There's one thing with rocks and dirt there the building blocks of life !
( NOT TO MENTION THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR EVER !!!! )
( NOT TO MENTION THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR EVER !!!! )
What Has Happened To Motorcyclists?
- Thread starter CarlS
- Start date
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Yep, life happens. Growing older can catch us by surprise.
B25bsaboy
Well-Known Member
Throwing in the weeds won’t work as he will go and retrieve it. Throw it into the middle of pond and unless he bought his dive suite, your problem is solved
One job I have yet to do on my FJR 1300 but I have certainly read up on the procedure. Step one make a jump plug with a paper clip!! No wonder I prefer my Uber basic 67 Bonni.
All bikes now have to have ABS........ why? I have owned two ABS equipped FJR'S beginning in 2006 to the present. In all that time I have caused the activation of the ABS precisely once, going downhill on a dirt road (lot of these in Australia). Seriously, if you need ABS on a bike you shouldn't be riding, period. It is not a coincidence that, unless you are sport bike speed freak, your brake pads last an awfully long time. Looking ahead, a long way ahead, is an absolute must if you wish to have an long and healthy life riding bikes. I would humbly suggest if you constantly need ABS perhaps bikes are not your cup of tea and please please don't ever buy an old Triumph if you rely on brakes to survive.
All bikes now have to have ABS........ why? I have owned two ABS equipped FJR'S beginning in 2006 to the present. In all that time I have caused the activation of the ABS precisely once, going downhill on a dirt road (lot of these in Australia). Seriously, if you need ABS on a bike you shouldn't be riding, period. It is not a coincidence that, unless you are sport bike speed freak, your brake pads last an awfully long time. Looking ahead, a long way ahead, is an absolute must if you wish to have an long and healthy life riding bikes. I would humbly suggest if you constantly need ABS perhaps bikes are not your cup of tea and please please don't ever buy an old Triumph if you rely on brakes to survive.
I think its an age thing. My wrist hurts fairly quickly when riding now. My 67 Bonni actually has the poor mans cruise control, an adjustable friction screw on the body of the twist grip. Totally needed before the advent of electric indicators when sticking out the right arm was required but also jolly nice as a cruise control. I did something similar to my pre cruise control FJR 1300 by placing two large rubber bands, yes those stretchy brown things like worms, around the twist grip between the rubber grip and the body. Just enough friction to hold the throttle in any position. If they wear simply replace. Cost? almost nothing.
There‘s nothing new about this; it’s a right of passage, as we get older, to complain about new technology and how unnecessary it all is.
Will we notice as we become the people who used to complain that electronic ignition was a disaster, as it couldn’t be fixed at the roadside “with a cigarette paper”, or that car brakes didn’t need the unnecessary assistance of servos? Will we be those complaining about transistor radios when there’s “a perfectly good radiogram in the parlour“
Come to think of it, who needs a radiogram, when there’s a “perfectly good piano?”
Will we notice as we become the people who used to complain that electronic ignition was a disaster, as it couldn’t be fixed at the roadside “with a cigarette paper”, or that car brakes didn’t need the unnecessary assistance of servos? Will we be those complaining about transistor radios when there’s “a perfectly good radiogram in the parlour“
Come to think of it, who needs a radiogram, when there’s a “perfectly good piano?”
I think my issue is not with technology, but rather with technology for technology's sake. I had GrandPaul install electronic ignition in my 1966 TR6R. I like the benefits of electronic ignition. I like the benefits of ABS and electronic cruise control. When I don't need ABS (riding off pavement) I can turn it off. I do not need ride modes nor do I need traction control. For my style of riding, and I ride over 9000 miles per year, traction control and ride modes are just an added expense and something else that can break that I cannot fix myself. I am looking to purchase another bike; but I want simplicity, not useless, expensive complexity. That may eliminate another Triumph.
The trouble with these rider modes is it makes a very average rider think there way better than they are and take more risks than they would usualy .
And what is the point of all this 150 to 200 bhp in bikes if you have to have rider modes to be able to ride them ! ..... just expensive gimmicks !
