Why Newbies shouldnt be given high powered vehicles.... a sad story.

[The Stigenator]

Also I have to attribute alot of the accidents to motorcycle manufacturers. One of the reason's inexperienced kids buy motorcycles is to look cool. They don't know what the bike can do and they don't care. They just want to look cool riding it. However if you notice basically everything below 600cc looks not very sporty...hence not very cool. So usually 600cc bikes are the most popular as they look cool and are the smallest displacement. If manufacturers would make "better looking" smaller displacement bikes I'm sure alot more lives would be spared.

You know what the problem with why we dont get the good looking underpowered bikes. Because most americans believe in this motto of "there is not replacement for displacement"and hence all the cool bikes end up in europe and else where.

There are lots of good looking bikes out there but there are not in the US only because the US market is different. First the US market is more for cars than bikes (unlike say germany or UK). Secondly the US market doesnt have a "trainer" law like the EU market. With no trainer law the motorcycle manufacturers can give a newbie who just got his licence a Hayabusa and then not take responsiblity for it. In UK for the first 2 years you are limited by power until you get to a level where you can qualify for a higher level bike. BUt that law wont work here.. remember we are harley gear heads and harley gear heads wont want their already underpowered crusiers to be running 25hp or lesser.

25hp isnt bad, I rode a bike with lot lesser than that in India (started with 3.5hp moped, 7hp scootertte, stopped with 10hp bike) and you know what, it was a lot more fun that this bike. Why, well it was light and it was easy and I coudlnt go too fast (I could reach high speeds over 90kmph) but it wasnt necessary due to road conditions.

I am going to send a letter to my congressman and ask for a legislation to bring about a law that will limit newbies to smaller displacement bikes. Sure the motorcycle manufacturers wont mind because they already have this law in EU, and since the amount of new riders are always there, I am sure there wouldnt be too much of a loss in profit. So you dont sell high ticket bikes but atleast you save lives.

what do you guys think. Worth mailing your local rep? If you feel the same its time we all start bugging for this law. I am going to send one to Adam Schiff (my local rep) and also to Diane Fienstien and Barbara Boxer and see what they think. Might want to co-ordinate this so we have all of them working on the same law from different states.

TGG

 

[bsobel]

GoodGuy,

I'm not sure you'd get anywhere with a displacement limit law (IMHO). I think you'd have a better chance (and acheive SOME of the goals) with a MSF prior to purchase requirement (or something like that).

Just a thought,
Bill

 

[Ornery]

As far as the HP law goes, you're assuming the accident was due to too much power etc. He could just as easily have been hit buy a car or hit a car making a left in front of him... on ANY size bike! What will it take to sink in. BIKES ARE DANGEROUS, PERIOD! Your chances of being hurt on a bike, compared to a car, are probably 100 fold. An exaggeration? Not much!

Edit: "Per mile traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles is about 18 times the number in cars." That's DEATHS, not injuries!

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
I wanted a bike. But after my finacee has come home from work(she's works at a hospital) and she tells me that they've had their 8th motorcycle rider death in 10 days, I'm quickly loosing the itch.

they're too brutal. I would think that mrs. skoorb might divorce me if I really wanted to buy one because injury rates on them are so high. Whether it's the fact that once a guy gets on one his balls grow 5x as large or whatever...and even if you can control yourself you can't control other people hitting you and I have yet to see a motorbike with impact bars and air bags.

 

[chickendinner]

That really blows. Modded bikes are for the track, and definatly not for new riders :-\
Hope he gets better.

 

[SirFshAlot]

well, maybe I am the exception to the rule, and should just count my blessings, but........

in the ~7 years of owning bullet bikes/crotch rockets; not one wipe out or crash


my first bike was a Ninja 600R.......plenty of power for a "newbie"

rather than attribute crashing and stupidity to "newbie" status, maybe it should be simply attributed to "stupid" status



sorry about your friends, dude

if you remember my post a few weeks back over at MotorcycleUSA, I watched a guy dieing from taking a corner too fast. I had just taken the last picture of him alive with his buddies.
I helped them load him onto the chopper, where he died on the way to the hospital.

