Peabody

Believe it or not, there is some logic to the 10K. The fatality rate for helmeted riders is about 70%. So helmet or not, there isn't much of a chance for survival. The choices are open or closed casket ceremonies. The average medical bill for a non-helmeted rider is about $9,800 more than the rider who wore a brain bucket. The medical insurance requirement is just to cover the added cost of your recklessness without handing the burden to the taxpayers. So many riders have been caught riding without a lid and not meeting the age requirement that Florida changed the license plates for motorcycles. If your 16-20 your plate is white with red letters and "under 21" below the plate number.

I put 52,500 miles on a 1987 Honda 250 rebel (my first bike) between 5/99 and 9/03. When the power output shaft gave out it had a total of 57,200. (had 4,700 miles on it when I bought it.) I also put 45,500 on a 650 custom between 9/03 and 5/07, but I have a friend in South Dakota that has almost 140,000 miles on a 2001 650 classic.

Ha! You're WAY off about Florida. If it drops below 70 we break out the jackets and gloves! The coldest day we've had this winter was probably 40 daytime, 30 at night, and it's already spring here.

Sumncguy, Your right about the culture/brand loyalty, but I do notice that the Kaw riders here in Florida are very loyal to their brand. I looked at the Star riders group once, but the bylaws and events seemed to remove all the fun parts of riding. Going to the local watering hole, get a cold beer (to the Europeans on this thread, it's 90 degrees here, thats why the beer is near freezing) and have a good time. The info packet I got listed benefit breakfasts, family gatherings and a no alcohol policy. I don't believe in getting sauced and riding, but a beer or two (since American beer is weak and tasteless) shouldn't be a problem, and riding is why I bought the bike. Any members / riders here in FL? Also, a friend of mine nailed a trailer pulling a HD to Daytona yesterday. The rider was on a HD FXR and couldn't avoid the trailer that pulled out in front of him. I've never ridden a Harley down the highway, so I don't know how the handle evasive maneuvering. If they're anything like my 1300, it shouldn't have been a problem, but we don't know if he will survive. Anyone remember when Bike week was for bikes, not Harley's on trailers?

Blackhat, not to put too fine a point on it, but we didn't INVENT Gonorrhea, and if you got it you should have kept your pants on. But we did invent the Polio vaccine. If you remember Dolly died prematurely because the cells she was cloned from were already halfway through their lifespan, so how much of a success was it? I apologize in advance to Scotland (I play the bagpipes and ride my motorcycle in my kilt when situation calls for it) but I thought Scots wore kilts because sheep can hear a zipper a mile away? Goff, stop reading those altered British history books and look at actual facts. I've read those nonsense books, the ones that claim the U.S.S. Constitution (old ironsides) "barely escaped capture" when in fact she sank two Brit ships of the line and captured a third single-handedly and the war of 1812 (Brits invaded America) and are they here now? If they didn't lose why did they run back to England? But your last comment is right, If you ride that's all that matters. To be honest, I don't know the details of your licensing system, but from what I've heard its 1. expensive and 2. much more difficult than a U.S. license ( I practiced driving for one day and passed my driving lesson the first time at a cost of $20) The number of lousy U.S. drivers speaks for itself, but there are 300 million of us on millions of miles of roads here. If I ever get the chance Scotland is the first place I plan to visit if I ever get a chance.

1812: First, a few battles don't mean squat if you don't win the war. You grab stats from a small period, but the fact is indisputable-you got your asses handed to you. AGAIN. Words only used in England: I have a Webster's dictionary and a Legal dictionary (for work) thank you and I do use them. However these words are referenced strictly as British jargon (one online source refers to all of these words as British slang) Potato chips: The key word here is AMERICAN. To be clear about this my grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee Indian and my mother's maiden name is O'Rourke. Irish enough for you? Riding gear: Asphalt poisoning builds character, and I'd like to see how well you handle a typical Florida day, without leathers. It was in the upper 80's (Fahrenheit) the other day and will get in the 100 to 105 range this summer. I have friends from London here and they can hardly breath on a typical day. Living in a place where you can freeze to death isn't tough. Its stupid. Living in a sauna the size of England shows how much tougher we are. You don't want to start listing inventions especially if all you got are two. 1. The Sextant 2. Fixed wing aircraft. Radar wouldn't have much use if there weren't planes in the sky. 3. The first practical helicopter 4. The motorcycle (1867) 5. The incandescent light 6. The telephone (Bell may have been Scottish, but he invented it in America) 7. Human generated and usable electricity 8. The refrigerator 9. The Internet 10. Air conditioning 11. Anesthesia 12. The camera 13. personal computers 14. cellphones Etc. I think you get the point.

Interesting. Before I was old enough to drive, the DMV in Florida would ask you if you wanted the motorcycle endorsement also. If your answer was yes, they just added it on. Vast numbers of fatalities put an end to that. There isn't a limit on the size of your bike (can you get a Boss Hoss in Europe?). The only limit, which Vitai should know about is the helmet law. He's not old enough, but if your over 21, have full insurance on your bike and a minimum of $10,000 of medical insurance, you can ride without a helmet.

