NYC commuters?

I've been here my whole life. I grew up in BKLYN and have been doin' pretty well on the UWS for the past 2 decades. I started riding a few years ago, mostly for jettisoning myself beyond city limits, having a blast and returning. In town, I've pretty much given up on using my bike as anything other than interboro transportation (Manhattan to Qns/Bx/Bklyn, etc.). Riding from points Manhattan-to-Manhattan is mindnumbing at best, infuriating at worst.

I'm curious to know, how many of us here are natives too?

This link may help.....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110097&highlight=hate

HAHAHA good one Perry!

Native so is Alison. Our relationship to the city is much like the one we have with the city. We love the city and the children but there are times when you just have to get away and as soon as you do you talk about them or how much you miss them. I don't think I will ever move.
Alfred

Our relationship with the city is like the one we have with the children.

Hi,
Just saying hello. Been eyeballing the threads for a few days and I thought I'd introduce myself. Just bought an 07' R12GS in May and lovin it. Been get'in outa the city every weekend heading upstate. I'm doing about 300 miles a week. I'm on the east side around the corner from the other yellow R12GS without the fairing and the big ballast strapped to the gauges.

I saw the best thing in the Holland Tunnel tonight. I was choking along as usual and up beside me comes this big red softail. The wife on the back gives me a nod and i nod back. I check out their bike and realize they have a PARROT riding on the handlebars!!!! A real, live, big green parrot! Amazingly, it seemed to enjoy the ride. It really made my day.

I've been riding daily except for flood days between nyc and nj to various places (I freelance). I'm loving this xcountry. It handles beautifully in traffic and has the power to go any speed I could handle. I recently took it for a ride to Boston and back in the same weekend (my home turf). I maintained 75-80 the whole way, hitting 90+ at some points. It was like flying on that naked bike. Too bad there were other cars on the road. The icing on the cake has to be the 70+mpg that i've been getting. I highly recommend it to anyone.

Also, I managed to get up to some trails in central MA along the way. Powerlines and logging trails--things i used to hit as a kid on my mtn bike. It did beautifully in the dirt and on the rocks. I dropped it twice. Once on some super soft sand at a starting turn and later trying to balance riding atop/along a fallen tree. The flexible turn signals and rugged plastic "tank" absorbed the impact well. I had to pop the signal back in with an allen wrench, but it seems designed to take a beating.

I had a moment of jealousy today though. A stripped down KTM? with no license plate was parked on 58th st near 8th. It'd be nice to have a bike you could not care about, park anywhere with no plate, and still kick traffic's butt. Too bad I don't have the space for two.

Anyhow, I'm loving riding here. The bike is the ONLY way to get around NYC. And to further my ramble, I hit up Coney Island last weekend for the siren fest and some spins on the Cyclone. I parked right in front of Nathan's next to some horse cops and was approached immediately by one of them. The first words out of his mouth were "Is that the XCountry?". We talked bikes and such for a few mins and he seemed rather interested in getting one of them. I was tempted to offer to trade rides for a spin around the block. Distracted, I forgot my key in the ignition and left it parked there for an hour or more, right on Surf Avenue! --A very good time to have 10 officers milling around, it was untouched when I returned.

Anyhow, I'm gonna knock on some wood and throw some salt over my shoulder, but it's been a good riding season so far.

Happy Riding, NYC

PS anybody know what the deal is with the bar at Spring and Greenwich? I notice a bunch of BMWs there from time to time.

Born and raised here. Tried London for a bit, wintered in Tahoe for several years in a row.Keep getting sucked back here. Spend most of my time now getting away from here or plotting the next get away.
I love New York........in my rear view mirrors.

I was born here fucknut.

I have a snake with me all the time...

Where in MA? I've gone to MaBell, Florida Rd and Rattlesnake Gutter (all western mass).

The bar on Spring St: full of gay BMW riders...

I wasn't born in the US, haven't lived in Manhattan (my wife has) and have traveled to different countries and I have to say that there are only two cities I would live in: NY and BA. I don't think I could live anywhere else..

you'll have to excuse me for not believing the tough-guy-badge-of-pride nonsense.

NYC is essentially a "truck system"...or a "company store" charging city dwellers exorbitant fees for essentials so that the money they earn FROM the city is returned, almost in full, right back TO the city. high tax, high fee, high rent [good luck trying to BUY your piece of the pie,] and high cost....

Perry should be renamed "Neo" cuz he seems to be unplugging from "the matrix."


abe

Truck system: noun, A truck system is an exploitative form of employment — or, more specifically, unfree labour — under which workers are: paid in a form of limited direct credit or tokens, which may only be used at a company store, owned by their employers, or; paid in unexchangeable goods and/or services. These systems have usually only been enforceable in small and geographically/culturally-isolated communities, such as mining towns.



Company Store: noun, A mercantile store owned and stocked by the mine owners to cater to the needs of the miners and prospectors. (Sometimes very expensive because of the lack of competition).



strong similarities to the realities of living in nyc.

abe

Hey Darko,
What part of Brooklyn are you from? Why did you leave?
Alfred

Not only are we self flagellant but we have you to beat us with a stick as well. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Thanks for the update.

Now I don't have to read back 91 (or 34) pages .

Nice rant. Mostly true. There are options though. I grew up in Wash Hts, then moved to Joisey when I was 10 (w/parents, didn't have a choice ) I moved back to go to NYU and ended up living in the same apt for 9 yrs.

There are rentals in NJ that's much cheaper and allows you to save to buy your own place. You'll have to commute into the city though but it's not really that bad.

I liked living in the city when I was younger. You can drink all night long, then hop into a cab and get home. You tolerate the noise better when you're younger. I much prefer a quieter setting so I live in Joisey. I also have space to park 6 bikes and work on them when I need to.

Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Originally Posted by Darko Begonia
I'm curious to know, how many of us here are natives too?
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Does it really matter? NYC isn't the city it is because of the "natives" that live here. It's the mix of people from all over the world. Don't belittle people's opinion because they've only been here a few months or years. Everyone has different experiences while they're here and they're just vocalizing their's. If you don't like it, click on the next page.

So we riding on Saturday.....REEEEEEEEEAAALY early?

It might rain. I'll melt!!!:eek1

Besides, you didn't post a thread about it!

How about Boston for some chowda? I like destinations with food.

That's cuz I'm workin to death. Post one tonight, not gonna do Maine(Cromags) - would like to avoid citys, possibly Sussex farm land sortie with Pilsner Urquell as guide....

Or just stick to VT. (?)

I wouldn't mind getting dirty this weekend. let me know.