And what is the point of all this 150 to 200 bhp in bikes if you have to have rider modes to be able to ride them ! ..... just expensive gimmicks !
I completely sympathise with what your saying but, working in technical sales myself, a manufacturer is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
Let me explain. A customer will often say that they want a nice simple machine, one without all of the "unnecessary bells and whistles" available within the electronics. It makes sense though, in our field, that usually means that if they can buy one without all of the gadgets, they hope it'll mean they spend less.
However, what customers say they want to buy and what they actually choose to buy are two very different things. I remember a great example of this from many years ago, which went something like this:
"Right after you've told the market researcher that you want your next bike to be comfortable, reliable, to have good weather protection, be inexpensive to to run and be good value, you go out and buy the flashiest, fastest, most uncomfortable and fastest depreciating bike we can lay out hands on!". We'd deny it, of course, but there's an element of truth.
Likewise, the talk of stupid gadgets (I hate the cruise control on my last two Triumphs!) gets people into the showroom and talking about a bike and once that slick BMW salesman has said that his bike comes with a stereophonically heated rear number plate mount, he'll tell you that the equivalent Triumph is "way behind the curve" as they've not got one. Before you know it, muggins has gone and bought the BMW and Triumph have lost the sale all because their bike didn't have the latest stupid gadget. This may seem far fetched, but I've made on lost sales on silly things like this. I sold one device entirely on the strength of one gadget, a gadget that the customer didn't even realise they had 6 months later!
AS many of these items are electronic programs, just like programs on a washing machine, once you've fitted it to one, it's surprisingly inexpensive to fit it to them all, despite the fact that most people only use 3 settings. And what is one person's stupid gimmick, like "Rain mode", is another person's "must have".
For everyone else, there's always Royal Enfield!
Shane, you are spot on on all counts.
I understand what you are saying. A lot of people want/like technology for technology's sake, whether they ever use it or not. I am not one of those.
I just had to buy a washing machine and I bought a model with the least gadgets I could find. I disagree about "surprisingly inexpensive to fix". At the shop rates and service call charges to fix a washing machine, there is nothing inexpensive about it. The same applies to motorcycle repairs. Shop rates are darned expensive. Inexpensive is if I can purchase the parts and fix it myself as I have done until recent times.
In the automotive world, reliability has taken a nose dive with the exception of one brand which is barely maintaining the status quo. Most of this is due to electronic issues. I suspect this is the same for the motorcycle world.
Roysl Enfield is looking better all the time.
I have heard very little complaints about ABS either in autos or motorcycles. With motorcycles, the main concern I have heard is the ability to disable ABS when riding off pavement.I'm pretty sure that what Shanred6 has just said about rider modes is spookily similar to what people were saying about ABS 30 years ago!
I am considering an Enfield.I understand what you are saying. A lot of people want/like technology for technology's sake, whether they ever use it or not. I am not one of those.
I just had to buy a washing machine and I bought a model with the least gadgets I could find. I disagree about "surprisingly inexpensive to fix". At the shop rates and service call charges to fix a washing machine, there is nothing inexpensive about it. The same applies to motorcycle repairs. Shop rates are darned expensive. Inexpensive is if I can purchase the parts and fix it myself as I have done until recent times.
In the automotive world, reliability has taken a nose dive with the exception of one brand which is barely maintaining the status quo. Most of this is due to electronic issues. I suspect this is the same for the motorcycle world.
Roysl Enfield is looking better all the time.
I’ve heard very few complaints about it, once users had got used to the idea. Lots of comments about it being unnecessary when it first came out though!
acton mike
Member
Technology is good up to a point but then we find that manufacturers start complexity for the sake of complexity.
I ride two bikes(not at the same time); a 2016 T100 and a 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500.
Both have electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition which a light years ahead of carbs and breaker-points ignition and are as reliable as hammers.
No ABS, no traction control, no cruise control, no active suspension
Part of riding is being aware of of one's surroundings and being aware of road conditions and being prepared for the unexpected.
Slippery road; slow down, easy on the throttle and avoid ham-fisted braking. Our brains, if we have situational awareness, will allow us to ride safely without depending on electronics doing our thinking for us
Now the rant.
