Kinda new owner (long first post)

firenspeed

Hi All,

I've actually been using this site as a resource for ideas, but haven't bothered posting before. I'd like to thank a lot of you for the ideas and exceptional advice you put out there in addition to the R+D and humor you've provided. It makes the site great.

After a LONG wait, I finally got a Blackbird. Throughout my riding career, there are a few bikes I've always wanted. This is the third bike that I've wanted to experience and had the good fortune to purchase. I was DYING for another bike after selling my Nighthawk last winter. I'd always wanted a 'bird but couldn't afford one and was a bit intimidated. Well, after months of searching, I found a few . . . that I couldn't afford. In one of those weird twists life provides, I received a significant bonus check (my company doesn't give bonuses) that fell on the same day I found the right bike. I called the guy and drove 2.5 hours that night to meet him. I was in love.

I'm awed by the smooth endless power. I love the lines of the bike. I can ride with my companion (yes, it's a girl) with ease, and my 120 mile a day commute is fun. I'm so happy. By the by, it's a black 99. It's effectively stock which is what I wanted. I like the sleek, stealth aspect of stock pipes (and again, the lines). The previous owner added a pretty sweet looking memphis shades screen. It's not much for wind protection, but it looks great.

If it weren't for the law, I would love my morning commute. I leave at 4 am, so the roads are empty. They leave the twisty parts alone, but the open stretches are heavily patrolled. I might have to invest in a RADAR/LASER detector. That segues to my next topic.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of a 3.5 hour ride, and with fresh tires, I got a little . . . enthusiastic with the throttle. Apparently, I passed Trooper Campbell at a bit over 155mph. I never saw him (on an overpass), and I was gone by the time he got on the highway. Now, I don't pass on the right, weave or lane split (illegal in MN, WI), so I'd slow down for traffic which was light anyway. They'd move over. I'd put the hammer down again. Turns out, when I'd slow down for traffic, Wisconsin's finest would close in on me. Traffic would see his lights and move over, at which point I'd pull away from his Dodge Charger Pursuit Vehicle. Ooops. When I did finally see him, I had merged with the 70 mph traffic, because my neck was tired. I couldn't duck down behind the screen because my weekend belongings were all in my tank back. I was taking hurricane force winds to the face. Anyway, I pulled right over and was courteous as could be, all the while certain I was about to get a shiny new pair of bracelets.

Anyway, he wrote me a speeding ticket (he was able to pace me for two miles at an average of 118mph) and then I got two more. My paperwork hadn't come through for registration (easy fix) and my license was expired because I'm moving from MN to WI. I couldn't believe he was going to let me ride away. However, he informed me that I didn't have a license, so I needed a ride/rider. I pointed out that all of my friends were already on the vacation 3 hours ahead of me. He told me to start making calls and handed me three road flares. "Put these out when it gets dark . . . and don't go ANYWHERE."

So that's my exciting story. I can't really say I regret it, but it sure is expensive.

For the record, who else in the Twin Cities area has a 'bird? I see one of you on 394 about once a week. You're westbound in the afternoon when I'm eastbound. There are also one or two near Hudson and the border towns.

Look forward to the comraderie. I used to ride a Duc and that group was great as well (they're not all snobs). Look forward to many great rides and conversations.

Fast Eddie

wigo

Welcome from Virginia.
How much was the ticket?

Great story... congrats on the bike... what did you do?

firenspeed

Well, the speeding ticket was $501. The other two were $160 and $180, but maybe I can grovel for forgiveness. We'll see.

I spent most of my time on the side of the road hoping that a) my bike wouldn't get smashed when the flares burned out and that b) my cell phone wouldn't die before my friends found a black bike on a black highway in the middle of nowhere. Other than that, I took a nap on my helmet with my ipod under a bridge.

DragonXX

G'day from Australia
Sounds like all the bad luck is out of the way and it's all good from here

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wigo

Nice... I would be outta bike.

Good luck groveling.
I guess eventually you were found and all was great from there.

Nutter67

G'day from Oz.

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Paul

Never let a motorcycle take you somewhere your brain didn't get to three seconds earlier

Strek

Welcome from the windy city. Great intro. Hopefully you do have all of the bad luck out of the way.

Catenaccio

You are my hero! Welcome!

CanadianBird

Buy a 9500i it's saved by butt many a times, exept for the time I drank a full can of Rock Star and ignored the laser informing me I was under the gun. Now I only drink Red Rain.

X1rider

Ouch. Why do they do that? I mean $501.00? Is that some kind of psychological threshold of going over $500.00?

I told an officer that pulled me over (5 times in 5 years, one ticket) that he had very nice penmanship (on the speeding ticket) and he knocked it down from 82 in a 55 to 69 in a 55 so I wouldn't get any points. Still had to pay $130.00 though. I guess it was a good thing, I have seen 130mph+ on that 2 lane road 65 miles east of Atlanta.

Shorebird

Ouch!!

Partsguy

Ontario passed a law this year where if you are caught going 50 kph over they will take your vehicle for a week,can't remember the fine amount,don't want to find out the hard way either.It's led to a lot of conversations about running instead of stopping.To make it sweeter we now have the occasional air patrol,oh joy!

Gretch

Welcome from misery(Missouri). I a relatively new member myself.
I think its better to stop and take your 'lumps' from the cops as to run and risk yours or someone elses neck. Though I do have friends that do flee. I think its a felony to run in MO.

Kevin

firenspeed

As for fleeing . . . well, I think it's a secret desire in all our hearts. Of course, my better judgment has not let me do it, but damn it would be fun. I just don't like big, hairy, sweaty cell mates.

On a related note, two days later (that Sunday) I was on the pot when my girlfriend called me out with a note of concern in her voice. I walked in to the living room to see several cruisers in our rural driveway. They asked if I was Ed *****. I said yes. They asked if I had a black sportbike. I said, "Maaaayyyybeeee." They asked if I knew Trooper Campbell." I replied that I'd had the pleasure of his acquantance Friday night, but not since then. Well, apparently another black sport back blasted past him on the same stretch . . . and didn't stop.

He sent them to my house remembering one of my questions: "So, I guess if you're gonna go fast, you might as well keep going, eh?" That was after he informed me that he couldn't keep up and only caught me because I had slowed to normal speeds. Mind you, this was several counties away.

OK, one more story. I'll try to paraphrase. I lived in the Central CA valley. My friend and I were in the middle of nowhere. Turn down mirrors. Turn up lights. Haul ASS. I heard a loud car gain on us, but at the time I had a Ducati with Termi pipes. I was haulin' ass and was amazed that a car could have closed on us, but I couldn't see him. It sounded like a Mustang or Camaro (the CHP used both for pursuits). Finally, at about 145 I sat up and looked around. One headlight behind me. In confusion I looked all over the dark highway and noticed the flashing marker lights of a helicopter above me. "Oh shit!" I signaled my buddy and we put the hammer down. We had MANY straight miles to go before the city and we knew we were faster than the "ghetto bird". So, we hauled ass back to the city, dove into the first gas station with a cover, stripped off our lids and coats and walked back out to look up. Sure as shit, here she comes about 20 seconds later. I thought it was going to fly right by when suddenly it flared directly over us. My heart sank. And then it landed on the hospital across the street. I can only imagine what the pilot and the medic where thinking. "We're in a helicopter because it's an emergency and we're in a hurry . . . and we just got outrun by two bikes."


Good times.

ArmyStrong

-In the voices of Beavis and Butthead--That was cool! heh, heh. Yeah. Cool.
from Gotham! I think we're gonna enjoy your threads!

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