Pedro

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 ....

Silly question, perhaps, but doesn't that hurt your when you sit down? Or do you just take then off for sitting down at a cafe or something like that?

Welcome, young Grasshopper!

Maybe stop looking at their crotches, eyes are up here!

I didn't say there is no sexual stereotyping or harassment, or even violence against women. I live in Portugal, probably worse but surely no better than France. Granted, they might not even be taken seriously when walking into a motorcycle dealership, sure. BUT, nothing stops or makes it more difficult for a woman to learn to ride, buy a bike and go on leisure rides like most men.

To me that doesn't make sense, a girl is a person that decides to ride a bike or drive a car then I just hope she enjoys whatever. In my eyes, a woman in europe can pretty much do what she wants, that barrier has fallen as far as I can tell. Can't compare that challenge of what is basically someone just doing something for fun with no real obstacles getting in her way to the one that is presented to a disabled person just moving around the world. Now, get a blind girl riding a bike to a gathering and you've got something ...