101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

OK maybe not 101, but I'm sure we can get there. I'll start with me:

-Stopping, waving, and smilingfor old ladies crossing the parking lot about to enter the grocery store.

-Waving to a small child who is facinated withmotorcycles.

- Riding slower then the posted speed limit when nobody is around enjoying the weather and the road.

- freashly paved blacktop

- new tires with those rubber tips sticking out

- cold tank of gas between your legs

- the smell of 93 octaneexhaust from the squid doing wheelies in front of you

- lane splitting in traffic jams

- stopping at places you would normally not stop at when driving the cage

- the smells of the road

- the look of your bike after a wash

- the peace of mind that your bike is happy after an oil change

- making a tight u-turn without putting your feet down

- being curtius when everyone looks at you like another asshole biker

-fixing a mechanical problem

i'm sure i'll think of more...

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Good to see you back FLYOU!!! How was the vacation?


I would add to your list:

Going riding all day without an idea of where your going.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Hehe, safe secks. I have nothing to contribute. [:@]

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

blowing a kiss to the hottie next you at a light, then flipping the visor down to be 'that mysterious biker' ahah

i love waving to the fascinated kids too, maybe a light rev as i go by.

crawling up to a light and just as youre about to put your feet down the light changes and you can go :-)

perfect weather where youre comfortable in your gear and can ride forever

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Spending $13 on gas and having more fun than if you spent $50.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

-waving to fellow motorcyclists
-having more horsepower per pound than any sports car between your legs
-feeling totally like you are a part of the bike
-riding back and forth to work all week, fill up friday night...$7
-standing back and looking at it right after you wash it
-wanting to look at more than ride it sometimes
-making non-riding friends jealous of your sexy machine
-looking badass when you show up...anywhere.
-starting conversations with other bikers randomly, just because you ride.
-having other people approach you and start convos, just because they see your gear.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Riding to work, but ending up having coffee a 100 kays in the opposite direction.
Watching the sun come up as you ride home, after a week-end ride.
Banking the apex on a steep rise in a perfect lean, that keeps a grin on your face for days.
Feeling the temperature changes, and smelling the moisture & scents, as you weave your way down through a valley.
Making it to a petrol station, when you know you should have run out of fuel 20 kays back.
Riding your favourite road on a perfect day & knowing if you where to die right then, you wouldn't give rats.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Absolute FREEDOM!

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

taking the long way home....just for fun.
arriving in style...
warm breeze
knowing your faster than just about any car on the road.
being the mysterious biker behind the dark smoke visor.
the sound of the two brothers exhaust roaring to life.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

-Feeling absolutely 100% in tune with the world around you
-being completely allowed to not respond to phone calls or email for hours at a time
-Leaning further, and further, and further, just enough to make your heart skip a beat, then pull up and gas it... and smiling ear to ear the whole time
-Not thinking about anything in the entire world except for what gear you're in
-Getting lost and having absolutely no intention of finding your way back
-Farting and not having to smell it
-Meeting complete strangers at the gas station every single time you fill up who tell you how much they like your bike
-Not having to pay for therapy

Got lots more... basically it's my favorite thing in the entire world. I feel extremely lucky to have found something I am so fond of at such a young age. There are so few people in the world who have anything to look forward to later in life... but I know I will always have a bike.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

showing up to work with all the smokers outside watching you

riding in the rain fully geared

waving to a fellow rider going the opposite direction, regardless of what he's riding.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Meetin up with some close buddies to ride with no real destination...
Waving back to the amazed little kids in the back seats of moms mini van lol
The lunch stop where everyone in the group just gets to sit back and shoot the ****, no real rush to get through lunch.
The way the bike looks just after you finish drying her off after a solid wash.
The feeling you get when someone says your bike looks good after you just spent all morning finishing up the new mods.
Warm day spent on some back roads with friends.

(someone said it earlier but farting and not having to smell it is funny but so true lol. Got a kick out of someone other than me thinking that too.)

