Author Topic: Questions About First Motorcycle  (Read 15687 times)

Fitz

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #50 on: July 27, 2015, 08:44:56 PM »
Fatalities per mile driven on a motorcycle are 26X greater than in a car.

I wouldn't do it.

They are called donorcycles for a reason.

Fatalities per mile driven on  motorcycles are HEAVILY skewed by folks who aren't properly trained, are riding much too powerful bikes for their skill, and don't wear PPE. All of which Devonai is avoiding.



In case you're wondering how I'm qualified to make such an assertion, I've been an MSF ridercoach for years now. There's a lot of data. Go take a look at the MSF's accident data. Particularly accident causes and the nature of fatal injuries.

Hint: head injuries on helmetless heads, combined with the "failure to maintain adequate control of the motorcycle" are the leading circumstance for fatalities

Contrary to popular belief (and riders wish it wasn't true), the old "he turned left in front of me" just isnt the biggest problem



You're basically using the same argument as "Having a gun in the house makes you 26x more likely to die from one" BS that the anti's use. Educate yourself
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dm1333

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #51 on: July 27, 2015, 10:06:29 PM »
My girlfriend once broke her ankle in five places when she slipped on some ice right outside of her place of work.  She needed two plates and three screws put in place for five years.  Shtuff happens.  Everywhere.

The chances of me being shot by some doofus in the lane next to me drops to zero if I never visit the range.  The chances of tripping and falling into a campfire are zero if I never build a campfire.  As I alluded to in my last post, we assume a certain amount of risk just by walking out the door each day.  Yes, motorcycles are far more dangerous than cars.  Just practicing in my apartment complex today I almost got creamed by two drivers who apparently thought I wasn't serious about my turn signals.  What would have been a fender-bender in two cars would have been a trip to the hospital for me.  I get it.

The sense of freedom one gets from a motorcycle was something of which I was quite dubious until I took the safety course.  It's fun.  So is kayaking, hiking, martial arts, and a host of other activities that carry some level of inherent risk.  Thankfully we still live in a country where we can make those choices for ourselves.

Foremost on my mind is avoiding the attitude of "it can't happen to me."  As it happens, the Air Force requires me to wear all of my protective gear all the time, even off duty.  Perhaps after several years of riding I might be tempted to omit the jacket, but the choice is not mine.  Still, I'm going to do my darndest to remember that out there, I'm the gnat, and the whole world is a flyswatter.

I'm a fellow military rider and have to wear all that PPE too.  Resist the urge omit the jacket.  There are plenty of good mesh jackets that are cool when riding and will still save your hide.  It was hot enough today that my bike vapor locked but the mesh jacket was relatively comfortable.  As for the rest of what you wrote?  You are spot on.  I kayak, surf, mountain bike and hike because it is fun.  Riding always makes a bad day better.

Fitz

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #52 on: July 27, 2015, 10:19:58 PM »
I'm a fellow military rider and have to wear all that PPE too.  Resist the urge omit the jacket.  There are plenty of good mesh jackets that are cool when riding and will still save your hide.  It was hot enough today that my bike vapor locked but the mesh jacket was relatively comfortable.  As for the rest of what you wrote?  You are spot on.  I kayak, surf, mountain bike and hike because it is fun.  Riding always makes a bad day better.

The man speaks truth. Once moving, the mesh jackets feel like they aren't there.

That said, I sometimes ride with only a protective vest and gloves, along with the proper footwear and lid. I know i shouldn't. :-S
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Firethorn

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #53 on: July 27, 2015, 11:35:34 PM »
The man speaks truth. Once moving, the mesh jackets feel like they aren't there.

That said, I sometimes ride with only a protective vest and gloves, along with the proper footwear and lid. I know i shouldn't. :-S

Wouldn't it be quicker to simply say that you ride without pants on?

I wish I could find the image(hopefully photoshopped) of a guy with his feet, in flip-flops, on the handlebars of the bike, no helmet, no gloves, shorts, and reading a cell phone.

Fitz

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #54 on: July 27, 2015, 11:40:20 PM »
Wouldn't it be quicker to simply say that you ride without pants on?

I wish I could find the image(hopefully photoshopped) of a guy with his feet, in flip-flops, on the handlebars of the bike, no helmet, no gloves, shorts, and reading a cell phone.

LOL



This one?


