| Author | Message | ||
     Drkside79 |
Thank you Wolf that was a Great reminder to be careful. (Message edited by drkside79 on March 09, 2010) | ||
| Xl1200r |
and old people tend to not like riding w/ young people That's because old people think all young people ride like your buddy. | ||
| Drkside79 |
I see he is friends with EB I highly doubt Eric Would approve of his teenage stupidity. In fact I believe EB belongs to the ATGATT Facebook Group. Either way man do what you can but always remember you can't fix stupid. Unfortunately for your friend nature and sometimes Buicks can. | ||
| Drkside79 |
I'm 30 so I teeter on the edged of young an old and I wouldn't ride with your friend either. Remember he is a danger to you as well if you ride with him. GL | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
wow that site makes me want to go buy more gear. anyone have any knights armor for sale? maybe a bomb suit? | ||
| Elf |
Five words: "Get him to a track" He can use some of that youthful energy in being a better rider. And, he'll get a helping of "Humble Pie" when a 70-year old guy on an airhead BMW passes him in mid-corner! But be warned - the drug known as "track" can be addictive... | ||
| Etennuly |
So far in his motorcycling life he has two things going for him, youth, and a friend like you. The next time he crashes his bike, talk him into racing off road somewhere, motocross, car racing, four wheel drive stuff. Pick a sport that has a following. This guy needs to show off for a crowd for a while. When he sees that he can get more attention and a bigger rush somewhere, he may not need to do it on the road anymore. Yes, I'm old, but this specific knowledge comes from when I was young  .....I'm still here because I got my stupid ass off the road, just like the nice police officers told me to(four times in one summer ). Even during the first year of racing dirt track cars I backed off on the street. I now had purpose, and something to look forward to. I didn't want to get hurt on the street and screw up my racing program. When you look at guys like Travis Pistrana, you don't see him doing his big stunts on the highways where he not only endangers himself, but innocent others as well. Hell Evel Knevel didn't gain his fame and money from stunting on the road. They practice off the roads and save the big stunts for their shows where the money is. There are rush riders in local stunter clubs nearly everywhere, they put on shows in parking lots in front of crowds, point him to those guys. The boy needs to vent, he needs a rush, he needs to be recognized. Like a cannon, if he gets aimed correctly, with purpose, he can make something of his life. If he continues to shoot without aiming, having a cannon won't matter much and is likely to hurt bystanders as he runs out of ammo in a short time. Kudos to you for caring and trying to help him.  | ||
| Ratyson |
Iman, Unfortunately for you, you won't be able to make him do anything that he doesn not want to do. In this case, to ride like he has some sense. People are funny. They do what they want, when they want. Some are blessed with the power of reason, some are not. Some learn it, some don't. The one common thread is that this learning will only come if and when they allow it. My advice to you would be, as others have said, to avoid riding with him while he is still convinced that what he is doing is not his fault... That is a cop-out. He has full control over his right wrist, the bike does not. The bike will only put out as much power as your right wrist allows. And if he can't see that, he should not be riding. Saying "It wasn't my fault, this bike has too much torque." says two things: 1. Yes, for him, the bike has too much... of everything. 2. Yes, it is his fault, he just isn't mature enough to handle it and accept responsibility. He is going to get himself hurt again if he doesn't figure it out. And what is really bad is that he may take someone with him. Reading his facebook wall reads of pure stupid teenage bravado, nothing less. And it is this stuff that ends young lives. So, keep up the good work of being resonsible. And keep telling him that what he is doing is stupid. Hopefully all of his other friends will do the same. Don't worry about pushing him away by telling him these things, because if you let up, and he does get hurt or worse, you may end up (wrongly) blaming yourself. Stick to what your heart tells you. I was in a similar situation at 16 with a friend who like to show off on his bike. He didn't make it to 18. He had to have a closed casket funeral. | ||
| Andymnelson |
Who was the kid that visited here that was JUST like this...and ended up killing himself in a crash last year? We gave him tons of warning, and he had Superman syndrome as well- he sounded just like your friend. Now he's dead because he didn't listen to the warnings... | ||
| Jb2 |
