next year, is the 25th.. they need to do a lot organisation wise, to pull off a successful 25th.
The drag race event, along with the stunt show display, i think was covered by CMA insurance. The actual inspection of motorcycles for mechanical fitness as done in the past, was non-existant. They were insisting on full leathers/protective gear however, as they should.
Originally written by Gummiente on 7/30/2006 12:34 PM
Originally written by SidecarMike on 7/30/2006 11:59 AM
Now you've confused me, Mike. Are you saying he should not have been on the highway with a Harley?
No, that's not it at all. The Ural is not a superslab bike, to take it onto the highway is to operate it beyond its capabilities. I don't NEED extra power on my Tourist because I don't take it where it's not supposed to go in the first place.
To get back to the point, getting rid of a bike (in this case SCT's FLT) because it didn't have enough power to get out of a situation is putting the blame on the wrong end of the handlebars, IMO. An "ace in the hole" of extra power is nice to have, sure, but what I'm trying (without success it seems) to get across is that if one rides within the limits of their bike and their own skills, then "more power" becomes a non-issue. If you don't let yourself get into a situation you're not going to need extra power to get you out of it. .....
Riding defensively is what makes one survive on the roads. Having extra power to compensate for a lack of skills and foresight does not.
I actually found myself in a situation today that might demonstrate my position. My wife and I were driving my Trailblazer on a county highway today when a car coming from the right ran a stop sign and turned in front of me. There were two bikes riding side by side behind me. If I had panic stopped, one or the other would have probably hit me. Rather than hit the kids in the car, I accelerated, as did the two bikes, and we went around them. We were driving the speed limit, 45 mph, at this intersection a corn field blocked the view from the right so I didn't see the car coming until he was within ten feet of that stop sign he blew off.
Granted, this wasn't 65mph, but it could have just as easily happened to someone on a Tourist or in a Model T Ford, driving well within the normal capabilities of the machine.
Extra horsepower is just another weapon, no more or less than proper riding clothes, one more experienced rider class, or a pair of dry gloves, to be used in your personal battle against cars and deer and dogs and everything else out there trying to hurt you.
Watch that, I have a Ford 350 Turbo Diesel 4x4 4 door with a gun rack in the back window and a fuel tank with a tool box. The fuel tank has red dyed diesel in it for the farm tractors and the gun rack usually has a Ruger semi automatic carbine (PC9) for the varmits.
Originally written by SCT100 on 7/31/2006 10:14 PM
Watch that, I have a Ford 350 Turbo Diesel 4x4 4 door with a gun rack in the back window and a fuel tank with a tool box. The fuel tank has red dyed diesel in it for the farm tractors and the gun rack usually has a Ruger semi automatic carbine (PC9) for the varmits.
Umm? OK!
I have a 4 gauge shotgun. :0) Much too heavy for the gun rack though. :0)
Originally written by thekid on 7/30/2006 4:21 PM
So we all need more power,so we can run from some redneck in a chevy pickup and endanger every one on the road with us? why not use the brakes and let the idiot go down the road?Henry
Good grief people seem to read more into things every day. My wife and I were tooling along minding our own business and this jacked up Chevy pickup pulls behind us, right behind us. Mind you I'm doing about 60. Then, he whips into the fast lane, gets beside us and looks over, smiles and jerks the wheel to the right. I had about 1/100 of a second to either gas it, head for the berm or drop a turd. Gassing a dresser is like gassing a moped at 60 so I went for the berm, braked hard...by the way he kept on coming. After I got slowed down, I crossed both lanes and put it down in the median and then cleaned my pants out. The (SOB) kept going. If, at the time I'd had my CCW, I'd have put a dot between his eyes if he came in the median after us. We continued on to Hot Springs and my wife flew home. She hasn't been on a bike since, that is until the Rocket. She won't ride in my sidecar and I don't blame her. My T100 with the hack has a performance level on par with the FLT. I suspect that Mr. Chevy pickup observed our Michigan plate and just wanted to show a "northerner" some good southern hospitality. Like I said, today, with a CCW, my 9mm Glock would have settled it and right now. Now you have the rest of the story as Paul Harvey so eloquently states every day.
