Stunt Riding (please read with open mind)

[Brian_C6]

For the past 2 days, the top 3 threads have all revolve around stunt riding. What a sensitive subject around here... I love it

I love hearing everyone's views on the subject. It amazes me how many people here completely despise the act and blame the illegal street antics as the primary reason for insurance hikes and negative press / public perception. The negative perception dates back many years... let's not kid ourselves. Motorcycle riders have always been considered nomads, loners, or dangerous people who break the law. A lot of this negative perception derived from the 50's with the Hells Angels. As an avid motorcycle rider for 17 years, I've never come across so many hypocritical riders than "Amateur Motorcycle Track Riders". You all portray yourselves as honest, law abiding, civil, respectful, casual motorcycle riders... especially when the topic of stunt riding arises. You all claim to respect the law, keep the speed on the track, and safety ALWAYS comes first. Truth is you all aren't so squeaky clean... c'mon, you all love adrenaline. For many of you, the need for adrenaline has lead you to ride.

"Street Stunt" is a relatively new concept that traces back to 1999 when a group from Ohio began taping their illegal activities. My questions to you are, "Why were sportbikes disliked 10 years ago? Why have insurance rates been high for years? I will tell you.... they are fast and people DIE ON THEM. It's that simple. Speeding, wheelies, regular accidents....being on a motorcycle puts you at a higher risk of serious injury / death.

Look, a motorcycle track rider is a highly competitive, extremely confident individual, that yearns for an adrenaline rush. That need for adrenaline has lead you ALL to a track. Adrenaline is an addiction, and for the majority of us, it's the primary reason we ride motorcycles competitively. Stunt Riders share this with YOU. My second question to you is, "Where you would be without a track? Would you be on the street? Would you be finding round / banked shaped parking lots on Saturday afternoon?

The real solution to the "street stunt" problem is organizing, embracing, and teaching young riders. Continuing to treat it like the "black sheep" will not solve the problem. Let's get real people.... once and for all.

Brian

[ChrisNoF4i]

Is this an appropriate time to start a slow clap?

[skiierx]

Brian,

My quick analysis of your comments is; You are right on about the hells angels and deadly accidents, bottom line is that the majority of the public frowns upon the whole motorcycle community because of their fears. Today's black sheep are the stunters though and it is due to the street stunting. Now I am not going to be a hypocrite, I do pull small wheelies every now and then. It's fun! The timing of these wheelies is what is important (I can give an explanation if needed but don't think I need to).

Of course street stunting does not help improve our image. You know where stunting belongs and the young kids today are doing it all wrong. At least Core6, when they do shows, does them on a closed area with permission. Now, the other issue, insurance costs. We cannot kid ourselves as you said, kids these days are smashing up their bikes and are either reporting them stolen or stealing someone else's property to repair them. That is what's driving up our costs. I know there are a lot of accidents and that too is not helping but our community is growning so rapidly that safety has suffered. People are making foolish purchases. Not just sport bike riders but people who ride cruisers as well. I read a report last year that stated a lot of the recent fatalities were middle aged riders who just started riding. My thoughts are we should have a graduated license for motorcycles like Europe.

Well, that is my quick thoughts.

[Karaya One]

brian - where do you guys get your tires? I got some cheap 180's NEW for $80.00.

[bigred875]

hey wait a GD second.... core 6 still does shows?

[skiierx]

I almost put did shows and thought they still might!

[Brian_C6]

Originally posted by bigred875
hey wait a GD second.... core 6 still does shows?

LOL... always some winner in the bunch.

I'm not here to say Core 6 is at the top of their game, that we deserve respect, are organized, selling product, or entertaining people weekend after weekend. I'm here as Brian Joyce, a guy who has developed as a mature motorcycle rider over the years. I've raced and competed on bikes my whole life and all I'm doing is sharing my views and opinions on this matter.

[Brian_C6]

Originally posted by Karaya One
brian - where do you guys get your tires? I got some cheap 180's NEW for $80.00.

