[Chauncey1]

Well, as the title states, what makes you glad you ride? For me, it's...

1. Saving a good piece of change on gas.
2. Realizing that there's more to the road than just pavement and signs, like finding a beautiful place that just can't be appreciated by car...and bringing your boy/girlfriend there to enjoy it with you.
3. The feeling of that b/f or g/f strapped to your back as you whistle through some twisties.
4. Giving a youngster their first ride and knowing that they're hooked for life.
5. Knowing that your horsepower to weight ratio easily embarrasses every make and model of car commercially available.
6. College girls who want a ride, and looking to you to give them one.
7. The obvious one, wind in your hair...the satisfaction of freedom that can only be found on two wheels.
8. Lane-splitting, pissing off those cagers who are busy raising their blood-pressure by yakking on their f*cking cell phones about how this traffic sucks.
9. Actually looking forward to getting up early on a Saturday morning...to ride.
10. Poker runs for charity.
11. Really any excuse to ride whatsoever.
12. Knowing that you can afford to have the very best commercially available products on wheels without taking out a second mortgage to afford.
13. Not being bothered with cell phones, or radio djs who won't quit talking when you wanna hear some freakin' music, or kids screaming in the backseat...just hearing your engine sing sweetly to the top of its rpm range and the wind blowing by.
14. Did I mention the wind thing? Haha!
15. Actually enjoying spending money on your ride to get it fixed. Hey, you're riding again, so what if you're dead broke now?
16. Knowing that while you're inside the club partying, people outside in line are drooling over your machine.
17. Blowing the doors off of a ricer who thinks he's hot shit because he's pushing 200 ponies, especially if there's money on the line. What makes this sweeter is when you do so on a 600ss and he was busy talking shit about how "it's only a 600, dawg, what you got?"
18. Making instant friends with complete strangers who just happen to ride.
19. Who else, besides two bikers, waves at each other going opposite directions, even though they don't know each other?
20. Biker groupies, especially the fine-lookin' ones who are just dyin' to take a ride on a bike, even though you may look more Abe Vigoda than Brad Pitt.
21. Track days!

There are more, but the bed is calling, so post up!!

 

[firefighter81]

1) The looks people give me while I'm wearing full leathers
2) The feeling of my knee scraping the ground at 100mph+ (at the track of course)
3) Track Days
4) Little kids reacting as you go by
5) That V-Twin sound
6) Same as #18 and #19 above. Comraderie (sp?) of motorcycle riders, we're all family
7) Embarassing noobs on the track with my 250 who think their R1 is hot shit :flipa
8) "Pucker Moments" they are what keeps me going and keeps me honest at the same time
9) The fact that I love motorcycling enough where I have MADE my last 2 serious girlfriends take the bike and myself as a package. Even though they didn't want me riding at all.
10) People who ask "Why a Ducati" and myself answering "If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand" (I love the look on their face after I say that)
11) Being able to explore 12 countries so far (with alot more coming) behind the handlebars, instead of a cage.
12) Learning new techniques every time I go to the track.
There's obviously a lot more reasons I ride, it just makes me feel good, but these are a few reasons that popped in my head.

 

[jk750]

Great thread!!! :dblthumb

You guys hit on almost all my favorites...


The sights, sounds and scents you just can't pick up from inside a cage.
The places you go, people you meet and things you see.

The satisfying feeling of approaching and raising your personal limits. Stepping up to the edge
and glimpsing the other side, then safely coming back down...

The way a stretch of technical tarmac takes on a whole new look from the seat of a bike.
And the way it feels when you nail it just right...

The feeling of giving someone special a ride they'll never forget.
Then, vise-versa...

The smell of the bike when you first approach her in the morning before a ride.

And afterwards, the way the heat rolls off her when she's tic ticking on her cool down.

Washing down every inch of her curvatious skin by hand and waxing her body and tail section...




Wait, what was the question again? I'll be back in a little while...

 

[vuu16v]

Understanding the reason why dogs hang their heads out of car windows.

 

[TheSollyLama]

life sucks without riding. That's it. When I can't ride (lack of bike, hospitalization) life isn't worth a damn. I ride because like any junkie- that's the only way to feel normal.

 

[JESTER600]

1) knowing i'm cooler than everyone else
2) impressing the girls
3) just the fact of knowing i am in control of something so pwerful

 

[vuu16v]

1) knowing i'm cooler than everyone else
2) impressing the girls
3) just the fact of knowing i am in control of something so pwerful

Are you sure you're not talking about my johnson? J/K!!

