Spinning my wheels
I’m having issues. I’m recovered from some injuries that have built-up over the last few years. Broken arm (split my ulna from the elbow ‘cup’ down about halfway to my wrist). Couple of mild concussions. Several bad muscle strains/mild tears. Hyper-extended knee (yet again). Hip out of socket (yet again).
I think a lot of these (except for the concussions, broken arm and damage to my ulnar nerve) are due to working a very sedentary desk-job while trying to do things that I have always done.
I am very strong. I think that is just because I don’t know better. I am very good at lifting things, as evidenced by my friends asking me first whenever they move. I think I am strong because I don’t know that I shouldn’t be able to lift things that I do. Poured concrete steps, 6-steps high by 3.5-4′ wide. Pushed a full-size Dodge-Ram with a trailer and an old Ford tractor over the top of the bridge in Baton Rouge, when it died 100 yards from the top. Anyway, you get the picture.
The point of this ramble is that I want a bike. Nevermind that I broke my arm (first “real” broken bone in my life) while riding a bike. (night and my light died on the way home from work. Endo-From-Hell) Actually, I want two bikes. I want a bicycle, and a motorcycle.
I have two problems with these.
I weigh 265# at 5′6″. (I’m very dense.)
They don’t make the bikes that I love anymore.
The weight issue. I make most bicycles scream bloody-murder and call for their mommies. I have never had a derailleur survive more than 4 months. Most likely, I will have to wind-up going with a SingleSpeed.
The Bike issue. They don’t make the bikes I love anymore. I really miss my old CB-550 Four, and I especially miss my old CBX. I am a ‘Standard’ (UJM) enthusiast, through and through. I even miss my old CB-750. (Damned ex-wife kept selling my bikes while I was on West-Pac)
There are some bikes that are close.
The Harley XR-1200 looks Abso-frelling Amazing. Unfortunately, its price-tag agrees. $10K base for a bike is harsh. But it does seem to be a great Standard, even based-on the Sportster 1200, it’s upright seating, comfortable pegs that are neither Tucked nor Stretched. Tucked isn’t for me, I’m not a canyon-carver or a speed-freak. Stretched is right out as well, as I’m not a Cruiser, and I’ve never been able to get comfortable or feel confident while stretched-out.
The SV-650 (The non-effiminate predecessor of the ‘Gladius’.) is a very close bike. Its a bit too tucked for my preference, but I’ve been tempted for years. The Gladius loses something for me. It could just be the marketing that is killing it for me. Bad! Bad marketing. Go to your room!
The V-Strom 650. This bike is tied with the XR-1200. I have lusted after it for a few years now. Upright seating. High Ground-Clearance. Huge gas-tank. Solid MPG. Good wind-protection. about $2-3K less than the XR-1200. Not a Tucked position at all. Very neutral Standard seating. It is a bit tall, though. I’m short, but not opposed to tip-toeing a bike. It isn’t ideal, but I didn’t used to be taller, and the old UJMs tended to be around 30″ seat-heights, but the seats were Very wide, so it seamed taller. I’d have to tilt-and-hold to flat-foot one foot, or tip-toe both feet for all of my old bikes, with the exception of the CB-550. (Did I mention that I LOVED that old tank?)
That’s about it. I love Honda, but they quit making the 750 NightHawk/CB-750. I’m divided on the Kawasaki Versys and Ninja-650 and Ninja-250. I’ve ridden the older 250 models a few times, and I have a healthy respect for them. A little less tha 1/4 the displacement that my CBX had (1050cc), but other than the one time I realized I was doing triple-digits on the CBX, it never thrilled me the way the littlest Ninja did. Don’t misunderstand. I Love and Adore the CBX, and would accept another in a heartbeat. That was by far the smoothest and most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden. It was so smooth, that going from the CB-550 to it, and driving by feel (at night), I found myself doing solid triple-digits without realizing it, just based-on the engine vibrations and not looking at the tach or speedo. (don’t do that on an unfamiliar bike, especially if it is an inline-6. too smooth.) No, what I mean is that I was not a good-enough rider to ride the CBX to its limits. It was a Big (and heavy) and fast bike. But it didn’t have that little something that makes your inner child yell ‘Wahooooooooo! Gogogo!’. The littlest Ninja had that little something in spades. The new model, I’ve read, tones it down a bit. More low-end grunt, less top-end spin. Also lower MPG ratings, but how much do you really trust those? But I’m not opposed to it, just not as excited as I used to be.
Back to bicycles. Msot of the single-speeds I’ve found seem to be targeted at Bike Messengers or the BM Wannabees. The others seem to be more for an off-branch of the MTB guys. I think I’m leaning more towards the middle-ground of these, the psycho-Cyclocross SS guys. Stronger Frames, Road-bars (sorta), Disc Brakes (some), and a rock-solid SingleSpeed Crank and Hub. Unfortunately, this range is a bit out of my range. My racing days are long over, and $1K+ for a commuter/exercise bike is a bit much. Maybe I’ll find a SS MTB frame (29er) and fit 700c (38 or so) tires/rims a big (44-50T) crank, small (14-16T) sproket, and Cyclo/MTB drop-bars. Oh, and the strongest damned chain I can find.
Ok, Ramble over. Sleep now.