Jon J

That being up here in the Detroit area, and the roads all snow covered, coming on line to the Yahoo Motorcycle Answers and seeing everybody talk about riding is really really hard. I have lived in both Florida and Hawaii in my youth so I remember VERY well the year round driving. Just letting you know how lucky you are! Enjoy it and be safe.

I just don't want to put it away for the winter yet, Our 10 day forecast in all in the 30s. I am not a die hard must ride at freezing temperature guy, but still hoping for at least a 50 degree day left this year. Anybody else feel like this?

Every man woman and child as of this moment owes 34,534.77 at this moment and growing to the federal debt that has been created. Do we keep pretending it isn't there? Or do we listen to the people who made it tell us, oh it really doesn't matter. The economy can not be a healthy economy with such a debt. 10, 20 30 years ago, it would be in the news every day if we were a billion in debt, on how it will hurt us, now its 10 trillion. Do people realize how much we are foreign owned or how in debt to other countries we are?

http://thekneeslider.com/motorcycle-pages/confeder...

for owners or mechanics who work on these, how long should I expect the tires to last on a new bike, I have put on 7000 miles so far this summer on them, I asked the salesman the other day and he told me probably 15000, but he is a salesman. How long have yours lasted? Also do you change your oil more than the every 8000 miles recommended, Thanks

If you had to give some good tips for riding safe, what would it be? What to wear, riding in rain, emergency stopping, what part of the lane to ride in on 2 lane or 4 lane hwys?, what would be your top tips

What can you guys recommend for a good polish or wax for your bike, for painted areas and chrome? Thanks

Anybody remember these? a borrowed quote (Ratbikes are the ultimate distilled evolution of motorcycling: No Bullsh*t involved. Just do the minimum to keep them healthy and Ride. Let your bike wear it's visual history with pride. No time consuming cleaning, washing, polishing, adding shiny parts that do nothing. None of that, forget about it! The bikes were built and repaired with what one had on hand. "rat bike" guys were hauling *** on these unfinished affronts held together by only duct tape and balls!) ! In late 70s and early 80s many of us had these, you would use home made parts, or parts from any other bike that would fit if something broke, people with the attitude of the (you cant afford a real bike) would have been killed and eaten by rat bikers or there true Harley gang members cousins who did the same things with thier bikes, just kept them going, no matter what, parts from another bike that would fit. There was ALWAYS respect between the 2 groups and often rode together

Do you really have a problem with someone riding an American brand if you drive a Metric brand, or if you ride an American brand, do you have an attitude with someone riding a Metric brand? If so, could you explain why?

I have a friend who has a Sportster 883, I cant tell you what year, its not that old though. He likes his bike except for the engine mounting system, its the type WITHOUT the rubber mounts, so there is allot of vibration, I heard they can convert it so the motor is mounted on some kind of rubber bushings. Am I making sense, I just don't know allot about Harleys, but he knows even less, please no metric VS Harley trash talk, just trying to help a friend

I ride because it is fun.

I ride because I enjoy the freedom I feel from being exposed to the elements, and the vulnerability to the danger that is intrinsic to riding.

I do not ride because it is fashionable to do so.

I ride my machine, not wear it. My machine is not a symbol of status. It exists simply for me, and me alone.

My machine is not a toy. It is an extension of my being, and I will treat it accordingly, with the same respect as I have for myself.

I strive to understand the inner-workings of my machine, from the most basic to the most complex.

I strive to constantly better my skill of control over my machine. I will learn its limits, and use my skill to become one with my machine so that we may keep each other alive.

I am the master, it is the servant. Working together in harmony, we will become an invincible team.

Do all Bikers agree?

I have a Bushmaster XM15 223 that I am quite surprised at the accuracy, but looking for maybe longer barrel, target trigger, It does NOT have to be assault rifle style, just something maybe $500 or less

The single stacks are very inexpensive, has anyone had problems with them? They go on sale every now and then for $219.00

I thought a balanced view based on the Dwight D. Eisenhower farewell speech to the nation warning of the Military Industrial Complex taking over, and how it has came true, and this is coming from a retired General.

I do know you can do a search for it on comcast on demand to find it.

www.whywefight.com

Honest question.

How can we pay back the $8,617,729,943,433.57 plus interest that the tax cuts and the war have cost? The estimated population of the United States is 300,505,422

So each citizen's share of this debt is $28,677.45.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of

$1.36 billion per day since September 29, 2006!

Now it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that if the average family of 4 has borrowed $120,000 with nothing to show for it, and he must pay that back plus interest before being able to save any thing for the future, he is not going to get ahead for a long time, It is a proven fact, you will not have true economic grown owing so much, any growth is false growth. This is all economics 101, so my question is, how do we balance the budget

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

Most people I found keep giving vague definitions but really have NO IDEA.

Would you agree with the link, or is it unfair or one sided?

http://nochildleft.com/2003/jancov03.html#index

In this ever changing United States of ours, really what does the term capitalist mean?

I grew up thinking that Capitalism generally refers to an economic system in which the means of production, services and goods are mostly privately owned, those who ventured out with the brains and the hard work could start a successful business, BUT where does it end, we normally worked within the confines of our country, When we start to switch from the internal competitive market to moving our plants over seas in a world market, with our higher standards of living and cost of living , there is no way we can compete, where do you draw the line, when does it become, screw my fellow American workers, Or I can make more MUCH MORE money paying the Chinese or India’s a dollar a day. Instead of making 5 Million a year, I want 50 million a year and screw my neighbor. Is there a term for extreme capitalism, gimme gimme gimme, screw everybody else?

What do you consider illegal immigration? Does that include Europeans? People from Poland, Canada? Italy? Or just do you mean Mexico?

What if they have been here for 5 years, 10 years 20 years?

It’s just where I come from I probably have more people from Poland that are illegal. Where do you want to draw the line?

I can only go by my own experiences and I do live in a more upscale area, but I really can’t say I have met a polish immigrant I have not liked, but again, based upon my experiences of where I live, I have never met an Mexican immigrant I didn’t like either

What state are you in, and what kind of work do you do and are there alot of jobs?

How would you rate the health of your state with the economy? Do you know people out of work? Are alot of businesses closed? Do you make as much as you used to? What state are you from?