Screaming pipe or whispering pipe

Had a chat with Riaan last night. As usual, he rocked up at a most inconvenient time; I was just settling in and re-enjoying The Matrix for the fifth time...

The conversation took many turns, one of them; how to finish the film. As director, he feels we have to move away from the bikes now and give the film more depth. I dont like the sound of that!

We also spoke about the virtues of a quiet exhaust pipe. Yes, I never though the day would come. I am a believer that a decent pipe is one of the things that can transform the character of a bike (as my spin on a BMW K1200R testified - more on that later).

My VFR has changed my approach to biking in many ways; one of them being my appreciation for Hondas. I always thought of Honda as Japanese BMW's; for the older, more conservative generation. I'll stick with my Ninja thank you. But I started admiring Honda for its well-published built quality and reliability (maybe because my Suzuki's and Kawasaki's and Yamaha's spent more time with various mechanics than with me)!

And what better bike than the VFR if you have to go for a Honda. I am already beginning to think of my next Honda. I dont like the VTEC, but more importantly, I want more power. Since there is no 1000cc V-Four (the pan-euro for some reason doesnt count), the Blackbird will have to do. And if you check the Rider Power surveys in the UK, the Blackbird consistently rates in the top 5, while the ZX-12R and Hayabusa trails in the 20's.

My riding has become conservative. And no, I am not getting old; my riding priorities are changing, thats all!

And although the Blackbird is fast, it exudes class and understatement in the way the VFR does. Of course, it has comfortable touring ability, especially with a pillion, which is also a surprising change in my riding over the years.

Actually very few Blackbirds have aftermarket pipes, I started to notice. Tells you something about the kind of rider they attract - very useful if you buy used. As with the VFR, you know the rider is unlikely to have trashed the bike.

Which brings me back to the point of this blog.

I cant believe I enjoy a quiet pipe. I like being unobstrusive. I can fly past a traffic cop parked next to the road way past the speed limit and he never hears me coming.

Riaan also has a quiet (aftermarket) pipe on his GS850. And likes it. You sit back, relax and enjoy the sites. No revs to chase after; no need to feel the bike chases you to the horison.

I do feel I want a more fruity sound to bring out the V-four drone, but not louder.

"Loud pipes save lifes". That is true. The one negative of a loud pipe is that pedestrians walk right in front of you, not hearing you coming. They, of course, dont look before they cross a road!

Car drivers are hopeless. Not even a loud pipe gets their attention.

My spin on the K1200R is memorable, partly because of that race-pipe. It was a thrill beyond believe. Loud, angry and naughty, but I wouldnt want to have it spliting my ears everyday. It makes sense only every now and then. If your bike is your only transport that you use every day, this becomes an issue, I reckon.

A second bike as a weekend screamer maybe?

biking myths

Sjoe!

that was a load of my mind!

To greet or not to greet

Are these the same punks that pull up next to you at a redlight in their one-piece racing leathers, barely glancing in your direction? Or if they come the other way, making me feel like a *bleep* because they couldnt be bothered to return my greeting? And they inevitably, almost always ride a late model superbike?

Are these the sunday riders? I cant believe they consider themselves to be bikers?

Riders on older bikes are much more friendlier on the road.

Superbikers take themselves way to serious.

But it seems to be a general trend. Other bikers complain of the same thing. My personal view is that so many people buy bikes these days for weekend fun only, it is not really about being a biker in spirit and lyfestyle. For them it is the same as having a boat that you take out on an off-weekend. So there is a lot more of them on the road; hence a lot more guys (not bikers!) on the road that does not acknowledge you. The result is that I stop greeting as well. I dont want to continue to feel like a twat; swearing inside my helmet. But I always return the odd, rare greeting.

Get stuck next to the road and see how many bikers stop. In my case (with my decript Katana), non. On a few occasions. Why?

Then there is the thing about expensive bikes; Harley's, Ducati's, BMW's, etc. Or superbikers, cruisers and old bikes in general. They only greet you if you are on a similar bike. Seems like bikes devide more than they unite these days.

I always say having a bike doesnt make you a biker.

So is the real bikers gone?

You are what you ride

Since I am on a roll here, my another annoying one is (after I told them what bike I ride); is my cousin's uncle's so-and-so rides a R1. It is always a R1 (credit to Yamaha). And you can touch the disdain in their voice with a stick.

So somehow my bike is inferior. Hence I am an inferior person.

The real one that gets me is; “Oh, I am about to get me an R1 next month...”

What the hell is wrong with a VFR?

And do you know that you actually get different bikes than headline-grabbing, recordbreaking, race-rep superbikes? Bikes you can actually use?

Bikes dont kill. Stupidity does!

What I really really hate though, is a non-biker trying to make conversation with you; “Bikes are sooo dangerous. I have heard of my cousin's uncle's so-and-so who came off the other day – died instantly – body was pulp – head was off. And the head always comes off. Or the legs. Or the body split in two. For the next half an hour I have to listen to the gory details of some unfortunate soul.

That is the other association with bikes. Roadkill.

I you are afraid to die, dont get out of your bloody bed in the morning. In fact, get under it, because the roof might just cave in on you!

Ride. Because kids need heroes

My bike attracts a lot attention- which does wonders for my ego. People that wouldnt give me the time of day otherwise comes up for a chat. “Nice bike, bru...”

“How fast does it go?” is the more annoying one from the younger generation. Then they oogle at the speedometer, see 300kph, and go all big-eye. I dont have the heart to tell them, that, on a good day, on a long downhill with a strong tailwind and a bit of guts, I`ll be lucky to break 250kph.

But thats bikes for you. The association with speed is instant and eternal.

What i really dig though are the small kids going crazy, crawling all over me. I am not particulary good with kids, but getting them to sit on my lap and basically just wanting to hang-out with has no comparison. I am their unqualified friend for life.

That is what biking does to kids. In traffic I always notice them in the surrounding cars craning their necks to keep me in sight until I dissappear. Even as young as 18 months. And that includes girls.

I hope they never grow up.

the valkyrie

they said you would come

they said you would come on your ironsteed

they said you would come to take the hurt away

the hurt that is everywhere

in my head and my heart and my soul and my life

they said you can rumble me away

away from the hurt that is everywhere

rumble me to somewhere where the sun never sets

and tomorrow never comes

can you really take the hurt away

can you hold me can you tell me it will be ok

me the strong one me the man me the caretaker

but who takes care of the caretaker

will you

will you rumble me away on your ironsteed of freedom

to the land where reality don’t exist

and i don’t have to hurt no more

rumble me away

rumble you away

to neverland

to foreverland

inspired by paulo coelhoe's "the valkyries"