Your best experience you've had on a motorcycle?

beansbaxter · 03-17-2009, 08:46 PM

Is there a summer ride or event that sticks with you as the finest week or weekend of your life? Did you discover an awesome low-key road race tucked away or did you stumble across some amazing riding roads in a remote area?

What's the best experience you've ever had on a motorcycle?

toddulu · 03-17-2009, 09:01 PM

Where to start...

I grew up around motorcycles cause my dad always had one. He took me on quite a few trips on the back of it. I never really "understood" what it was all about until about 3 years ago. My dad rides in a touring club in CA and he had just picked up an FJR. He invited me to go on a run through the CA Gold Country and he would let me ride the FJR while he rode the GL1800. Somewhere on that trip I came to the realization that it's all about the ride, and not the destination. Funny thing is, I crashed the bike on that trip about 200 miles from home, and had to limp the bike home. I bought my vfr about 6 months later...

Some others that stick out, last April I went and rode with my dad and the same group all through NorCal. Obviously HWY 1 was a highlight, but I also really enjoyed HWY 3 through Trinity Lake. Last September my dad and I rode for 8 days through Southern Utah and Western Colorado. Too many good roads there to even start...

LilBitDvl · 03-18-2009, 06:54 AM

Mine was the first SCS ride. I had just gotten my own Ninja 500 and we went out to Lake Mead. There were about 30 bikes on that first ride. Since I was a new rider, I was in the back bunch with the newbies. Gleno and Angel were amazing giving me so much much guidance and advice. Towards the end of the ride, they had me as the leader of the back bunch! I'll never forget it and I'll always be greatful!

2upFZ1 · 03-18-2009, 07:52 AM

For me there are so many.

The time I was riding on base and just happened to look up at a telephone pole and seeing two pigeons fucking up there. I thought to myself, "I'd never see that in a car"

Then there's my 2nd trackday. First time getting a knee down. What an unbelievable rush.

The first SCS group ride. Seeing Leslie's smile when she pulled in. I knew she got it then.

The Panguitch run on my birthday. The first time up there on those roads is exhilarating. Not to mention railing at ludicrous speeds, in the rain.

But my favorite was probably riding around Panguitch Lake with Les riding pillion. Taking in the sights & smells with your best friend behind you. Can't beat that.

vegaseric · 03-18-2009, 09:02 AM

It was the first Utah ride/camping trip I did back in July of 2005. That was an epic riding experience, as well as a great time overall.

97SRAD750 · 03-19-2009, 12:50 PM

Mine occured 8/2007. I rode my old 1992 CBR600F2 from Seattle to Harrison Lake British Columbia up in Canada (160 miles one way) and had nothing but twisties and great weather the entire way...Partied with a bunch of people from Seattle all night long...Next day went on a poker run with really fast boats all day...Partied the night away and on Sunday rode another 160 miles back to Seattle. Weekends dont get much better then that.

Born2Run · 03-20-2009, 08:15 PM

BEST experience.....? This can be broken down in to 2 categories.

"learning" experience:
Having the front wheel lift without effort in the middle of a left hand turn on a residental street. It was on a modified Buell S1 - tons of low-end torque. I'm not a wheelie king or anything, but that was a great experience.

"situational" experience:
Blasting down a laser-straight road through the strawberry fields of Ventura in the middle of May. All of the berries were ripe and the smell combined with the speed and freedom of the bike made an indescribable impression. This was also before the helmet law so I was lid-less.

"emotional" experience:
Taking a ride and looking over to see my beautiful bride riding along next to me.

Whoops - that's 3 categories.

VFRChick · 03-20-2009, 09:13 PM

My best was a weekend to Malibu Hills when I lived in San Jose. Went with 2 other guys on our Suzuki SVs. It was New Year's weekend 2004. Had a blast on the way down, taking mostly back roads. Next day we rode the roads through Malibu hills, splitting off from Mulholland. It was one of those trips where the people, the timing, everything was perfect. The roads were incredible and we kept just making up the route as we went. One day we ended up on veritable "goat trails" and stopped on the top of a hill like three layers of hills back from the ocean... so here we were looking over hills, then the ocean then the beginnings of a sunset... aboslutely the most beautiful scene of a lifetime in my mind. Coming down the hills later, we rode along the beach and stopped to watch the sun actually disappear into the ocean. Next day, back on same roads and we stopped at the Rock Store. Jay Leno pulled up in a 1913 Hispano Suiza. Coolest most down to earth guy ever. We even forgot he was a celebrity until someone asked to take a pic with him and he flashed his smile. That was New Year's Day, and he looked like hell... obriously partied hard, but he still made it out there to do what he loves best. Next day we planned on going to the Peterson Museum to give ourselves a little break before riding home. It rained all day... and of course we didn't care 'cause we were in the the museum and that's what we planned to do anyway. The weatherman couldn't have planned it any better. Next day was clear, sunny and dry for the ride home. Most memorable road trip so far.

Another... not sure if it was "best" but it showed me my true "self" if that makes sense. Again, while riding with my SV friends... it was my two buddies way ahead, then me and another guy mixing it up, then everybody else far behind. At one point I was by myself trying to catch up to my friends. I had the bike pinned all the way going up this super steep hill, figuring when I got to the top, it would level off or start going down. Nope... got to the top, and in front of me was a wood and barbed wire fence. The road continued 90 degrees to the left, and straight up some MORE!!

Talk about a pucker moment. Either panic, hit the brakes, go through the fence and over the cliff, or... what?! Well, I let go of the throttle long enough to look left and up REALLY HARD, threw the bike to the left as hard as I could, and hit the throttle hard... somehow I made that f@&$ing turn and lived another day. I hit dirt and gravel a few times in turns after that, but my adrenaline was still going, and I just put my foot down, looked up, hit the throttle and kept going. I attrirbute alot of that day to the bike. That little SV handled like a dirt bike made for the street... and there are times when I sure miss that bike. As much as I love the VFR, I don't think it would have responded the way the SV did and I'm not sure I would have made it that day.

Oh, I have others too, like the time I spent the night sleeping on the floor in my leathers in a gas station maintenance building... but that's a story for another time and I've probably already bored you to tears... :-)

SHWELL · 03-23-2009, 03:00 PM

My first and only Utah trip........ That shit was the bomb. We seemed lost, and realised Gleno was riding on Cables...... The only thing I would have done differently on that trip is bring the Busa as well...