 

[SlowCBR]

Great topic. A lot of good ones have already been mentioned, but I'll add a few that popped into my head while reading the thread.

1. The rush from accelerating quickly in a straight line. I still can't get enough.
2. Getting a good drive out of a corner. Sometimes even the little wobbles of getting on the gas a little too much is a lot of fun.
3. Knowing that you have improved your riding skill.
4. Taking turns at double (or more) the posted limit. Obviously on well-known roads.
5. Moving with the bike instead of sitting and turning a steering wheel.
6. Weaving on the highway (as safely as possible). Rare for me, but it has its own kind of fun.
7. Watching little kids staring out the side or back of minivans at you on the bike.
8. Watching girls staring at you on the bike.

 

[robbieace]

KNowing that no matter what is bothering me i can get on my bike a forget about all my worries

 

[Phobos]

The freedom that motorcycling represents. Nothing like it and worse than any drug out there.

 

[CorvetteChris]

19. Who else, besides two bikers, waves at each other going opposite directions, even though they don't know each other?

Well, corvette drivers for one, "The Wave", but I get your point

Some of mine are:
Pulling a wheelie out of a corner because of all the power.
The feel of the sick g-forces while accelerating
The freedom (more so on my dual sport bike) to go ANYWHERE
Being alone all day
Leaving everyone behind in the corners

 

[nibbs]

The feeling of giving someone special a ride they'll never forget.
Then, vise-versa...

i love this one

 

[sonix]

Understanding the reason why dogs hang their heads out of car windows.

+100

Also, one you all have missed, the joy of knowing, that no matter how busy it is somewhere, you will never, ever have to worry about parking.

 

[BuRn__]

that no matter how busy it is somewhere, you will never, ever have to worry about parking.

+1
the security guard at my work tells me and another rider to park on the sidewalk right in front of the front entrance so he can watch them (out of a 200+car parking lot.) haha

 

[jk750]

Well, corvette drivers for one, "The Wave", but I get your point

Some of mine are:
Pulling a wheelie out of a corner because of all the power.
The feel of the sick g-forces while accelerating
The freedom (more so on my dual sport bike) to go ANYWHERE
Being alone all day
Leaving everyone behind in the corners

^^^True that!^^^

Pheewww! I'm back. :smokin
Now I remember the question.

Harley riders don't usually wave at us. I'll wave anyway, kill 'em with kindness...
Jeepers wave at fellow Jeepers. And WRXers do the same.

It's like we all know something nobody else knows... And we do!

 

[Chauncey1]

These ones just occurred to me, number one probably pertains more to guys than girls, but anyways...

1. Actually enjoying time spent shopping. You know, new leathers, lids, etc.
2. Knowing that if your cage breaks down, you won't care. More riding time!!
3. Loving every minute of wash/wax time.
4. The way new tires feel on bumpy roads, after that slick stuff is scuffed off.
5. Guaranteed conversation piece!
6. Even when/if you get pulled over, most likely the cop will ask you about your machine and how she's running, cost, insurance, etcetera...especially when you ask the officer if s/he rides and they answer, "No, but I'll be gettin' one soon", and they never do. Envy is a bitch, isn't it officer? Haha!!

Just thought I'd share these...

 

[jk750]

Mr. Chauncey, you're really starting to get on my good side. :cheers

 

[Justin726]

1. Hearing the carbs "sucking air" when you open 'em up.
2. Doing a buck twenty and still having at least two gears let if you're brave enough to use 'em.
3. Doing 500 miles in one day and even though your ass may be sore, getting up early the next morning to do it all over again.
4. You and your buddy hop on your bikes and drive 100 miles just to have lunch at Hooters.
5. A group of friends that wrenches on each others bikes.
6. A group of friends that ride each others bikes.
7. Driving through downtown Sturgis durring the August rally and be proud that you don't have an ounce of chrome on your bike.
8. The smell and feel of leather.
9. Putting on 10,000 miles in one year while some Harly guys struggle to put on 2000 miles.
10. Long smokey burnouts and 2nd gear standups.

 

[jk750]

:drool This thread really gets my blood pumping... I'll be back in a few.

 

[21 natas]

being able to get on the bike and go for a ride and able to forget everything that was bothering me. I guess it's an escape from all the other crap that builds up but that riding is able to give you.