4 wheels and 2 wheels

I remember when I first got my FJR - the excitement, the farkling, the trips and miles. I did 10K miles my first year with the FJR, a figure I've not come close to this year.

That FJR ignited a hunger and it wasn't too long before I added a dirt bike, then a vintage bike, then before I knew it I was up to 8 bikes. I got wise last year and sold a few - there isn't enough hours in the week or month to ride one, let alone eight.

This past year, work and projects have shrunk my riding to maybe 1500 miles (I'm being generous, more like 1000). The FJR got a new pair of shoes last year and hasn't seen 200 miles since. I haven't changed my appreciation for the FJR, but not sure why I don't have the same excitement and energy for what is a great, capable bike.

Can't figure out if the culprit is other life's priorities (work, projects) or just moto malaise. The most fun I've had is riding a slower bike (a vintage Metisse) through the English country side and doing a few breakfast runs on the MV Agusta. All the time, the FJR is looking lonely sitting in the shop and still unwashed from the last outing. The other bikes are looking lonely too. Having farkled them, I can't get super excited walking into the shop - and my rides have lately been limited to an hour or two outing.

I've actually spent more time in my latest 4 wheel project than on two wheels this past year. In the summer I bought a 1971 Porsche 914-6 project- it sports a 230 hp 3.2l flat six and suspension from a 911. The car is barebones, a race car with a license plate really, and the sounds and smells it emits are just amazing. I spent a few hundred miles in the car two weekends ago and I didn't want to stop at the end of the day. Like I used to feel on the FJR.







Winters in the PNW aren't great for motorcyclists or for owners of 4 wheeled race cars, so for a few months I'll have to be content with a spare trip to warmer climates to drive the black car. I'm focused on building a slightly less aggressive "sleeper 914" with a 210 hp 2.7L flat six, and the project will keep me busy for a year.



Have any of you gotten bit with the 4 wheeled bug? Did you stop riding for a while? Ever suffer from moto malaise? What was the cure?

Dave - While I also suffer from similar with my FJR it looks like your side projects are pretty darn fun! Enjoy and don't look back.

FJRBluesman said:

Dave - While I also suffer from similar with my FJR it looks like your side projects are pretty darn fun! Enjoy and don't look back.

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I'll have to ping you when I am in town next - ask Mark about his ride in the 914 (its in SoCal for a while). Hung on for dear life, he did.

Life just keeps going on in many different flavors, enjoy it while you got it, just remember family.

My moto ventures went the other direction. I used to have a 1971 Dodge Challenger that I'd built up over a period of time until it's eventual end as a strip only drag car. I built my own 340 and 727 trans and ran it for the better part of 2 seasons before trading my 1974 Dodge Challenger for my first motorcycle.That 1981 Kawasaki GPZ750 was the beginning of the end for me.I could go so much faster and quicker while still staying street legal and getting reasonable gas mileage. That was many years and quite a few bikes ago and since buying the FJR I ride more than ever before in my life.

I currently own 3 bikes but like you find that often 2 of them are sitting, dust covered, while the FJR just piles on the miles. The important thing is that you're enjoying yourself regardless of which way you go about it.

Recently, I've developed an urge to buy and assemble a cobra kit car after I retire. You can buy them (hardly) used for much less money than it cost to put them together. But I want to be able to say I did it myself, and I don't think I have the skills to take an old car apart and turn it into a hot rod. This seems like a worthy compromise. I've always had an affection for Cobras and Muscle mustangs (my dad had several, as he was a factory rep during the muscle car hay day).

I really like the Factory Five packages. From what I've read and heard, they are decent cars that handle pretty good for what they are.

I'll keep dreaming about it, but for what it's worth, Hud - I think I get where you are coming from.

Looking forward to checking the black one out and have you show me all the mods, must drive like its on a rail with those tires on it. Fastest thing you have in a corner by far, be careful bro!

hppants said:

Recently, I've developed an urge to buy and assemble a cobra kit car after I retire. You can buy them (hardly) used for much less money than it cost to put them together. But I want to be able to say I did it myself, and I don't think I have the skills to take an old car apart and turn it into a hot rod. This seems like a worthy compromise. I've always had an affection for Cobras and Muscle mustangs (my dad had several, as he was a factory rep during the muscle car hay day).
I really like the Factory Five packages. From what I've read and heard, they are decent cars that handle pretty good for what they are.

I'll keep dreaming about it, but for what it's worth, Hud - I think I get where you are coming from.

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Find one and sit in it be for you build it, as I recall your as tall as me and driving one is fun but I get cramped up in one pretty easy.

Hudson, No worries... you're just growing up!

Many of us 50+ (or 60+) year-olds have grown up from many addictions... toys, bikes, motorcycles, BIGGER motorcycles, CLASSIC motorcycles...

cars... BIGGER cars, CLASSIC cars, FASTER cars....

I think they ALL ROCK! Enjoy them all! Just remember... 'all good things in moderation'.

I just hope I never grow out of my FJR addiction.

hppants said:

Recently, I've developed an urge to buy and assemble a cobra kit car after I retire. You can buy them (hardly) used for much less money than it cost to put them together. But I want to be able to say I did it myself...