Fitz

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Fitz

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #55 on: July 27, 2015, 11:42:55 PM »
also this made me LOL
Fitz

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Firethorn

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #56 on: July 28, 2015, 12:00:20 AM »
LOL

This one?

Very similar.  Could even be the same guy, but the one I remember had him heading towards the left, looking at a cellphone like that.

White Horseradish

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #57 on: July 28, 2015, 12:04:00 AM »
also this made me LOL

Having recently taken a short flight and landing on the pavement, this makes me cringe.
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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #58 on: July 28, 2015, 12:07:07 AM »
I'm not going to post the pic of the guy riding in a mankini. Google it yourself if you really want to.
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brimic

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #59 on: July 28, 2015, 08:49:42 AM »
I made a decision.  I got a 1986 Yamaha YX600 Radian in excellent condition for $1400.  It's got 15k miles, 66hp, and weighs 430 lbs dry.  I've taken it around my apartment complex, and had no trouble with the basic controls, but I can't take it out onto the street until I register it next week.  But it's mine, and I am happy so far.

 =D



Cool bike  :cool:
It looks similar, but yet different, than the 84 XJ that I learned with. Should be a great bike.
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RoadKingLarry

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #60 on: July 28, 2015, 09:02:05 AM »
When someone dies in a motorcycle crash people go on and on about how dangerous motorcycles are. When someone dies in a car crash they get in their car and drive to the funeral.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #61 on: July 29, 2015, 11:54:02 PM »
If anyone wants to get me a really, really nice Christmas present, I'll take one of these.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/07/24/2016-honda-crf1000l-africa-twin-adventure-motorcycle-review-photos-specifications-new-details-released/

Don't know why I have such a soft spot for adventure bikes. Just sumtin' about 'em....

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #63 on: July 31, 2015, 08:21:15 AM »
The man speaks truth. Once moving, the mesh jackets feel like they aren't there.

That said, I sometimes ride with only a protective vest and gloves, along with the proper footwear and lid. I know i shouldn't. :-S

You also should have a really nice active cooling vest lying around that some guy who is apparently a really good friend got you for a birthday present :)

Devonai

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #64 on: August 17, 2015, 08:46:53 PM »
Why didn't anyone tell me?

I've been doing 30+ miles a day, separate from my commute to work.

Why didn't anyone tell me?  Or did you, and I wasn't paying attention?
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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #65 on: August 17, 2015, 09:01:13 PM »
Why didn't anyone tell me?

I've been doing 30+ miles a day, separate from my commute to work.

Why didn't anyone tell me?  Or did you, and I wasn't paying attention?

Don't worry, it gets worse...

Brad
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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #66 on: August 17, 2015, 09:13:17 PM »
Why didn't anyone tell me?

I've been doing 30+ miles a day, separate from my commute to work.

Why didn't anyone tell me?  Or did you, and I wasn't paying attention?

Sorry, I was out riding.
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dm1333

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #67 on: August 18, 2015, 07:10:42 PM »
Why didn't anyone tell me?

I've been doing 30+ miles a day, separate from my commute to work.

Why didn't anyone tell me?  Or did you, and I wasn't paying attention?

I used to tell myself my bike saved on gas but I put on so many extra miles just wandering around that I don't think I'm saving money.

Firethorn

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #68 on: August 18, 2015, 07:45:57 PM »
I used to tell myself my bike saved on gas but I put on so many extra miles just wandering around that I don't think I'm saving money.

My bike saves on gas, but once you figure on things like tire changes...

wmenorr67

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #69 on: August 19, 2015, 08:39:45 AM »
Friend of mine took his bike into the shop to fix a flat on his rear tire and wound up with a new bike.

The dealership started showing him all the other things that were going to need replaced and he figured what the hell.

He actually got a 2015 for less money than he spent on his 2012 when it was new.
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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #70 on: August 19, 2015, 01:27:10 PM »
Non-motorcycle owner, here.

Hey, did you know...?

Nah, I figure y'all know the odds of painful personal kersplat increase when you remove the 3000+lbs of steel from around your body while at speed and go al fresco on the road.  And considering I take a Fred-powered bicycle on the road, I really have no kickstand to prop up yet another "motorcycles be dangerous" harangue.

