Ducati Monster Forum

As gas price goes up every week, more & more motorcyclist hit the road.  New license plate and feet-dragger rider (dragging their feet on the ground while taking off for hundred feet, scary!)  which I don't care as long as they do hit me.  But the parkings are gone!  It is almost impossible to find a spot in financial district after 10 AM.  I've done more illegally parking lately and someday those 3 wheels monster will target me (or us). 

     

More people are on the bike car of Caltrain, too. I have to remind myself that it is a good thing that so many more people are riding the train. I think it is a good thing in the long run that there are more moto riders. There will be some growing pains (and some real pain from newbie crashes), but the general attitude towards moto riders should improve.

Yeah lots of stupid crash threads coming up on BARF. The riders don't seem to want to do anything different either. They think some divine intervention is what caused them to crash not the fact that they've been only riding for 4 months and are piss poor riders.

It's very sad, but I think this is going to be an awful summer filled with many many many more crashes then in the past.

Attitudes and amenities. America needs to fall out of love with the automobile in a bad way. In Italy 2 wheeled vehicle's out number cars 10 to 1 in a lot of places. Its way safer to ride in traffic and there are tons of places to park. + 2 wheeled vehicles get there own streets in some places that are closed to cars! Imagine that!

We've got a LONG ways to go. At least we're starting.

EDIT: Gas has been $8.00 a gallon there for at least a decade. Its never been cheap there.

PS I got 60MPGallon the other day crusing at low rpm's on the highway. yes!

It seems to me we need to organize and really push the idea of two-wheeled vehicles as basic transportation, to replace cars for most purposes. I think we need to ally ourselves with organizations that advocate bicycles as transportation too. I'm sure few people are going to agree with me, but I'd like to see one lane of every multi-lane street split between bicycles and motorcyles/scooters, no cars allowed except to make turns.

Early bird gets the worm!

Oh many American still had no fear of gas price!  I blog on BMW forum and they still wants 5 liter V8, twin turbo and such.  Many still have SUV as a second car too.  These people need a lot to learn... very sad.

Which of your bike gets 60mpg?  your 848 or monster?

Folding bike FTW! ;)

Folding bike For The Wankers?

Sounds about right.

I recall seeing bike lanes for the first time during a trip to Copenhagen, Denmark. That was 16 YEARS AGO! The US is atrociously slow to implement these otherwise logical devices.

Need more BART too.

I currently reside in Chicago and we have public transportation.  However, my gf has to take it sometimes and it takes well over an hour for her to travel 5 simple miles.  She has a scooter, but there is no parking downtown she can take advantage of.  It's not just a matter of saying "accommodate 2-wheeled transportation."  It's systemic. 

Also, I've lived in Maine where you have *maybe* 3 months of good riding and the distances are large enough to make a bike impractical.  You want a Big Mac?  45 minute drive, longer if you're stuck behind an RV. 

But as long as we're wishlisting, can we outlaw cellphones and soccer moms in minivans?

riding like a BOH i still get about the same mpg's on my 695 as i do in my prius. >38mpg ea

ps... 03 prius, with access stickers possibly for sale ;) offers? seriously, i'm thinking about selling it...

848 !


In China they do have bikes only lanes on the freeway.


They did. Effective July 1st, 2008
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/


...err that still leaves soccer mom's in SUV's.  [bang]

I grew up in Chicago and commuted 5 miles each way to middle school and high school every day on the CTA...the buses sucked, the subway was far more reliable (although generally required a lot more walking).

My Vespa is getting about 60 MPG in the city. And that's with me wringing every ounce of HP out of the two hamsters that power it.

The buses in SF are great if you wear earplugs, gloves, don't mind spittle on your glasses and di-lice directly after getting off the bus.  :P

My current commute to down town SF ~ 3 miles.
Bus: 45min. to an hour+
cage: 30 - 45min based on traffic.
Bicycle: 20min. ; 15min. sweaty.
Moto:  8 min.  ;D

My current commute (not counting the one to SFO :P), Foster City to Union City, in order of frequency used:

1. Moto: 16 miles one-way, 25 minutes (including gearing up), no toll at commute times
2. Bicycle: 25 miles one-way, 2 hours plus shower time, no toll or gas
3. Car: 16 miles one-way 20 minutes, have to pay bridge toll coming home
4 (never). Public transit (using 511.org): 2 hours 35 minutes and $7.45 one way

(http://creativeclass.typepad.com/thecreativityexchange/images/2007/05/19/200606161745.jpg)

Bike lanes and bike only streets have been standard in many places for a LOOOOOONG time.

There's been talk - however underground - about closing POLK and POST in SF for Bikes only.
Also currently in discussion is closing certain roads 1 or 2 Sundays a month to 2 wheeled vehicles only in Marin.  What a dream.  [thumbsup]

I can't see that actually happening, at least not on a full-time basis. For one thing, Polk Street is pretty much the only access to some of the alleys in the area, such as the one my garage is on, with parking for the fire station on Post Street right next to the garage. Polk already has a bike lane along most of its length, which rocks, since I live there and get to use it all the time.

1.8 mile "commute", or what I call it because I have to bring a huge backpack. from the marina to pac heights

Walking 30 min, hey come on I'm walking up those freakin' hills
Bus: 40 min, because I have to take two buses.   [bang]
Moto: 4 min  [moto] [clap], then I have time to go get a  [coffee]

My commute: 12.5 miles, mostly freeway.

Caltrain or BART + walking and/or bus to and from the station at either end: 90+ minutes.

Caltrain or BART + bicycle: Approximately 60 minutes, depending on the train schedules, and I can include a nice scenic ride as part of it. (Working up to riding the full way, but the route goes through some sketchy parts of SF; that's where I've been taking the train.)

Motorcycle: About 20 minutes.

Motorcycle is still the cheapest option, but Caltrain + bicycle is edging it out as gas prices rise. I like the second option best but I ride when I'm pressed for time.

Car: No clue, I haven't owned one in years.

Will San Francisco looks like Amsterdam one day?

(http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/pm3s_amsterdam_bicycles.jpg)
(http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/pr7s_amsterdam_bicycle_many.jpg) (http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/ps9s_amsterdam_bicycle_smal.jpg)
(http://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/pq5s_amsterdam_bicycle_work.jpg)

90 mile round trip commute which includes HWY 17.  Looks like a summer of helmet hair and good spirits.

This is me riding cupcake in Utrecht (yes, slightly squidly). ;)

(http://paularickert.net/albums/userpics/ivo_paula_sidesaddle.jpg)

What a dream - So cool, so peaceful looking.