What do you think of motorcyclists?

[Brad]

Everyone must have some stories to share. What do you guys think of people who ride? Any stories of crashes you've seen or improper or crazy riding? Motorcyclist endangering people around him ect

Fact is most sport bikes of today right outta the showroom can get into the hands of anyone and out perform 99% of cars on the road. Thoughts? I see bikes all the time that just go completely out not taking into account of the people around them.

I'm a bit at fault too my 300-400 pound 100 HP bike can do 0-60 in 3 secs and top out around 150/60 "indicated". Its hard not to wanna pin the thing and take some turns at some crazy speeds.

 

[twelve]

I see some motorcyclists being stupid but generally when I'm driving the traffic is heavy so they stay a lot slower. On an empty road a motorcyclist might well open up the throttle but so do I. I can hardly say motorcyclists are dangerous because they break the speed limit, that would be hypocritical.

Generally drivers have a bad view of motorcyclists because they stream past queues of traffic, which is absurd because it's well within the law to do so (in the UK at least).

The only time motorcyclists ever annoy me is when they're tailgating. You'd think with more power, less weight and less wheels (therefore less brakes) they'd be smart enough not do it. If I suddenly have to brake hard there's no way they're not going slam into the back of me. I guess that's why I tend to slow down when they do it and pull myself closer to the curb so they can get past safely.

I think the way I drive indicates that I should be on a bike, but unfortunately I enjoy the comforts a car offers. I like staying dry and warm when it's cold or wet outside. I also enjoy screeching along to some mp3's on the way to and from work. I think the biggest thing though is that I like the feeling of protection that being in a car provides, I'd be shit scared on a motorcycle.

 

[Brad]

From experience people have pulled out in front of me many a time. Gets me pretty angry cause just a tap will send me off to possibly break my neck, become paralyzed and so on. When you first get on a bike you need to take into account how un safe it really is.

I enjoy riding immensely so that's why I continue. But its always going through my head.

Also I think its called filtering in the England area? Going in between cars on the line ect. Only legal in one state in the USA sadly. From a study done it was concluded lane splitting (filtering) makes it safer for riders. Weeds out retards crashing into the back of you at stop signs and signals. The commute is faster also.

 

[Slasher]

When my parents were younger, before I was even born, they were driving back from somewhere and they were first on the scene of a motorcycle accident. I don't know all of the details but I think it was a rainy day and there was a couple on this motorcycle that wiped out. The guy on the motorcycle was flung quite a ways away and was dead when my parents arrived, his girlfriend was alive for a while but unfortunately died in the hospital shortly after. Pretty sad story, they were in their 20's I believe

 

[Brad]

When my parents were younger, before I was even born, they were driving back from somewhere and they were first on the scene of a motorcycle accident. I don't know all of the details but I think it was a rainy day and there was a couple on this motorcycle that wiped out. The guy on the motorcycle was flung quite a ways away and was dead when my parents arrived, his girlfriend was alive for a while but unfortunately died in the hospital shortly after. Pretty sad story, they were in their 20's I believe

Allot of rider's ride without any gear besides helmets cause they are required in most states. Your just asking for it even more if you don't gear up. I'm not saying falling on the freeway at 70 mph with gear your going to be fine but it greatly reduces the chance of injuries.

Is filtering/lane splitting allowed in Canada, slasher?

 

[Kyle0wnsyou]

I ride a motorcycle, and I absolutely loathe the guys who put the safety of themselves and others in danger. What it simply boils down to is that there comes a point when you lose all previous driving conditioning, and ride however the hell you want. It's something I had to actually acknowledge, and fight because it's a good way to get a ton of tickets, haha. In the idiots' defense however, the adrenaline rush you experience from pushing the limits can be extremely addictive.

If you guys want I can post pics of my bike. It's a 2007 Yamaha R-1

 

[Slasher]

Is filtering/lane splitting allowed in Canada, slasher?

I've never seen it or heard of it before so as far as I know, it isn't allowed

 

[Brad]

I ride a motorcycle, and I absolutely loathe the guys who put the safety of themselves and others in danger. What it simply boils down to is that there comes a point when you lose all previous driving conditioning, and ride however the hell you want. It's something I had to actually acknowledge, and fight because it's a good way to get a ton of tickets, haha. In the idiots' defense however, the adrenaline rush you experience from pushing the limits can be extremely addictive.

