How old are you Super Ten rider?
- Thread starter tenbob
- Start date
Congrats on your new ride. If you haven't already, please take an MSF course as a refresher. Riding rust occurs pretty quickly.
Korsair
Member
Mah mama always hated bikes. She hated bikes so much that I wasn't even allowed to have toy motorcycles. No idea where her hate for bikes came from, cause my dad had a few, her boyfriend had a BMW, her brother had a few, ....old school Triumph two stroke 500cc...Kawis... all the old school sport bikes. And they never crashed or died.
So naturally, when I left mah mama's nest in Paris France at the age of 18, and moved to Los Angeles...within my first month of being in the states, I got my motorcycle license.
Being surrounded by 80's VMAXs and Ducati monsters my entire childhood, I've had a natural attraction toward the naked V-Twin sport bike look. Which ended up being the majority of bikes I've owned.
Then, years down the road, I watched Ewan McGregor's "Long Way Around" with my best friend. (Another European).
We used to race road courses...him on a Gixxer 600 and I on an SV650.... I wooped his a$$ every time.
Any who...he decided to buy a 2009 GS1200. to be like Ewan. I rode his GS for a bit, and was not a big fan. Too big, to clunky...not the fine piece of well tuned engineering my sportbikes had. But....and this is a big BUT.... I got the itch and started to look around.
ADVs have a certain attraction to them that only a mature man can see...much like hidden gems. I tried to explain that to an ex girlfriend of mine about the BMW E30 cars...she didn't get it. All she saw was a shoe box on wheels that looks old. I guess I was finally maturing.
Of course, being a v-twin guy, I looked into the KTM ADVs and the VSTROM.
When all of a sudden, out of the blue, this ST was on offerup and it called to me....and the guy selling it was 1 mile from my work, and he brought her to me to check her out. I made an offer, he took off. A couple hours later, he agreed on a number, and another two hours later, I was the proud owner of my 2012 ST.
A couple of weeks later, a guy passing by my work asked if that ST was mine. I said yes, and he told me he had a GS800...and then another guy said he had the KTM 7 something... One of the ADV riders was talking to me, and he was in his early 30's, when all of a sudden, some a$$hole on an R1 decides to rev up his bumblebee sounding engine as he passed by us.
I told him I used to only ride sport bikes, and he said "Me too, but we ain't kids anymore".
In conclusion, doing stand up wheelies passed girls in a convertible mustang is fun...but there's a time and place for everything.
I still do wheelies on my ST, but rarely, and I'm always seated, and all alone...no girls in a topless car...just me and Jesus witnessing if I still got it.
I am 43 years old now, and don't look at sport bikes the way I used to...now I'm all about "can that bike do what mine can"?
So naturally, when I left mah mama's nest in Paris France at the age of 18, and moved to Los Angeles...within my first month of being in the states, I got my motorcycle license.
Being surrounded by 80's VMAXs and Ducati monsters my entire childhood, I've had a natural attraction toward the naked V-Twin sport bike look. Which ended up being the majority of bikes I've owned.
Then, years down the road, I watched Ewan McGregor's "Long Way Around" with my best friend. (Another European).
We used to race road courses...him on a Gixxer 600 and I on an SV650.... I wooped his a$$ every time.
Any who...he decided to buy a 2009 GS1200. to be like Ewan. I rode his GS for a bit, and was not a big fan. Too big, to clunky...not the fine piece of well tuned engineering my sportbikes had. But....and this is a big BUT.... I got the itch and started to look around.
ADVs have a certain attraction to them that only a mature man can see...much like hidden gems. I tried to explain that to an ex girlfriend of mine about the BMW E30 cars...she didn't get it. All she saw was a shoe box on wheels that looks old. I guess I was finally maturing.
Of course, being a v-twin guy, I looked into the KTM ADVs and the VSTROM.
When all of a sudden, out of the blue, this ST was on offerup and it called to me....and the guy selling it was 1 mile from my work, and he brought her to me to check her out. I made an offer, he took off. A couple hours later, he agreed on a number, and another two hours later, I was the proud owner of my 2012 ST.
A couple of weeks later, a guy passing by my work asked if that ST was mine. I said yes, and he told me he had a GS800...and then another guy said he had the KTM 7 something... One of the ADV riders was talking to me, and he was in his early 30's, when all of a sudden, some a$$hole on an R1 decides to rev up his bumblebee sounding engine as he passed by us.
I told him I used to only ride sport bikes, and he said "Me too, but we ain't kids anymore".
In conclusion, doing stand up wheelies passed girls in a convertible mustang is fun...but there's a time and place for everything.
I still do wheelies on my ST, but rarely, and I'm always seated, and all alone...no girls in a topless car...just me and Jesus witnessing if I still got it.
I am 43 years old now, and don't look at sport bikes the way I used to...now I'm all about "can that bike do what mine can"?
sheikyerbooty
Well-Known Member
nice words man. your story resonates with me, and a lot of guys on here i bet
After my first ride on the first GSXRs in '86, I knew I didn't want a sport bike. It was great . . . . for about 30 minutes. But, a sport tour was great all the time. Had the speed and most of the looks, but was comfortable and handled well enough. Fell in love with the FJ12, and got one in '86; still have it. Every time I rode different bike, and got back on the FJ . . . . I liked it even more. The RT was re-e-e-al close to becoming my favorite . . . . until it turned into a turd. The FJR was/is a fantastic, do everything bike. And then I saw the Tenere in '16 while my kid was buying his first R6. Instantly knew it was my next bike. A true do everything ride. It was my retirement gift to myself. Occasionally I miss the stupid power of the FJ/FJR, but it's probably for the better. The Tenere is my favorite ever.
So, yeah, I know what you mean. When I look at any bike, I know I have the better bike . . . . for me anyway. I'm also starting to enjoy anonymity of the Tenere. Makes her even more unique. I was surprised the other day when a Harbor Freight clerk knew what it was.
Korsair
Member
How you feel about that FJ1200 is how I feel about my ST... Even when I ride pass beautiful sport bikes, I have this overwhelming feeling of "look at these poor bastards, I'm so much better than them" attitude.
I never had that feeling on my sport bikes.
Tamathumper
Member
Glad to see I'm in good company!
Mid 50s, and new to the ST, but I've wanted one for quite a while as a cheaper alternative to a Honda Africa Twin.
Grew up on dirt bikes in the wilds of Maine, Been riding the Honda Goldwing for many years, and ready to get back off the roads a bit.
Mid 50s, and new to the ST, but I've wanted one for quite a while as a cheaper alternative to a Honda Africa Twin.
Grew up on dirt bikes in the wilds of Maine, Been riding the Honda Goldwing for many years, and ready to get back off the roads a bit.
Jdmcgyver1965
New Member
56. Coming off of a heavy cruiser.
60 next wednesday 4th may
rob
rob
