Twisties? Who needs 'em?

Norm

Norm

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We all live for the twisties, don't we? But there's more fun to be had with a bike like the FZ1 than just some leaning left and right and a few countersteers. Here in Florida we ain't got no stinkin' twisties.

What we do have are long straight roads. Atop a bike that'll crack 160 MPH we practically see, if only in our mind's eye, signs everywhere saying "Go as fast as your guts can handle it." Add to that long 2 way straights with broken yellow lines for passing everywhere and now you're ready for some fun.

Eric and I came back one day with 2 of the most mischievous childhood smiles you ever want to see. Why? Because we just crossed half the state, chasing down the perimeter of Lake Okeechobee. And we passed everything in motion or standing still. In fact everything in motion looked like it was standing still from our vantage point.

Semi's? No problem. Mustangs? No problem. Fancy Mercedes and Beemers...just a spec in our rear views. We passed them so fast and in such narrow spaces with cars bearing down the other side you'd have to be in a coma not to feel the adrenaline. We passed two and three at a time. We came up behind people so fast they pulled over or slowed down figuring we must be cops...or nutjobs; either way it worked for us.

At one point we were going so fast it was Wednesday and when we stopped to eat it was Tuesday...something about time/warp continuum. So we had an extra day to ride and, as Bill Murray would say in "Caddyshack": We had that going for us.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Being Wile E. Coyote atop an Acme Rocket can be as fun as twisties, don't let anyone fool you.
 
CrazyBiker said:
I hear you guys have some pretty good twisties in the beachside lakes and national parks or something...
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Must be up north (North Florida that is):(
Down south, on and off ramps is our thrill:wow:
Oh yea and seeing how fast you can tap out the speedo.....:cloud9:
 
Norm, while I totally agree that your points have merit, (I too live in a place devoid of 'twisties' :() I still find more pleasure in honing the skill of leaning and not low siding than just driving fast. (perhaps I simply desire what I don't have) While it is truly exhilarating to drive at triple digit speeds (since I obey the law, I must be talking kph :Liar::innocent:):squid[1]: after a while, the speed doesn't feel much different than the slower version of riding... (except the wind gets annoying) that is without a relative point of reference, hence passing :woot: I believe what you are describing is the most pleasant feelings from acceleration rather than just speed. (a combination of both) The powerful guttural emotions that come with the ability to pass just about anything at anytime cause my adrenal glands to function at a higher level and my forearms to extend beyond their natural capacity. :wow:

I suppose we could discus the inherent dangers of driving fast vs passing vs leaning into turns at ridiculous angles, but I'm sure the potential for all manner of bad to occur balances out in the end. You never forget that first rush from the ridiculous acceleration of a motorcycle. Mine came aboard my brother's Yamaha IT175
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I grew up learning to ride on 2 stroke dirt bikes, but had never really had one with the harsh power band of the IT.:jaw drop: I had a new drug and I've been looking for a fix ever since.:smokin2: I remember finding that fix atop my FZ1 on that first test ride. I know it was used, but I could hardly believe they just gave me the key and sent me out on my own. No suggested path or imposed time limits, just a copy of my driver's license and the key. Of course you know, 2 blocks away from the dealership my right wrist was in need of a splint and I suspect I could have stopped and scratched my ankles without bending over since my forearms were stretched out from 8k on. That first ride up to red line at 86mph in 1st gear made me visit the bank and take out a loan for what I had intended to save up.:cloud9:

I think the hooligan :squid[1]: type feelings are a bit less with a partner in crime. (Perhaps that's why I'm pushing my wife toward a Ninja 650 or FZ6R instead of her Ninja 250R from which she still derives much pleasure after 2 years. I guess, despite her love and joy of 2 wheeled travel, I don't believe she has had the experience of that adrenal overload of acceleration, and I want to share in that with her. Alas, as I exert my superior acceleration:nana:, she just watches me act the fool and rolls her eyes :shaking head: under that Shoei RF-1100. Maybe she'd never enjoy it the way I do, but damn it, I'd like her to try it. I just have to find a lowered Ninja 650 or FZ6R that she could test out. :blowing_kisses::sport12:

PS Do I get a prize for so many smilies and random thoughts in one post? :kuku:
 
When I had my bike, I used to frequent this one state road a lot CO 83. One day I went for a ride and when I got back my wife asked me where I went to. I told her where I went to....she looked at her watch and asked... and how fast were you going, there is no way you went up to Parker and back in that time :)
 
cos_fz1 said:
When I had my bike, I used to frequent this one state road a lot CO 83. One day I went for a ride and when I got back my wife asked me where I went to. I told her where I went to....she looked at her watch and asked... and how fast were you going, there is no way you went up to Parker and back in that time :)
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Nice stretch of road to get to Denver, instead of the interstate! Nothing like regularly going 120, AND turning! Love the sweepers on 83 just north of Monument on an early Saturday morning!

And, why don't you have a bike, 'cos_fz1'? I guess I should take over that name! j/k!
 
cshrumfz1 said:
And, why don't you have a bike, 'cos_fz1'? I guess I should take over that name! j/k!
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If I get another bike it will probably not be an FZ1, I could never, get rid of the vibrations on the bike at speeds 65+. You are welcome to the cos_fz1 tag if you want it, just have to figure out how to make it yours.
 
