That's damn slick. I'd lose my license by May!

The prices don't seem to really drop in Canada. I've been keeping an eye on prices all winter long and nobody is touching the price. I guess most people aren't desperate to sell around here.

I just have no money to work with or I'd consider an upgrade. Though I've actually been keeping my eyes out for a Gold Wing instead. It'll probably end up being 20 years old, but should be a much better fit for my region (and motorcycle club).

Instead, I'm investing a bit in upgraded gear. My helmet is 4 years old (I thought 5 when I ordered, but fuck it). I'm replacing it with a Snell 2015 certified Scorpion EXO R2000. It looks much slicker, and has much better features. I'm looking forward to the decreased wind noise, neutral on the double D-ring, and dreading the loss of a retractable Sun visor.

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My finacee ordered a helmet two nights ago so I guess that means she's going to want to go with me this year. She still has a bit of additional gear to get before I'll allow that, but we'll see what we can afford by Summer. Sounds like we're planning a road trip to visit a large gear retailer.

I need new pants because my Kevlar jeans have shrunk (and I've gotten fat ). I want to replace my gloves because the leather is stiff, the Velcro doesn't stick, and they don't cover my wrists.

I'm probably going to try to afford an Airhawk cussion for me and the misses too. If it gives me extended range on the bike that will be money well spent.

Append:

What year is it?

I laid down my little Suzuki Marauder GZ250 a few weeks ago. The roads were really salty and I hit the brakes a bit tough, not realizing my wheels were covered in salt. Put myself in a bad situation really, approaching a yellow light and opted not to run it because a police officer had just went through. Front tire locked up and down I went. Learned my lesson... but I also scraped up my knee pretty bad, so I'm considering going with an armored one piece suit instead of wearing just jeans and an armored jacket.
Right now I'm looking at an Olympia because of the price/value seems what I want... but haven't actually tried anything on yet.

Next year I might upgrade the bike.

Did you happen to watch the video on Revzilla? They postulate that it will be too hot in the Summer. If you plan to ride in the Summer and can't afford a second pair of gear you may want to reconsider. Waterproof is nice. It would be ideal for wet months, but I can see how it might be too hot in the Summer, and if your gear is uncomfortable you won't wear it and that defeats the whole purpose.

Since I've been in a Gold Wing motorcycle club since I started riding I've seen my share of them: parked, riding down the highway, riding down the back roads, getting serviced, etc. They're nice bikes. They're not cheap. And that's probably what will hold me back for another decade or so. But they're worth every penny. Boat loads of hard, lockable storage, all the luxuries available including cup holdlers, and their performance specs aren't too shabby either.

I haven't hit mid-life crisis yet. I'd readily be looking for a 600 class instead, and still sort of am, if I didn't have a fiancée that wanted to come along. She might be able to ride on a sport bike, but she'll be a lot more comfortable on something like a Gold Wing, and so will I. We just might find out if she's able to tolerate the pillion seat of a "sport" bike this season, and if that's the case I might put the Gold Wing off longer. She says she wants to ride on a sport bike, and my 500 doesn't even qualify, but I don't think the comfort gets much better on the real thing and I think her mind will change when her buttock is killing her and we have to do it all again to get home.

I know from experience that a sporty bike begs to go fast, but there's nowhere to go fast where I live. No tracks that I can take it to. In my neck of Canada, no highways over 100 km/h. In my neck of the US, no highways over 70 mph (~115 km/h). It's hard enough not to speed on my 500. At least with my 500 I can actually twist my wrist and rip through a couple of gears without police calling in backup. Though if memory serves I can still reach 100 km/h in 2nd gear.

It seems a lot of guys replace the 500R rear suspension with that of a GSX-R 600. Apparently it's possible without much/any modification. Most of the mods people do seem completely retarded (my bike is stock after 4 seasons), but that one actually is tempting. It's said that it greatly improves the handling, but I'm not sure that I'd really notice with the riding that I do. And there's a certain peace of mind in having a stock bike.

I got a 1995 Tomos Targa LX for a cool $100 last year. I still need to finish fixing it up.

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(not mine.)

It's the same kind of moped from the movie Hot Rod. =D

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I'm not a big fan of leather, in large part because of the price. If I found one for the price you managed I'd probably snap it up. Not having any ventilation does concern me a bit. I do find that my current gear, which is textile/armor, is a bit big on me and does flutter a bit at 70kmph+. I suppose in high wind at higher speeds it could be an issue, but it doesn't affect me a whole lot at the speeds I ride (mostly around town and out on 80kmph roads).

I definitely wont be reaching those speeds at all -- I'd be shocked if I were ever to hit 140kmph. I'm not much of a speed demon.

The blue jacket has a great style, but I'm really looking for something brightly coloured, which leather tends not to be as well...

Although he says it would be warm in the summer, it looks much cooler on the upper area than my current gear. I suppose I would worry most about my butt and crotch getting warm. Definitely just getting one set this year, but I do think the vents look adequate. I do want to try one on so I'm not really sure yet.

I find my current jacket pretty cool despite being thick and having fewer and smaller vents. The sales guy warned me it would be a little hotter than some of the others, too.

I'd always rather be a little uncomfortable than dead

We'll see where I go. It might be the end of the month, or beginning of next, before I actually get around to buying a new suit.

That's dark. Motorcycle gear cannot protect you from everything. Neither can a car, but a car is still a bubble of plastic and steel and air to cushion the "fall". Motorcycle gear is mostly for surviving abrasion as you slide down the highway 500 meters. It can't do much about collisions. If you hit something hard hard it's going to do physical harm to you. Even if it doesn't bruise the outside, your insides are going to collide with your outside and that in itself could be life threatening or crippling. Best you can do is be responsible, do your best to avoid collisions, and "pray". Or just don't ride. It's a gamble. But most things in life that are worthwhile are. And the risks can be managed to make it less of a concern. Relatively few motorcyclists in developed countries will experience that bad of an accident in their lifetime, and many of those that do asked for it by riding like an idiot. Lots of people go their whole lives riding without any mishaps, but you can't count on that so you need to do what you can to be prepared for the worst.

Somehow I just got reminded of the Gixxerkart. I was gonna make one when I was in community college. Bought the engine and steel and everything.

Deathwish, hooooo

[edit] And that The Prodigy music reminds me of this other crazy European, dual-steering wheel car.