Have you ever ridden a bike that scared you?

Discussion in 'Anything Goes' started by Microwavable, Mar 20, 2020.

  1. Microwavable

    Microwavable New Member

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    I test road a 2013 MV Agusta Brutale B not to long ago, and I can honestly say it is the only bike so far that has scared the crap out of me with the power and torque.

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    Have you ever ridden a bike that scared you? and what was it?
     
  2. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

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    Quite a few years back, mid-80's, I rode my friends Yamaha YZ465, that thing was a wicked beast! Almost launched myself into the stratosphere riding up large sand dune, it felt like I was in there air for minutes! Came down OK but handed it back to him and changed my shorts shortly after that incident. :)
     
  3. Microwavable

    Microwavable New Member

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    lol I know that feeling.
     
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  4. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

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    Freakin' '72 Kawi 500 triples when they came out... never owned one but rode my buddies (two brothers had identical twin Kawis). I know how they got the name Widowmaker.
     
  5. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    Never physically scared, but ridden a few that I knew straight away that I had best show some respect.
     
  6. Microwavable

    Microwavable New Member

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    I rode one of those as well, I have had a few 2-stroke beasts in the past, but it didnt scare me as much as the MV, maybe because I was not riding twisties much way back then
     
  7. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    Years ago I worked for an OSA dealer and I rebuilt an Ossa Desert Phantom. That bike was tuned for top end and WFO. When you hit the very very narrow power band what you got was an unbelievable power surge. You had better be in the desert with miles of open space in front of you when you pull the trigger and yes it scared me.

    I had a second bike scare me for a whole different reason. A buddy of mine had a lot of money back in the Dotcom boom times. He wanted me to ride his Series D Vincent Rapide. I rode it in traffic around Dallas love Field airport. It had great power, weird handling and limited braking. It cost more than I made in a year and yes I was elated but terrified all at the same time.
     
  8. Microwavable

    Microwavable New Member

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    hahahahahaha great story
     
  9. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    While I worked at the bike shop I had a Triumph flat track bike in my stall. It needed rings and a bit of over all freshening up. We had a dirt oval behind the shop and I asked the owner if I could try it out. He said "sure" and off I went. The thing was a monster. I never had the guts to slide the corners and just a blast on the throttle brought the next corner into view. I will never forget what he said to me when I brought the bike in. He winked and said "we shift!"
     
  10. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    Back in the early 70’s, I had 850 Norton, when it went for service the dealer lent me a Kawasaki 2 stroke triple, I think it was a 750, it was pretty beat, handled like hell, poor brakes but went like a bat out of hell, scared the hell out me.
     
  11. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

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    1st year working at the Honda dealer while in college, 1990, owned a 1986 VF500F (still have it). Took a 1984V65 Sabre in on trade. Simple check over/service, then a test ride. HOLY SHIT! Couple gears with the shaft effect lifting and the rear tire lighting off. Doing very close to triple digits in the U-District. Holy Shit.
     
  12. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    My big 4 of wooly, turbocharged 1979 GS1000, 1979 KZ1000 Z1R with a phase 3 Yoshimura engine kit tuned by Sandy Kosman, turbocharged 1980 CBX, and recently, Honda RS500 triple.
     
  13. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    Had a brief test ride on a 2 stroke dirt bile about 30 years ago. I had zero experience on a 2 stroke.
    Tried to ride it like my inline 4 street bike. Started rolling, no power, doot doot doot, then braaapp!
    The thing stood on the back wheel, fortunately I did not fall off. :Lol:

    Before that I had an XS750 triple. Was my second bike and the acceleration was SO much more than the prior CL350 Honda.
    Did not make a turn, hit a guard rail, but was lucky to hop off and somersalt over the rail, because the bike got stuck upright against it.
    My leg could have been in there. Yikes.

    The 03 Tuono had the rear tire go flat rapidly causing a tank slapper. Eeek. But I got it stopped without a crash.

    On the VFR came buzzing into a curve on Little TJ Canyon, found gravel and dirt across the road. Stood her up and braked hard, then pitched it in and went around when the edge of the road and the cliff got close.

    Not sure why, I never had any particular training. But when stuff like this pops up I don't panic or freak out.
    Which is good, panic will only make you more likely to crash. I try to be sane and not get into that kind of mess in the first place.
    But you know, stuff happens.
     
  14. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

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    Yeahhh... those were the true Widowmakers. The 500 I talked about was the predecessor and the 750 just put a bigger engine in it. Pretty crappy bikes for handling and brakes, absolutely. Swingarm would twist like a wet noodle. Chain and tires would wear out at the same time (no o-rings back then).
     
  15. zombie

    zombie New Member

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    Back in the 80's I tried a buddies RZ500. I was used to riding my '82 GS850L with a full faring and worn engine. His bike had been worked on and was a little bit better than stock (little bit my ass!) I took it out and almost straight onto the highway.
    Cracked the throttle to merge and it accelerated a lot faster than I expected and then it hit the power band..... The front wheel came up and I let off the throttle as you do with a 4 stroke engine, this was a 2 stroke..... The front wheel didn't come down! Didn't come down as it had on every bike that I had ever ridden. So I applied a little rear brake, at least I tried to apply the brake. I couldn't get my big boots onto the rear brake. I threw myself forward and eventually it lowered down to the road and I lived.
    I learned a few things that day,
    One of them was that I'm not as good a rider as I thought I was, another was to get a feel for the brakes as soon as possible, another was that I was an idiot!
     
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  16. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    Vmax should scare anybody !
     
  17. Norse

    Norse New Member

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    Not really scared, but a bit tense for a moment.
    The original, "full-fat" V-Max. Hugely fun to ride, until you hit your first corner and realize that the V-Max does not do corners.

    And once, riding a friends bike home from the mechanic, approaching a stop and realizing that it had basically no brakes.

    I don't think any bike could ever scare me. I respect things that are potentially dangerous, but I don't fear them.
    Probably helps that I have crashed a few time (on track and road). I know what it feels like. And having lost people to the gods of speed, I know the risks.
     
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  18. VFR4Lee

    VFR4Lee Member

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    RIP Danny.
    And Ty.

    Ride safe all!
     
  19. James Bond

    James Bond Member

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    Yes. A Honda VFR in some places can be very scary. Follow me sometime. There are twisties I won't ride on at all. Neither will any other riders..
     
  20. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    I think my first terrifying experience was in 1983 when I was sent out on the shop bike to collect the mail. A Nifty 50, very un-loved by everyone, and it had a disturbing habit of breaking into a tank-slapper in a straight line at about 47km/hr. Probably good training if I every wanted to get a Kawasaki triple.

    The next disturbing experience was at the same Honda shop where they had taken a motorcycle-sidecar in as a trade. I had to have a go, and quickly discovered the whole accelerate/goes left and brake/goes right phenomenon. Absolutely terrifying, especially in the bike storage yard where there were twenty bikes just waiting to be knocked over by an idiot on a sidecar.

    Good thread, Microwaveable!
     
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