Originally Posted by
San Rensho
Thank you for the compliment. I bought the 750 F1 because I wanted to race and in CCS it was very competitive. I learned quickly that I wasn't, I crashed and was not fast. Then I got hit head on by an suv on the street and gave up motorcycles. Its actually a very rare Ducati, I sold it and the guy that bought it restored it beautifully. He was asking 12k for it. Unrestored low mileage 750 F1 command $20k+. But yes, the 999 series are very pretty. Or maybe the 916?
Interesting background. I also dabbled briefly in racing, but aside from being mediocre at best, it was just too complicated where I was living at the time. Got to spend quite a bit of time on track in Italy though, which was much more enjoyable. The dearth of decent tracks in the US, and especially in the Northeast, is really disappointing.
Of course the 916 series is great, but it is the obvious choice and certainly not the only great line. The bikes of the 750 F1 era are gorgeous, and as I mentioned I'm a 999 fan. I remember going to see one in the showroom the first year they came out, and after the press and public had been overwhelmingly negative I was pleasantly surprised. I like it at first sight, and still do. I had to sell my 749 a few years ago and still get emotional about it...
Originally Posted by
FastJake
I don't decelerate with my legs. I use my front brake.
If you know that driving stick is more enjoyable (I refuse to own an automatic) then fixed gear shouldn't be too much of a leap. You just need to ride one for a while. Saying that one thing is better than another thing when you only have experience with one of them is flawed. I appreciate both my fixed gear and geared bikes. And my single speed MTB is a lot of fun on singletrack!
But isn't using a brake less pure? Just kidding... kind of.
I agree about not judging something until you have tried it, and that's why I've always tempered my statements with terms like 'I would think,' or 'it seems like.' And I was just trying to say that the argument for a manual car being more "involving" is relevant in my opinion, but I must just not sure if selecting gears on a bike should be considered less involving that riding fixed. But, again, I can't say for sure having never tried the later. I do find friction shifting incredibly satisfying though.