Ily

__________________
Roll the dice, see if I'm getting drunk!

Lamil

I remember when my cousin crashed his quad going around 80mph

he had just gotten it, and tried to take a turn too quick and locked up the front end. flipped it and flew pretty far. was on apath by a beach, flew across teh sand, across some rocky path, then somemore sand.

worst road rash i have ever seen.

__________________

Meta

I agree, and for that reason I don't do stupid things like this, and I'll probably never own a motorbike. But some people just don't see things like that. A friend of mine was racing someone around some lanes a few years ago, when his not-designed-for-that-sort-of-thing car slipped on some wet leaves, went up an embankment, came back down onto the road on it's roof and eventually rolled onto it's wheels.

Now personally I'd be checking myself for holes and promising God I'll never say bad things around christianity ever again. Not my friend though... oh no. The first thing he did was put the car in gear and try to catch the other car up!!

I think people who do this stuff really don't even think about the potential consequences. Driving 100+ at night is pretty dumb if the road isn't empty and well lit. But doing stuff that's really dangerous and stupid is part of the thrill - and there's more stupidly dangerous activities than that out there.

__________________

Ninibi

God, such a young kid. What a waste. The idea is to get out of the car and stay out, not dive back in at 100+mph.

I'm curious to know how that accident actually happened from start to finish, though, and I'd bet the estimated 120 mph ends up higher in the end.

Meta I think motorcyclists can be divided into groups:

1. Motorcycling as an image - to the bar once a week on a shiny 40-50k bike with 300 miles on it, OR, the folks with no common sense (sometimes they go together) ...speed freaks, new riders on supersports, young kids on bikes WAY too fucking big for them (evidently the case here - that's a YZF all mangled up in there), flagrant disregard for risk because, as you said, the risk/danger is the draw. It's cool and it feels powerful, therefore it's all consuming.

2. Motorcycling as a sport - risk takers, but calculated risk. They're into some adrenaline rush and some element of risk, but not stupid about it (give or take a moment or two). These are the people who'll goof off occasionally, but take the hardcore shenanigans to the track where it belongs & otherwise manage their risks down to a level higher than most folks but reasonable in the grand scheme of things. Skill>looking hot.

3. Motorcycling as a lifestyle - into the experience of riding itself & are very aware of managing risk. These are the people who commute on their bikes, ride cross country and overall just use them as a vehicle 75% of the time, without much fuss.


I think the general majority falls between 2 & 3 - we have the bug to ride & like some adrenaline once and a while, but we try to manage our risks so we can enjoy a fun sport without being terribly foolish about it. But, that said, even the most sedate rider has moments of dicking around and knowing better and it just takes one moment at the wrong freakin time.



I think when you're so young though - that kid couldn't be over 18, he hasn't filled out at all yet - you're more likely to pull stupid shit to see where the boundries are. At that age, a lot of the time you don't even realize what you've done until you look back years later and think it's crazy you survived X or Y dumbfuck stunt.

It makes me really uncomfortable to see young kids on high profile sportbikes. I'm not a fan of more laws, but I do think it should be illegal to sell a super sport to a teenager, at the least without several grades of licensing involved.

I know most guys selling the bikes aren't going to care -but I still can't imagine someone selling a kid a bike like that - talking with them, working out a deal, etc. - especially for the street - and not comprehending what the implications of those actions are. You can't get on a bike like that and not be tempted to test the limits, even as an experienced rider.

I cannot fucking fathom the parents that finance those bikes & the insurance for their kids. The only thing I can figure is that they think they fucked up the first batch and want to start over.

__________________

Rinion

What an awesome idea! get them a motorcycle and pay up on the life insurance...

__________________
"Before one can identify anything as "gray", one has to know what is black and what is white. In the field of morality, this means that one must first identify what is good and what is evil. And when a man has ascertained that one alternative is good and the other evil, he has no justification for choosing a mixture. " Ayn Rand

Ninibi

Not at all cost effective - you have to wait 16-18 years and who knows if they'll get out of the driveway in the first place.

Grandpa, on the other hand, is already nearing the end of his lifecycle, and may be looking for a cheap thrill. Remind him of the days when he used to stand on the seat to impress the girls.

__________________

Ninibi

Ok so here's the rest of the story - the accident was back in April, the guy in the pics is Brandon Lee White & not, as I thought, 18 or so, but rather, 25. He was changing lanes when he hit the truck. (oh, the bike was a Kawasaki, not the Yamaha I thought - not that it matters, now!)

What's particularly messed up is his friend, who attended his funeral, died the same way a week later, smacking into the back of a pickup truck at 100mph. Same highway even, less than a mile away.

Whoops, those pics were huge. Changed them to links.

Seigal

White

And part of the police report.

__________________

Osime

I hate playing the stereotype card here, but that guy (white) looks exactly like a douchebag of that caliber would look like. Luckily this is one of those situations where the only person he hurt was himself.

As for Motorcyclists in general and their "start seeing Motorcyclists" BS, I'll start caring about you when you start smacking these assholes around during rush hour on the freeway. Just this morning I watched some asshole on his little rice rocket swerve three lanes to the right with his left signal on.. and then all the way back to the left at 70 plus... in a 55.

I'm sure all of you who ride here are safe and sound riders... however you are .001% and the exception to the rule.

__________________

Oizen

I think motorcyclists can be categorized but, also tend to mature into different categories overtime. Serious motorcycling is a lifelong journey no matter how short.

There are really only two categories of the 20s something male sportbike rider imo.

a) They start out on junkers for commuting/fun then work their way up but, by then they've dropped enough scoots to be somewhat careful understanding the mechanics of motorcycling. They know that you have to counter-steer a sportbike and trust the engineering and they don't try to manhandle it. /moronic occasionally but will be trading it in on something comfortable in about a decade if they survive their moments of tomfoolery

b) O'Hai, I have a career started and too much money without responsibilities. That dude looks really cool on his bike. Maybe if I get a bike too, my dick size will be increased enough to get a hawt girlfriend like his. Although the weight difference is minimal between a 650cc and 1000cc sportbike, and both will kill me just as easily, I'm a pussyassfag and think 1000cc will be too much for me to handle and a 650cc will be no prob if I just go get lessons. O'Cool, there is a 2 day course on Honda Shadows that will help me get a "M" added to my license... /tractor trailer bumper sticker

(if "b"s survive long enough to learn to ride, they will wish they had the top end torque of the 1000cc... but these survivors are the exception to the rule, only like 3/100. The rest become mudflaps or get scared out of riding after their first digger.)

Honestly, who's really going to miss a couple hillbilly Oakies anyway?

Ily

__________________
Roll the dice, see if I'm getting drunk!