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[MichaelJohn]

This morning I took off for an early ride since the weather is so damn beautiful here in California right now. I was on a 2 lane freeway on-ramp with a signal light waiting for the green when a big Harley pulled up next to me. He was revving his engine and I thought "oh boy, here we go". The light changed and he took off, engine roaring. All I had to do was twist the throttle and he rapidly disappeared into my rearview mirror. No clutching, no shifting, no noise - just gone. I heard him shifting gears back in the distance while I was thinking that this is just too easy. I actually felt a little guilty that this motorcycle is so simple to ride. Are we losing our man cards on these things?

[kingcharles]

Yeah, it's actually a girls bike...

[CrashCash]

Ha! That's about the opposite of what my grandfather said about his first automatic transmission.

He was in Philadelphia dating this cute nurse during the war, and he bought a car to impress her. He got talked into the automatic transmission by the salesman.

So he's driving around town, thinking he "got took" by the salesman, and that it wasn't manly to not have to shift.

Anyway, he ends up first at a light. The light changes, he drives off, and looks back in the rear view mirror to see everyone else WAY back there frantically shifting, and went "hmph! maybe there's something to be said for this newfangled easy stuff!"

I have my FJR to remind me what a pain in the ass shifting, a powerband, and crappy EPA mandated fuel injection is like.

I have a HD dealership down the block and I *LOVE* silently lanesplitting those bastards. They'll ride one in each lane side by side completely blocking traffic until I blast between them. I also went around a can't-find-second-gear no-helmet wiener on a Hayabusa a week ago. None of those morons have a man card, that's for sure. Half of 'em couldn't identify a front brake if you held a gun to their head.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

Can we have motorcycles not be about gender-posturing for once?

Yes, the motorcycle is really easy to ride. Who cares? Spend your mental effort on things that matter like riding skillfully and not getting killed or injured. Take care of what maintenance the bike does require (fork oil, tires, brake pads, etc., minor corrosion and cleanliness). Give the bike a custom paint job or look if you have to say something about yourself.

Be a mensch, and no one will care what other "cards" you "deserve". And yes, I pass douchebags like it's going out of style.

[MichaelJohn]

Can we have motorcycles not be about gender-posturing for once?

Yes, the motorcycle is really easy to ride. Who cares? Spend your mental effort on things that matter like riding skillfully and not getting killed or injured. Take care of what maintenance the bike does require (fork oil, tires, brake pads, etc., minor corrosion and cleanliness). Give the bike a custom paint job or look if you have to say something about yourself.

Be a mensch, and no one will care what other "cards" you "deserve". And yes, I pass douchebags like it's going out of style.

Take it easy, my post was tongue-in-cheek. No gender-posturing or lack of mensch qualities intended. No custom paint jobs necessary either.

Edit: I also ride a scooter so that might tell you what I think about "man cards".

[teddillard]

Too easy?  I don't think "easy" is the word.  I feel like an electric motorcycle is about the pure ride experience, and that's as "easy" as you want to make it.  You made me think of this statement I made:
"You’re concentrating on exactly what you should be: the line, the road, your next moves, the sounds around you and the other drivers on the road.  With a handful of unbridled electric power on-demand in your right fist, it’s truly a pure riding experience."

(http://insideevs.com/electric-motorcycle-primer-insideevs-style-part-1-ride/)

It always makes me think of sailing, and the revelation I had when I finally got good at windsurfing.  Sailing a boat, you have all this, well, rig, between you and the wind and the water.  On a board, the rig is you.  It's as pure as sailing can be.  Same with electric bikes, Zero or anything else. 

[Doug S]

It always makes me think of sailing, and the revelation I had when I finally got good at windsurfing.  Sailing a boat, you have all this, well, rig, between you and the wind and the water.  On a board, the rig is you.  It's as pure as sailing can be.  Same with electric bikes, Zero or anything else. 

When I learned to ski, decades ago now, it occurred to me that there was a lot of the same feelings of freedom and pure speed that motorcycling gave me, but without all the noise and mechanical busy-ness. I can't say that any more, the Zero gives me nearly the same feeling, every day, without ridiculously expensive lift tickets.

[Doctorbass]

Yeah, it's actually a girls bike...

Yeah but girl on bike are SEXY!!! 

Doc

[bigd]

Doctorbass - what bike???

[Richard230]

So where are the Brammo Girls now?   

[benswing]

Polaris girls? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Justin Andrews]

Polaris girls? 

What? this Polaris girl...? 


(Aboard HMS Resolution, Polaris Submarine)

[kingcharles]

Those will become Victory girls.

Like this one [emoji15]




Who says a hardtail is not comfortable? Looks very comfy to me!

[Cortezdtv]

There is no shifting but there are downsides to having to much torque, not being able to keep front end down, I've raced a friends 600 and I got him to 70 every time, unless the initial popup is to great and I have to peddle, hard to get back at that point, not that he even got a bike length aghead but still.

My little bike also ate a gear 750


I have had one Harley pull up on the right side of me after i split the lanes. He pulls up I had Already been towards the left side, but the on ramp was off to the right, I know dumb me, but I wanted to make room for the other bike so he wasn't stuffed.
I looked over we started talking he asked if I was going freeway, I was like ya, I'll be quick big ass dumb grin on my face. This man knew, he laughed and said "o I know" we talked a little more until the light turned green. I shot out just past the crosswalk, pointed the bike, now basically across 2 lanes, and down the slightly righthanded turn one ramp. Yanked the throttle wheelied up the hill over the crest making light right for the onramp down the otherside, he was long gone after the first 2 seconds, I rode the wheelie as far as I could, had to lean way over for the corner; came out the other side one the freeway sitting normal acting like nothing happened, just already going freeways speeds.

Eh, maybe they are to easy,     When your stuck at the bottom of a gully on a dirt bike I sure would want it to be easy"""

[Straightedg4lif]

I currently ride an automatic motorcycle, the Aprilia Mana wonder if it is the same experience as the Zero. I haven't had the privilege to test ride one of these yet since it has been sooooo cold and constantly snowing in the Northeast of the states. Has anyone driven another type of automatic bike and the Zero and can give their input on the two rides.

I love just twisting and going without having to shift, I don't think I could have ever enjoyed riding a motorcycle if they only sold manuals. Too much to do with both hands and both feet, not to mention freaking out about stalling. I LOVE the automatics and think they are the best thing ever.