| Author | Message | ||
     Daveymac |
About 45 miles south of were I live. By Keith Goldberg April 04, 2008 NEW WINDSOR - A Beacon man was killed yesterday evening when he crashed his motorcycle in the parking lot of the store he had just bought it from. Police said Dennis Walden, 56, was riding the 2008 Harley-Davidson he had just bought from Jim Moroney’s Cycle Shop across the store’s parking lot around 6 p.m. when he lost control and hit a parked vehicle. Walden, who police said was not wearing a helmet, was taken to St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, where he was pronounced dead. AGATT | ||
| Johnboy777 |
For some reason, Harley guys seem to encounter Darwin's law of natural selection, way more often. . | ||
| 08uly |
Sad but true... Unfortunately, you see this every day. . | ||
| California |
Johnboy777 "For some reason, Harley guys seem to encounter Darwin's law of natural selection, way more often." Do you have some sort of statistic or study results to back that up, or is this a form of Harley bashing? I'm not trying to start an argument, but wondering what you based that statement on. My impression has always been that it was the squids that represent the highest "new rider" accident rate. I know that accident and fatality rates have been changing with the huge influx of older riders getting back into riding, but what are the facts when it comes to "new riders" I wonder. And as the title of the thread says... THIS IS SAD, no matter what he was riding or who he was. (Message edited by california on April 05, 2008) | ||
| Wbrisett |
Do you have some sort of statistic or study results to back that up I have no statistics, but I can tell you that here in Texas where we have limited helmet laws, pull into any HD dealership and you'll see a majority of riders without any helmets on. Pull into any other dealership of any other brand of bikes and that number drops by a large margin. Why is that? I'm not sure, but I suspect it has more to do with the mystic of the image of HD riders more than anything else. I'm not bashing anybody, well yes I am, any rider who rides without a helmet. You gotta keep that noggin' covered, and I don't mean with a doo-rag. Wayne | ||
| Teeps |
This post should be in the quick board section. | ||
| Miamiuly |
Don't have the statistic handy to quote, but seem to remember moto rags pointing out the same fact. Lots of new or returning riders going out and buying cruisers, 1200cc and larger and having accidents or deaths. I think that is one reason my uly cost a little more to insure than my 05 ZX10R. Yes the uly cost more but which is more likely to get stolen or wrecked on average. Blew my mind that the uly was more to insure. Sad for the guy, When I worked at a dealer, I assembled a katana 1100 for a guy (cop.) By the time I came back from washing my hands he had wrecked it in the parking lot. He wouldn't listen to the delivery speech/ familiarization talk and left the choke on. He put it in gear with engine at about 3000rpm (choke) and ended up running behind the bike a bit as in wheelie gone bad. Fortunately he was okay, unfortunately he was an ass and tried to blame the shop and not pay or get his money back. | ||
| Jwnsc |
I think we had three fatalities last year as people were returning home from the BMWMOA Rally in Wisconsin, including a husband and wife riding two-up and wearing ATGATT. Stuff happens. On the other hand, the only two people I've known personally who've been killed in a bike crash were: 1)done in by severe head trauma, 2) on Harleys 3) not wearing helmets 4) middle-aged-1st time big bike owners 5) imbibing alcohol just before the "accident." | ||
| California |
}I've always, and I mean ALWAYS worn a helmet. I defend a riders right to have a choice, but, I choose to try to stay alive. The riders that I don't understand, are the ones that wear the brain-bucket, skull cap, skid lid, piece of shit plastic sunscreen helmets. Get real! the part I don't get...if you're gonna put something on your head, strap it around your throat, and mess with your hair style, why wouldn't you wear a REAL helmet! | ||
| Uly1080 |
I respectfully submit that we let this thread go, and say no more about helmets, Harleys, or otherwise. Our sympathies and condolences from all here on Badweb to the friends and family of this rider. | ||
| V_thunder |
Its all about taking risks. We get "high" off of it. We all take big risks using 2 wheels instead of four(cage included). Some people have bigger tolerances than others, requiring more danger(Drugs, alcohol, riding naked, etc). Quit pointing fingers I say. We are all "guilty" to some extent. Yesterday was the first time I rode for this season. Ohhh Yeah! Jonesing for another! | ||
| Rwcfrank |
I am with Uly1080, let it go and never, ever ride unless your dressed to crash. Unless of course no one loves you and you dont care... | ||
| Old_mil |
This is sad. By the way, this isn't a Harley-bashing idea. Larry Cann, the former owner of the Orlando BMW dealership was killed in just such a manner relocating a R1200GS from one end of his dealership to another...about the length of a parking lot. Your's truly would be on the wrong side of the dirt if it wasn't for gear on one occasion. | ||
| Ry329 |
I had to laugh there is a guy around here road king 90 degrees out leather pants boots jacket gloves and a cowboy hat.................. Must be too hot for a lid..................... | ||
| Bertotti |
I just read an article that said and experienced rider was more apt to wreck on a new bike. A new rider on a new bike statistically was way up as were the one riding crotch rockets. Anyone remember that article? | ||
| V_thunder |
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) riders of “supersports” motorcycles have driver death rates per 10,000 registered vehicles nearly four times higher than for drivers of other types of motorcycles. | ||
| V_thunder |
The IIHS says that supersports have the overall highest insurance losses under collision coverage among the motorcycle classes, almost four times higher than for touring models and more than six times higher than for cruisers. Nine of the ten motorcycles with the highest losses were supersports. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