 

[Nefrodite]

poor guy.


i always drive as far away as i can to peeps without protection on motorcycles. i figure if they don't care about shredding their skin, they can't be all that trustable

me, i wouldn't get on a motorcycle withtout full armor. slidding over hot rough pavement for many feet is a pain i don't ever want to feel

do they make motorcycle jackets/pants with hard protective plating sandwitched in the material?

i see too many peeps with tshirts and just a helmet these days

 

[bsobel]

do they make motorcycle jackets/pants with hard protective plating sandwitched in the material?

Yes. Most protectors have reinforced kevlar or other material at the 'slide points' (back, elbows, knees, etc).

As far as the HP law goes, you're assuming the accident was due to too much power etc. He could just as easily have been hit buy a car or hit a car making a left in front of him... on ANY size bike! What will it take to sink in. BIKES ARE DANGEROUS, PERIOD! Your chances of being hurt on a bike, compared to a car, are probably 100 fold. An exaggeration? Not much!

We are discussing a case where (it sounds like) someone purchased a high powered bike, and even before being 'comfortable' with it, began carrying passengers. Thats nuts. Yes, bikes can be more dangerous than cars (there, I said it for you ). But we can make them less dangerous by making sure people who ride them know how to.

The basic problem is this. When your 18 and you want your first fast car, you might be able to buy a Camaro, but you probably won't be able to afford the Ferrari you like until you've had years of driving experience. That is not true of bikes, one can buy a 'Ferrari' as their first vehicle.

Bill

 

[Ornery]

The three people I knew who were killed on bikes, ALL had plenty of experience. Two were not at fault and the third is questionable. All three would still be alive if they had been driving a Camaro or Ferrari instead of a bike. Maybe you think it's worth it, but these types of topics are gonna keep popping up over and over. How many will it take to finally sink in?

 

[Bignate603]

Yeah, a bike that will do a 9 in the quarter without being modified costs less then half what an econo box family car would. I'm thinking of getting a bike at some point but wouldn't buy one until I got comfortable. That would mean a safey course on a friend's bike and a full set of protective gear. I was thinking for around town fairly low speed stuff I would just get a jacket made for riding (I think a leather one would be my first choice as long as it would be enough between my skin and the road) fairly thick denim jeans, boots, gloves made for riding and of course a helmet. I was thinking in minor accidents where you slid the bike your hands would be one of the first things to go because you'd try to break your fall. If I was going farther I'd wear a full set of riding gear. The asphalt tends not to be gentle if you rub up against it at 60.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I dont think I could support national legislation, because once you get Washingtons attention, you never know what they will come up with

Example of 2 members of Congress discussing legislation. Lets call them A and B

A- Someone brought to my attention that young riders are killing themselves riding these machines. What do you think?

b- Why yes, that is true. Read something about that happening in my district the other week

A- I have a suggestion here that perhaps these bikes should be written by people of several years experience. Lets look at some statistics.

b- Holly crap! Look at these statistics. 18 times more lethal than autos. I dont think anyone can ride these machines safely.

A- I think you are right.Ok, lets look at these bikes. (reads brochures) Whoa these things are way too fast. We need to either ban them or restrict them. Maybe we can let them have 40 hp or so. No need to go above 80 or 90. If this legislation saves one life it will be worth it.


Well unfortunately I can see this scenario happening. Unrealistic? Yeah, spose it is as unlikely as letting a business sector hack into your computer and sabotage it in the name of intellectual property rights. Never see that day will we?

 

[SirFshAlot]

Ornery,

All three would still be alive if they had been driving a Camaro or Ferrari instead of a bike. Maybe you think it's worth it, but these types of topics are gonna keep popping up over and over. How many will it take to finally sink in?

let me try to help dissipate some of that confusion;

most people don't buy bullet bikes merely for the sake of transportation

some people don't live just to live the safest, lowest risk existance



since I became a single father, I have cut way back on my rides, and also in the way I ride because I can't justify putting my daughter at risk of going back to live with her irresponsible mother if I were to die from something as simple as hitting a rock while doing 80+ through a canyon curve

if I didn't have that burden, I would be willing to take that risk more often, as the enjoyment and thrill outweighs that risk (for me)

for others, leaving their safe and secure home is the most risk they are willing to take, to go refill their supply of Ensure

 

[Muadib]

Try and stay strong for your friend.

