Nothing much compares to the adrenaline rush of a street bike ‘crotch rocket’ motorcycle. It’s like you own the world at your wrist and feel the full power of your will – you think, it goes, it becomes an extension of your ‘need for speed’ and if you’ve never tried it, this might sound a bit corny, but once you have you’ll agree. The other day I was discussing my love for motorcycles with a member of our think tank. Turned out he had experience with raced out street bikes himself.
The fellow think tanker stated; “I also have a keen interest in motorcycles. Currently I have a Yamaha R6. My previous bikes have all been Honda’s with my first coming at the age of 5 years old. I have had one knee surgery as a result of a dirt bike racing accident. At the moment I am desperately trying to talk my wife into a new Ducati Diavel or Monster… only time will tell.”
His Yamaha R6 sounds like so much fun. A 600 is the perfect size for me, and we have some fun little canyon roads around here, as I live out by Malibu, CA. I’ve always had Honda motorcycles too, CBR 600s mostly, although loved my GSXR slingshot (750) aluminum frame, holy crap was that a fun bike to ride. But a 600 is where I’d rather be, easy to throw around and just the right amount of acceleration not to kill me. I remember my dad flew A-4 Skyhawk’s in the US Navy and I always thought the Honda Hurricane 600 was that type of maneuverable machine. A Ducati Diavel – oh hell yes!
I agree there is nothing like a raced-out street bike! Just watch for four-wheelers making left hand turns in front of you, traffic can kill you if you don’t pay attention. I don’t know if everyone who races or has raced motorcycles agrees but racing motorcycles around really makes your mind sharper, you have to stay ahead of it, think, and react without thinking.
It helps the mind in ways a Video Game, simulator or anything else ever could. That has been my experience, and I have participated in sports, flying, business, politics, etc. There is something about it, you have the world at your wrist and every decision is real, serious, and you can’t take it back – just the way I like it too. I wonder if it is like that for others. Maybe some people get more out of it than others? Hard to say, I just know what I get out of it. I like the visual stimulation rush.
What’s a competitive intellectual with high testosterone levels to do? It’s a male thing.
