Author Topic: For what it's worth, me going home.  (Read 7582 times)

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emskee

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on: December 02, 2009, 03:30:13 pm
A buddy of mine passed me (duh) on the freeway going home a week or so ago and snapped this with his cell phone.

Gotta work on my posture......

That's all.

Later,

Mike
1998 Harley Davidson XLH1200 (Gone)
2001 Victory Standard Cruiser (Gone)
2004 Victory Vegas (My buddy Danny has her)
2005 Ural Gear Up (Gone, With good people)
2009 C5 (Gave it back)
2010 C5 (Still at home)
2010 Ural Taiga (Ditto)


PhilJ

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Reply #1 on: December 02, 2009, 10:14:52 pm
And your buddy needs to work on his focus!  ::)

With those solo seats correct posture only occurs if your lucky enough to fit the mold.


Philbomoog

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Reply #2 on: December 03, 2009, 04:38:33 pm
Just curious, but what have you got on you legs?


emskee

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Reply #3 on: December 03, 2009, 07:43:10 pm
Philbomoog,

Those would be Kakadu Walk-a-Bout pants

http://www.kakadutrader.com/pantsindex.html

They are water proof (pretty much) (more so than my rain pants) and I've used them to ride at about 30 degrees and they ain't so bad.

They are big (biger than the sizing chart would suggest).  I am 5'8", 33" waist and 32 " inseam and the large I bought is fully cinched at the waist and still a bit loose (this being over my jeans and belt) and they drag on the floor.  So order accordingly.....

But they are great along with the duster I'm also wearing in the pic.

Phil J,

Picture not bad for a cell phone stuck out the window while passing shot.  It's a keeper along with the even more poorly focused photo attached which he snapped after I realized he was there.

Be well,

Mike
1998 Harley Davidson XLH1200 (Gone)
2001 Victory Standard Cruiser (Gone)
2004 Victory Vegas (My buddy Danny has her)
2005 Ural Gear Up (Gone, With good people)
2009 C5 (Gave it back)
2010 C5 (Still at home)
2010 Ural Taiga (Ditto)


REpozer

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Reply #4 on: December 04, 2009, 07:30:24 pm
Remind me not to ever post my riding photo. :o
I been told I look like a monkey riding a football (a U.S. football).... not soccer ball.
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cyrusb

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Reply #5 on: December 04, 2009, 09:13:45 pm
I'd try vertical stripes ;D
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t120rbullet

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Reply #6 on: December 06, 2009, 01:32:52 am
Remind me not to ever post my riding photo. :o
I been told I look like a monkey riding a football (a U.S. football).... not soccer ball.

A guy at work told me I looked like a gorilla on a tricycle when I'm on my Bullet.
Funny how they don't feel small when your riding em.
CJ
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emskee

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Reply #7 on: December 08, 2009, 05:41:09 pm
A guy from Italy wrote me at my personal email after seeing the photo.


He writes something like "I'm considering buying a bullet.  I saw your picture.  One consideration when buying a motorcycle is the asthetics.  How tall are you?  I'd like to compare your height with mine before I buy."

"asthetics"

(.....ouch.....) 
1998 Harley Davidson XLH1200 (Gone)
2001 Victory Standard Cruiser (Gone)
2004 Victory Vegas (My buddy Danny has her)
2005 Ural Gear Up (Gone, With good people)
2009 C5 (Gave it back)
2010 C5 (Still at home)
2010 Ural Taiga (Ditto)


pushrod

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Reply #8 on: December 12, 2009, 07:34:16 pm
Motorcycles have gotten bigger these days and so have many people, I used to thing I was a big guy till I stood next to the new kids at work :)
Pushrod
Yeah, times have changed, me, not so much


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1959 Harley FL


Chasfield

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Reply #9 on: December 12, 2009, 08:15:51 pm
A Bullet is about the size and weight of an old Triumph 500 twin, which was a junior big bike in its day but would definitely seem small and nimble by today's standards.

Royal Enfield apart, they just can't seem to make such a thing these days. They build them from plastic, aluminium and carbon fibre and still end up with 450 pounds of machine, which is Vincent 1000 twin territory.

I started out on a BSA Bantam and I am over six feet tall. I guess I must have looked a bit like a clown on a circus mini bike, but riding around on that wee cycle felt cool and the two stroke pre-mix smelled real nice.

 :)
« Last Edit: December 12, 2009, 08:19:57 pm by Chasfield »
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ace.cafe

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Reply #10 on: December 12, 2009, 08:41:33 pm
A Bullet is about the size and weight of an old Triumph 500 twin, which was a junior big bike in its day but would definitely seem small and nimble by today's standards.