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

HAHA so true

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

+1 on the cold tank of gas, espically on that hot day!!

meeting other riders
riding to no destination
missing 2nd, and acting like your reving at the hot chick next to you(and she likes it)
my mirror visor, everybody loves them!
washing my bike all the time, and not ever washing my car (stupid civic)
110hp on my bike compared to 102hp in my car:D (again stupid civic)
MUCH EASIER FOR THE ASSHOLES TO SEE YOU FLIPING THEM OFF
toying with cars that think they are faster than me
going to my buddies house on almost every ride just to make him miss his bike and get another one

got to work today, and this little black chick got off her harley and started talking to me about my bike...never saw a black chick on a bike, well driving one anyways...and she was cool as hell!

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

i'll add one more to the list cause i just did it 10 minutes ago:

driving thru a tim hortons drive thru at midnight to get 2 everything bagels. talk about weird looks from the employees

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Just taking a raod to see where it goes.

Acceleration

Being able to pass a BMW that is trying to race you. Oh did I mention Im on one wheel looking at em while passing em.

Turning around to give a set of twisties another try cause you know you could of did better.

Knowing it's going to be a cold ride home if you don't turn around and head back. but keep going on.

Sitting at a long light and watching the temp come back down after almost over heating after taking off. WHEW!

People always checking out the bike

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

I'm a lil' older now, so some of my faves have moved up on the list.

Gear, man, I love it. I love putting it on, I love wearing it, I love riding in it, I love walking outside the house in it, I love the way it makes other people pause to notice...the leather gloves, armored leather jackets, stupid beautiful helmets, boots that feel like a second armored skin, OMG I love every bit of it.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

i like that one...

dont know if its been said but "realizing everything looks better from the inside of a motorcycle helmet"

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

+1!

It's funny when a group of you grab some lunch or something and when you walk inside, everyone inside turns around to look :D

And to add on to the list:
- The feeling of the cool morning air as it whooshes through the helmet and jacket vents, simply beautiful
- A little different, but after a long day of riding (I don't commute on my bike), I love the feeling of driving/relaxing in my car. Then that feeling wears off after a day or two ;)

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Most of what you guys have already said .. but I love taking a new road to explore and finding it leads somewhere with a view ..deep joy :-)

Jules

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

+1 on that. If I could find my camera cord I'd show you guys some beautiful views of last weekend when I went riding with my brother. There is nothing like having the option of going anywhere you want, and not having to go a certain place. Being able to be going somewhere, see a good road and just take it. Freedom.

I've seen many versions and variations of this, but the feel of the warm wind blowing across you, slowly taking a curvy back country road (who says you have toknee drag all the time?)the sun beating down on you interrupted slightly by shade from overhanging trees. Just being able to see, feel and enjoy so many things you can't while in a car.

The attention you get when you show up at a restaurant dressed in your gear. The conversations with strangers who also ride. The random girls who will flirt with you at stop lights :) Waving at other riders of course. It makes you feel like one big family. I like this thread, I think it will do this forum good to reflect on why we are here instead of fighting all the time. Peace out

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

The hot air blowing out of the fairing when it's below 30 degrees.
Tucking in and staying dry.
The deserted straightaway on my way to work.(YAY!)
The deserted sweeper on my way to work.(HOORAY!)
Scrubbing down chicken strips.
Corrupting/convincing little kids that motorcycles are the coolest thing ever. (I've even let 'em sit on and rev the Ducati--I guarantee you that littleboy is gonna ride)
Smelling the honeysuckle as you ride through patches of it.

And though I laughed my ass off at the fart one, here's a serious question.
Have you ever cut one so badyou DID smell it?[:'(]:D

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

I have about the same likes as most of the ones already posted.

One of my favs though is my daughter telling my wife, "No mom, I want dad to take me on the bike..." ;)

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

uh, yah, i have cut one and smelled it...its usually the day after farts from a night out on the town.....