Manufacturers, automotive and motorcycle, start adding complexity and then the consumers begin to demand complexity and a vicious cycle starts. We, as consumers,, begin to equate complexity with progress and it ain't necessarily so.
My favorite example of unnecessary complexity goes back to simple item in my car.
My first car years ago had a dome light, which, when you opened the door, lit up and when you closed the door it went out; simple and it served its purpose.
However, apparently this was not good enough.
Now, when you open the door, the light comes on dimly and increases in brightness until it is fully on; when you close the door, it fades to being completely off.
the question that often occurs to me; what was wrong with a dome light that just come on when the door opens and goes out when the door closes?
Can't be a matter of cost and the doodad that makes the light come on and go out slowly must be more expensive than a simple on/off switch.
I believe the manufacturers decided that it would appear to be more luxurious to have a light that came on and went out gradually and the consuming public fell for it.
Luxury models and now base models now boast of push-button starting.
Push button starting; hell, my 1950 Pontiac had push button starting. If push button starting is progress, which auto manufacturer will decide that their luxury model will now feature a starter pedal.
Sorry; I got carried away
I ride two bikes(not at the same time); a 2016 T100 and a 2011 Royal Enfield Bullet 500.
Both have electronic fuel injection and electronic ignition which a light years ahead of carbs and breaker-points ignition and are as reliable as hammers.
No ABS, no traction control, no cruise control, no active suspension
Part of riding is being aware of of one's surroundings and being aware of road conditions and being prepared for the unexpected.
Slippery road; slow down, easy on the throttle and avoid ham-fisted braking. Our brains, if we have situational awareness, will allow us to ride safely without depending on electronics doing our thinking for us
Now the rant.
Manufacturers, automotive and motorcycle, start adding complexity and then the consumers begin to demand complexity and a vicious cycle starts. We, as consumers,, begin to equate complexity with progress and it ain't necessarily so.
My favorite example of unnecessary complexity goes back to simple item in my car.
My first car years ago had a dome light, which, when you opened the door, lit up and when you closed the door it went out; simple and it served its purpose.
However, apparently this was not good enough.
Now, when you open the door, the light comes on dimly and increases in brightness until it is fully on; when you close the door, it fades to being completely off.
the question that often occurs to me; what was wrong with a dome light that just come on when the door opens and goes out when the door closes?
Can't be a matter of cost and the doodad that makes the light come on and go out slowly must be more expensive than a simple on/off switch.
I believe the manufacturers decided that it would appear to be more luxurious to have a light that came on and went out gradually and the consuming public fell for it.
Luxury models and now base models now boast of push-button starting.
Push button starting; hell, my 1950 Pontiac had push button starting. If push button starting is progress, which auto manufacturer will decide that their luxury model will now feature a starter pedal.
Sorry; I got carried away
I raced bikes for 30 years started in school boy trials then motocross moved over to enduro and then road racing , never had ABS let alone all the other stuff they have now !.... how is anybody suposed to learn to ride and handle a bike properly with nanny state bikes .I'm pretty sure that what Shanred6 has just said about rider modes is spookily similar to what people were saying about ABS 30 years ago!
Taking braking for example, I learned to brake properly (ie: get the best out of some pretty rubbish brakes) on ‘70’s and ‘80’s bikes and even, on occasion, Brit bikes from the 50’s (!), but I wouldn’t want to go back as those brakes really were hopeless by current standards!
Everyone above has very valid points and I agree and disagree to varying amounts. My issue is not with choice and to choose a bike with gadgets its with lawmakers insisting all new bikes come with full time ABS which cannot be disabled (Australia). Govt. academics look at car safety and simply apply the same criteria to bikes which is something only a non biker would do. This greatly increases the purchase price, ongoing service costs and hugely expensive gadget replacement when they fail which of course benefits the dealers so they are happy. Seriously, the added cost of a little scooter having to have ABS? A good rider will stop quicker without ABS under most circumstances. Technology will not save you if you are a complete dipstick, learn to ride instead.