Iman05, Lots of good suggestions here. Take them all with a grain of salt knowing that each suggestion is backed with some of the author's own hooliganism. The very fact we ride is an expression of loving and living life even though it takes us closer to the edge than most folks would ever go. Every ride is seasoned with chances for death or survival. Bottom line, when you throw your leg over a bike it is "your ride" or "their ride". Say a prayer and encourage him to do the right thing and remember your own words when you throttle up and grin hard. JB2 | ||
| Hex |
+1 Elf. Get him to the track. That and what Glitch wrote. Teach him The Pace with 4-to-8-rider group rides. The dude's not a Lone Wolf type, he seems to be social, so if he rides with racer's for a season or two, some sense will rub off on him. He needs to know that we all go through this phase, listen to the ones who have survived. There are old bikers and there are bold bikers, but there are no old bold bikers! (taken from pilots.) | ||
| Hex |
I did better! I wrote him a note on facebook: Kyle would you like to be a better biker? Hi Kyle, Eric Ryan here. You don't know me, but I participate on a great internet Buell motorcycle forum, and I would like you to know that as a fellow Bueller, I would like you to become a better rider. One way to do this is to start by reading this thread written to encourage your development. Drop the facebook stuff and come join us! http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/545240.html?1268143883 Sincerely yours, Hex | ||
| Iman501 |
thanks for the advice guys, i know that i wont be able to "make" him do anything, we've been best friends forever!, and we both know that if either of us want to do something it'll be hard to talk each other out of it. I will still try all i can to get him to ride smarter! and thanks hex, hopefully he doesnt take any of this the wrong way, i just really dont want him to get hurt again, he's a good rider, i just dont think that the street is a good place to be stunting and riding ignorantly. We've all seen the dangers of what the cages pose, and i know he's in love with his x1, and doesnt want to crash it! he's actually a member of badweb already (he's only got a few posts but i think his user name is kfry) | ||
| Akbuell |
Be a friend, and lead by example. Ride with him, and when he does stupid stuff, leave. Tell him later why you left. FWIW, hopefully someone here can find the thread(s) from the young man Andymnelson is talking about. He was 19, from somewhere in Kansas, I think, and was about to go into the Marine Corps. He didn't survive the summer. It will be a good read for your friend. Finally, after relaying to him the things folks here have said, insist that he sell the X-1 and get something in an IL Japanese 4. No sense in him destroying a perfectly good tuber, if he is going to insist on destroying himself. Reality is a view that can be cold. I truly hope he changes how he approaches life. My thoughts and prayers w/you both. Dave | ||
| Iman501 |
i'm not going to tell him to sell his bike! if he wanted to get a I4 he could have, but he likes buells for all the same reasons we do. I love rideing with him, and when we go riding together we keep it under control, but then i always hear stories about wheelies and racing and such (while they sound cool and everything thats not justification enough to be doing them on the road with traffic!) | ||
| Drkside79 |
Hopefully he looks at all the pics of racers and notices that every single one of them has something in common. They are all wearing a shitload of gear. Motorcycles are dangerous. They always have been and they always will be. If you do not respect them you will Die in a very ugly way. | ||
| Iman501 |
he's pretty good about gear, he's got his joe rocket armored jacket, and helmet with leather gloves. but then again even helmets and jackets dont garuntee a positive outcome if in a crash | ||
| Fuzzz |
Iman501, Squids come in all sizes, ages, genders and ride all different brands of bikes. If your friend continues to ride dangerously, let him get way ahead of you, ride your own pace, and catch up to him later. I do that when ever I ride with folks who think they're all that, and when they ask why I didn't keep up, I just tell them somebody has to be there to pick up the pieces. You are right about gear, no guarantees, just way better odds. Our best protection is what's inside our helmet, our desire to stay alive no matter what other drivers and riders are doing, and intelligent application of our skills to have fun and still be able to ride again tomorrow. Meet as many "old" riders as you can, and ride with them when you can, you're bound to have a great time, and you'll probably learn something. After all, many of us learned what we know by sitting around "bench racing" with older, more experienced riders, and then putting that knowledge to good use. | ||
| Xodot |
