Thread: Why I Sold My Harley

If you need to convince someone to wear a seat belt or be careful on a motorcycle, just ask them if they would ever go skydiving. Most will say "No way", but about 10% will say “yeah”. Then ask them if they would jump without a parachute. Most will say “no”. When you ask why, they say "I don't want to die".

Then you explain that it's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop. When you skydive, you reach terminal velocity. Essentially, it's the amount of resistance (friction) that the air causes as you fall through it. In the standard freefall position, that speed is 120 m.p.h.

Then explain that if they are going 60 m.p.h. on a two lane road and approaching traffic is also going 60, they are essentially skydiving without a chute. If an oncoming semi swerves to miss an animal as he approaches a motorcycle. The rider is toast.

That’s just one way to look at it.

@Sparlin: and one doesn't even need to be at 60 mph to crack his skull wide open.

Originally Posted by Bilgefisher

As a motorcycle rider, I am very cognizant of bikes on the road and give them a wide berth, but these damn scooters are impossible to detect. The surge of scooters is resulting in a huge problem out there. Most of these scooter drivers treat them like a bicycle and do not follow the rules of the road. You cannot see them, cannot hear them and only know they are there when you hit them. I nearly killed a guy about 2 years ago. He was behind me and then shifted to my blind spot in the bike lane. I turned without knowing he was there and nearly ran his ass over. Luckily the hairs on my neck were standing on end I felt something wasn't right and I was in alert mode before my turn.

I completely agree. There has been a huge jump in the number of scooters on the road. The problem is anything under 50cc you don't need a driver's license...at least in NC you don't. So that creates a huge problem since you have complete idiots who can purchase a little scooter and ride like a jackass on the road. MOST scooter riders don't have any common sense.
[B]

If you have never taken a safety class for a bike or scooter , shame on you. Yes I said it. I'm calling out any rider on this forum who hasn't taken the course. What the fuck is wrong with you. Do you really not care about your family, friends and yourself that much that your not willing to spend $500 to save your life. Oh but you've been riding all your life. And? Are you so damned arrogant that your not willing to learn possibly one thing that will save your life. If so, your a fucking idiot. In my class we had folks who had ridden 35 years and still learned life saving techniques. It teaches you to do like Russ said. Pretend you are invisible and do everything you can to make yourself visible. You should be worn out mentally every time you ride, because there is that much thinking involved all the time. Learn to be a defensive rider and realize it doesn't take much to kill you. Of the five people I know killed and the other two dozen injured in bike wrecks, two caused the wrecks.

If I pissed you off, I'm cool with that. If your going to get defensive and justify not taking the course because I called you out, I'm certainly not cool with that. You lost all respect in my book because you let selfish pride get in the way of intelligence.

+10000000

No matter the amount of experience you have, you will always learn something from the MSF, but $500?!? It cost $130ish here.

What a lot of people don't realize is that when you see a person on a scooter, there is a good chance their license is suspended. This usually occurs after a DUI arrest. They dont have a valid license so they are forced to drive something that will only hurt themselves if they get drunk again (in theory). The rest of them are environmentalist

Originally Posted by PhxMJ

all this extreme care and diligence took the fun out of riding.

You also had a big, fat, iron pig to man handle Ironically a friend of mine dropped his VRod last night after the weight got away from him while braking quickly.

In all seriousness, you need to relax while riding. If you ride stiff armed and nervous, this is going to put unnecessary stress on you. When you do this, you become anxious and make stupid moves. Get comfortable, but not too comfortable. Just stay alert, use "fluid" motions, and respect the bike.

If you're scared of the bike, you're going to screw yourself up.
If you're too comfortable, someone else is going to screw you up.

I'm willing to bet a very high percentage of wrecks is a result of new riders making irrational decions(lack of MSF training) or of idiotic riders who got too comfortable and sped through traffic or tried to pull stupid stunts in traffic.

Originally Posted by PhxMJ

My only alternative will be a Ariel Atom.

Lol, I'm just messing around. My "anti-Harley" comments are only sarcasm. I could see myself on a custom cruiser soon. I've actually thought about a custom V-Rod. It would be a strict bike night/bike week cruiser.

You are always learning when you are on a bike, have you ever read Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? Why do people buy sports cars, why do people buy high performance cars, why do people buy convertables, why do people buy exotics? You get all this combined on a motorcycle, in fact with the new technology the level of safety and performance has increased! The physical experience as related by others in not unlike the cowboys and their horse in the old days. I wonder how much risk there was in breaking in a horse and riding? The law of the West was that if you stole another man's horse you were hanged. The motorcycle with a motor in a frame is the most basic transport with the asthetics of the motor completely visible, this merging of many many variables combined with the physical sensation is the price paid for whatever risk is taken. Risk is relative to learning and preparation. The more you learn the more you have control.

I do believe I have taken more risks in business, have gotten more ulcers from legal battles, and had equal joys from accomplishment. As with motorcycling you master business over time. You also appreciate it more. Certain risks take more preparation like being in top physical shape, this would also help you in motorcycle riding. Taking classes are highly recommended as they allow quantum jumps in learning, these have much more depth than drivers license training. If you wished to experience the joy of flying would you think the training would be more intense? Would the joy be incrementally greater for the new skills learned?

A motorcycle combines all of the above but as mentioned you must also have and understanding of human behavior, yours and others. This will also help in prevention and lower risk. There is a risk/reward ratio just as in a business venture.

I have 5 bikes and probably have been an above average rider, I also sold a Harley 30 years ago after moving back to Pasadena Ca from up north and got in a high speed wobble - was able to pull out of it.

My interest was renewed about 15 years ago after seeing the improvement in technology and training and the new bike designs that took it to a whole new level. I suppose the pull is different for different individuals. Generally the feeling of physical freedom on a bike is the draw, living in the Northwest it is magnified. Living in California in the big city would certainly take more control away from the rider and the risk would go up incrementally.

Each persons risk level is relative and like business the first question is about capacity. If you are handicapped you would certainly be less inclined to ride. If you are in good shape and attracted to a physical lifestyle nothing may be more important to you. Your fears are not others fears.

Red's pictures are enough to get me salivating to even buy another bike just like that V-Rod. Frankly it draws me more than a Lambo. But I also would have no problem owning BOTH!!!

A Picture is worth a thousand words!

I stay away from riding a bike because I don't like the idea of being the bumper of my vehicle. Accident will/do happen. Does not matter who is at fault, in either case the bike driver/rider acts as the bumper or shock absorber... I don't think I have the balls for that.

Add me to the list of motorcycle rider for years. I have been riding dirt bikes since the age of 10. I had a road bike for many years and in some cases it was my only transportation.

I hung up my helmet many years ago after a number of close calls. Some of them left me laying on the ground although I was not hurt. The final one came on a rainy day. I was going slowly around a clover leaf exit due to the potential slippery conditions. A car was tailgating me. If I slipped, I would be hit. The bike went up for sale that week. I have not ridden on the street again since.

Originally Posted by Russ H

I remember visiting my brother (in Detroit) and he drove me over to see the Boss Hoss at the local custom shop. Then Dodge came out w/their 10 cylinder monster . . .

Why it took so long for car/bike nuts to strap 2 wheels on a car engine, I'll never know.

-Russ H.

Pssssssshhhh..........please, 8 and 10 cylinders are weaksauce.

Real men ride helicopter turbine engines.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efID00W3F7I]YouTube - Y2K motorcycle[/ame]