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

--- It makes work not so bad when you have your helmet sitting on your desk all day :)
--- The smell of the leather jacket and gloves
--- Parking on sidewalks
--- Taking the long way home
--- And posting dumb stuff on the CBR Forum

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Since I originally bought my bike for the commute:

-The gas mileage that is 3x better than my truck.
-The sound of the exhaust, especially when you get going above 7 grand.
-Being able to twist the throttle and pass that slow MF going 5mph under the speed limit when you only have a short distance to pass.
-the fresh air, wind noise, and sound of the machine you control.
-the MILFs that don't know you have a 17 year old bike but still think you look sexy on it.:D
-girls check you out and you haven't had that ever happen in a car.
-Cheap insurance!!!

As others said,
-the cold gas tank on warm days
-farting and not hearing or smelling it
-the feeling of freedom.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

Here are a few of the things that do it for me:

- The first ride after putting on a new mod.
- The test ride after spending a weekend working on the bike.
- Getting lost and not caring.
- Finding that perfect sweeping S curve where you have to work the throttle, brakes, approach, and exit.
- Setting up for that S curve as if you were landing a jet.
- Opening up the garage door with the bike waiting there for you.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

+1

Sometimes that road gets a little rough but you keep going. There better be something naked at the end of that road!

I'll add another one to the list: People looking at you strange when you take it into a carwash to power-wash it. Did that today to get the grime off! hahaha

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

-Hitting those rollercoaster hills to make your stomach queezy
-Getting the best parking spots at work
-Bike night at the local burger joint
-Singing in the helmet and no one hears ya....well I hope not for their sake!
-Not having to listen to the wife tell you the "better" way to get there
-getting lost, and enjoying it(goes with previous note)
-being the last one in a group, listening to everyone quickly accelerate

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

^I nominate you for best avatar lol. I love Calvin and Hobbs

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

1. Finally getting a bike after 6yrs of deciding.
2. Putting on that new scorpion helmet that fits like a glove.
3. Opening up your garage when i come back with the car and seeing that hint of blue on the headlight.
4. That first ride after winter storage.
5. Finally learning how to lean further and further and body positioning.
6. Seeing girls look back twice while i wait at a light.
7. Standing up on the pegs after a long ride and feeling that nice wind cool down your swamp ass (my fav)
8. Finally having someone set up my suspension.
9. Riding to lunch at work and having everyone stare at your helmet.
10. That HUGE grin on your face after you take any nice corner/sweeper.

But the #1 thing i hate the most.
1. Picking up a piece of metal in your rear tire after buying 2 new tires and only riding 700mi :mad:

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

bump for a good thread

-The smell of bike exhaust (am I weird because I like it?)
-The sound of that idle
-Coming up to a stop sign, stopping, looking both ways, and riding off... all without putting your feet down.
-The ability to open up the throttle and pass someone... in 200 feet :D
-looking down at the speedo and realizing I'm 20 over the limit... without even realizing it
-the biker wave
-The attention

and GILL already said it, but the roller-coaster hills... we have a local road here with a ton of them... I love it :D

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

good post guys youve said most of mine but ill add a few
-looking at your wife riding ahead of you and thinking "god im a lucky man"
-i love the pitch and whine as you work your way up/down through the RPM range
-just feeling the wind and going wherever your spirit takes you
-NOT HAVING TO PAY FOR MARRIAGE COUNSELING.
when me and the wife is at each others throats we gas up, gear up and ride, at the end of it we are actually being civil to each other.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

- The feeling I'm gonna have this weekend after finally finishing up the huge list of mods for the winter/spring.
Even as its sitting there with no plastics, every time I walk outside I have to walk up to it and cuddle it a little, heh heh

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

riding through a huge open field and feeling the cold air rush accross you even though your fully geared up.

snapping on the throttle and feeling the front end get light and set it back down and remembering to respect the bike

getting to break in a new set of rubber and getting rid of the chicken strips :D

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

The feeling of balance point, knowing you can ride there as long as you want. It feels like floating on a cloud, the bike quietly purrs along in perfect unchanged harmony.

RE: 101 Things about riding that make you happy
 

wow...im surprised no one has put these yet

-your first lap around the track on your first track day, and knowing what lies ahead
-that strange scraping sound coming from your knee puck the first time it touches the ground