I love anti-motorcycle people.

[JulesMaximus]

They never seem to pass up an opportunity to tell you how dangerous riding a motorcycle is...

Really? You think I'm completely unaware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle?

Usually it is someone who has never ridden a motorcycle of course. They just know someone who was killed on one once. That's the extent of their knowledge on the subject.

In case you couldn't tell, I rode my motorcycle to work today. First time I've ridden to work in about a month because it has been so chilly here.

Anyone else get this kind of static from people they work with?

 

[Slew Foot]

Spend a week working in an ER and you wont ride a motorcycle again

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Spend a week working in an ER and you wont ride a motorcycle again

Ditto

 

[Vdubchaos]

Never really been a fan of bikes. For # of reasons.

a) lost a good friend at 18
b) I trust myself, I don't trust other drivers. And seeing what people do on the road there is no way in HELL I will ever ride a bike.
c) IF I was to write a bike, I would have to wear a proper gear (body suit and helmet). That doesn't sound like fun/comfortable, especially on a hot summer day.
d) Did I say I don't trust other idiot/careless drivers?

Yeah, no bike for me. EVER

 

[Arkaign]

Never really been a fan of bikes. For # of reasons.

a) lost a good friend at 18
b) I trust myself, I don't trust other drivers. And seeing what people do on the road there is no way in HELL I will ever ride a bike.
c) IF I was to write a bike, I would have to wear a proper gear (body suit and helmet). That doesn't sound like fun/comfortable, especially on a hot summer day.
d) Did I say I don't trust other idiot/careless drivers?

Yeah, no bike for me. EVER

Pretty much this. Though I am a huge fan of riding, and have had some great bikes over the years. I'm really lucky to be alive, and I won't be riding again until I move out of this city full of nutbar careless drivers.

Rule #1 : No matter how good you are, you will eventually lay it down (I have several times, some my fault, some not my fault).

Rule #2 : No matter how good you are, you cannot control the idiocy and inattention of other drivers.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Pretty much this. Though I am a huge fan of riding, and have had some great bikes over the years. I'm really lucky to be alive, and I won't be riding again until I move out of this city full of nutbar careless drivers.

Rule #1 : No matter how good you are, you will eventually lay it down (I have several times, some my fault, some not my fault).

Rule #2 : No matter how good you are, you cannot control the idiocy and inattention of other drivers.

No, but armed with that knowledge you can at least look out for it.

There are 3 things you can do to drastically reduce your chances of being killed on a motorcycle.

1. Never ride after drinking alcohol (or any other drugs-or while tired/sick for that matter).
2. Get your motorcycle endorsement and some proper training.
3. Always ride defensively and wear proper gear.

 

[Drako]

Anyone else get this kind of static from people they work with?

I got it from my wife, which is one of the reasons I don't ride anymore.

 

[Throckmorton]

Considering most motorcycle riders are too stupid to even wear a helmet, yeah you do need to be told that they're dangerous.

 

[jagec]

Considering most motorcycle riders are too stupid to even wear a helmet, yeah you do need to be told that they're dangerous.

Only 26% of motorcyclists rode helmetless in 2011. Are you using some crazy definition of "most" that I'm unfamiliar with, or just spreading FUD?

Source: NHTSA.

 

[Arkaign]

No, but armed with that knowledge you can at least look out for it.

There are 3 things you can do to drastically reduce your chances of being killed on a motorcycle.

1. Never ride after drinking alcohol (or any other drugs-or while tired/sick for that matter).
2. Get your motorcycle endorsement and some proper training.
3. Always ride defensively and wear proper gear.

Yep. I don't think people shouldn't be allowed obviously, and being smart about it with your wise points is the best way to do it if you're committed to it, but how many times have you seen this :

Kid 18-22 years old, gets a literbike or even a smaller but wicked fast bike like an R6 for their FIRST BIKE. Pays little attention to training, wears no real gear (nor can he afford it, typically), rides at night, shows off, and is a general moron about the whole thing.

If he's super lucky, nothing bad happens. If he's just normal lucky, he either wrecks it and lives to tell about it, or has to sell it due to getting too many tickets or having it stolen (so easy to steal and strip bikes after all).

