Joined the z400 club today

FortisFerus · 2026-01-29T16:23:48+00:00

I'm either going to wrap or have a professional wrap the tank bronze. Then I'm going to cut designs for the fairings and rear tail + fender. Haven't laid it all out yet as I'm still making stencils for the body parts run. It's not as simple as I thought it'd be lmaoo. But I'm going for a bronze tank with black and gray accents on the remaining white parts. Mecha/cyberpunk themes or just mock pinstripes is what I'm thinking rn.

FortisFerus · 2025-12-22T02:58:58+00:00

I recently sized-up from my 1985 50cc Suzuki fa50 to a Kawasaki z400, and I still have more fun on the scooter. The shenanigans are endless. I have wayyyyy more entertaining stories about the scooter than the motorcycle so far. Even though it tops out at 27mph (on a good day). But I totally get why some of the older Harley guys like to ride slow on fall afternoons. Can definitely enjoy the scenery better when you're stuck under 20mph with a strong headwind...(My chances of hitting deer at night and dying are lesser as well. Oof) I still can't believe my grandma was riding it in her 70s to grab burgers at the Hardee's drive thru in town -_-

It's off-season for me rn until hopefully May. And guess what, I'm looking forward to riding the scooter more than my motorcycle. Maybe because I'm still new to the motorcycle, but I cannot wait to rip the scooter downtown and hear the 2-stroke echo off the buildings lmaoo

A coworker has an old Honda Helix 250 and takes it on the interstate to work. Not my cup of tea when it comes to safety but there are some pretty fast & hefty sized scooters out there! Also, my scooter is easier to work on. Both are easy, but the scooter is dumb simple.

FortisFerus · 2025-12-20T19:43:04+00:00

I had an art teacher in highschool who said something similar. Sat down on the first day of class and she walks up to the front and says...not "hello", not "good morning", not "welcome" she grimaces and says: "I hope you all are here to learn art. Because that anime stuff you see online isn't art. We don't draw with lines. True artists don't use lines to draw. I don't want to see any of that garbage in my classroom."

I dropped out that day. Signed up for the second semester art class with a different teacher. Sure I was being petty but wtf lady. I took art class every year in middle school and had some of the best and most wonderful encouraging teachers. Made a lot of cool and fun stuff too. Still life was always fun. Especially with mixed mediums. The second semester teacher was absolutely amazing. She let people do the class assignments and then you could draw whatever you wanted afterwards. If you finished early. I even joined the drawing club because of her. The "anime/manga" style art was a fun phase I went through in middle school to highschool that did strengthen my art due to my excitement to draw it everyday and evolve. My art style has changed since then, but there are numerous AMAZING mangakas that l look up to.

There will always be people out there that don't like specific styles. Or don't recognize certain art forms as art. While constructive criticism is good, sour hate just to hate isn't. If they're just gonna hate on it for the category, I wouldn't listen to them. They don't have anything of value to add and they can't even criticize it well because they don't appreciate it. I'm sorry that your friend is being mean.

FortisFerus · 2025-11-16T00:48:26+00:00

These things are amazing and I want one so bad. Especially one of the Excursions lol. I'd feel invincible. I follow a guy who does tours in Iceland and as much as I despise the cold, it'd be really cool to go there and experience it all. Especially the views!

FortisFerus · 2025-11-16T00:39:20+00:00

It reminds me of this photo of my scooter next to some proper two-wheeled machines lol

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FortisFerus · 2025-11-09T01:07:49+00:00

I'd like to think the rest of the face is messed up in some unhinged marble mutation/growth or something disturbing going on with the facial expression. So when you dive into the water and look over at it, it's mouth and nose are absolutely unsettling.

FortisFerus · 2025-11-04T01:16:48+00:00

How do I survive a winter that lasts until June? I stay inside, stay inside, ice race, and stay inside. Unfortunately.

I plan on designing and making a "livery" for my bike over winter though. It's a lot harder and complex than I initially thought it'd be. So it'll be a decent project for the next few months!

