Motorbike riders thread

[usagi]

 

anyone ride/ridden a motorbike as their main mode of transport? what kind? how do you like it and what are your reasons for doing it? etc

 

I'm in the process of learning it and getting licensed. had a riders' course today and did pretty bad at it, honestly speaking. it wasn't even a test, just a learning course I got as far as doing a few laps in first gear before I fucked up the controls and accelerated suddenly, losing control and wiping out. also balancing was harder than I thought it would be. I'd ridden a pushbike a lot as a kid and figured it'd just work out, but not so.

 

still, I'm pushing on and trying again. I'm pretty keen to do this, in spite of the significantly increased personal safety risk.

[megapussi]

i love motorcycles, i got my first motocross dirt bike when i was 7. now i got a honda cbr 600 f4 street bike which i love, but i would love to get something more powerful, or something with a different kind of power distribution. my bike performs best at +7000 rpm, and it´s not legal, safe or economical to keep the rpm´s there.

 

balancing gets easier if you maintain an upright position flexing your back muscles and have enough speed and for manouvering corners the trick is turning your head and looking at the direction you want to go. the bike basically goes where you´re looking.

 

here´s one of my dream bikes, post yours:

 

[encey]

I think it would probably be awesome to ride one of those.

 

But I have to say, from a pedestrian's perspective, you are a fucking annoying asshole if you're riding a motorbike in the residential streets of a crowded city. It's equivalent to shouting as loud as possible on your cellphone on a crowded train. Motorcyclists are the epitome of libertarianism -- those who believe, I'll ride whatever I want, as loud as I want, in whatever lane I want, passing and cutting in front of whatever cars I want, guzzling as much gas as I want, because fuck you I don't owe anything to anyone. Not that all motorcyclists are like this, but I have known my fair share of those who embody this philosophy in the most reprehensible or ignorant way.

[Guest fiznuthian]

I think it would probably be awesome to ride one of those.

 

But I have to say, from a pedestrian's perspective, you are a fucking annoying asshole if you're riding a motorbike in the residential streets of a crowded city. It's equivalent to shouting as loud as possible on your cellphone on a crowded train. Motorcyclists are the epitome of libertarianism -- those who believe, I'll ride whatever I want, as loud as I want, in whatever lane I want, passing and cutting in front of whatever cars I want, guzzling as much gas as I want, because fuck you I don't owe anything to anyone. Not that all motorcyclists are like this, but I have known my fair share of those who embody this philosophy in the most reprehensible or ignorant way.

 

No offense to the nicer motocyclists, but god damn this is so true..

Can't tell you how many times people on motorcycles I have seen weave in and out of lanes just to get the lead on cars. They rarely do it respectfully and instead mash their accelerator and cut right in front of people. They don't use signals either.

It's fucking stupid and pisses me off because if a driver runs over their dumb ass from the rear, now they'll be going to court and potentially getting fucked really hard in jail if nothing goes right(USA..).

 

Usually the cruisers and hog bikes or whatever (the loud, laid back ones) tend to be a lot nicer about this. It's the idiots on racers that constantly endanger themselves around other people just to be macho or whatever. Just fucking stop already.

 

[/rant]

 

[Guest fiznuthian]

On a more related note.. The company I work for just bought up a motosports retailer!
Looks like a motocross bike is in my future..

Any of WATMM ride dirt/sand/rocks on their moto?

[manmower]

I have always had a thing for motorcycles, I had motorcycle magazine subscriptions when I was about 10 years old (and still have almost all of those magazines), but I waited very long to actually start riding because of the obvious dangers, never even had a moped or scooter (wasn't allowed to).

 

Then one day two years ago I thought screw it, I've wanted this long enough, let's do it. During my first lesson I was OK with the controls, but the weight and power of even a training bike can be overwhelming. There's a lot of sensory input to digest at first when you're straddling an engine hurtling down the road on a bicycle, and with time you get used to it and focus only on the important bits of the feedback you're getting from your bike and environment.

