I've got a bad feeling

[busa_boy_69]

I just wanted to ask everyone else and see if it's maybe just my area that this is going on in. In the past couple weeks since it's been nice enough to actually get out and ride I have noticed a couple things.
#1.) There are entirely too many people that have little to no riding experience going out and buying brand new r1's, cbr1krr's, zx10's, and gixxer 1k's. I have seen a ton of it already this year.

#2.) The people doing this are also tearing up and down the streets with absolutely no protection on. No helmet, no boots, no gloves, for gods sakes I even saw a guy on a gixxer with shorts and sandals on the highway the other day.

Now why am I saying I have a bad feeling about this? The fact that too many people are on bikes that are more than they can most likely handle coupled with the fact that they aren't even wearing helmets makes me feel this is going to be a BAD year for lots of people getting hurt. I know the other day here in one day we had 5 motorcycle crashes on the news. Just wondering if people are more responsible other places or if this seems to be a trend.

 

[shenoyp]

...I agree with you!

Pretty much the same kind of scene here in India. Youngsters buy big bikes and ride them around at pretty high speeds with absolutely no protection. Dumb Fuggs

 

[busa_boy_69]

...I agree with you!

Pretty much the same kind of scene here in India. Youngsters buy big bikes and ride them around at pretty high speeds with absolutely no protection. Dumb Fuggs

Well granted I realize there are always gonna be the " cool" guys riding around with baseball hats flipped backwards and sunglasses but it just seems this year that motorcycle popularity seems to be gaining by mass amounts every year and there are a ton of unsafe riders joining us. I thought maybe it was just me. I mean speeding and taking risks are one thing but if you are gonna ride on the edge at least protect yourself. I'd rather have the gear on and not need it than not have it on and have my skin ripped off or head caved in if not ripped off.

 

[si-lo]

What gets me are the ones who don't wear any gear and then complain about rising insurance costs.

 

[shenoyp]

I'd rather have the gear on and not need it than not have it on and have my skin ripped off or head caved in if not ripped off. [/QUOTE]

....totally agree with that!

 

[busa_boy_69]

What gets me are the ones who don't wear any gear and then complain about rising insurance costs.

Yeah and they are usually the ones that don't have medical insurance and get in wrecks to. Then us good tax paying people get to foot the bill when they can't. And I know half the guys that are stunting up and down the highways and stuff like that most of the time don't have any of the following....
#1.) Motorcycle insurance
#2.) Motorcycle license
#3.) Reguard to anyone elses property

 

[DAB]

You beat me to it, I was thinking of posting a thread on this subject. Last Sunday we had some really nice weather in Colorado and I went riding.

There were hundreds of bikes out that day, most of them were Hardleys - and we all know most people who ride those have to wear the "uniform" i.e. no protection whatsoever.

The rest of the bikes were sports bikes, and I'm happy to report that most of them were wearing at least a helmet, and some even had all the gear on. But there were several groups of "Biker Boyz" who were in shorts and t-shirts, with the girlfriends on the back - also with no helmets or armor.

We're going to see some nasty accidents this year....

 

[busa_boy_69]

You beat me to it, I was thinking of posting a thread on this subject. Last Sunday we had some really nice weather in Colorado and I went riding.

There were hundreds of bikes out that day, most of them were Hardleys - and we all know most people who ride those have to wear the "uniform" i.e. no protection whatsoever.

The rest of the bikes were sports bikes, and I'm happy to report that most of them were wearing at least a helmet, and some even had all the gear on. But there were several groups of "Biker Boyz" who were in shorts and t-shirts, with the girlfriends on the back - also with no helmets or armor.

We're going to see some nasty accidents this year....

I hate to say it but thats how I am seeing it to. I mean yes we know the harley guys don't wear protection but they have an automatic safegaurd.......that being that their bikes only go like 45 mph. Kinda hard to do REAL damage to yourself at that speed. However I usually see the sportbike guys wearing the right stuff. This year however thats not the case. They are going in straight street clothes. I am kinda dumbfounded.