 

[HiveMaster]

My friend bought a .357, was fooling around with it, and shot himself in the head. Maybe if he had a 9mm, he would not have died.

It does not matter how powerful the bike is...when you ride it without thinking about the consequences.
Bikes don't kill people. Irresponsible people on bikes kill people.

Sorry to hear about your friends, man.

 

[Ornery]

"Irresponsible people on bikes kill people..."

I doubt the rider is at fault even half the time.

In the spirit of SirFshAlot's last comment, I wonder how many riders use seat belts when they drive a car and why?

 

[HiveMaster]

I agree. But looking at the simple physics involved, you are more likely to survive doing something stupid in a car vs doing something stupid on a bike.

 

[LH]

Helmets have been known to cause massive brain damage in motorcycle accidents. Yes they save lives but in alot of cases all they cause is massive brain damage/brain death. The helmet takes the impact, but your brain keeps going, and its twists which causes massive tearing of the brain.

 

[bsobel]

I doubt the rider is at fault even half the time.

This might seem harsh, but the rider is almost always at fault. The first thing the MSF class teaches is that your invisible, it's your responsibility to not get yourself into a situation where someone in a car can hit you. Harder in practice than it sounds sometimes, but it's the way I try to ride.

In the spirit of SirFshAlot's last comment, I wonder how many riders use seat belts when they drive a car and why?

Always.
Bill

 

[Nefrodite]

Originally posted by: LH
Helmets have been known to cause massive brain damage in motorcycle accidents. Yes they save lives but in alot of cases all they cause is massive brain damage/brain death. The helmet takes the impact, but your brain keeps going, and its twists which causes massive tearing of the brain.

thats why its called a "brain bucket". it makes those unsurvivable accidents a lot easier to clean up




and ur right, without the helmut ur head would crack open and ur brain would fly out. precious miliseconds of extra life there. and u know a milisecond is like an eternity of ur life flashing b4 ur eyes

 

[absolutiza]

haha.. funny

 

[TNTrulez]

Sad

 

[skyking]

I have seen and heard a lot of these stories, always a waste....
My nephew has a job dealing cards at a casino. The tips are fantastic, so he went out and bought a brand new WRX. He is 19 and has not had the best of luck when it comes to driving. I fear for him, that WRX is too fast for a newbie

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: LH
Helmets have been known to cause massive brain damage in motorcycle accidents. Yes they save lives but in alot of cases all they cause is massive brain damage/brain death. The helmet takes the impact, but your brain keeps going, and its twists which causes massive tearing of the brain.

Have a link or reference for your claim?
Bill

 

[BoberFett]

For those of you bitching about cycles in general...

Motorcycle accidents are a sad reality. But everybody who rides knows the possibilities, and if they don't they're fools. I run a cycle club and just a couple weeks ago had a guy killed when a dump truck decided to pull into him on a 4 lane road. I got a letter from his wife explaining what happened and regretting that she ever let him get a bike.

I didn't say what I wanted to say to her simply because she didn't need to hear it. What I wanted to say was he was better off riding and dying than living in fear. At least he died happy. I totalled a bike about a year and a half ago. Luckily there were no serious injuries. But within 3 months I was back on a new bike, and within 6 months riding without a helmet or leathers. I could die any number of ways that don't involve a motorcycle, so I'm not going to give up the thing I love doing the most just because it's dangerous. If you want to live to be 100 sucking food through a straw at a nursing home, be my guest. That's not something I'm interested in, so I'm not going to live my life in a padded cell just so I can get there. And there's an awful lot of bikers that feel the same way.

Polish the bell yet again...

 

[Luden]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax
Back in high school, a friend's sister was given a convertible 5 speed 5 litre mustang for her 16th birthday. she didn't even know how to drive standard. Well she was at a stop sign turning left (in front of her school showing off) around lunch time. As she started, the car started to rock (not enough gas) instead of clutching, she gassed it up and popped the clutch.

The car took off. She left the road, hit a lip and was lucky to land in an enbankment. She totalled the car and was lucky not to have hit anybody or injured herself too badly. Parents need to be reasonable about what they give their children and when.

My prayers and thoughts are with the family.

I think a friend told me that before... but who. hmmm

But sorry to hear the bad news, I wish people would always look at the risks before hand and educate themself before things like this occur.