 

But that same sensory overload sensation is probably what got me hooked right away, even if I was semi-scared for most of the first ride. The way you feel the motor warm up underneath you and getting smoother and smoother as it gets nice and warm, feeling any bump in the road directly through the bars and seat, the way the wind gets colder as you accelerate, how the temperature drops when a cloud blocks the sun etc.,... you are so much more aware of what goes on around you that it can be distracting at first.

 

I've been riding for about two years, I also quit smoking at the same time, like trading one dangerous habit for another. Weird reasoning but I haven't started smoking again so it does seem to work for me.

 

Got my permanent license a year and a half ago or so. Started out on a Suzuki GS500 which was great fun but simply too small (physically) for me to the point of making riding any serious distance uncomfortable. Now switched to an Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 since last spring which is a supermoto style bike but as big and heavy as any street bike. Torquey but not overpowering at all. I'm still learning to trust the front end since the front wheel is so much further away than it was on my little GS500, and the stock tires are shit in Belgian weather and take ages to warm up. Can't wait to replace them with something less racey and more suitable to colder temperatures.

 

I ride it to work when I feel like it, but don't depend on it as my primary means of transportation. I ride for fun, and while you can certainly have fun on the commute, I don't ride when I don't feel up to it (e.g., when I haven't slept enough to have a really clear head and I anticipate being tired in the evening, which happens quite a lot, I prefer to take the car).

[Braintree]

I would love to ride one, but I'm so accident prone that I would die immediately.

 

My mom's first husband used to race them and ended up injuring himself really badly. That's always staved me off of them.

[CharlesWatkins]

[Guest yikes]

i grew up riding dirtbikes and had a blast tearing thru the woods.

my father and uncles were heavily into sports cars and italian cafe racers so i got to ride some insane bikes as a young adult.

moto guzzi's and ducatti's were around the house.

i lost interest in cars and music/girls took over after i saw a guy get killed by an old lady while i was having breakfast in a diner.

I was looking out the diner window while I was eating ,dude on the bike pulled out of the diner parking lot and an old lady plowed right into him instantly crushing him and his bike.

needless to say i lost my appetite.

called 911, what a mess

that cured me of going fast on crotch rockets

now i jump outta planes,there is less traffic up there

;-)

 

ps

that volcom video is nuts

best thing you've posted so far

[Guest Franklin]

as a board member of a road safety advocacy group my advice is to ride them only on tracks or in large groups if you want to ride on the road, and ALWAYS wear a helmet.

Also, ride a motorcycle exactly like you would drive a car.

 

I've treated quite a few motorcycle riders who survived crashes and developed ptsd. the worst part about surviving MC crashes is that the injuries are usually fucking bad.

 

be safe.

[manmower]

My advice is to ride them [...] in large groups if you want to ride on the road.

Large groups have their own problems, they lead to people bunching up way too close together and following the pack instead of watching the road for themselves. Nothing wrong with group riding if you ride your own ride and manage the gap in front and back, but I wouldn't recommend the type of formation riding where small mistakes can take a couple of bikes out in a second.

ALWAYS wear a helmet.

True, I tend to forget what helmet laws are like around the world. They are compulsory throughout Europe AFAIK, and the thought of riding without one seems insane to me. We also have some laws on what other gear you should wear, which are still fairly limited but at least you can't legally ride in shorts and slippers anymore (in Belgium that is).

Also, ride a motorcycle exactly like you would drive a car.

I know you mean this well (as in don't be a hooligan, be patient when you have to etc.), but it's inaccurate and potentially dangerous. I'm guessing you don't ride(?) which would explain the bias. I honestly don't think this is anything a good riding instructor would ever say.

[spratters]

Last time I was on a bike was when I was just finishing school. Went into the kerb at a fairly low speed. Wasn't much pain to speak of but I haven't fancied getting back on one since.

[Guest Franklin]

OK I'll be more clear with my last one: Follow all the same rules that regular traffic does, except pretend that most motorists won't see you:) so be even better than them in planning and decision-making.

