08-28-2017, 11:08 PM
Well, we all have our own opinions rotor. Here's mine....
My wife has been traveling with me for 45 years. Every corner of the US, couple provinces in Canada and 5 countries in Europe. We ride 2 up and we enjoy that very much. It's something we share, something we look forward to and something we plan for. She enjoys being a pillion and I'd rather not worry about her being on her own bike. It allows me to concentrate on my riding, instead of spending 1/2 my time watching my rear view mirror to make sure she's ok, and it cuts traveling costs almost in half, allowing us to travel even more.
Chain maintenance is not " too much" trouble, but it is something that, for me, detracts from the touring experience. I'd rather not sit on the ground in a hotel parking lot after a long day of riding with tools and chain lube, (been there done that since 1965) when I could be relaxing in the hotels jacuzzi instead. Btw with my windshield I don't get any bugs on my face shield.
Chain drive for me is archaic, it's like having points and condenser again, or a kick starter, or tubed tires, or drum brakes, or spokes, or clutch cables with soldered ends. I toured when bikes came with those things. In a time when you had to carry a lot of tools and spares, and duct tape, and bailing wire, spare cables, vice grips, and tire spoons and spare tubes or a patch kit. It was a pia. I'm glad those days are long gone. Good riddance. There are much better ways of doing things these days. Give me electronic ign, fuel injection, disc brakes, tubeless tires, hydraulic clutches and yes shaft drive for my long distance touring, and if they offered a hydraulic valve option, I would opt for that too.
To suggest someone drive a car just because they don't care for a drive chain, is well, .........
Oh and these days I also wear high tech Cordura textile riding gear which keeps me warm when it's chilly, cool when it's hot and dry when the skies open up, plus provides a good deal of crash protection, a fancy full coverage helmet with ventilation and real motorcycle boots . Kinda like the shaft drive of riding gear vs the chain drive version ... Army peacoat, open face helmet with snap on bubble shield, work gloves, jeans and Army boots that I started off riding in in 1965. Times change.
My wife has been traveling with me for 45 years. Every corner of the US, couple provinces in Canada and 5 countries in Europe. We ride 2 up and we enjoy that very much. It's something we share, something we look forward to and something we plan for. She enjoys being a pillion and I'd rather not worry about her being on her own bike. It allows me to concentrate on my riding, instead of spending 1/2 my time watching my rear view mirror to make sure she's ok, and it cuts traveling costs almost in half, allowing us to travel even more.
Chain maintenance is not " too much" trouble, but it is something that, for me, detracts from the touring experience. I'd rather not sit on the ground in a hotel parking lot after a long day of riding with tools and chain lube, (been there done that since 1965) when I could be relaxing in the hotels jacuzzi instead. Btw with my windshield I don't get any bugs on my face shield.
Chain drive for me is archaic, it's like having points and condenser again, or a kick starter, or tubed tires, or drum brakes, or spokes, or clutch cables with soldered ends. I toured when bikes came with those things. In a time when you had to carry a lot of tools and spares, and duct tape, and bailing wire, spare cables, vice grips, and tire spoons and spare tubes or a patch kit. It was a pia. I'm glad those days are long gone. Good riddance. There are much better ways of doing things these days. Give me electronic ign, fuel injection, disc brakes, tubeless tires, hydraulic clutches and yes shaft drive for my long distance touring, and if they offered a hydraulic valve option, I would opt for that too.
To suggest someone drive a car just because they don't care for a drive chain, is well, .........
Oh and these days I also wear high tech Cordura textile riding gear which keeps me warm when it's chilly, cool when it's hot and dry when the skies open up, plus provides a good deal of crash protection, a fancy full coverage helmet with ventilation and real motorcycle boots . Kinda like the shaft drive of riding gear vs the chain drive version ... Army peacoat, open face helmet with snap on bubble shield, work gloves, jeans and Army boots that I started off riding in in 1965. Times change.