That sounds like a deal... how many? What make?

[benVFR]

I don't really think stunters in particular are responsible for higher insurance rates. There just aren't enough stunters and all sportbike riders combined is just not that huge of a percentage of riders.

Stunting is definitely not new no matter how much stunters want to puff themselves up and think they have created something new. The first guy on the first "safety bicycle" (modern design with 2 equal sized wheels connected in parallel by a frame) probably pulled up a wheelie at one point. Most of the stunts being done are older then motorcycles.

Stunt riding has been going on for decades in safer and more sanctioned environments. Look at the trials crew... nothing in "street stunt" approaches what those guys do. Nothing in "street stunt" approaches what the supercross and freestyle MX guys do.

The main thing that is new is the huge # of cheap video cameras on the market and the internet. Every person who wants attention can now record their antics and post them all over the internet.

Videos are a huge amount of the problem and so is people purposely choosing the most crowded roads to show off... because they are showing off, not riding for their own enjoyment.

What percentage of the stunt scene will disappear if everyone stops caring? Are they doing it for their enjoyment or for attention, sponsorship, money, fame?

Unless the stunts start getting way insane it seems like stunting is "jumping the shark." I enjoy watching some of it but in the last 3 years I've seen barely anything new. Unless you guys start doing backflips over schoolbusses it is getting boring to watch and people are going to stop caring at some point. When that happens I predict a lot of the irresponsible stunters will disappear and we'll be left with just the safer/more responsible ones and things will get a lot better.

[BigShel]

Brian, has a good point but I dont care what no one says,,,You can't controll what any bikers do... stunter, racers or what ever they do.example I went on the the Holloween Ride this pass sunday.guys on Harleys were doing burnouts and acting like they were on sportbikes.needless to say they dont handle like sportbikes.....I saw maybe 6 wrecks and not one had a sportbike in the mix.So ask yourself will this madness ever stop.I personally love doing over 140 but I dont see myself on the track ever but I do it anyways.

[Rory McConoghy]

i think this has to do with anything involving "youth sub culture". An instance is hardcore gearheads who love the late 60's and early 70's hating on younger dudes who love late model imports that go just as fast or faster than their V8's. personally ive always loved muscle cars, owned a few and raced them (legally and illegally). And I'll admit i am not big on the import scene, but i respect what they can do with a pos civic.

Just from reading this i think its the way people portray themselves. If you speak/ type Intelligibly you usually dont get as much shit. and from what i have seen this board is like that. but then again im a n00b and just take it for what i see.

As a closing statement to this rant that jumps around too much, id just like to say i respect what alot of races and dudes who stunt do. I just hate those big fucking pants "stunters" wear.

[/rant]

[legalspeed]

I don't consider street yahoos stunters. I was at Daytona 2 years ago for the XSBA (did I spell that right?) and whitnessed some MAD skills.

These are pros. People like "teach", Chauncey, Brian, etc. I enjoyed the Hell out of them.

I think most replies are from people who like to bitch, not from the management here, or from the ones who aspire to reach new levels of skill riding (racers).

Party on Brian!

[beet]

ive seen some guys with good skills .

[SVRACER01]

my point is there is a time and place. i dont practice my T3 entry angle at the end of my street or near the local high school. i practice at the track. i realize that a stunt trackday may be difficult to obtain or acheive but the guys that did our shows in AZ trailered their bikes to an abandonded mall parking lot and practiced the night away without much flack from the fun patrol. ive even seen them watching in amazment as my buddy Dustin was practicing 150+ ft stoppies on an XR100.
not dissing the skills, or the sport since i like to see someone succesfully (and unsuccessfully) pull off something that i cant do

[OreoGaborio]

I gotta agree w/ ya Brian & have never stated otherwise unless i was speaking in terms of the select asshats that put alot of other people in danger. If the roads are clear & I see someone throw up a wheelie, I'm gonna check it out & give em props.