 

 

Motorcycle Crash Facts Motorcyclist Fatalities Increase

• Motorcycles are the most dangerous type of motor vehicle to drive. These vehicles are involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 35.0 per 100 million miles of travel, compared with a rate of 1.7 per 100 million miles of travel for passenger cars.
• Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2006, per vehicle mile traveled, and 8 times more likely to be injured.
• Although motorcycles account for only 2% of vehicles on the road, they make up more than 10% of all crashes.
• Motorcycles accounted for nearly 3% of all registered motor vehicles and 0.4% of vehicle miles traveled in 2006.
• Motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled in 10 years to 4,810 in 2006. Helmets saved the lives of 1,658 motorcyclists in 2006—and could have saved an additional 752 lives if all riders had worn helmets compliant with federal safety standards.
• Some 104,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2006, including property damage-only crashes.
• Approximately 80% of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20% of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger in their vehicle.
• In 2006, 37% of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 23% for passenger car drivers, 19% for light-truck drivers, and 8% for large-truck drivers.

Two-Vehicle Crashes Facts

• In 2006, 2,537 (51%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle while in motion. In two-vehicle crashes, 79% of the motorcycles involved were impacted in the front. Only 5% were struck in the rear.
• 55% of all fatalities in motorcycle crashes in 2006 involved another vehicle in addition to the motorcycle in the crash.
• In 2006, there were 2,226 two-vehicle fatal crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle. In 40% (883) of these crashes, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. Both vehicles were going straight in 582 crashes (26%).
• 93% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, occurred on non-interstate roadways.
• In 2006, 51% of all two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle in which the motorcycle operator died, were intersection crashes.
• In two-vehicle motorcycle crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle, in 40% of the crashes the other vehicle was turning left when the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.

[manmower]

That's more like it, in other words: barely anyone drives their car the way you should ride a motorcycle.

[kokoon]

[youtubehd]BJRqyfGl0q8[/youtubehd]

[awepittance]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_LkQn5tQzM


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EVIcOKmivg

[awepittance]

[megapussi]

 

balancing gets easier if you maintain an upright position flexing your back muscles and have enough speed and for manouvering corners the trick is turning your head and looking at the direction you want to go. the bike basically goes where you´re looking.

 

 

yeah, the looking thing was a key point the instructor mentioned. and for posture, keeping your wrists below your knuckles and your elbows loose.

 

 

>here´s one of my dream bikes, post yours:

 

 

 

is that what they call a "streetfighter"? like a stripped-down sportbike minus fairings

 

my ideal bike would be a cruiser like the one in the first post. I've kind of gone off sportbikes after looking at the stats and watching videos demonstrating how easy it is to lowside/highside even for some experienced riders.

 

 

During my first lesson I was OK with the controls, but the weight and power of even a training bike can be overwhelming. There's a lot of sensory input to digest at first when you're straddling an engine hurtling down the road on a bicycle, and with time you get used to it and focus only on the important bits of the feedback you're getting from your bike and environment.

 

 

I wish someone had told me this before I went on the course. pretty much everyone else in my group had some kind of prior experience so they weren't too bad, but I was, as you said, overwhelmed. it really is necessary to have had some riding experience with friends/family or someone prior to getting licensed. I'm gonna keep trying though, there's a remedial session to attend.

 

 

 

ALWAYS wear a helmet.

True, I tend to forget what helmet laws are like around the world. They are compulsory throughout Europe AFAIK, and the thought of riding without one seems insane to me.

 

 

compulsory anytime you're on a bike, in Australia

 

 

regarding lowriders and hogbikes etc. those are much more difficult to handle than say an supermoto because of the weight and the weight distibution of the bike. and many of the lowriders put the rider in an awkward steering position where you have to lean back and stretch your arms. i wouldn´t want to learn riding a moto leaning back and throwing my legs up in front where the footpegs usually are on lowriders. besides that, they´re ugly ;)

 

i´d say a 250 Honda Nighthawk or 250 Suzuki Inazuma or something along those lines with an upright riding position would be the perfect practise bike.

