Posted on 07/30/2012 5:45:00 AM PDT by Jonah Hex
All,
I'm now north of 50, married, with kids finally moving out of the house. The family van is ready for retirement, so I'm thinking of a fun vehicle for commuting to work (about 10 miles daily) and the occasional "fun" ride down the Colonial Parkway with my wife. I used to ride a Kawasaki 305 back in my 20's, but gave it up when I got married (yeah, I know, whipped).
Anyway, the Can-Am caught my attention as an "alternative" bike. I like quite a few of the features as well as the "quirkiness". I believe I could talk my wife into riding it with me. "If Momma's happy..."
Thinking of arranging a test ride before I seriously start pursuing the idea. Looking for comments/opinions, especially technical/maintainence/safety. I know, a Can-Am is not a real motorcycle, it's a crutch for those who can't or won't ride a real bike. Nevertheless, looking for input, especially from Can-Am riders.
You said it.
My mom still has nightmares about the time I saw a biker stranded along the road in the middle of the night and stopped to help.
He was a clubber but I just walked up and silently handed him my cell phone.
He called for a trailer, handed back the phone and nodded to me and I went on my way.
[they rarely actually talk to other biker’s ‘ol’ ladies’, out of respect]
It was cold and getting ready to rain and not a single other driver even slowed down as they went by him.
[scared off by “the patch”]
It’s kind of funny, the “universal shorthand” that’s apparently developed between us all.
You’re driving down the road, a biker is sitting on the side, you offer an upturned palm, in question, they return a thumbs up for ‘we’re okay’ and you reply with a thumbs up or they offer a motion-to for help and you stop...all in less than a few seconds.
Isn’t it weird that car drivers generally don’t have the same mutual compulsion to help?
Neat bike!
Dude...that’s a car.
It has *AC*, fer cryin’ out loud.
You could try riding in shorts...unless you're one of these trendy types ;o)
Of cor snot!
Technically, in all states, it's a motorcycle
3 wheeler, open cockpit, no bumpers, no airbags
helmet required in all applicable states
But it does have a , shutter..., steering wheel
In MD, ABATE had to cave on several “trike like things” in order for home builder/small business trike manufacturers [like us] to be able to keep operating.
That thing and the CanAm were just two of the “compromises” we had to gag down to stay in business.
If you ever get a chance to see one in person, do so.
AC, steering wheel, heat, the whole near-car works.
I'd die of shame, myself.
A car must have bumpers, airbags, whiz-bang safety stuff
Children's seats, the whole bit
But a motorcyclist can put his/her butt on the line
with little or no protection, with a child passenger
It strikes me as stupid
If one wants safety, then one can pay for all they want,
or not
all the stupid safety laws, except as they prevent injury to others,
are just dumb, in this context
Got any RoadHawks in there?
It’s because lawyers ride motorcycles. Lots and lots and lots of lawyers.
Otherwise, bikes would likely have been banned long ago, or saddled with equally nannyist gear.
The voice of objection to idiotic safety mandates carries much weight at the government when the leading edge of the group objecting consists of a million angry lawyers.
The Can Am, using a single rear tire and a two wheel front steering system (similar to a car) is much more stable and would be difficult to flip over.
In addition, the front suspension assembly, body panels and two front tires provide some protection for the Rider in a minor front end collision. Of course, inertia is a wonderful thing when you're not buckled in.
My friend has a Harley Trike, and I don't care for the way it feels. It does look much cooler than the Can Am though. Yeah, I know that last statement calls for a visit from Captain Obvious.
The new Camaros and Challengers have a B Pillar that ruins the lines of the cars. The Camaro Concept did not have it, but that design did not make it into production.
Or, you just buy a Convertible. It's a wonder Government Bureaucrats can find their Butts using both hands.
Indeed. I think "the wave" has at least something to do with it. I think it keeps you in a friendly frame of mind towards other bikers. Some of the guys I occasionally ride with in the PGR would probably scare off most folks, but they tend to be some of the most generous, and genuinely kind folks I've ever met. The turn outs we get for 'toy runs' and similar charities in this area are astounding.
LOL
*shrug*
Race car drivers all wear helmets.
Head injuries are the most common fatal injuries in car crashes.
Therefore, all car drivers should be required to wear helmets.
I sit in the passenger seat of our car and stare at the word “AIRBAG” imprinted on the dash in front of me...and wonder if it’s going to smash me if it ever deploys because I’m theoretically “too small”.
Somehow, I survived a childhood with a dad who drove ordnance in Korea at the wheel of a Ford Fairlane ragtop ripping around the twisting, hill-hopping backroads..with no seatbelts.
Is that a VW motor?
He used to make VW trikes back in his “Rat Hole” days in FL but now we just make trike conversions for chain/belt drive bikes.
” with the two wheels in back are very unstable in turns,”
Ours aren’t.
I tear around mountain curves at 60mph and I barely weigh enough to keep myself on the bike, let alone keep it down any.
We don’t use the typical “independent suspension” rears, though.
They suck and feel squirrely as hell in turns.
[our first prototye was independent...got over *that* bright idea -real- fast]
You have to factor in the rake/trail of the front end for handling abilitity, too.
Most “big companies” that crank them out on the assembly lines don’t.
The factory made jobs I’ve seen are, for the most part, way too short and steep in the front.
My first Sportster trike had a stock neck/triple tree and front end...for a whole week.
Never again.
Too true.
I’m as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs in “normal people crowds” but totally comfortable amongst thousands of bikers on a run.
One summer, a *huge* clubber I didn’t even know noticed that I was getting heat exhaustion whilst sitting in the infield of the local dirt track races and he stayed where I was sitting, making shade for me with his gigantic body.
He must’ve stood motionless for two hours until hubby came back.
You can’t get kindness like that anywhere else.
That’s just a one story out of dozens I could tell, where “scary bad guys” kept me safe, even though they didn’t know me.
Have you heard of BACA, yet?
God bless them all.
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