Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

I get too cold if I don't have my full gear on. Even under my Aerostich I need to be wearing 1-2 layers.

 

I rode a motorcycle for 17 years many miles seen both coast on 2 wheels. one day I woke up early and decided motorcycles were dangerous I sold my bike and started skydiving I could then go 180mph without a motor

 

The only time I've ridden on the street without a helmet was back in 2001 at Sturgis and then it was not really by choice. I had a really cool Shoei full face, Pascal Picotte replica in orange, and some bastard stole it off my Buell while we were inside a shop looking around. Had to ride without a helmet more than an hour back to the campgrounds and then to the nearest BMW dealership the next morning to buy another helmet.

I don't need a law to tell me to do something I know is for my own good. While I do support your right to have a choice I can't bring myself to support that choice.

 

Yup. Only takes a few bad apples being dipshits to get the whole group labeled as such. Took a few decades after the prevalence of Harley biker gangs that were actual criminals for the stigma to wear off. Now they all just get accused of liking leather cosplay. Eventually the sport bikers doing dumb stuff will get arrested, hospitalized, or paralyzed down to a small enough fraction that the antics aren't witnessed by as many and the reputation will fade. Give it time.

 

Most of the danger can be mitigated with good training and driving habits. Ride sober, wear a helmet, and don't speed; for example. Using stats/info from CA because it's got tons of motorcyclists because of the rider friendly weather.




To cover the colder climates, here's a vid with info from Canada.


https://youtu.be/5DZk0lzR3Wc



Basically, there are a ton of factors that the individual is in control of to avoid accidents. Now, it's true that a motorcycle accident is more likely to result in injury/death, but still pretty good odds of surviving.

 

This is Easy I started riding in 1975 Never wore a helmet always speeding and sober is questionable . Rode in rain snow and whatever Had a great 17 years I live in Texas have been to Florida up east coast. California from Tahoe to San Diego even made Sturgis once. Hey Y'all be safe have fun and NEVER do what I did

 

I always wear a helmet, full face or modular. I don't drink and ride. Speeding.......define speeding....

 

Fairly moist on the way to work, no rain but heavy, heavy fog, a few dumbasses driving around without their lights on.
I need to re-apply the rain-X to my visor and put the pin lock insert in it.

 

I learned how to ride in the deserts of California as a kid. I've always worn a helmet and always will. I just don't feel right on a bike without a helmet, even if it's only a half helmet when it's super hot outside. I don't need the government to tell me what I can and cannot do for my own safety, it should always be our choice.

 

It's only "speeding" if you get caught!

 

Or die....

 

True story!

In 2018 my g/f and I rode out west to Spearfish, SD for a FJR forum meet up. We took several days to go out, stopping along the way and sightseeing. We stopped Monday night in Oacoma, SD right on interstate 90 for the night after having already ridden about 500 miles for the day. Get up Tuesday morning and get breakfast before our last push to Spearfish with plans to ride through the Badlands on the way out. We're 2-up on my 2007 FJR1300 and loaded to travel for almost 2 weeks. I-90 through there has a posted speed limit of 80 mph and the road is just arrow straight with a line of sight that goes for miles. On a Tuesday morning at around 9 there really isn't much traffic to talk about so I'm just casually cruising along in the right lane. At some point I glance down at my GPS and ask her how fast she thinks we might be going. She said she knew we're moving pretty good but how fast. 102, we're doing 102 in the right lane and not passing anything. That was also the worst fuel mileage I ever got on a bike.

 

Very nice low mile example. I'm not a kawi fan, but that is a killer deal.

 

Around 1990 my older brother asked if I have ever been snow skiing We live in south Texas that was a Heck no So we jumped up went to Lake Tahoe Squaw Valley We were the only 2 people there on Motorcycles that Winter. Skiing was fun glad we went

 

Ohhh I-90.. Fully loaded on my F800 on I-90 headed to yellowstone doing 90+, engine screaming, and still getting passed and I got 24mpg! My friends were in an F150 pulling a cargo trailer and were getting pissed I'd have to stop so often for gas I couldn't even make it 100 miles without stopping.

 

Ok. Humor me with my dad speech. I believe wearing a helmet should be an individual choice. not law. Just remember it is not just about you, if you have loved ones at home. 30 years of LE experience shows helmets save lives. What the above statistics do not account for are the survivors who did not wear helmets. Survivors of mc accidents often have permanent disabilities and there are many who end up, at a young age, in nursing homes due to traumatic brain injuries. I did ride sport bikes for years and gave that up when everyone decided that instagram was more important than driving. Just dirt bikes now. Due to the advent of the smartphone, there is no doubt you have to be a better rider on the streets than when I was riding.

 

For all of you who think wearing helmets should be a choice, not law, can you also tell your insurance company it's your "choice" and have your rates jacked up? Because in the end the idiots who get mangled and survive without a helmet or die and insurance needs to pay are fucking the rest of us.

 

Agreed on letting it be personal choice but the seat belts should be treated the same way, or having air bags in your car for that matter. I'm a big believer in the idea that with rights come responsibilities. You want to ride without a helmet, that's fine. Sign up to be an organ donor, buy a large life insurance policy to take care of your family, and have a will in place to take full responsibility for those you leave behind. That choice should mean YOU pay the additional money required for insurance to cover the expense of your care in an accident. I always ride with a helmet so my insurance shouldn't go up because someone else made a choice that I didn't.

I had a good friend that used to race motocross and spent enough time in the ER with him so no dirt bikes for me. Look like a lot of fun but I saw a lot of pain and bills.

 

Though I understand where you are coming from, Insurance is going to screw everybody anyway. If it became national law tomorrow, rather than a state issue, no insurance company would be dropping rates. Hell, they'd probably increase them to cover the additional mandatory gear.

It's a slippery slope getting into the "there should be a law" bit. Where does it end? Can they require other protective gear? Is that fair to the less well off who use a bike as a cheaper way to commute? Do they have a right to tell you what you have to spend money on?