If you guys want I can post pics of my bike. It's a 2007 Yamaha R-1

It would be hard for me not to wind your bike up and not see what it could do lol. I got a 06 FZ6, first bike but it can haul at a twist of the wrist.

I watch out for others when I ride, I just hope people watch out for me. No fender benders with a bike.

Spoiler: Bike

 

[twelve]

What it simply boils down to is that there comes a point when you lose all previous driving conditioning, and ride however the hell you want.

If by that you mean driving on the wrong side of the road to cut corners etc then that's actually perfectly legal over here. I did an advanced driving course and the instructor (an ex traffic cop) encouraged me to push speed limits and use all of the road. If I didn't have so many bad habits I would've followed it up with the advanced driving test.

Ever since then driving has been much more enjoyable as I zip along country roads using both sides of the road to cut corners and maintain speed. The misinformed people following me often flash their lights as if I'm doing something wrong.

The only time it's illegal is if there's a solid white line separating the lanes, which also makes overtaking illegal.

 

[Bran]

I wish I had a bike to save on fuel, but there is shit tons of snow here 5-6 months a year which I'd never drive a motorcycle on.

 

[spike021]

I think they're awesome... always have. It's just really annoying when someone with a chopper drives by the house, or on the street in general with an exhaust pipe that's very annoying, I feel like I'm going to go deaf every time.

 

[Kyle0wnsyou]

words

That's definitely efficient riding, but what I'm against is dangerous weaving and acceleration that has absolutely no riding technique behind it.

I think they're awesome... always have. It's just really annoying when someone with a chopper drives by the house, or on the street in general with an exhaust pipe that's very annoying, I feel like I'm going to go deaf every time.

I used to live 4 hours down from the Vice President of the San Francisco chapter Hell's Angels. There were always Harleys on my block, guys riding through. They had those bikes where you jump on the seat to start em. I remember them being really loud, but only when they were leaving. I guess they would just haul ass for fun

Additional Comment:
Here's a nice flowchart to explain it all.

 

[Slasher]

Nice flowchart lol

 

[EvilSeph]

My general opinion of motorcyclists is that I don't really have one. None of the ones I've seen have annoyed me or anything. Nothing like what the media would make you think motorcyclists are like, anyway.

 

[Abe Froeman]

My father's got a couple of Harley's and I ride them whenever I visit him, but that's it. I almost picked up a bike when I live out in Cali for traffic purposes. It's legal to ride the paint in between lanes during rush hour and I cursed all of the bikes moving past me when I was parked on the highway.

I give bikers their space when I see them since I have a lot of family that rides regularly.

 

[Serideth]

In a perfect world I'd have a motorcycle as my main ride, but with the weather here it isnt really possible, too many accidents as well with our roads.

 

[Kyle0wnsyou]

In a perfect world I'd have a motorcycle as my main ride, but with the weather here it isnt really possible, too many accidents as well with our roads.

The only near-death experience I've ever had was due to weather. I was riding across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco in high winds, and I actually got pushed over a lane @ 50mph. If there had been more cars on the bridge, I wouldn't be typing this.

Additional Comment:
Check out my friend's new streetfighter, which started as a Yamaha R1. We both have the same bike, but his is pretty highly modified, haha.

 

[Brad]

That thing looks like a buell almost. Great looking streetfighter, I'm painting my bike gloss black and got a few little things on the way. (Exhaust, rim strips some new signals ect)

All torn apart at the moment but did look like just like this.

I got Clip On bars on mine tho. So suspension (front end) is lowered a bit.

 

[Nero]

That thing looks like a buell almost. Great looking streetfighter, I'm painting my bike gloss black and got a few little things on the way. (Exhaust, rim strips some new signals ect)

All torn apart at the moment but did look like just like this.

[qimg]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3435/3209415663_b94b6c1412.jpg?v=0[/qimg]

I got Clip On bars on mine tho. So suspension (front end) is lowered a bit.

That's beautiful.

I would want to ride a motorbike as you can get to places quicker and cant get stuck in traffic. But i would be extremely careful on how i drive the thing, i wouldn't do anything stupid.

 

[twelve]

I'm starting to consider getting a bike and upgrading my license. Sitting in traffic just to leave the industrial park where I work is really starting to piss me off. It takes me 20-30 mins to go the first mile of my journey home because the genius' on the local council thought a single lane for something like 3000 cars (that all want to leave at the same time) would be sufficient.