What I would like to comment on is that I have been seeing a lot more riders dressed in what looks like modern-day armor on motorcycles.  Helmet looks like they always did.  But some rather obvious plates/padding on chest/back/arms, as well as some sort of stiffeners in the pants.  Heavy boots and gloves, too.  Definitely not the crotch-rocket uniform of t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flips I recall seeing many times in high school.

Is that the "ATGAT" that I see bandied about?  Looks....hot.  As in, "sweating your nads off" hot. 

==================

For my own part, wife & I have cut out the riskiest pastimes until after the kids are 18YO or out of college.  SCUBA, sky diving, motorcycles are just a few things on the "Wait until dependents gone" list.  Of course, our youngest's graduation present (to ourselves) is likely to be "His & Hers" what I think are called dual purpose motorcycles for the missus & myself.  A girlfriend in college had one and it seemed like it was made from concentrated fun.  Powerful enough to tote my bulk (at the time) real fast but went anywhere we wanted to go, road or no road.
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brimic

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #71 on: August 19, 2015, 01:43:26 PM »
Quote
What I would like to comment on is that I have been seeing a lot more riders dressed in what looks like modern-day armor on motorcycles.  Helmet looks like they always did.  But some rather obvious plates/padding on chest/back/arms, as well as some sort of stiffeners in the pants

A lot of the mesh/textile pants/jackets/gloves have that kind of armor on the elbows/shoulders/back/knees and high impact plastic/steel/kevlar inserts in the gloves/boots standard, but it's on the inside.
I'm guilty of not always wearing the best pants- usually just jeans, kevlar overpants when its raining/cooler, but I always wear a DOT/SNELL helmet, either a heavy leather jacket or mesh jacket,  kevlar gloves, and steel-toed boots while on the bike.
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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #72 on: August 19, 2015, 01:45:57 PM »


Regarding sweating your nads off, this is what I wear for most of my riding: the Olympia Phantom suit. Heavy duty Cordura shell with soft flexible armor at the knees, elbows, shoulders, hips and spine.  It is my hope that the color will minimize the chance of someone 'not seeing me' and colliding with me, and that the suit will minimize the number of skin grafts and/or fracture fixations that I may require.  When it gets above 80 degrees (relatively rare in Seattle), I park the bike and take the car instead because wearing the suit over my business attire means that I am boiling like a lobster in a bag in our stop-and-go commuting traffic.

The cognitive dissonance for me is I wear this on the motorcycle, yet when I am on the road bicycle zipping downhill at 30 miles per hour, I am wearing essentially underwear (spandex shorts and jersey) and an ice bucket (styrofoam helmet) on my head.

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White Horseradish

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #73 on: August 19, 2015, 02:31:19 PM »
Mesh pants worn  over underwear are actually more comfortable than shorts. Because airflow EVERYWHERE.

I try to wear reinforced jeans as much as possible. When it's cooler, I wear heavy leather touring pants and change at the office.

In last year's crash I wore a classic leather jacket from River Road - very thick leather and a kidney pad built in, no armor. Kept skin attached, but I had a goose egg on my elbow. Had kevlar-lined jeans, got a dime-size rug burn from the jeans twisting around the leg. Had a spot on the knee where denim wore through, but kevlar held up.

This year's crash I wore a PowerTrip mesh jacket with leather sleeves and armor in forearms/elbows/shoulders/back. Slight bruise on elbow, pads held up. Had jeans with hard pads, no leg damage, except a bone bruise where I landed on my heel.
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brimic

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Re: Questions About First Motorcycle
« Reply #74 on: August 19, 2015, 02:37:57 PM »


Regarding sweating your nads off, this is what I wear for most of my riding: the Olympia Phantom suit. Heavy duty Cordura shell with soft flexible armor at the knees, elbows, shoulders, hips and spine.  It is my hope that the color will minimize the chance of someone 'not seeing me' and colliding with me, and that the suit will minimize the number of skin grafts and/or fracture fixations that I may require.  When it gets above 80 degrees (relatively rare in Seattle), I park the bike and take the car instead because wearing the suit over my business attire means that I am boiling like a lobster in a bag in our stop-and-go commuting traffic.

The cognitive dissonance for me is I wear this on the motorcycle, yet when I am on the road bicycle zipping downhill at 30 miles per hour, I am wearing essentially underwear (spandex shorts and jersey) and an ice bucket (styrofoam helmet) on my head.




I see a lot of people wearing hi-vis colors as of recent- it beats the heck out of pavement colored gear.
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