Ha! First of all, our independence wasn't issued by your cow of a fat ass king, we told him to get the hell out. When your king didn't learn his lesson, we reminded him in 1812 what happens when you mess with the best. Then not once, but twice America answered the call when England said "help! The Germans are kicking our asses!" By the way, its ASSES, not "arses." Speaking of useless figureheads, your queen needs to get off her fat ass and get a JOB. People who don't work but get a check from the government are called welfare recipients. They're society's leeches. Maybe England should stop butchering the English language. The following British words aren't in ANY dictionary: Goblety-gook, Jollygood, Cherrio, arse and quite a few others. If you don't like the American English words for basically all significant technologies of the past two centuries, tough. You should have invented it FIRST. This goes especially for those spineless French. The day they actually win a war their opinion might count for something. They are called "potato chips." We invented them, so we get to name them. Yeah, the drain water we call beer sucks. Low alcohol content, no flavor, does Anheuser Busch know what a stout is? Nothing beats a Guinness, but that's Irish, not English. No comment on American made cars either. We make more than any other country, but they're still pieces of crap, as are American motorcycles. (Does a two-wheeled boat anchor on a trailer actually count as a motorcycle?) England and most of the northern U.S. seems to think I.Q.s diminish rapidly in the South. However, you might want to ponder over this for a moment: While you all bundle up and try to stay warm, watching the snow fall and wonder when the next time you can crank up you bikes might be, I was riding my bike today in a T-shirt and denims. I'll be riding my bike to Daytona beach in a few hours and enjoy the great weather we're having. What's a riding season? If you live in a region where you can freeze to death, your not that much smarter. Semper Fi.

I'm not a traffic expert, but I work at a Biotech company that processes the bones and tendons of organ and tissue donors. Most motorcycle fatalities seem to be sportbikes on city streets (usually speeding or inexperienced with handling cagers). Personally, after riding over 130,000 miles in the past 9 years, I've been hit 3 times (all in-town) and have repeated close calls all day, everyday. On the highways you get the occasional wannabe racer or the idiot with cellphone in one had and a sandwich in the other drifting into everybody, but the lanes are wider and there aren't any shopping center entrance/exits to encounter.

Not sure if they're still open, but Diamond Custom Seats in Florida will not only make a backrest for a reasonable amount for almost any bike, but they also reshape the saddle. The downside is they need experience with each bike. Since the 1300 is a new model they probably haven't done much if any work on them. I will stop by their shop on my way to Bike week tomorrow and see what they can do since I need a backrest too. My 650 Custom didn't have the option of a backrest so I made one myself, but I'd rather have something more professionally made.

Deal's Gap, "The Tail of the Dragon", is in Eastern TN / Western North Carolina. 318 turns in 11 miles. Last I checked there's been around 14 fatalities in the last 10 years. Mostly crotch rockets eating it with the cars or going over the edge. It runs along a ridge. The turns are too tight for open throttle, but if you hit the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachians or Natchez Trace in Mississippi, they both run for hundreds of miles and the turns are wide. You miss the scenery, but can run 130+ (mph) easily.

Jay, 32, 3rd generation rider, only bought a car last November because my wife is pregnant. Live in sunny Florida so I ride every day of the year. Been to the Dragon twice and 43 of the 50 states. 1987 Honda Rebel 2003 V Star 650 Custom 2007 V Star 1300

I have to disagree with you on that one. If aerodynamics were the cause of the gas mileage, then I would get better mileage at slower speeds, but at 80 to 85 mph, I get the best mileage. I think the gearing, stop and go, you know, the usual in town conditions explains the lower mileage. Just a thought.

I agree HD's suck, but to the delusional Brit who thinks America is living in the past, Your the dumb asses with the "queen." What backwards country still has royalty? Oh, and by the way, England hasn't been a world leader since we were riding horses for transportation. Also, I work at a biotech company that is the world leader in allograft sterilization and production. The work I do is far from lazy (60 hour work weeks). How many hours do you brits work in a week again? This isn't to all Brits, just the ignorant ones who think their country still matters. Just had to vent my Scot-Irish side. And to the idiot talking about "plastic bikes", check your specs again. My V Star 1300 is STEEL. Steel tank, fenders, etc.

Counting my break-in tune up, I've had 5, but I don't know if they had to adjust the valves every time. The wind buffeting issue creates so much noise I can't hear if the valves are rattling or not. I could hear my 650 easily (only needed adjustment 3 times in 45K miles). The gas mileage is another issue. In town I get 28 - 35 mpg. On the highway I have gotten up to 186 miles before the idiot light came on. Living in a flat state probably helps on trips, but in town it runs like a car. I got the Gold Card service at the dealership so I don't have to pay a dime for scheduled service for 3 years, so I don't worry about it too much. I will ask the mechanic next time I get one (in a few weeks).

I bought a blue 1300 in May of last year. I hit my 600 mile break in in 4 days and 1,000 miles two days after that. As of today I have 18,100 miles and 10 states traveled to. The engine is impressive for a 13, but the wind buffeting is ridiculous. The windshield actually makes it worse! The wind is definitely channeling up from around the fuel tank. At 125 mph its insane, (not that I've gone that fast ) The bike is set 5 miles slow on the speedo (had it certified) and I had to have mine replaced after it stuck repeatedly during the first 2500 miles. I have also had a leaky hose and several bolts have rattled off the top end of the motor. Since I live in Florida (what's a "riding season"?) I ride every day, like I have since I bought my first bike in 1999. I never did/have liked the "retro" look of the 1300, but I did like the reviews. Especially the motor performance. I had put 45,500 miles on my 640 custom when I impulsively traded it in for the 1300. If I can fix the wind issue with lower wind deflectors I'm tempted to paint it and add a few changes to the body. Has anyone found a set of wind deflectors for it yet? One other thing, I think the countersunk fuel cap is shorting the true fuel capacity. I almost sputtered out at 170 miles. I coasted into a gas station and the "4.89 gallon" fuel tank only took about 3.7 gallons. It explains why the idiot light comes on at 3 gallons. Any 1300 riders in Florida?