Another rider down

[G21forme]

Apparently my bosses kid knows him and saw him the previous day showing off his new bike he just purchased over the weekend.



http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/...WS02/306039959

[Mondo]

holy crap...

im not riding my bike today

[ThisBitch]

How about just not riding your bike directly into a stopped car? Seems easy enough...

[FlynGSXR1k]

Enough is enough.
Thanks for the update Greg. I hope he makes a full recovery and is able to learn from this.

Man.. just a kid.. literally! I don't know about everyone else, but as active as I am in the sport, I have a LOT of 'wanna-be' riders come to me with the 'I want one' or 'I'm getting one' or 'what do you suggest'.... I think its important that we 'hype up the sport' as much as possible, but equally make sure people know, and we understand the risks .... encourage the MSF classes, Preach proper technique and skill-riding.

Again... my best wishes to this young kid... and please keep riding safely!

[kb1]

Scary...18 year old kid on a 1000rr...wrong wrong wrong

[spicy]

note to self: do not ride during first week of june.

jesus fucking christ




best thoughts to the kid and his family/friends, but damn.

[KawiSmurf]

Scary...18 year old kid on a 1000rr...wrong wrong wrong

Yeah, that kinda stuck out for me too. Makes a strong case for a displacement-based license step program. Personally, I'd love to have a little YZF-R125 to go bombin' around on. But I guess I don't really know what's cool anymore...

[FlynGSXR1k]

That's one solution, but honestly I think making the MSF stuff absolutely mandatory will go a long way in teaching these 'kids' (sorry if you're 18-19.. no offense) but guys and girls so young some necessary skills and whats possible without 1000cc's. I have a few friends that started off on a 1000 and do just fine on it because they know how to respect that power. Without that respect of power its just a death-wish

Yeah, that kinda stuck out for me too. Makes a strong case for a displacement-based license step program. Personally, I'd love to have a little YZF-R125 to go bombin' around on. But I guess I don't really know what's cool anymore...

[SP GSX-R]

Scary...18 year old kid on a 1000rr...wrong wrong wrong

i also thought the same thing.... i only dreamt about owning a bike when i was 18.... but a 1000!! yeah...

hope hes ok and makes a recovery

[ThisBitch]

That's one solution, but honestly I think making the MSF stuff absolutely mandatory will go a long way in teaching these 'kids' (sorry if you're 18-19.. no offense) but guys and girls so young some necessary skills and whats possible without 1000cc's. I have a few friends that started off on a 1000 and do just fine on it because they know how to respect that power. Without that respect of power its just a death-wish

I'm sure rookie pilots 'respect' the power of 737's and F16's too, that does't mean that they should start out riding on them. No MSF course is going to teach a testosterone-laden 18 year old punk not to go fast on a bike that can do over 100 in first gear.

This debate is old and tired at this point, but saying that 'respecting the power' is enough to keep kids from splattering themselves all over the pavement is silly.

[FlynGSXR1k]

Point taken and understood.. but call me a bit too 'conservative' I still object to anyone telling anyone else they can't do something. It's up to individual responsibliity and education and the core values we were raised with. Truth is, one of my best friends bought an R1 at age 18, and while turning 21 tomorrow he's still riding like a pro.. it's because he knew, understood and respects it.

I'm just not an advocate of setting restrictions on the general public becuase some parents or (rebellious) kids failed to be responsible for themselves or their kids.

'Requiring' a safety course is bad enough, but we require something similar for a OPR license and there is great info in the literature learned there. Simply putting a blanket rule will accomplish the same thing telling people under 21 they can't drink alcohol did... not a damned thing except for a more people doing it illegally!

I'm sure rookie pilots 'respect' the power of 737's and F16's too, that does't mean that they should start out riding on them. No MSF course is going to teach a testosterone-laden 18 year old punk not to go fast on a bike that can do over 100 in first gear.

This debate is old and tired at this point, but saying that 'respecting the power' is enough to keep kids from splattering themselves all over the pavement is silly.

