Do you ever envy those rocket ships with 1WD?
Discussion
trickywoo said:
wormus said:
I went to hospital from a bike accident in an air ambulance and I got on the news, so I say YES!
Winner!The number of people on here fearful of breaking a toenail having fun is pathetic.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 2nd October 21:51
MarshPhantom said:
I'm not a biker but I know enough people that have been killed on bikes, two brothers killed in separate incidents for example. I also know people that have suffered terrible injuries. I don't know anyone that's been killed in a plane crash. I also don't know anyone that's been killed driving cars, riding pushbikes etc. The only people I know who have died in accidents have been bikers. And they were generally the bikers fault.
Sorry, but that's a fact.
I've been riding bikes for 38 years, and I knew 2 people who died in (separate) plane crashes, and another one on a bicycle, but no-one who died on a motorbike.Sorry, but that's a fact.
Sorry, but that's another fact.
Tribal Chestnut said:
I've recently been commuting on the M25 from 19-10, don't know how the f
k anyone could do such a stty journey on anything other than a bike. God awful road that is.
Well I get paid travelling time to work so the longer it takes the more I earn. Time saved on a bike travelling is eaten up by getting leathers on, off dressed for work etc. I'd rather spend an extra few minutes in a car than freeze my nuts off on a bike.k anyone could do such a stty journey on anything other than a bike. God awful road that is.EskimoArapaho said:
Envy? Sweaty leathers, helmet hair, no stereo, no AC, walking like John Wayne after a night with Ron Jeremy, plus an inability to go round corners if there's even the slightest bit of moistness?
No, not envious here.
Leathers are rarely sweaty unless it's properly roasting No, not envious here.
Helmet hair not an issue unless you have long girly locks.....
Stereo, headset with Bluetooth and radio.
No AC no need.
Walking like John Wayne? Just use a vaguely comfortable bike.
Wet cornering ability is reduced by about the same amount as it is in my car.
The upside is the most immersive experience on the highest performance machinery I can get my hands on. I've owned fast cars and enjoyed them greatly but they lack the involvement.
Edited by Speed addicted on Friday 2nd October 22:33
I haven't got a single negative thought about motorbikes or their riders.
I just don't, and have never, wanted to ride a motorbike. I can't say why, it's just never been something I've wanted to start doing.
It's probably because I see driving as something to get joy from while achieving getting from A to B, usually with some stuff in my vehicle.
A vanishingly small number of my journeys could be accomplished on a motorbike.
I just don't, and have never, wanted to ride a motorbike. I can't say why, it's just never been something I've wanted to start doing.
It's probably because I see driving as something to get joy from while achieving getting from A to B, usually with some stuff in my vehicle.
A vanishingly small number of my journeys could be accomplished on a motorbike.
wormus said:
trickywoo said:
wormus said:
I went to hospital from a bike accident in an air ambulance and I got on the news, so I say YES!
Winner!The number of people on here fearful of breaking a toenail having fun is pathetic.
Edited by wormus on Friday 2nd October 21:51
MarshPhantom said:
I'd rather spend an extra few minutes in a car than freeze my nuts off on a bike.
I think you may be grossly underestimating how good modern biking clothing is.Also, the notion of rather spending your time stuck in traffic than making progress just seems utterly alien to me.
I would love a bike. They are terrific. However I just can't do it. Firstly I have seen how the standard of driving has got worse in the last 20 years. Secondly and more importantly I was involved in a fatal road accident involving a biker when I was 14. I can still see him roll out from under the car on my side. His neck was clearly broken. Us kids were ushered into a house while the police and ambulance arrived but I knew he was dead. That kind of stuff sticks with you. So i look at bikes and admire them but I can never get over that incident
For all the people worried abut the wind snapping their necks, try a Leatt brace. I'm evaluating one at the moment on my off roader, surprisingly easy to get on with, looks a bit odd, but rarely noticing it when in riding, even in the heat of battle. Bit pricey though, £330 odd for my model, but perhaps good peace of mind for those who live in windy areas!
archie456 said:
MarshPhantom said:
I'm not a biker but I know enough people that have been killed on bikes, two brothers killed in separate incidents for example. I also know people that have suffered terrible injuries. I don't know anyone that's been killed in a plane crash. I also don't know anyone that's been killed driving cars, riding pushbikes etc. The only people I know who have died in accidents have been bikers. And they were generally the bikers fault.