I have an asian friend who was dead set on getting an R1 for his first bike. I told him to at least test some 600s before going whole hog, he's also less than 140lbs, so a literbike might not be a good match. In the end, after trying about a half-dozen bikes, he ended up liking the smaller Speed Triple the best, which I told him to try to start with. At least his visibility and balance is a bit better with it compared to him trying to sit on a damn Busa, lol.

 

[Throckmorton]

Only 26% of motorcyclists rode helmetless in 2011. Are you using some crazy definition of "most" that I'm unfamiliar with, or just spreading FUD?

Source: NHTSA.

The vast majority that I see are not wearing helmets. Sport bike riders do wear helmets, but Harley idiots don't, and those are the ones I predominantly see in Texas and Maui. A Harley rider with helmet is considered a wimp, that's just part of their culture.

 

[Vdubchaos]

The vast majority that I see are not wearing helmets. Sport bike riders do wear helmets, but Harley idiots don't, and those are the ones I predominantly see in Texas and Maui. A Harley rider with helmet is considered a wimp, that's just part of their culture.

Motorcycle rider withOUT a helmet AND proper gear is what I call an idiot.

But hey, Darwin has to do it's job

 

[Zenmervolt]

A Harley rider with helmet is considered a wimp, that's just part of their culture.

Damn. Guess I'm a wimp then. Strange that none of the other Harley guys I've ridden with have ever bothered to tell me though. Though maybe that's because they're all wearing helmets too.

ZV

 

[Pinepig]

Spend a week working in an ER and you wont ride a motorcycle again

Funny, my wife works as an RN in a local trauma center, lot's of the folks that work there ride ( as does the wife ).

 

[exdeath]

They never seem to pass up an opportunity to tell you how dangerous riding a motorcycle is...

Really? You think I'm completely unaware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle?

Usually it is someone who has never ridden a motorcycle of course. They just know someone who was killed on one once. That's the extent of their knowledge on the subject.

In case you couldn't tell, I rode my motorcycle to work today. First time I've ridden to work in about a month because it has been so chilly here.

Anyone else get this kind of static from people they work with?

So that's when you tell them "then watch where you're going and don't talk on your cell phone when driving and I'll be safe".

 

[Zivic]

two kinds of riders.
- those that have been in an accident
- those that will

I don't care how defensive or aware you are. When that 6k lb pickup hits you, you are going down hard.

My brother and sister in law ride a fair amount.... have helmets, but oddly don't feel they are necessary when tooling around town. they'll stop by my house with no helmets on. They are the same people responding in those polls that they ride with helmets on. Speed limit is only 50 on my street with a few driveways and odd places people could pull out, not to mention gravel shoulders that end up in the street. No way would that be dangerous for a rider. even so, 50 isn't that fast.

riding a bike is no different than smoking. It doesn't matter how potentially dangerous it is, people will continue to do it

 

[sze5003]

Yeah its dangerous but you also have to consider its a risk. Walking out the door in some places you could get mugged, shot, who knows.

Proper gear and practice will help you. Other drivers will be idiots too so you can't do much but try and avoid them. I always wear full gear when I ride even if it's hot. But I don't ride often and I don't go places I'm not familiar with.

Eventually I'll sell my bike and keep the gear but for now when it gets warm I usually take it out for some time.

 

[SandEagle]

one thing i hate more than motorcycycle riders is motorcycyle liberals with guns.


j/k.

 

[Zivic]

Yeah its dangerous but you also have to consider its a risk. Walking out the door in some places you could get mugged, shot, who knows.

Proper gear and practice will help you. Other drivers will be idiots too so you can't do much but try and avoid them. I always wear full gear when I ride even if it's hot. But I don't ride often and I don't go places I'm not familiar with.

Eventually I'll sell my bike and keep the gear but for now when it gets warm I usually take it out for some time.

I guess I question the riders that act like if they are defensive, wear gear, and pay attention they are somehow different from every other rider out there that claims to take proper precautions.

Like no person with proper gear and defensive riding skills has ever gone down on a bike.

