| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
The good news is that motorcycle sales have soared. The bad news is that motorcycle injuries and deaths have skyrocketed. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118555607710880466 .html?mod=most_emailed_day | ||
| Thespive |
I think shows like American Chopper reintroduced America to the motorcycle, the downside is that every new and impressionable rider thinks they need a liter bike. Heck, the CityX is still way above my skills! Maybe I should still be riding a Blast.  --Sean | ||
| Imonabuss |
Ah yes, and good old ABATE fighting for your right to die in a simple low speed crash. They are the Kevorkians of the industry. | ||
| Ratbuell |
The other downside to the "chopper" craze is...have you ever tried to ride one? They look good enough parked at a bar, or in a bike show...but trying to ride one is an exercise in masochism. Not only that, but they aren't *good* motorcycles, at least not in the mindset that a good motorcycle runs, stops, and turns properly, when you tell it to, and communicates with the rider. These things, when/if they run properly, do not communicate to the rider much, if any, useful information. But...they're what's "cool", so everybody wants one...until they ride one for a couple thousand miles in a few years, then they want to trade them in on a Harley. Not as cool, but hey, you can actually ride it. Nowhere in there do they actually learn any of the skills required to pilot a motorcycle safely. The other contributing factor as I see it isn't the motorcyclist directly, but the automotive pilots out there. They haven't had much time to get used to the sudden influx of bikes, so most of the time they really *don't* "see the motorcycle" before they hit it. I think it is completely reasonable to have every single driver take - at the very *least* - the written part of the motorcycle licensing test. At least then they'd know what "the other side" is thinking when they meet on the road. Don't have to make them get a motorcycle license, but they should have to study the same stuff. Hell, we have to have a car license before we can get a bike license, right? I'd also be curious to see the overall accident increase (cars and bikes, although it's easier to hide a bike behind the damn phone than a Buick) in relation to cell phone proliferation and automotive usage. I still fail to see why states (like Maryland, where I live) continue to DEFEAT any motions to ban cell phone use without an earpiece. I'd rather use an earbud (or the Bluetooth in our Magnum) than lose the ability to use a phone at all. | ||
| Rainman |
I don't think it's the cell phone that causes the problem, I think it's the distraction of holding a conversation where you are judging reactions by tone of voice, thinking of business or pleasure or whatever topic is at hand and taking yourself out of your vehicle. With a passenger in the car, the distraction is less because your discussion is taking place IN the vehicle and is part of the driving process. They should just ban cell phone use in cars. If you want to talk, you should have to pull to the shoulder and talk. | ||
| Ironken |
Come to the Laughlin River Run if you want to see a gaggle of dopes that should not be riding. Hmmmmm, lets see here. "I'm a 30 something female, never ridden in my wanna-be life and I wanna look HOT....Whatever should I do???? Oh, I know. I'll buy a Harley Fat Boy. Yep! First I gotta get a tattoo on my lower back...A ton of leather crap and last and least important learn to ride. Knowledgeable riders have told me to buy a smaller bike, but, why? I won't look as sexy. Zero to cool in $30,000.00. Is this country awesome or what? Biker-In-A-Box! | ||
| Wieners1 |
i learned to ride on a dirt bike 27 years ago at the age of 13,and i worked my way up to street bikes around 17 small ones none the less.i cant believe all the people that go out and buy a 1000cc bike at 40+ for their first bike and they think they can ride with only a couple years under their belt. i also have been hit by driver in a car that said he did not see me.i was lucky i only got side swiped steve | ||
| Ratbuell |
Ironken...we're a jumpoff point for the Rolling Thunder fiasco every year. Back when it actually meant something, it was a cool ride. Now that it's "cool" and basically a DC "bike week", every bozo on 2 wheels has to go, tramp-stamp tattoos and all. It turns my stomach watching these fools doing the 30mph wobbling-duckwalk through a parking lot full of 1,000 bikes...doing the same duckwalk. You couldn't pay me to go on that ride. I never had the opportunity to serve, but I respect those who do, and I guess I'll just have to stick to my more personal ways of saying thanks. Biker-in-a-box. I like that. I only wish the majority of them knew how to ride well enough to stay out of the Final Box...even Darwin isn't enough consolation on this one. | ||
| Ironken |
Ratbuell.....duckwalk! Yep, that sums it up. I don't want to ever be classified as a biker. I feel that I'm a motorcyclist, as most of us here. We embrace the religion of motorcycling, not the image of a biker for coolness....It's not cool anymore. The Discovery Channel, OCC, WCC and the likes have drawn a ton of wanna-be bad asses to our religion....That's too bad. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Ironken - amen. I ride because I don't particularly like people; if I'm riding with my fullface, nobody can bother me ...sad that I work in Sales...no wonder I'm so tired at the end of the day, LOL. And we're gonna get every OCC wannabe at work now, with this new Rocker thing coming out. Sheesh. It's a tightrope now - I LOVE the 1125r and want to stay up front and keep selling bikes because of it. But I see the Rocker, and the **$36,000** FLHTCUSE3, and it's all I can do to not slap some of these folks and ask "what the *&#$! are you thinking?" <sigh> Maybe I *should* move back to the Service department.... | ||
| Retired_cop |
ratbuell........EXACTLY WHY I WILL NO LONGER GO TO DC FOR ROLLING THUNDER ! It has become a " look at me and my bike " funfest instead of the tribute to those who served and never came home. I no longer belong to Rolling Thunder for that very reason and have been riding with the Patriot Guard Riders for 2 years now. They have a sponsors banner up now. www.patriotguard.org | ||
