Used to be we rode motorcycles from the time we were kids cause it was just in us i live in the black hills i see people that take it up like its golf or the in thing. i see people with 40 grand cvo ultra glises that cant hardly get out of parking lot and have no buisness in traffic yikes no wonder there are abazillion trikes i gave mine up when i was 4. The trike comment does not aply to my handy capped friends who have no choce. You can do what ever you want but please learn to ride the dam thing before you kill some one.

 

I guess everybody's gotta learn, but I agree with what you're saying. New riders on big bikes usually have a difficult time learning to ride well.

 

There is a learning curve to it for sure, but I see that all the time here in WV as well. Riders who are inexperienced are pretty easy to spot. Whether I'm in my cage or on the bike I usually avoid them if I can. About a month ago at a local bike night a man laid down his street glide after leaving the lot and trying to do a burnout and losing control. Both he and the bike were scuffed up pretty bad. I was told by someone that knew him that he'd only owned the thing for 2 weeks and it was his first bike. I personally don't think he should ever be allowed to purchase another motorcycle. People like that get themselves and other people killed.

 

Statistics show that there is a concentration of deaths/injuries in male riders, 50+ years of age on their 1st motorcycle that was recent bought.

 

We'll people should work there way up before the bigger bikes. I rode a Softail for 6 years before getting my CVO Road glide and even then it took some additional weight and mental training before I felt real comfortable on the bike.

BigSteve: I din't start riding till after college and I don't think not riding as a kid has hampered me at all, but at least that college degree allowed me to buy that 40K+ CVO in cash LOL!!! Not to rib you, but there are people who make bad decisions at purchasing too big of bikes at all levels.

 

check out this link.
http://youtu.be/ERE4J7JxZ4s

 

This is why I stay away from the big rallies.

Went to the HD 100th and watched three idots crash, clearly from inexperiece and too big of machines. One almost took me out.

 

It amazes me how many guys I see unnecessarily duck walking their bikes or "skiing" upon take off and/or stopping.

A guy I work with absolutely has to put both feet down when stopped or he drops the bike. He's a big "skier", too... won't put his feet up until he's rolling about 20mph. I stay the **** away from him.

I understand everyone has a learning curve but some of those curves are pretty damn steep. Some folks just aren't meant to roll on two wheels.

 

Yeah, i recently went on a group test ride at an indian dealer near me and i'd say about half the riders didnt know how to handle the bikes. of course they were all decked out in fresh new harley attire. I could never see myself doing a big rally.

 

I rode for years and then took about a 5 year break. I decide to take the MSF course to get my chops back before riding again. I was the only person in the class with experience AND the only person who had NOT purchased a Harley at the time the class was in session. I thought "this is crazy" some of the people had no business riding , let alone a big , heavy Harley. CRAZY