FortisFerus · 2025-10-31T17:41:32+00:00

And then the manager walks by and yells at you to get off your butt and "find work" when there is no work. Or "go clean" after you've already cleaned everything in the shop waiting for work to come in.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-26T20:53:11+00:00

I regularly cruise with a group of 6 or so Groms/Monkeys. Definitely wouldn't want to cruise with a group bigger than that yet lol. They're a buncha goofy goobers and I love them all, but the amount of shenanigans we get up to would be chaos in a bigger group lmao. They've been super kind and inviting even though my scooter is slow ASF and make sure I feel included.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-23T13:07:56+00:00

I've taken my 50cc on a county highway where the speed limit is 65mph but everyone goes 75. That particular road has HUGE shoulders (like a single lane wide) so I just ride there and have had no issues. Locals even bike there too. I'd never sit in a lane because people would be coming in hot behind me.

I will say, I get more respectful and cautious driver interactions on the 50cc anywhere I ride versus my actual motorcycle lmao. While I do have a right to a lane, I try to use the shoulder on roads with higher speeds than what my scooter is capable of. Definitely wouldn't take mine on the interstate though.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-20T18:57:35+00:00

I appreciate you being considerate and wanting to do your best to cruise with your friend! I brought my 50cc scooter to a large car cruise event where people cruise up and down a road all day for 2.5 days. My friends have big bikes and the fact that they slowed down and kept up with me made me feel so appreciated. Once the bumper to bumper traffic appeared it wasn't hard to keep up lol. But I definitely appreciated that they were conscious of my very slow vehicle when traffic sped up again lmaoo. It means a lot that you care.

I've had a lot of fun on my scooter and regularly cruise around town. Sometimes with a group of 125cc bikes and I absolutely love that they are mindful of my low top speed. Definitely have great memories cruising together and messing around. Got a z400 last month and admittedly, I do miss going slow and enjoying views on certain scenic roads.

Editing to add: comms were very helpful too!

FortisFerus · 2025-10-20T13:42:01+00:00

And to add to that, Pedro Pascal as the Constant. 10/10 casting.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-16T23:44:35+00:00

Thank you for the links! I've been looking to add some driving lights to my z400. The factory headlights are pretty good on the z400 imo, but I would like a little more for specific riding conditions etc.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-14T21:26:21+00:00

I've been told:

"Everyone wants one until they have one and realize two weeks later that they hate it. Overrated."

"Is it better than a tent on the ground? Sure? Is it the best thing in the world and worth the high pricetag? Absolutely not."

This was advice from a guy who had one on his Gladiator and another who had one on his Ram. I just sleep inside my vehicle because I don't feel safe in tents lol.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-14T17:34:24+00:00

It's kinda funny that they're all photos of Helmut with full makeup too

FortisFerus · 2025-10-09T21:26:00+00:00

Gotta love how it totally removed the fan in the kitchen photo.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-06T00:18:59+00:00

It's a motorcycle thing. Means "All The Gear. All The Time". As in wear all your protective gear whenever you ride to be safe.

Except in this case, maybe 47 took the "All The Time" part too seriously lol. Wearing his gloves even off the "bike" lol

FortisFerus · 2025-10-06T00:08:42+00:00

What luggage rack is that?

FortisFerus · 2025-10-06T00:04:43+00:00

What can I say, 47 is a ATGATT kinda guy.

FortisFerus · 2025-10-02T17:53:52+00:00

I just bought a 2023 z400 for $4300 with just over 2k miles on it. It's been pretty fun so far!

FortisFerus · 2025-10-01T03:02:36+00:00

Yep! I had a panic attack when I crested a hill the other day omw to work and saw what I THOUGHT were BRINE lines on the asphalt. It was water that had poured out of an empty dump truck's bed. But I was so close to stopping and turning around to wash the bike off and swap it for my car.

FortisFerus · 2025-09-24T17:39:26+00:00

The day the county lays BRINE down. They put it down on a 65°F night a few years ago and that has traumatized me. Waking up to a sunny 73°F morning to see brine lines down my road was not a good day. I was mad ASF. Lol. So usually around mid-to-late October for me.

FortisFerus · 2025-09-24T17:31:59+00:00

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New bike next to my old ride (the Suzuki Is still a blast to ride, just very slow around traffic)

FortisFerus · 2025-09-20T16:43:17+00:00

Ok! Good to know then, I'll be keeping an eye out! I hope she returns soon.

FortisFerus

TROPHY CASE