| Slaughter |
Ratbuell - I wouldn't worry too much about choppers contributing to stats - they're rarely ridden. I know there are exceptions but most of the ones I've seen are trailered and MAYBE ridden to a parking lot or a show just to keep up appearances. Here in the CA hills, you can COUNT on about two sportbike fatalities and about 2 to 4 helo medevacs every weekend. We don't any longer call it the riding season, it's the KILLING season. I can't tell you how many times I have talked to a young impressionable rider whose buddies are talking him into a LITREBIKE as a first bike because he's going to be frustrated by the LACK of performance in the 600-class bikes. My personal crusade has changed from trying to encourage responsible riding to encouraging newbies to get the bikes so that those of us who race and make custom bikes will have a larger supply of spare parts. Unfortunately, there's often too much blunt trauma to allow effective organ harvesting however. (Message edited by slaughter on August 13, 2007) | ||
| Ratbuell |
I know choppers (and most HD's, really) are rarely ridden...what concerns me is the gaggle of sheep who think they're "cool". But, if they can't afford one, they buy what they can afford just to be part of the "lifestyle" and dive right in to traffic, physics and training be damned. On the flipside, I narrowly escaped becoming part of a Home Depot parking lot yesterday. On my S1W (Ice White Pearl bike, I wear a white helmet, headlight was on, unstuffed SS2R is ...well, not exactly subtle), riding thru the access road in first gear, a bonehead in a Jeep Commander pulls out in front of me without stopping. I honk / brake / swerve, she hammers the gas and flies thru a left turn at a stopsign at about 40. She stops for traffic and I pull up next to her, flipping up my chin plate. She rolls down her window and says...you guessed it, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you". I politely explained to her that she's supposed to stop and look, and that she blew thru the stop sign as well. She said her granddaughter was screaming in the back seat. I said that's OK, but as the driver you are in charge of the vehicle and you have to make sure you're doing everything right, including keeping the kid quiet enough for you to concentrate. If I wasn't paying attention, you'd be calling an ambulance right now. She looked sullen and said "I'm sorry officer". I was confused, until I realized I was wearing my HD Police Motors shirt with what looks like a badge on the left breast. Hey. We have to wear something that says HD or Buell on it for work, and it was the lightest weight shirt I could find for a hot day. I'm going to have to wear that shirt more often, LOL! | ||
| Jimidan |
She looked sullen and said "I'm sorry officer". I was confused, until I realized I was wearing my HD Police Motors shirt with what looks like a badge on the left breast. Like those women at Hooters, who only like you for your money, this woman was only sorry because she thought that you were a cop and going to cost her some money (ticket)}. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Yeah, I know...but I can lie to myself and tell myself it may have actually made a difference. <shrug> | ||
| Sarodude |
I've been tempted on more than one occasion to reach in, grab, and HURL THE LIVING EFF outta the cell phone which contributed to some bonehead's lack of focus. Then I just come back to the realization that, although sad, this is the game we agree to play - especially in major metro areas. Look at it this way.... We seek out challening twisty roads. The traffic we drive in is just another challenge. Just requires a different mental skillset to successfully negotiate. -Saro | ||
| Ratbuell |
Big difference is, trees and guardrails on the nice twisty mountain roads don't unexpectedly jump out in front of you. D**kheads in SUVs do, then they make excuses. Ball bearings and used 9v batteries in *my* pocket?? Whatever could those be for? ;) | ||
| Oldbiker |
1 1/2" to 2" sheetrock screws dribbled behind....very effective also. Steve | ||
| Ratbuell |
My problem is, next time I ride that route, *I'll* hit the screws. LOL. | ||
| Oldbiker |
Ratbuell.........have mr. lucky (me)ride with ya......i'll find them before you do..... Steve | ||
| Ratbuell |
AH. Nice to meet you, Mr. Murphy. Your law hangs over my garage like a raincloud...thanks! ;) | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
Ball bearings and used 9v batteries in *my* pocket?? 1 1/2" to 2" sheetrock screws dribbled behind....very effective also Come on guys, I might be a block behind you! Use your foot or a ball peen hammer if you must, but don't dump more hazards into the roadway!!! | ||
| Oldbiker |
Scott......to put my remark in perspective...many,many years of riding in the n.y. metro area has taught me that the last thing i would do is expose an arm or leg to a lunatic in cage. As far as the debris aspect goes....it would be instantly lost in the sea of existing debris. Steve | ||
| Ratbuell |
Precisely the reason I use (if anything at all) an item that is harmless once it stops bouncing off the road surface. I hate to do it at all, but if some bonehead is riding my ass in traffic and won't back off after wave-offs, brake light tests, etc., a battery bouncing off the ground and hitting a headlight or hood usually makes the point. And Oldbiker - I think it's even in the MSF book that you never kick at a dog, it can throw you off balance. I always hear The Voice from the amusement park in my head - "Please keep all hands and feet inside the car during the ride". LOL. | ||
| Buell920 |
as opposed to just simply pulling over... nevermind disregard this post. | ||
| Jimidan |
Sarodude: Look at it this way.... We seek out challening twisty roads. The traffic we drive in is just another challenge. Just requires a different mental skillset to successfully negotiate. then ratbuell: Big difference is, trees and guardrails on the nice twisty mountain roads don't unexpectedly jump out in front of you. Yeah, it is kinda like snow skiing...in an avalanche. |