Originally written by SCT100 on 7/31/2006 10:26 PM
Originally written by thekid on 7/30/2006 4:21 PM
So we all need more power,so we can run from some redneck in a chevy pickup and endanger every one on the road with us? why not use the brakes and let the idiot go down the road?Henry
Good grief people seem to read more into things every day. My wife and I were tooling along minding our own business and this jacked up Chevy pickup pulls behind us, right behind us. Mind you I'm doing about 60. Then, he whips into the fast lane, gets beside us and looks over, smiles and jerks the wheel to the right. I had about 1/100 of a second to either gas it, head for the berm or drop a turd. Gassing a dresser is like gassing a moped at 60 so I went for the berm, braked hard...by the way he kept on coming. After I got slowed down, I crossed both lanes and put it down in the median and then cleaned my pants out. The (SOB) kept going. If, at the time I'd had my CCW, I'd have put a dot between his eyes if he came in the median after us. We continued on to Hot Springs and my wife flew home. She hasn't been on a bike since, that is until the Rocket. She won't ride in my sidecar and I don't blame her. My T100 with the hack has a performance level on par with the FLT. I suspect that Mr. Chevy pickup observed our Michigan plate and just wanted to show a "northerner" some good southern hospitality. Like I said, today, with a CCW, my 9mm Glock would have settled it and right now. Now you have the rest of the story as Paul Harvey so eloquently states every day.
Sorry, I thought I said something to offend you. :0)
We had the same thing happen about 20 years ago in Chicago. Heading North to God's Country, I'm in what is now the right lane because the real right lane was under construction and had no pavement in them. A woman in a Ford station wagon pulls up on my left, looks directly at me, smiles and moves into my lane. We dropped the Goldwing and trailer over about an 8 inch drop onto the sand. Workers in their little vest calling us all kinds of names. We were able to roll to a stop without hitting anyone, but I felt the need to change my shorts at the first rest stop.
I really do have a 4 guage shotgun with a one inch bore. It uses 1750 grains of powder per shot. I inherited it about ten years ago and still haven't found anyone big enough to actually fire it.
Mike:I never get offended, life is too short. The PC9 is a nice ranch gun, especially with a 20 round clip. It's pretty light with a synthetic stock and I have a red dot on it. Nice for chucks, possums and the stray coyote that gets close while I'm in the field. By the way, the 20 round clip is law enforcement issue only, but I do live in the country. It's an easy gun to one hand, no recoil and dead accurate to 300 feet. My 9mm Glock isn't accurate, but it's stealthy.If you want to shoot something that kicks, try a 50 caliber long gun. I don't know how the Buffalo hunters kept their shoulders intact
Originally written by SCT100 on 7/31/2006 10:59 PM
......If you want to shoot something that kicks, try a 50 caliber long gun. I don't know how the Buffalo hunters kept their shoulders intact
Been there, Broke that. Both in old muzzles and the new Barret BMG.
Sorry Bill, didn't mean to hijack this thread.
Sorry Bill, didn't mean to hijack this thread.
C'mon Mike,
That's half the fun of the General Discussion Forum, Gleeping someone else's thread. LOL
Lonnie
(19 shot Glock, 8 shot Mauser and 12 guage riot gun) Oh yeah CCW!
Leaving for the Canadian Rockies Thursday and can't take even a pepper spray.
Originally written by Hack'n on 8/1/2006 2:11 PM
(19 shot Glock, 8 shot Mauser and 12 guage riot gun) Oh yeah CCW!
Leaving for the Canadian Rockies Thursday and can't take even a pepper spray.
A young couple are honeymooning in Yellowstone, and so look up the park ranger
to get some advice about the bears out there.
"Well, first thing you got to know," the ranger says, "Is we got two types of
bears out here. The smaller black bears, and the big Grizzlies. Neither are
something you want to run into on the trails out here. So we recommend that
while walking around, you keep a pocket full of loose change and jingly stuff,
and if you do have a run-in, a can of pepper spray coulden't hurt."
The ranger paused a moment, then "Now, if you are camping out here, then you
should keep your food in a bag, and hang it over a high branch, so the bears
can't get to it. And it's a good idea to scout your area for scat before you
set up. You can tell bear scat apart pretty easily. Black bears are about the
size of your thumb, and you might see some fish bones or berry seeds in it.
Grizzly scat is bigger, and you might see some cans of pepper spray and loose
jingly stuff in there...
:0) Have a safe trip.
We're coming back through N. Dakota, Sturgis and Yellowstone and yes I'm going to feel a little light on one side.
All I'll have is Screamin' Eagle pipes.
(and hopefully enough power, it is a Stage II Harley you know). LOL
Lonnie
Try and keep the rear jug cool. :0) Have a safe trip.
Lonnie, have a great trip! The Canadian Rockies are my favorite place in the world to ride. Truly God's country, that. (Not that I've ridden anywhere other than the US and Canada...) And to do Sturgis and Yellowstone in the same trip? It don't get any better....
Lets see....Stage II HD. Isn't that about 80 horse on a good day at sea level??
I think that may be correct. Hard to maintain over 60MPH in 5th gear in the Siskyous and Sierras. Though it did run well with the FI at 9K altitude The Evo was underpowered in my estimation for that work.
My Turbo rig did much better with 120 HP and got similar mileage without working nearly as hard. It had a Spyder car though, a much lighter unit.
Lonnie
