The Prophet

What type or style riding do you do most often?

Touring - Trips of two or more days, say 300 miles per day minimum.

Off-Road - Out in the woods... cross the desert!

Day tripper - Quick trips, 250 miles max. Maybe an overnigheter.

Street riding - Bomb around all day, run errands, sight-seeing.

Drag Racing - Flat -out speed demon at the track

Backroads Noodling - a run out in the scenic countryside, through the twisties, seldom on the big slbs.

Work Commuter - Ride daily (or almost) to work and back.

Track Day addict - Off to the local Track for runs through the twisties, raise your "personal best" lap time.

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• A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu
• Motorcyles are not my whole life, but they make my life whole. ` me

Jamie

Street riding, I suppose, per the given definition. Jamie

The Prophet

Update: Please vote in poll, you can have two choices Vs one, as most of us are known to do a few different things!

Thanks,

Bob

motowebmaster

I have a bike capable of being ridden for much longer than what I use it for. It's more of a comfortable day-ride.



but still miss the tractor-pull traits of my old Daytona900:

The Prophet

It's interesting to see that no one commutes with their ride. I personally wish I could, but offsite meetings, distance, travel, dress clothing, weather... (insert excuse here), and so on prevent it.

It is also of interest to see no "Drag Racer" types. Arguably, these guys seem to be the most stubborn and inflexible on these various internet bike forums, bowing strictly (and loudly!) to the horsepower and dynamometer chart gods, and refusing to comprehend or acknowledge anything otherwise.

Is it more difficult to go fast in a short, straight line? Or through a long, challenging series of twisties and mountain roads? This debate seems to be the highly ignitable fuel of many a flame war. I've found it best to just stay out of it, and let the battle dust settle on it's own. Usually at the point where folks get apparently angry and loud in print, and begin the flaming, the debate has already been long resolved, and the non-winning party feels the need to inflict some revengeful, anonymous pain. Boring stuff no doubt about it, and thoroughly non-productive.

Thankfully, we have no such nonsense here... yet(?). The day ain't over yet!

Also, no "Off Road" types, well none intentionally I guess!

All you leacherous lurkers... get in here and post your choices on the poll. Let's see it, and hear from ya'!

Ride Safe!

Bob

Speedtrip

I do commute on my bike but not as much as I do back-road bombing and day trippin'. Also my daytrips usually are at least 400 miles. We have so many dirt roads around here that I have been threatening to get a dual sport for years, maybe this year.

As far as the straight line guys and drag racers that does seem to depend a lot on your local geography. Arkansas is a good example because it is divided into three distinct regions. The Ozarks and Ouchitas mountains and the delta. Those of us that live in the hills have mostly steep and crooked roads ideal for sport/sport touring bikes. However when you venture down to the flatlands you tend to see a lot more Hyabusa's ZX14's with extended swingarms and high performance kit. If I lived down there or in the plains somewhere I would probably own something similar big cc mile eaters.

Of course I left out the ubiquitous cruisers that can be found everywhere.

__________________
-Shaun-

The Prophet

Your "geographical" viewpoint is dead on. In Illinois, anywhere within say a 40 mile radius of Chicago, and you are definitely in the flatlands - Harley Davidson - country. Zillions of them, maybe 50/50 of Big Baggers / Cruisers. Chicago is flat as a pancake, and the road system is laid out in a geometricly square grid, nary a curve to be had.

Venture a little southward, and westward, and you are nearing the Illinois River Valley, Rock River Valley or Galena area. Hills, valleys, scenic rides, and twisties galore. Here you'll find sportbikes, Hyabusa's and the like. Oddly, I'd guess I've seen maybe 2 "Choppers" (as in super extended forks, totally stripped of any extraneous parts) in the past five years or so. I would suppose these expensive jewels are best kept in the garage. Back in the late '60's / early '70's we had tons of these choppers around. It seems like every guy had to at least build one - but that was a totally different era I guess.

South/Central Illinois is flat once again, and you are definitely back in Harley country big time. Long, endless straight slabs, corn and soybeans on either side, as far as the eye can see. Keep going south, near the state border, and the hills and scenery return, as do the sportbikes.

As expected, there are always going to be exceptions to the rule, as you'll find Huge Baggers trying to negotiate challenging twisties, and poor guys on crotch rockets trying to fend off boredom on the endless big slabs like Highway 80 straight as an arrow across central Illinois.

Each of course has equal rights to the road usage, so ya' can't complain. Many a time I've painfully followed guys on shiney chrome laden mega-hogs trying to negotiate the uphill hairpin turns 'round route 71 south of the Illinois River.

It's an... interesting site to see.

Ride safe (wherever you are)!

Bob