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I completely get the urge to build it yourself - the nice thing about the Cobra kits is that the build is pretty easy - especially if you go with a crate motor. That said, the cheaper way to go is to find one that someone did all the nice stuff, and buy it for much less than he spent. You can still wrench on it and call it your own, but way less expensive to have someone else take the hit. On my black 914, I bought it as is - all the good stuff had been done, including 18qt oil cooler with braided ANC lines, 911 suspension setup with big brakes, and all the body work and mods. The blue one will cost me easily another 8-10K more because I have to buy everything new or rebuild, powdercoat, and install the stuff. I also underestimated the time sink - I spent almost 4 hours researching fuel and brake lines alone. Granted, that is half the fun, but time isn't something I've got in spades right now.

Check out bringatrailer.com. I've seen some extraordinary cars for sale there - most fetch a decent dollar but there are many deals to be found. I bid on and ultimately passed up the chance to own a mint 911 with a recent $18k engine rebuild, with all the great parts - this was easily a $50k car (what the owner had in it) that sold for $34k. The blue 914 is another example - I bought the shell painted and complete for 50% of what the owner had in it.

BTW - if you want something as fast as the Cobra but less expensive, check out the Caterham 7 with an ecotec engine. 1200 lbs and 180-240 hp and that car will keep up and out-handle the Cobra kit. Of course it won't sound quite as rip-snorting fun as the Cobra kit.

I am less inclined to go 2 wheels for commuting these days. Where I live now has much heavier traffic and way less to see and enjoy. Add to that the cell phone phenom i'd rather be rear ended in a vehicle than on a bike. I used to put on between 6000 to 20000kms/season but now with grandkids, a business, and a lack of anywhere enjoyable to go for a quick scoot, my season totals are a fraction of what they were. Add with a workaholic spousal unit, our 2 wheeled holiday time is almost non-existant.

That said, a couple years ago I got a surprise gift from same spousal unit. A 1997 BMW convertible with race suspension, so I get a bit of what you are saying. She needs some TLC which she is getting in bits and pieces. In 5 years she will qualify for collector plates and will be dirt cheap to insure. If she makes it that far the refurb will begin in earnest. In the meantime, she is a dream; leather interior, rag top, manual transmission, and by 60% of 2nd gear I am already breaking lawful hwy speed limits.

My dog, Angus loves it too. If the door is open, he is in it and refuses to get out until I take him for a ride, even if it is to the sawmill out back and then back to the house LOL

One question Dave, this race suspension, its fkkn brutal on bad (uneven) road, but plants the car at speed and corners on rails. Are they generally that unforgiving? I did all the struts last year, so...

Talk about brutal suspension. Drive my 48 Ford with a solid axle front end any faster than 15 mph on my dirt road. You just kind of hover between the seat and the roof.

FJRay said:

Talk about brutal suspension. Drive my 48 Ford with a solid axle front end any faster than 15 mph on my dirt road. You just kind of hover between the seat and the roof.

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LMAO! It's fine on the gravel driveway (300ft long), but on repaired paved roadway, even at slow speed, it's pretty lumpy. Can't imagine a solid front end. Yikes!

FJRay said:

Talk about brutal suspension. Drive my 48 Ford with a solid axle front end any faster than 15 mph on my dirt road. You just kind of hover between the seat and the roof.

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Ray, you know they have a bolt in coil over with rack and pinion that'll fit right in. Easy peasy.

We do change as time goes on. My FJR is actually a distraction from my car project, since 05 I haven't done much to my Mustang. And I get the wanting to build it yourself, I've touched every nut and bolt on that car and when I get back to it, it'll mean more to me.

A BMW convertible shouldnt have a race suspension as the chassis flexes too much. I am guessing it has stiffer Springs and shocks which can be changed to stock. You should check the control arm and tie rod bushings. If they havent been replaced the car will ride harshly. Those are critical components for a BMW, and should be replaced with OEM rubber and not the aftermarket urethane bits people sometimes use.

I hear ya Hudson.

I've got a bad itch to add a garage at the house and then throw a stupid amount of $$$ at Old Gold, my '70 Jimmy 3/4 ton. With only 86k original miles, the good bones are waiting for a refresh. I've already got the plan, it's just a matter of pulling the trigger.

Gotta hold on to the FJR and Tenere though, too many miles left to go!

--G

Hudson, grow a set and ride them motobikes while you can. You can play with trikes and cars when your older and gayer. err. grayer.

JSNS and

Hugs n' Kisses

I hear you Hudson about waning desire to ride.

For me, I've ridden everywhere I can ride inside of a half-day from home (that duration is about all I can allocate given everything else), many times over. With all the distracted drivers, the draconian speed limits with no passing lanes in Colorado twisties, the increase in traffic volumes, not having any place in mind to go see, and a highly reliable but 'boring' ST1300 ... all took away desire. So, only a few thousand miles for me the last few years.

So a few years ago I took most of a year off and decided that I needed a purpose in riding. So one purpose I made was to ride to every county seat in Colorado, getting pictures and posting a short writeup. Lots of cool buildings! That was a good time and my miles were back up that year. I also changed bikes (tried to buy several FJRs but the deals didn't pan out), and that gave me some needed change (the RT is a great bike too).

My next 'purpose' will be riding to every ski area of Colorado (maybe next summer, we'll see). I'm also active in 'tagging' on another forum (this morning, I moved a national tag--it provided a reason to go ride today).

But after all is considered, it is completely ok to not ride if you/I don't want to ride. Plenty of other good things in life.