As far as alot of us here and elsewhere being hypocrites about it... i agree to that as well... but no one in this world hasn't been hypocritical about something at some point in their life. Everyone has at some point has had that "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality.

Me personally, yes, i speed, yes i throw my bike over & increas the risk of going down.... but, I also do my best to minimize the risk. I wear my gear, I use my eyes, I'm smooth and predictable and above all, I use the most important safety device known to man... my Brain. As everyone knows, there's a time & a place... and yes, sometime that place indeed can be on a public road, but give yourself a cushion and resist the temptation to show off for onlookers. The more people are watching, the more adrenaline will pump, you'll go for that little extra and dramatically increase the risk you're taking.

Anyway, that's my general take on it... and I also agree w/ the whole "taking the newbs under your wing" theory... I'm living proof that it works. I owe a huge thanks to everyone here & in my area that really know what they're doing for guiding me in the right direction w/ my riding. I started off w/ a decent head on my shoulders but the people i've met have really opened my eyes to what true sportriding is & I'm having more fun than I ever would have otherwise.

BTW, I "look down" on the guys that don't stunt yet still put themselves & others in danger by riding WAY too fast. Doesn't matter if you're stunting or not, putting yourself & others in danger & taking unreasonable risks is putting others in danger & taking unreasonable risks.... Stupid is is stupid does.

[Degsy]

I need to borrow a stunters bike and practice wheelies. I can't wheelie for shit. Who's gonna teach me on a beater bike?

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Degsy
I need to borrow a stunters bike and practice wheelies. I can't wheelie for shit. Who's gonna teach me on a beater bike?

couldn't have said it better myself

[chr|s sedition]

Originally posted by Degsy
I need to borrow a stunters bike and practice wheelies. I can't wheelie for shit. Who's gonna teach me on a beater bike?

what? You dont want to try them on that new little item you picked up the day i got my tire changed????

-sedition

[highsider]

Originally posted by Degsy
I need to borrow a stunters bike and practice wheelies. I can't wheelie for shit. Who's gonna teach me on a beater bike?

Me too.

Isn't there a stunting school somewhere? I think that would be a blast.

[chr|s sedition]

Originally posted by highsider
Me too.

Isn't there a stunting school somewhere? I think that would be a blast.

Professor Kham is on sebatical now, I think...perhaps when he gets back

[MnM]

yea I suck at wheelies too...


I agree with the whole time and place. It is cool how people can pull of the tricks and I enjoy watching it. I just don't think its the wisest idea doing them during rush hour traffic when others are endangered by your actions. Hell if I could pull the occasional wheelie I would...but It would be done in an area where if I %^&* up then I am the only one effected (besides the bike)...

[SVRACER01]

what you need is a wheelie dyno. i got to try one last year in AZ and they are way fun. i also think the Cali superbike school has a wheelie bike that shuts off 1 cyl. when you reach the balance point.








and pete dont drag me into your little pissing contest with amanda

[OreoGaborio]

Hey Degs, thanks for the lift... great bandwaggon btw. Man, this thing's got reclining seats, cupholders in the arm rests, plenty of legroom... What year is this thing, an '02?

[richw]

All I know for sure is not to pass everyone in a town during a street fair.

I am guilty of crazed money street drag racing in the past.
Sh*t came off trailers at the Sheridan and far rockaway

New Gixer is a wheelie monster 1st, 2nd and occasional 3rd
and the occasional stoppie. And a donut but not on the new ride.

Fire burn outs when the tire is near changing. Teenagers love a good smoke show. Best performed at a gas pump then motor slowly away.

But ride your own ride


Arrested devlopment is a wonderful thing

[Degsy]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
Hey Degs, thanks for the lift... great bandwaggon btw. Man, this thing's got reclining seats, cupholders in the arm rests, plenty of legroom... What year is this thing, an '02?

I have no idea what you are talking about. You really need to quit the crack, ya cracka.