I think its due to all thef@cking road rage that seems to be consuming every township road to the super slabs all across america. And then throw in all the azz hats that are talking or texting on thier cell phones and you have the perfect senario for a good case of road rash.Why are people so f@cking stupid?

 

But if you got to go!

How about a Harley Hearse!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CBgQ9QEwBg

 

One thing I haven't read since I've been on the HD Forum is, someone confessing to be the idiot that caused the wreck. It's always the other persons fault.

 

I suspect the large number of first time middle aged riders, buying big bikes as their first bike, contribute to the growing fatality rate to some degree.

Bikes - I think I have said here that I was largely to blame for my wreck. Although a truck did pull across my lane in the middle of nowhere (i.e., no intersection), had I not be going something well in excess of 100 mph, I probably could have simply stopped before the truck was a problem.

 

Simply stated, it is our responsibility to ensure our own safety. No excuses, no blaming others, the economy, technology, or driver inexperience. Ride at a speed which is safe for the conditions. Always anticipate the worst case scenario and have an escape plan. The safer we ride, the greater our enjoyment on two wheels.

 

It's Bush's fault

 

Right on, without good analysis they don't mean anything.

 

Well, I have some thoughts on this.

I read here over and over about the key to being a successful motorcyclist is taking the MSF course. I don't see it. Being book smart and passing a written test and then riding around in a parking lot doesn't even begin to prepare you for the real world out there. Is it better than nothing, well, sure, but it is just a small first step in a really long hike.

I'm convinced that you are a dead man (or woman) if you don't have some good, basic, common sense. You need to really understand that that the motorcycle you are about to get on can kill you, in a heartbeat, if you let your guard down for even two seconds. Maybe not a fear of it but a real garnered respect. You need to practice the basics of good motorcycling. Things like short radius cornering, power stops and the fundamentals of counter steering. Know them well enough so they become instinctive to you, especially when you really need them.

The good riders here know what I am talking about but I have seen some of the kids coming out of these classes thinking they are ready to tackle everything. My nephews son was one of them and dumped his new Vulcan before he even got the title back from the DMV. He's fine but his bike is not. He got lucky this time.

I believe the key is good common sense and, like Callahan once said..."a mans gotta know his limitations".

 

The Marines just reported in a news letter that bike fatalities in the Marines has gone down by half over the past year. They say it's in part because of the training that is required.

 

When I took the MSF course, it really helped me a lot and taught me some concepts that otherwise I might not have known. I believe that every biker could learn some things from the course. However, the instructors made the point at the end that passing the course didn't mean that you were ready to hit the streets running. the MSF is a good starting point, however, I don't believe a biker should just stop there. I try to continue to improve my knowledge and skills on a regular basis. With all the information available nowadays, there's no excuse for a rider not gaining more knowledge and becoming a more proficient rider. Sometimes ego prevents this. I wonder what some bikers are thinking when I see them putting themselves in bad positions on the highways...