 

and come on you pussies, it´s not like your gonna get instantly killed if you ride a bike. just think what you are doing, remain alert at all times, wear a helmet and some body armor, decent boots, gloves and so on and you´ll be golden. my father is turning 60 this year and has been riding motorcycles for 44 years.

 

sure they are dangerous but you certainly can have some control over how dangerous.

[keltoi]

you can't control anyone/thing else on the road. at least in a car you're somewhat protected from other peoples idiocy.

 

also, motorbike guys that fly between 2 lanes of solid flowing traffic on the motorway pretty much deserve to be hospitalised.

 

edit - i drove a scooter for a while. thought it would be fun but it sooo wasn't. my brother out-law (not in-law) has been run off his bike about 4 times in as many years and he's a good, careful rider... never his fault but of course he always comes off worse.

[manmower]

you can't control anyone/thing else on the road. at least in a car you're somewhat protected from other peoples idiocy.

Agreed for the most part, but you are still in control of your own riding. You can adapt to whatever people around you are doing and even influence them (e.g. making yourself and your intentions visible by your positioning, which is one area where you have much more freedom on a bike vs. in a car).

 

At the end of the day it doesn't matter that you're not at fault (like your brother out-law), not being at fault doesn't mean an accident was unavoidable.

 

Look at the numbers Franklin posted, a few straightforward riding tips can already be drawn from those alone. Don't get carried away with speed, be extra careful at intersections because those are a clusterfuck of hazards whether you have priority or not, always be on the lookout for cars making a turn into/across your path whether they are traveling in the same direction as you or oncoming traffic...

 

Although you definitely put yourself at a disadvantage by getting on a bike in the first place, you can still control the odds. Motorcyclists are not somehow doomed to get into unavoidable accidents... but they have more than their "fair share" of avoidable ones, and bike crashes happen to have a tendency to get nasty.

[keltoi]

 

you can't control anyone/thing else on the road. at least in a car you're somewhat protected from other peoples idiocy.

Agreed for the most part, but you are still in control of your own riding. You can adapt to whatever people around you are doing and even influence them (e.g. making yourself and your intentions visible by your positioning, which is one area where you have much more freedom on a bike vs. in a car).

 

At the end of the day it doesn't matter that you're not at fault (like your brother out-law), not being at fault doesn't mean an accident was unavoidable.

 

Look at the numbers Franklin posted, a few straightforward riding tips can already be drawn from those alone. Don't get carried away with speed, be extra careful at intersections because those are a clusterfuck of hazards whether you have priority or not, always be on the lookout for cars making a turn into/across your path whether they are traveling in the same direction as you or oncoming traffic...

 

Although you definitely put yourself at a disadvantage by getting on a bike in the first place, you can still control the odds. Motorcyclists are not somehow doomed to get into unavoidable accidents... but they have more than their "fair share" of avoidable ones, and bike crashes happen to have a tendency to get nasty.

 

i know what you're saying. maybe clearer for me to say that no matter how careful & experienced a rider you are, someone will still try and drive over you.

 

i can definitely see the appeal but it's not for me. i like to smoke cigarettes eat sweets and listen to tunes in my car whilst not dressed as a power ranger.

[Guest disparaissant]

i always wanted something like this but i'm terrified of motorcycles so i probably will never get one

[tec]

I got a scooter, doesn't really count though.

[keltoi]

for awe

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlMbFlPzS24

 

man. he's hardly going fast and opens the throttle just the tiniest fraction.

[manmower]

Hardly going fast? He is scraping his footpeg from the sound of it. So for his riding style/body position he is pretty much at the maximum speed for that corner. Pretty nuts considering the gear he's (not) wearing.

 

And it's his own reaction closing the throttle after the slide starts that makes him go over the high side, he would have just lowsided if he had kept the throttle on.