Sorry, but that's a fact.
I've been riding bikes for 38 years, and I knew 2 people who died in (separate) plane crashes, and another one on a bicycle, but no-one who died on a motorbike.Sorry, but that's a fact.
Sorry, but that's another fact.
Rawwr said:
This thread really has shown the ugly nature of an almost depressing number of posters and I'd like to address a few recurring points.
'Organ Donors'
This has the losing combination of being tired, insulting and offensive. Having a wry, smug smile across your face as you pass on this overused quasi-anecdotal gaff to a friend who has just purchased a bike is nothing but awful. It makes a mockery out of those of us who are organ donors and genuinely want to make a contribution to someone else's life after our death. If I was a more malicious person, I'd drop the notion of a being an organ donor just to make a point. So please, just stop it.
'Gimp Suits'
They do a job. Some people hate wearing them but I like all of mine and all three sets get very well looked after, cleaned and nourished to keep them in tip-top condition. I feel that it even adds something to the event of riding a bike, as well as making things feel more comfortable and natural. At this time of the year I tend to use my textiles more for commuting and they really don't look gimpy at all.
'One Trick Pony'
This is the one that made me raise most of my eyebrows. I love both cars and bikes and have been fortunate to own a couple of Elises and a 340R. I've also enjoyed driving things with badges that say 'GT2', 'F50' and stuff like that. For me, no matter how astonishing the cars were and how big of an erection they gave me, none of them can compare to a bike terms of tactility and sensation. The biking experience is just so much more... 3D.
I think a lot of this feeling comes from the position of your head. When you're driving a car your head, for the most part, stays in the same place, rotating on one axis as you take your obs. On a bike, your body position combined with the pitch, roll and lean of the bike means you're just getting more of an experience. It's really hard to put that into words so I'm going to quit whilst I'm behind.
The speed of bikes - particularly modern sports bikes - is fairly outrageous and is becoming evermore accessible due to some impressive electronics packages straight out of the factory but speed is still merely a byproduct of power and weight and for road riding it pales into insignificance next to everything else you're giving and receiving from the bike. Going through Coppice in a 340R is exciting and entertaining but going through Coppice on a bike for the first few times is just intense and incredible.
'Bikes are all dangerous'
I've paraphrased a bit but that seems to have been touted a few times. We're not all dangerous. I'll freely admit that on more than a couple of occasions I've witnessed some fairly shocking riding but they're definitely in the minority. Generally, I believe most bikers do have a reasonable sense of self-preservation and do actively try to mitigate any major personal disasters. I don't think I could ever say the same about cars. I wholly believe the vast majority of drivers on the road today don't meet what I would describe as a reasonable, safe standard.
'Harleys are too loud, annoying and ruin nice days'
Yes, that's true.
'Organ Donors'
This has the losing combination of being tired, insulting and offensive. Having a wry, smug smile across your face as you pass on this overused quasi-anecdotal gaff to a friend who has just purchased a bike is nothing but awful. It makes a mockery out of those of us who are organ donors and genuinely want to make a contribution to someone else's life after our death. If I was a more malicious person, I'd drop the notion of a being an organ donor just to make a point. So please, just stop it.
'Gimp Suits'
They do a job. Some people hate wearing them but I like all of mine and all three sets get very well looked after, cleaned and nourished to keep them in tip-top condition. I feel that it even adds something to the event of riding a bike, as well as making things feel more comfortable and natural. At this time of the year I tend to use my textiles more for commuting and they really don't look gimpy at all.