I any of you figure how to make a teenager do something he does not want to do - you could patent that process and be rich! | ||
| Drkside79 |
Yeah i feel you on that one. Give them your best advice and prey they listen. | ||
| 86129squids |
I've always loved that Honda sticker, "Stupid Hurts"- turns out also you "can't fix stupid" rings true for many riders I see out there... I live less than 30 minutes from Deal's Gap- over the past several years it has become a squid magnet, hence the inspiration for my BW handle. Having worked for a major M/C dealership for 4 and a half hears, in sales and in their rental department, I've about seen it all. If you and your bud ever make it to the Gap, be sure to stop at the store and check out the Tree Of Shame- there are more than a couple of epitaphs written on some of those parts. We ALL have been squidly many times in our lives, but those of us lucky enough to have survived our stupidity learn to care what our fellow riders do AND the impression it gives the non-riding public. My goal, every time I go on a ride, is to have as much fun as is sensible and make it back home in one piece. Sure, on the Buell I'll push the envelope on occasion- many of youn's here on the BW have seen me do it- the best case scenario to try to put your buddy in is something like we've seen at TWO in Suches- days filled with hard AND skilled riding, topped off with an evening campside with all the folks we've been riding with. It really DOES matter WHO you ride with, the more mature the better. Besides the mortal dangers your friend seems oblivious to, I'd hate to hear of a good tuber being tossed down the road... Remember those famous last words: "WATCH THIS!!!" | ||
| Iman501 |
I'd hate to hear of a good tuber being tossed down the road... he's not crashed it or anything close to it, just dont want him to | ||
| Hex |
WATCH THIS!!! Victim 2x. | ||
| Badbuell08 |
Iman i added him and you to my facebook also | ||
| Iman501 |
alright guys dont give him shit about it he truely is my best friend, and i'm just tryin to be the best friend i can. he's a pretty cool guy though! and why am i not getting any friend requests?!  hahaha | ||
| Radioelasais |
Youtube is full of videos of idiots on two wheels ... let him watch a couple of them and the consequences of their crashes. | ||
| Delta_one |
it sounds like you haven't seen him act squidly and from the facebook posts he sounds like somebody that has a lot of growing up to do. is there any chance that these are just stories? If there is any chance of that then he is in no real danger talking a talk that he doesn't actually walk the walk. Not trying to imply that your friend is attempting to deceive but maybe exaggerating a bit? all in all its the attention he is looking for and it is obvious. I think glitch was right on with his post but I would add that his facebook and all other posts should he handled the same way. just give him a thumbs down and no other comments on all of his posts that are about bad riding practices, and get your friends that care about his well being to do the same. he obviously has people that care a great deal about him otherwise you would not be posting looking for help. I hope he reads this and understands your concern. and I also hope that it doesn't take wreck in his future to dilute that cocky attitude. lastly the track isn't the only option, see is you cant find a local stunt crew and get him to join in with them. If he needs that kind of riding; there are safer avenues for stunting many of them legal and devoid of cars. Stunt riding is not a safe sport but I have many friends who do it. most of them have half as much metal in them as the bikes they ride but they were hurt with full insurance, wearing body armor and with paramedics standing by on the scene. | ||
| Iman501 |
it sounds like you haven't seen him act squidly and from the facebook posts he sounds like somebody that has a lot of growing up to do. is there any chance that these are just stories? If there is any chance of that then he is in no real danger talking a talk that he doesn't actually walk the walk. Not trying to imply that your friend is attempting to deceive but maybe exaggerating a bit? thats a possability, i've nto seen him do anything in person, just have heard him talk the talk. mostly i've only witnessed speeding (which i'm guilty of as well. we all are!) | ||
| Swordsman |
If 3 weeks in the hospital didn't straighten him out, I don't see positive peer pressure having much of an effect. Besides, what % of the time are you actually riding with others? Hate to say it, but dude sounds like he's already a greasy spot just waiting to happen. Some people simply can't appreciate physics and the fragility of the human body.  ~SM | ||
| Drkside79 |
dude sounds like he's already a greasy spot I hope you are wrong on that but it sure sounds like a tragedy in the making. I mean really, doing wheelies in the fog what freaking idiot. |