[Stiggy]

Not a good week at all. I'm not riding until Sunday, bad juju.

[scottieducati]

The entire attitude is wrong with licensing, it has nothing to do with age and everything to do with experience and proficiency. We SHOULD have stepped licensing, but it should have nothing to do with age and everything to do with how many miles you have and the type of experience and skill you have. A kid who has ridden since he was 4, road raced for a couple years, I have NO problem putting him on a 1000 (if he wants one). There are 40-somethings with as poor or worse judgment than some 18 year olds. Age has nothing to do with maturity, although it does help to have some experience which often comes with age, it is not a golden rule however.

Testing to get your M/C license should be:

-Apply for a displacement license, bigger displacement = more $$
-Rider proficiency test requirements are greater for larger displacement
-You must prove your capabilities by not only riding through a course, but doing ACTUAL riding WITH an approved officer (this is how they do it in at least the UK if not elsewhere in Europe).

People will never care about any of this as not enough people ride motorcycles to begin with and society thinks driving and having a license is a RIGHT not a privilege. All the while the dumbass irresponsible ones give the rest of us a bad name. Great deal this is.

[ssg]

The entire attitude is wrong with licensing, it has nothing to do with age and everything to do with experience and proficiency. We SHOULD have stepped licensing, but it should have nothing to do with age and everything to do with how many miles you have and the type of experience and skill you have. A kid who has ridden since he was 4, road raced for a couple years, I have NO problem putting him on a 1000 (if he wants one). There are 40-somethings with as poor or worse judgment than some 18 year olds. Age has nothing to do with maturity, although it does help to have some experience which often comes with age, it is not a golden rule however.

Testing to get your M/C license should be:

-Apply for a displacement license, bigger displacement = more $$
-Rider proficiency test requirements are greater for larger displacement
-You must prove your capabilities by not only riding through a course, but doing ACTUAL riding WITH an approved officer (this is how they do it in at least the UK if not elsewhere in Europe).

People will never care about any of this as not enough people ride motorcycles to begin with and society thinks driving and having a license is a RIGHT not a privilege. All the while the dumbass irresponsible ones give the rest of us a bad name. Great deal this is.

Clearly you've been listening to my rants?

So how do we do this, is the question. I am all for it.

The problem with the whole "respect the power" thing is it's like trying to hit a pistol target with a shotgun, it's going to teach people how to point and click. Take alot of HP away from the onset and you'll have better riders, is my $.02.

[FlynGSXR1k]

LOL we all clearly have very different view (this is borderline becoming a political issue) which I won't debate in these forums. As stated, the displacement method is very similar to the European style which, we as a nation are moving towards (sadly, IMO), so power to the people and so be it.. my vote doesn't change.

I'll stick with my preachings of self-responsibiltiy and keeping anyone from telling me what i can and can't get based on what THEY think is best for me. I was raised better than that.... and continue to watch kids ride what they want, smoke what they want and drink what they want regardless of what the law is because there is clearly zero RESPECT for that either!

outski

[ssg]

Believe it or not, some people respect the law.

[benVFR]

Riding Motorcycles is not a right, it's a privilege.

So there is no trampling of rights if we make Timmay ride a 125 for a year or two before he gets a bike that is capable of putting him in near earth orbit.

Lots of tough questions though... how long do you make him ride the 125? Get your license at 18 and get your first big bike at 21 and you're still a friggin tard.

[FlynGSXR1k]

This is acutally a great debate topic and with respect to the individual this thread was started for, I'd like to continue in the correct forum and possibly write an article about it... It's an interesting hybrid issue of rights/privleges/laws and personal attachement.

I might start this up soon in forum/thread more appropriate and chat with some of you individually to get your takes and details on why you feel the way you do.

I think we should probably close this debate in this thread to keep it on topic and respect the kid that was hurt yesterday as his thread?