I would love to ride a bike. I respect them, respect the power and danger and would take all the proper precautions, but will never own a bike. you just cannot elminate the risk of the stupid/texting/drunk/bad driver that will end up potentially being the end of you. At least in a car, you have a cage, crumple zones, air bags, seat belts on your side. On a bike, well, you have a pair of leathers so you don't get road rash and a helmet so you can have an open casket funeral.

 

[videogames101]

people take risks all the time, but they like to think they don't, so they hate on bikes, among other things

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yep. I don't think people shouldn't be allowed obviously, and being smart about it with your wise points is the best way to do it if you're committed to it, but how many times have you seen this :

Kid 18-22 years old, gets a literbike or even a smaller but wicked fast bike like an R6 for their FIRST BIKE. Pays little attention to training, wears no real gear (nor can he afford it, typically), rides at night, shows off, and is a general moron about the whole thing.

If he's super lucky, nothing bad happens. If he's just normal lucky, he either wrecks it and lives to tell about it, or has to sell it due to getting too many tickets or having it stolen (so easy to steal and strip bikes after all).

I have an asian friend who was dead set on getting an R1 for his first bike. I told him to at least test some 600s before going whole hog, he's also less than 140lbs, so a literbike might not be a good match. In the end, after trying about a half-dozen bikes, he ended up liking the smaller Speed Triple the best, which I told him to try to start with. At least his visibility and balance is a bit better with it compared to him trying to sit on a damn Busa, lol.

Too often I'm afraid. Which is why I don't recommend sportbikes, even 600cc sportbikes to new riders. One might even say I'm rather passionate about it.

By the way, I was riding home this evening and stopped in my local Ducati dealer. Bought an oil filter and crush washer for my bike, which cost me $20... and I asked the parts guy if he had any freebies in a women's t-shirt. A friend of mine on FB was wearing a Harley t-shirt so I asked her if she would wear a Ducati shirt and she said hell yeah so I told her I'd see if I could score her a freebie. Just messaged her to tell her I have it. I went to high school with this chick and she still lives in upstate NY. Haven't seen her in probably 30 years.

Anyway, I just thought it was really cool that they he hooked me up with some free shit and I can pass it on to a friend free of charge. That's how motorcyclists roll.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I guess I question the riders that act like if they are defensive, wear gear, and pay attention they are somehow different from every other rider out there that claims to take proper precautions.

Like no person with proper gear and defensive riding skills has ever gone down on a bike.

I think you have an absolutely absurd conception of what people who ride with gear actually expect.

No-one I know who rides thinks they're invincible. They accept that even with the best gear there is more risk than in a car. The difference is that they are willing to accept that increased risk. Just because you're not willing to accept that risk doesn't mean that they somehow think they're bulletproof.

As far as the safety of cars, eh, sometimes. If someone t-bones me when I'm in my 914, I'm most likely going to be dead. If someone hits me head-on when I'm in the 914, I'm going to have the fuel tank pushed through the firewall into my lap and most likely be dead and covered in gasoline. But those are risks I'm willing to take.

ZV

 

[mmntech]

I'd ride one if I didn't live in Toronto. Too many people drive like complete asshats here. They SUV drivers don't even keep an eye out for cars. As such most motorcycle accidents tend to be bad ones. There's a lot of them in the summer, when the soccer mom's are too distracted to pay attention to their driving. It's why the insurance rates are so high.

 

[tdawg]

So that's when you tell them "then watch where you're going and don't talk on your cell phone when driving and I'll be safe".

Yep!

 

[Arkaign]

Too often I'm afraid. Which is why I don't recommend sportbikes, even 600cc sportbikes to new riders. One might even say I'm rather passionate about it.

By the way, I was riding home this evening and stopped in my local Ducati dealer. Bought an oil filter and crush washer for my bike, which cost me $20... and I asked the parts guy if he had any freebies in a women's t-shirt. A friend of mine on FB was wearing a Harley t-shirt so I asked her if she would wear a Ducati shirt and she said hell yeah so I told her I'd see if I could score her a freebie. Just messaged her to tell her I have it. I went to high school with this chick and she still lives in upstate NY. Haven't seen her in probably 30 years.

Anyway, I just thought it was really cool that they he hooked me up with some free shit and I can pass it on to a friend free of charge. That's how motorcyclists roll.

Nice I'd probably take a double-take if I saw some chick wearing a Ducati tee.