 

[onerabidshark]

Lubbock Tx, Same thing going on here shorts no helmets or helmet and nothing else. Guess them people don't think road rash can happen to them, but if they are that ignorant why should they wear a helmet nothing up there to protect, just kidding maybee they will eventually get on here and learn something but until then good luck to them cause they are going to need it!

 

[BA BUSA]

We have a helmet law here in CA, but I'm seeing it too....newbie's on a crash course.

 

[DAB]

I think it's the influence of all the stunter videos out there. Some people think it's cool to emulate them.

As for the Hardley riders, they're the ones I see parking it outside the bar and slamming a few beers before the ride home. 45mph isn't going to save them either if they're hit by a truck or a brick wall because they've trashed their reflexes.

This will come back to bite all of us one way or another if the manufacturers, retailers - and ourselves - don't start emphasizing the benefits of wearing the right gear and getting trained.

 

[busa_boy_69]

I think it's the influence of all the stunter videos out there. Some people think it's cool to emulate them.

As for the Hardley riders, they're the ones I see parking it outside the bar and slamming a few beers before the ride home. 45mph isn't going to save them either if they're hit by a truck or a brick wall because they've trashed their reflexes.

This will come back to bite all of us one way or another if the manufacturers, retailers - and ourselves - don't start emphasizing the benefits of wearing the right gear and getting trained.

You got a point there. I had my crash in 2003 and when I was in the ER my next door neighbors cousin came in right behind me. He was a die hard harley guy and had been at the bar pounding some oat sodas. He went out on the highway and smacked into a horse trailer at like 70 mph and of course had nothing on. He had to have a piece of his brain taken out 3 times to reduce the pressure in his head. He can't talk now and they said IF he keeps living he is gonna be a vegatable for the rest of his life. Nice way to be at 38 years of age huh?

 

[DAB]

You got a point there. I had my crash in 2003 and when I was in the ER my next door neighbors cousin came in right behind me. He was a die hard harley guy and had been at the bar pounding some oat sodas. He went out on the highway and smacked into a horse trailer at like 70 mph and of course had nothing on. He had to have a piece of his brain taken out 3 times to reduce the pressure in his head. He can't talk now and they said IF he keeps living he is gonna be a vegatable for the rest of his life. Nice way to be at 38 years of age huh?

That's grim.

I was watching one of my neighbors the other day sitting on his brand new sports bike (no helmet), trying to do wheelies in his driveway.....

 

[busa_boy_69]

(sighs).......It's almost like watching people spend 10 grand to die.

 

[mr. muse]

I've always told my friends that started riding, " Dress for the fall, not the ride." Last fall I got caught in a sudden downpour on the way home from work. As I approached the intersection and applied my brakes, the front end went down faster than I could say, "Oh Sh..." This was at 45mph. What happened was a construction site nearby had spilled some diesel fuel on the road...hmmm...+ H2O and you got something akin to ice in the summer! Just a little bruise on my hip where I went down and a scuff on my helmet and leathers, but I walked away with basically not even a scratch! Man, I love my protective gear!

 

[gunslingerjr]

my last bike was a 98 softail custom with a built engine and trust me it would go much faster than 45 and i always wore a full face helmet.didnt wear the leathers much though but skin grows back,brain dont.

 

[IL_BusaBoy]

Definitely seeing a lot of this already this year. Hope it doesn't end badly, although the odds aren't pretty good. "Dress for the crash, not for the ride."

 

[Sgt Busa]

Don't worry folks, most of these people will probably receive the Darwin award. You might think that's harsh but I do not.

If these squids are going to raise my insurance for being dumb asses I am not going to fill sorry for them when they take a bad fall.

 

[DAB]

Don't worry folks, most of these people will probably receive the Darwin award. You might think that's harsh but I do not.

If these squids are going to raise my insurance for being dumb asses I am not going to fill sorry for them when they take a bad fall.

Trouble is, we all feel the fallout from their accidents.

Insurance goes up, non-bikers regard us all as "irresponsible maniacs", cagers don't pay any penalties when they run over us, employers could stop paying medical benefits due to our "high risk" sport etc.

 

[busa_boy_69]

Well this will prolly be a good summer for an insurance hike. I got a feeling this is gonna be the summer of the skin grafts. lol