[e30addict]

The entire attitude is wrong with licensing, it has nothing to do with age and everything to do with experience and proficiency. We SHOULD have stepped licensing, but it should have nothing to do with age and everything to do with how many miles you have and the type of experience and skill you have. A kid who has ridden since he was 4, road raced for a couple years, I have NO problem putting him on a 1000 (if he wants one). There are 40-somethings with as poor or worse judgment than some 18 year olds. Age has nothing to do with maturity, although it does help to have some experience which often comes with age, it is not a golden rule however.

Testing to get your M/C license should be:

-Apply for a displacement license, bigger displacement = more $$
-Rider proficiency test requirements are greater for larger displacement
-You must prove your capabilities by not only riding through a course, but doing ACTUAL riding WITH an approved officer (this is how they do it in at least the UK if not elsewhere in Europe).

People will never care about any of this as not enough people ride motorcycles to begin with and society thinks driving and having a license is a RIGHT not a privilege. All the while the dumbass irresponsible ones give the rest of us a bad name. Great deal this is.

pretty much. a newbie on a liter bike is a newbie on a liter bike. Whether you're 18 or 68, you still stack the deck towards a wreck when you combine inexperience with something so unforgiving.

I'm all for personal responsibilty at times, but sometimes we go too far. The problem with saying that in this case is that, far too often, newbies of any age are getting seriously hurt/killed for little mistakes that on a smaller bike mean almost nothing. The needless death is tragic enough, but everyone also forgets the unbelievable emotional toll this has on loved ones.

I hope the guy in this particular case pulls through and his the opportunity to reflect on what happened.

[ssg]

I think we should probably close this debate in this thread to keep it on topic and respect the kid that was hurt yesterday as his thread?

Yeah very good point.

Hope whoever it is heals up well though.

[Hauptman]

doesn't the EU system use restrictor kits as well? Hence, you can buy whatever bike you want but it will only put out 40 something hp. Honestly, I am in favor of the tiered systema even though I consider myself a pretty hefty conservative for the most part. The problem with the young kid/ big motorcycle thing is that we're seeing deaths to riders and injury to other individuals. The whole, let me have my freedom and do what I want is great but 56 year old women shouldn't have to deal with this kids mistake. He could have done this in a car too so really the argument is a moot point. Plus I suppose he could have slammed into her if he had been on a pocket bike too.

[Doc]

I'll stick with my preachings of self-responsibility and keeping anyone from telling me what i can and can't get based on what THEY think is best for me.

How about we tell em what they can and can't get based on ability that is tested?

[lrrs313]

I'm becoming more and more a fan of some type of tiered system. It's a shame, as I am very much against attempting to legislate common sense into people, but this is becoming rediculous. The problem, as I see it, is that prices are becoming very similar (why buy a 600 when I can spend another $2000 and get a 1000) and race-replica sportbikes are becoming so specialized that they are damn difficult to ride on the street. And it's very difficult to explain to a new rider that even a "little" 600 is WAY too much bike for them. They think that they can handle it just by trying to be smart with the throttle. The problem is that the throttle is not always the problem. These bikes have handling traits that, while beneficial on a race track, can cause them to do very bad things on the street that it takes a good deal of skill and experience to deal with.

[Slyder]

This kids wreck could have still happened if he was on a scooter though, he smacked a stopped vehicle. Maybe he needs his eyes checked more so than he needs a 50cc bike over a litre bike.

On the other note, I am all up for doing something to prevent anyone without the experience to walk out the door and hop on a litre bike. You know 99.9% of the people at the shop don't care if someone turns themselves into a blood stain in the highway, money talks. It's yours, nice knowin ya, my bank account thanks you dearly.

The fellow that sold me my gixxer 1k, new absolutely SHIT about the bike and my experience. I was actually disappointed that not once had I been asked about my experience. When I sold my gixxer 750 to buy the 1k...I blatantly refused to sell it to anyone I thought was inexperienced. The inexperienced kid that came to look it, as well as the two other twat waffle douches that called me about it.....well none ended up with it.

Oh well, this is the land of the "free"... let 'em do as they want.

[toocrazy2yoo]

Ditto! Nuttin to be done.

Heal up quickly, young man!