This post should be in the quick board section. Your wish is my command. | ||
| Hammer71 |
Right around the corner from my job. Was actually called when it happened, Dumba$$ decided he could ride the bike up the ramps to load it up in the truck. Guess he figured wrong. Darwin award goes to...... | ||
| Socoken |
Its all about taking risks. We get "high" off of it. We all take big risks using 2 wheels instead of four(cage included). Some people have bigger tolerances than others, requiring more danger(Drugs, alcohol, riding naked, etc). Quit pointing fingers I say. We are all "guilty" to some extent. Well put! | ||
| Iamike |
Today I watched as my 20 yr. old next door neighbor was leaving on their bikes with a buddy. As they were starting to go I heard the friend ask him "Aren't you going to wear a helmet?" This neighbor has already wrecked his bikes 3 times and his cars several. About 1/2 hour later my wife came home and said that she drove by the hospital where they were loading someone from an ambulance into LifeFlight. Since I haven't heard the boy come back yet I'm wondering if he was the person. Now I just have to wait for the news to see. What really amazes me is that his parent's ride without helmets and don't seem to think that it's a big deal that junior doesn't either, even though his driving record is less than spectacular. | ||
| P47b |
They are called brain buckets for a reason. Either you have brains or you don't. The most common excuse I here when I ask why you don't ware a helmet it's that it messes my hair up. ??? I get this from almost all riders I ask. Harley & Sport bike riders same answer. (Message edited by p47b on April 06, 2008) | ||
| Cyclonemduece |
i have noticed too that i dont see so many HD riders showing up to the dealership with a helmet, they must be more macho without it, and i too have a buddy that has a horrible driving record, and he has had three bikes and five times he has been down two were totaled, he just got a new bike still no helmet, he says they look stupid, some people dont see the whole picture, i can not believe that we have to be buckeled up in our cars (at least in our state) but helmets are optional.... | ||
| Rainman |
I don't believe in seat belt laws. I always -- I mean always -- wear a seat belt. I don't believe in helmet laws. I always -- even moving the bike in the carport -- wear a helmet. You do what you want. Your decision to wear or not wear gear or a helmet "neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg" to quote Thomas Jefferson. | ||
| Xl1200r |
In New York, helmets are manditory, so you don't see many guys riding without. That said, when I go to Lake George to hang out in the summer, there are just as many cruisers wearing chrome non-DOT helmets as there as sport bikes, so it's not limited to one type of bike. And for the record, I've seen way more sport bikes splattered across the road than Harleys. | ||
| Thumper74 |
The one time I didn't wear a helmet, I lowsided in a parking lot and ended up with a concussion. Last week I rear ended a Saturn at 40mph when I locked up the rear brakes and walked away. My jacket is rashed up, my helmet is getting replaced and my gloves faired a lot better than my bare hands would have. I'm a firm believer in ATGATT because I'm confident I wouldn't have walked away from this last one without my helmet and jacket. | ||
| Jwnsc |
>>Your decision to wear or not wear gear or a helmet "neither picks my pocket >>nor breaks my leg" to quote Thomas Jefferson. One of the major arguments of pro-helmet advocates is that the medical costs incurred by uninsured or underinsured riders who suffer preventable head trauma are borne up by the taxpayer. Also, your insurance costs are higher because of preventable head injuries suffered by insured riders. A pocket picked indirectly still has less money in it. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
On a more upbeat note - I bought (well - actually my dad bought for me) a brand new Schwinn 26" bicycle from Maroney's in or about 1964, when they were in closer to downtown Newburgh. It was a real Harley shop with oil dripping panheads and the 'feel' that is now thoroughly purged from the new mega-mall H-D 'shopping experience' stores. Not really positive, but I think the person that helped us was Jim Maroney himself. I rode it around the block to test it out. No helmet. Somehow survived. But then, I had a bit of experience and knew how to ride that bike. Maybe that's where that Harley 'bug' bit me so thoroughly. Maybe it's just me, reading Mr. Goldbergs news article, I noticed that although it's stated that the 'victim' was not wearing a helmet, nowhere is it stated that he died of head injuries. I am an advocate of helmet use, but the real piece of data that is being missed here is "he lost control and hit a parked vehicle". Losing control of a bike in the parking lot kind of indicates a lack of rider training. Safety gear only goes so far to overcome that. AL | ||
| Djkaplan |
I knocked an entire digit off my IQ in 1973 in a bicycle accident. It still left me with enough smarts to use a bicycle helmet as an adult, though. Ironically, I've subsequently been laid out cold again on a bicycle, but the helmet had on didn't have a scratch on it. I was peeing blood for awhile after that one... | ||
| Pwnzor |
Do you have some sort of statistic or study results to back that up I can give anecdotal evidence that here, in Kalifornia, the majority of the people I see riding Harley cruisers, and especially choppers or bobbers tend to wear those little plastic skid lids, and NO protective gear at all. And a lot of them ride like jerks. I hate the helmet law, and I don't ride in full gear MOST of the time. I'd ride without a helmet a LOT of the time, if I could. But, being the law-abiding citizen of the DPRK that I am, I wear my helmet. I also usually wear a good set of gloves and a leather jacket but below the waist it's usually jeans or Dickies and Jordans. 17 years without a scrape, say what you will. I don't ride like an a55hat, and I have my skin mostly intact. Dirt bike crashes don't count. |