Royal Enfield apart, they just can't seem to make such a thing these days. They build them from plastic, aluminium and carbon fibre and still end up with 450 pounds of machine, which is Vincent 1000 twin territory.

I started out on a BSA Bantam and I am over six feet tall. I guess I must have looked a bit like a clown on a circus mini bike, but riding around on that wee cycle felt cool and the two stroke pre-mix smelled real nice.

 :)

Well, I suppose that they have alot more "stuff" on these newer bikes, that makes them heavier.
Like maybe about 8 pounds of coolant, for one thing.
And a water pump, and water hoses, and thermostats, and a radiator, and a cowl for the radiator.
And 4 exhaust pipes instead of 1, and 4 pistons and 4 cylinders and heads, and 4 carbs or throttle bodies, and stuff like that.

So, it all begins to add up.
But with 180hp, I guess they don't worry about it too much.

Our older Iron Bullets weight about as light as the most titanium and alloy and plastic super-duper low-weight crotch rockets out there.
And nearly everything is steel except the engine and tranny castings.
It sort of shows how a simple machine can have advantages.
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holodeck

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Reply #11 on: December 12, 2009, 11:54:33 pm
To me the bike looks fine but ,IMO, the rims and tires are too small. I wish they had the look of the old Bulliet.


Scott Gilmore

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Reply #12 on: December 13, 2009, 12:48:48 am
Well, I suppose that they have alot more "stuff" on these newer bikes, that makes them heavier.
Like maybe about 8 pounds of coolant, for one thing.
And ....
Of course, while the big four Japanese manufacturers don't really make anything quite like a Royal Enfield, they do make some bikes that are loosely speaking in the same class as far as displacement is concerned (speaking very loosely, mind you); single cylinder water cooled (since you mentioned coolant, etc.) 5-speed street bikes.  So let's see how they compare.

Royal Enfield G5 DeLuxe wet weight: 412 lbs
Suzuki DR-Z400SM curb weight: 321 lbs
Kawasaki KLR650 curb weight: 432 lbs
And just for giggles, the air cooled Suzuki DR650SE curb weight: 366 lbs
And the air cooled Honda XR650L curb weight: 346 lbs

Specifications are either listed on the pages linked, or available from the linked pages.

What with all the sheet metal (rather than plastic) and steel (rather than aluminum), it isn't surprising that the G5 weighs a bit more than most, but not all, comparable Japanese bikes.  The difference is small though, and I certainly thinks it's worth the few extra pounds.  However, Japanese bikes are a marvel of engineering, and though they can be accused of many things - like being boring and unlovely - they aren't heavy for what they are.

Regards,
Scott Gilmore


ace.cafe

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Reply #13 on: December 13, 2009, 01:17:17 am
Yes, the UCE bikes have gained a little weight, compared  to the older models.
My 2000 Bullet listed a curb weight of 360 lbs.

After setting up my bike with solo seat and aftermarket muffler and such, it's probably down around 330 lbs. The stock muffler on these bikes weighs a ton.

I'm not really sure where the extra weight is on the UCE, and I have to assume it's in the power  unit,  because the rest is very similar to the older bikes.
But in any case, it's still a manageable weight, even if a bit porky compared to the older models.

If I were to pick out  the most comparable Japanese competitor, that isn't really a dirt bike with a new name, I'd pick the Suzuki S40 Boulevard 600 single, at a curb weight of 381 pounds. http://www.suzuki-bikes.com/2010-suzuki-boulevard-s40/.
So, the G5 would be about 30 pounds heavier than that, but the old Bullets over 20 pounds lighter.
Times change, things get heavier, it seems.
« Last Edit: December 13, 2009, 01:38:23 am by ace.cafe »
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Chasfield

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Reply #14 on: December 13, 2009, 04:58:03 pm
You would have thought that the UCE engine would be a bit lighter than the previous bolt-together semi-unit incarnations. For example, less ironmongery to hold stuff together and things like the inner primary chain case being a flaring out of a crankcase half, rather than a separate bolt on assembly, etc, etc.

I wonder if you could get a Bullet under 300 pounds, if you went for plastic fenders and light alloy everything else. In my youth, I had a four valve Honda 250 single that weighed in at  a genuine 300 pounds - a good weight for a motorbike. I would have loved to have that machine in a bored and stroked 400cc version. That would have been a nice, nimble ride. The 250 was ok, but it didn't have enough torque to hold motorway speeds and I spent most of my riding time winding it up in fourth gear, then letting it bog down in fifth. I have to say that it was almost right though, and it gave me 80 to 90 miles per gallon.
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