Which route do you take? I use the north and the south to get to the west coast. The southern goes through Pahokee and Belle Glade, but the northern goes through Okeechobee with a lot less traffic.
 
Even though there is snow on the ground, I still cannot wait for the first excursion in over 15 mos. I've even found two other riders to help speed up the learning curves of what the 'best' roads are in the area. One is on a RC8, and the other is on a Ninja. Hopefully it'll benefit me in riding some other machines in the process.....

I pretty much know what I'm going to do first, spending some MUCH needed time just getting reacquainted with the old girl. I can only imagine how I'll feel for I was overwhelmed with just the stock configuration 4 years ago when I picked the bike up (I'm way beyond stock configuration now)

With all of the projects coming up this year for the ranch, I'll lose some weight, get into some better shape by riding the pedal bike, dawn the leathers, and eventually see what kind of mayhem ensues.

I've done my share of driving the straight roads, it is time to improve my skilz on some twisties.......:woot:
 
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Norm said:
Yea, it's definitely the acceleration more than the actual speed. This kind of acceleration is addictive as you say.
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Yea, I know what you mean. Even in the car I find myself taking it to redline in first and second gear for no particular reason. And when I had my 'Vette forget about it :D
 
Norm said:
Yea, it's definitely the acceleration more than the actual speed. This kind of acceleration is addictive as you say.
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:wow: How true, I just had the chance (break in winter weather) to actually see what my FZ1 will do on take off. What a rush!!! Before I knew it I was really moving out. Luckily, I used some restraint just in time to see our local law enforcement setting off the side of the road. He gave me the OK, you have had your fun now behave yourself look. :wow:
 
2wheelMax said:
Which route do you take? I use the north and the south to get to the west coast. The southern goes through Pahokee and Belle Glade, but the northern goes through Okeechobee with a lot less traffic.
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I'm terrible with directions. I'm hoping Eric will chime in soon and give the route. I remember taking St. Lucie (Blvd, I believe; could be "road") to the end and then going left (south I believe) and then west. Don't remember the road names.
 
Florida being so flat.... the wind is a challenge all in its own right! Couple this with the aero-push off the front of the big rigs and you get some serious handling issues.

We passed one set of trucks with one coming the other direction and bearing down faster than we thought. Norm was on the C14 and was out, passed and back in. I dropped two when I saw him made his move and hammered it. I knew I had just enough space but..... just as I passed the nose of the lead truck, his aero-push NAILED me and Prof Fizz! I was pushed even further out into the oncoming lane!

Well, I'm not a betting man but you could have put a wager on this factoid: My arse was puckered so tight, you couldn't push a needle into it! :eek5:

I slid to the right on the seat and pushed HARD on the bar while at full throttle and the Prof didn't let me down. I dipped back into the lane with a little room to spare.

One fun part was a C6 Vette and a new 'Stang that we came up on. We hit traffic with those two in front of us and when the first opportunity came, we shot around the group at full throttle. They pulled out in tandem and did their best to stay with us but by the time they started catching up, we'd already found the next group and passed them. They got stuck but we saw them trying HARD to get around and stay with us. By the time we reached out turn-off, they were no where to be found.

Thankfully there's not a huge police presence in FL! :D But we were only EVER doing 5 mph over you know.... ;)
 
We went off Rte 1 onto SW Port St Lucie Blvd to SW Citrus Blvd which then becomes Loop Rd (or 76A) Follow Citrus until you get to 710 and hang a left, across the bridge and then loop under the bridge and head west on Kanner Hwy. Brings you to 441 where you can head around the lake. Great ride!!

Coming back east (north of the lake) is 70 east which offered some long sweepers!
 
FZ1inNH said:
We went off Rte 1 onto SW Port St Lucie Blvd to SW Citrus Blvd which then becomes Loop Rd (or 76A) Follow Citrus until you get to 710 and hang a left, across the bridge and then loop under the bridge and head west on Kanner Hwy. Brings you to 441 where you can head around the lake. Great ride!!

Coming back east (north of the lake) is 70 east which offered some long sweepers!
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Man, how do you remember this stuff!

Yea, you got back in a hurry after that semi knocked you into the danger zone and those 2 fast cars never did catch us. What a day!
 
You guys have made me realize how lucky I am here out the back of the Mt Dandenong Ranges in Victoria Aus.
I can hop on the bike & go for a quick couple of hour fang without hitting too many straight roads (the straights you do hit have low speed limits anyway). One stretch "the Reefton Spur" is 19km long with approx 165 bends. Scratchers nirvana! Most 1st & 2nd gear hard on the gas then hard on the brakes. (Even just describing this is slightly arousing) I actually got motion sickness once on a Gixxer thou when pushing hard on this road.They have dropped the speed limit on this road recently & is now over policed on weekends.
Its then a quick blat through a forest on some winding roads for lunch at Marysville.(Burnt out in bushfires a few years ago & still recovering)
Then onto the Black Spur, another awesome scratchers Rd with a ridiculous speed limit, then off home. About 200km in a couple of hrs with not too many long straight bits.
After thinking about the two spurs I may have to go & give the FZ1 a special hug!!
 
Having grown up in the little town of Lake Alfred, yoo can find a few good roads around parts of lakes. Lake Ariana in Auburndale could be fun! I have only ridden a '79 Suzuki TS125 on that road, but I drifted my Trans-Am on it back when power sliding wasn't a sport.
 
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