I am what I have hated. Years ago when I was more involved in the pursuit of Going Faster, I would scold and criticize and ridicule people for this sin… and I am now one of those sinners. Years of driving trucks has ruined me… made me grow soft. I hated being behind those people… and I am now one of them.
I am…
An Early Apexer.
I need to return to a School of Fast and retrain my Line.
My Honda Magna has a windscreen that looks like a police riot shield. I took it off and blasted up the highway… and it’s not good without some wind protection. I need something a lot smaller, something streamlined a bit… Maybe something like this:
I like the nice sleak bullet shape it gives the front end, while still having enough to channel air flow away from most of me.
If anyone out there sees a fairing like this that would work for a ’95 Magna, Let me know, please!
“It’s just like riding a bike. It’ll come back to you.” That’s true. Getting used to riding again… brothers and sisters… it feels good. There is no other feeling like it. If I have to explain it to you, you wont understand. I should have never given up riding.
The Honda V-4 engine – I’m of the firm opinion that this is the best engine ever built for motorcycles. The strong roll on acceleration is biblical, smooth, and right now. This makes passing rock flinging trucks not just faster, but safer. Being able to get out of danger quick is a very good thing. Also the fact that my little puny 750cc engine has destroyed a number of 1200cc powered V-Twin type bikes… that just makes me happy.
Getting used to riding again is one thing. I’m also getting used to a new bike. The Magna I have now is called a “3rd Gen” by Magna Owners. The previous Magna I had was a 1st Gen… It was an 85 or 86 if I remember right. I got it for 800 bucks and it only had 2,000 miles on it. It was Cherry. Those Magnas had a longer fork, and pegs that were a bit more forward… more chopper like. After riding this Magna, in it’s more “Standard” position… I think I’d rather have the older style for the comfort.
However, the 3rd Gen Magna has more rigid forks, quicker turn in, and all around better handling. I think even has a better lean angle to it. It feels more like a Sports Bike. This makes me tempted to take curves at faster velocities, riding it like it was a Sports Bike. Which is all fine and well… very cool actually… but I’d rather like the more stretched out position of the older bike. Easier on the knees.
Then again, back then with my last Magna, I didn’t have any problems with my knees. Still. I miss that old Magna. It was a dark blue – almost black… all dark and sinister looking… it was a sexy bike. I rode that when I was going to ROTC at BYU. Not the normal BYU bike. Everyone else on a motorcycle had sport bikes or scooters.
No matter how bad I feel, how much I hurt… I get on the bike and start riding… I feel better. I forget the pain and everything… and I’m just riding.
Years and years ago, I was very into aviation. I still am, but not with the same enthusiasm. Last time I was in the cockpit it was in a Cessna 142. I had flown other aircraft before, 152’s, 172’s, and a 182, along with some other small planes, Cherokee, Arrows and even a V tail Beechcraft. Other than Ultralights, the 142 was the smallest and the most twitchy. In fact, it felt more like an Ultralight than the other aircraft, even the 152 which isn’t really any bigger… the 142 is very basic.
I took a test ride on a unique Chopper… a factory built chopper from…
Wait for it…
I’ve had messages from guys asking if I wanted to sell my Honda Magna. The answer is a straight up no. However if you offer me a trade… I’d trade it… for a Harley 1200 in awesome running condition and with new tires. You have that, sure, I’ll trade you. If not, no… I’m not selling it. If I sell it, then my wife will take the money… if I trade, well… she doesn’t know how to ride a motorcycle. See what I mean? So yeah, if you have the money to buy – go buy the Harley and then come see me. I’ll even meet you have way, and we can swap titles and keys.
So the other day I was sitting at a red light. A dude on a Harley Sportster 1200 pulls up. I didn’t even have to look over to know what he was riding, because it’s obnoxiously loud pipes announced his approach from a block away.
But Ogres do… no riding today. Dang it.
Learned a lot about my new bike this week. Chain tension, lube and inspection. Saddle bags can unzip off. And I learned that my bike gets 40 MPG on the dot, which is pretty good. So I learned just how far my bike can go on a tank… then shortly there after, I learned just how far I can go on my reserve tank. Which I found out was about 400 yards short of the gas station. Luckily the bike can coast pretty good, to within 100 yards. So it was not a lot of pushing, but enough to hammer home the lesson. Seriously, I need a bigger fuel tank. I heard you can get a tank off a Honda Shadow, and with some modification, make it work for the Magna. If anyone has any detailed information on that – I’d really like to hear it.
I saw this some time ago and had to snap a pic of it. The photo doesn’t do it justice. This is an F-350, full sized, quad cab… a massive truck… jacked up high. I’m sure it’s great in the snow. The stacks put it over the top.
