Pedro

I never ride with anyone else, and don't think I'm that above average to judge anyway. There have been a few encounters with motorcycle club patch wearing dudes, but that has been after lunch and probably alcohol induced ... not much of an excuse for them

That's true, what is really the point of investing in armor after 60? All that money for a couple more years? Shit, the bruise alone of a stopped bullet is likely to make you want to go

... The devil you know, @Tym

I came to my place for the weekend today, nice cool 23 or 24 for most of the trip, got home, got Maria's car warmed up and went for fruit on it, fixed the toilet, washed my summer jacket, nice day today. Just had dinner, a little bit of goat's cheese, a simple pea sort of curry dish, and too much white wine, got a buzz going and feeling fine. Tomorrow, I'll ride to the hills, and maybe even go to lunch on my favourite restaurant. This area is Portugal's Covid hotspot, so won't go near town.

Well, we’re in 2020, your “friend” can be whichever gender you want

I had a girlfriend like that once and we made up a story to tell people

Agreed, although I don't even care if people ride bikes or not. It's the passion, can be cars, boats, running, cycling, chess playing, if you don't have something that touches you you're not an interesting person. And bikes aren't even a passion for me, just something that makes me feel good.

The above, except women with a nice smile who like motorcycles, I assume I like them. There you go, sexism, guilty

Great quote, Goucho Marx was also an american so you can get away with it. Regarding this whole biker / non biker nonsense, I think you're all getting a little bit of cabin fever. I, for one, refuse to see myself as a biker. I just like riding bikes and what they do for me, not really into the whole kindred spirit thing connecting me to every twat on two wheels, except if she's got a nice smile and clever humor. I enjoy riding my bikes, more so if I'm by myself since that is what I'm looking for, time alone. I wave to other people on bikes, and stop if someone is stranded on the side of the road, but don't pretend I have any sort of connection to them, and in fact usually assume I don't. Having said that, I have a couple of friends who also ride bikes and I spend some time with them, usually over a meal and plenty of wine instead of riding bikes, couldn't care less if that takes away from me being considered a biker since I am just a guy who enjoys riding and traveling on bikes. Whenever people assume I would like to hang around someone else just because they also ride a bike, I am the first to correct them saying they can annoy me as much as anyone else, if not more

Jesus wept, Fred! Maybe it's an ugly tax.

I hate this thread!

Enough of the old ones, plenty of girls joining in and that kind of talk just ruins everything for whoever ... Welcome Earache!

Here's to it (no toast smilie)

I like your taste, replace a glass of red with two or five, and cognac (I can't savour something that strong) with fragrant rum ?

This is a great thread to have next to the woman riders one, mostly because of the wanking banana

Like a KTM Freeride but 2 stroke?

If it's cold or average, I enjoy a nice red wine, something nice from the Douro or a nice Syrah from southern Portugal if I can. If it's warm or summery mood, a nice crisp dry white wine, something that allows you to eat olives or cheese and doesn't mess with them flavors, and goes along with dinner and after dinner as well. Nothing like a nice white wine, but then again there is nothing like a nice white wine hangover either. As a spirit, a nice flavorful añejo rum with ice (and a quarter slice of pineapple, thank you, I don't care what you think) Or, if I'm already drunk and it's a warm night in the Algarve with good company, I'll start drinking Mojitos or Elixir de Cuba Legendarios like it's nobody's business. It'll end in disgrace and oversleeping, but then again it's summertime and nothing a liter of water for breakfast won't cure. What's your drink of choice?

SantaFeRider rode BMWs and MotoGuzzi's? I think he passed?

Beta was big here about 3 or 4 years ago, when they were selling capable enough bikes about 2 or 4 grand cheaper than anyone else. KTM rules northern Portugal along with Yamaha or Honda, depending on which dealership rules each nearest town, but somehow Beta managed to break through that. Must be tough bikes, otherwise these guys wouldn't go after them considering the rocky murderous terrain they ride on.

So, if you were to buy another bike today, to complement what you currently ride or just because you like it, what would it be? I have gone through this, and am a little embrarassed to say it would be another BMW, either an HP2 Enduro or a newer R1200GS HP (non adventure), to be fitted with knobby tires and used with less care for it's well being.

Joy wears a summer dress with yellow flowers, long wavy blond hair, California Girl, I think I've dreamt about her ...

It's like Justing Bieber, Michael Jackson, or Vanilla Ice ?

That kind of success carries the kind of pressure that can break anyone, Pete.

It would, so they made everything tiny ....