How many older vfr riders also still ride sport bikes?

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by JIMLARCH, May 8, 2019.

  1. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    We have the thread “how many older riders ride Vfr’s?” To me it’s not such a big deal to ride a motorcycle seeing as I’ve been riding for close to 50 years. It’s a way of life. The only thing I see that prevents you from riding until you die, is the state of your health. As long as you can safely ride a bike, what’s stopping you?

    I’ve ridden so called sport bikes all my life. In my early riding career they were called cafe racers. Fun, but pretty much unreliable until the Japanese showed the way. I remember in 1971 riding a Bonneville in Italy when a casually dressed Italian pulled up alongside on a Cb750 Honda. It was the first I’d seen in the flesh. I was blown away by the look and sound of it.

    I’ve had sport bikes since that time including three gsxr1000’s. I’ve never owned a cruiser, and never will. I don’t see the attraction in riding a 800 lb behemoth with a slow engine, lousy handling, and for me uncomfortable riding position. There’s not a sport bike made that can’t be converted into a comfortable riding position.

    I’m on my second vfr and if I could only ride one bike ever again, it would be it. It does everything you need. Compared to a cruiser it’s a sport bike, but to me it’s just a great handling tourer. So, how many older riders ride a vfr but still ride sport bikes?
     
  2. GreginDenver

    GreginDenver New Member

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    No more Super Sport Bike action for me (but I was never really into the cutting edge arms race of motorcycle technology and speed).

    I'm 54 years old now, the plan/thinking I'm operating on is that my two 5th Gen VFRs (a '99 and a '01) will take me to the inevitable moment when I decide to hang up the gloves for good.

    On the other hand... at this point in life I've got plenty of money, this means that if a manufacturer where to bring out a model that really rings the bell for me (in the same way that the 5th Gen VFR does), I might just buy one just for the fun of doing it, with the understanding that it might be more of a garage display item than a daily-ridden bike.
     
  3. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Only 54 years old? Shoot you've got at least 16 years of riding left, easy.

    My first sport bike was an 1984 VF700F that I kept for a couple years and then bought a real
    superbike, for the time, a 1986 FJ1200. Then my '99 VFR in 2000. I live in the midwest and
    real sporting roads are pretty few and far between around here. Too many sport bikes have
    squared off tread because people buy them for the horsepower and not necessarily for their
    handling abilities.

    I have owned one cruiser-type bike, an '82 Yamaha 920 Virago. I got it for my wife because she
    was too short to be comfortable on very many other bikes. Kept it a few years, but it left when
    she did. :)

    My first bikes were just regular streetbikes, mainly for the reasons listed above. My dad bought
    me a Honda S65 in 1963 so I've been on bikes for a while. I don't ride as much as I used to for
    various reasons.
     
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  4. Microwavable

    Microwavable New Member

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    I just turned 60 in Feb and I still ride mine.
     
  5. 2Old2Rock&Roll

    2Old2Rock&Roll New Member

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    Technically, I have a ZX6R, but I decided it had reflexes that were too much quicker than mine, so I took it to my son's house. He seems to be OK with that, since I still pay all of the insurance and taxes to keep it on the road. zx6r.jpg
     
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  6. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Shoot, if you're going to do that you could bring it to my house. I can give you the address. :)
     
  7. 2Old2Rock&Roll

    2Old2Rock&Roll New Member

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    I think he kinda' needed it. He was really missing his RC51 that his wife made him get rid of so even my old Kawi was better than nothing. Actually, the Kawi had 14,000 miles on it and lots of good go-fast parts so it wasn't exactly a reject bike. But, I will keep you in mind if I have to quickly dispose of any toys.
     
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  8. Laker

    Laker New Member

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    IMG_1704.JPG When I got this in 1981 it was a pretty hot Sport Bike. I still love it
     
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  9. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    I've always liked a smorgasbord of different riding.. I still love getting on a fast sport bike and cranking it, hitting the twists. But also, sometimes just low and slow meets the mood of the day... The Valk is a phenom lay back ez cruiser.. Or really, if its two wheels, its awesome... Kinda lust for that new Indian 1200 FTR...

    btw - nice RD350!
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2019
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  10. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    75 yo, and i reject any notion that my VFR is NOT a sport bike.
     
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  11. Vulcanator

    Vulcanator New Member

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    What a bike, love the LC. I bet it still puts a big grin on your face when you ride it.
     
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  12. Laker

    Laker New Member

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    Oh yes. The RD350LC is still ridiculously fun to ride. It literally explodes at 7500rpm and you need to hang on. Not everyone is impressed though. I had it at "Bike Night" and the 2000 accountants that were there on their harley's thought it was a smokey pea shooter...
     
  13. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Yeah, that "smokey pea shooter" would leave them in the dust, from the dragstrip to the curvy roads.
    I had a RD350 and an RD400. What a hoot.
     
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  14. Joe Cleere

    Joe Cleere New Member

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    I'm 57 and in addition to my 2014 VFR800, I also have a 2017 GSX-R1000. I love both bikes. The VFR is an excellent middle-weight sport-tourer that I use to commute to work on a daily basis and go on long rides, while the GSX-R is the bike I use for "performance riding" as it is referred to nowadays. I plan to take it to the track someday soon. Barber and Little Talladega are nearby. Back in the day, I rode an RD350 and a RD250. Surprisingly fast and a lot of fun. I still miss the ring-ding sound of those two-strokes.
     
  15. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

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    Me, 65 at NCM last year, R6 ...
    fncm0818rh12.jpg
    Just rode Tally at the end of April, start of my track events for this year. Talked to guy there who's about 70. I've run across him a few times, always inspirational to see him out there. He just picked up a new to him CBR600RR track bike.

    @BMEPdoc, that's a sweet Ape, and XRR ... have one of each myself. My XRR ...
    PRVxr650r00.jpg

    @Joe C, Tally is a fun track, can be a bit of work on a litre bike. Folks think of it as a small track, but unlike Barber, you're never really resting on track. Barber will be fantastic for you on that Gixxer ... just my $0.02 ...

    ACE
     
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  16. Deadsmiley

    Deadsmiley Member

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    I haven't done any track days since my CBR 954RR crash at Nashville Super Speedway in 2011. I have done Little Tally as the only other track I have been on. I rode my 954 and my VFR at that track. It does keep you busy, but I like it because there isn't much distance between most of the turns. :D
     
  17. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    [​IMG]
    Nice riding, knee down, eyes forward, generally good technique....
     
  18. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

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    Damn, small world, I rode Nashville just before they shut it down, must've been about the same time frame as I got started in 2010 and it would've been the next year or so. And, I crashed my Aprilia there :Lol: ...

    ACE
     
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  19. carlgustav

    carlgustav New Member

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    Thx. Been told I'm too tight in the shoulders, and it's getting harder to get my knee out these days :D. As this isn't a track riding post, I'll leave it at that :).

    ACE
     
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  20. weevee

    weevee New Member

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    Most of the RC30s ridden at last year's Classic TT races were ridden by pensioners. Even the still very fast Nick Jefferies is knocking-on 65yrs old!
     
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