'One Trick Pony'
This is the one that made me raise most of my eyebrows. I love both cars and bikes and have been fortunate to own a couple of Elises and a 340R. I've also enjoyed driving things with badges that say 'GT2', 'F50' and stuff like that. For me, no matter how astonishing the cars were and how big of an erection they gave me, none of them can compare to a bike terms of tactility and sensation. The biking experience is just so much more... 3D.
I think a lot of this feeling comes from the position of your head. When you're driving a car your head, for the most part, stays in the same place, rotating on one axis as you take your obs. On a bike, your body position combined with the pitch, roll and lean of the bike means you're just getting more of an experience. It's really hard to put that into words so I'm going to quit whilst I'm behind.
The speed of bikes - particularly modern sports bikes - is fairly outrageous and is becoming evermore accessible due to some impressive electronics packages straight out of the factory but speed is still merely a byproduct of power and weight and for road riding it pales into insignificance next to everything else you're giving and receiving from the bike. Going through Coppice in a 340R is exciting and entertaining but going through Coppice on a bike for the first few times is just intense and incredible.
'Bikes are all dangerous'
I've paraphrased a bit but that seems to have been touted a few times. We're not all dangerous. I'll freely admit that on more than a couple of occasions I've witnessed some fairly shocking riding but they're definitely in the minority. Generally, I believe most bikers do have a reasonable sense of self-preservation and do actively try to mitigate any major personal disasters. I don't think I could ever say the same about cars. I wholly believe the vast majority of drivers on the road today don't meet what I would describe as a reasonable, safe standard.
'Harleys are too loud, annoying and ruin nice days'
Yes, that's true.
Great post, your not helping to put me off!
MarshPhantom said:
Tribal Chestnut said:
I've recently been commuting on the M25 from 19-10, don't know how the fk anyone could do such a stty journey on anything other than a bike. God awful road that is.
I'd rather spend an extra few minutes in a car than freeze my nuts off on a bike.k anyone could do such a stty journey on anything other than a bike. God awful road that is.Edited by Tribal Chestnut on Saturday 3rd October 08:19
Im a biker and a driver. I love cars, much prefer to chat about them and look at them. But for a method of transport bikes are so much better. The freedom you get is incredible. Especially when you ride regularly you really feel at one with the bike in a way no car short of a Caterham could.
VFM, thrills per £, call it what you like, but bikes certainly float my boat.
At a bike meet last week a guy had spent just £2,400 on a Yamaha R6 with a little cosmetic damage and high (for the model) 32,000 miles.
He had a small and light machine which revved to 15,000 rpm and it had a spine-chilling scream when he caned it on our ride-out. Fantastic handling bike, too.
That's a lot of smiles per quid, imo.
The mode of transport i never HAVE understood are trikes or bikes/sidecars. I know there are plenty of fans of these, but for me it's the worst of all worlds. You are stuck in traffic AND you get drowned! You surely want one of the two, the warm and dry or the ability to scratch round corners and get through traffic? Off road trikes and quads make perfect sense and i have had several sand machines, car and bike based but a bike and sidecar on the road? Why would you?
At a bike meet last week a guy had spent just £2,400 on a Yamaha R6 with a little cosmetic damage and high (for the model) 32,000 miles.
He had a small and light machine which revved to 15,000 rpm and it had a spine-chilling scream when he caned it on our ride-out. Fantastic handling bike, too.
That's a lot of smiles per quid, imo.
The mode of transport i never HAVE understood are trikes or bikes/sidecars. I know there are plenty of fans of these, but for me it's the worst of all worlds. You are stuck in traffic AND you get drowned! You surely want one of the two, the warm and dry or the ability to scratch round corners and get through traffic? Off road trikes and quads make perfect sense and i have had several sand machines, car and bike based but a bike and sidecar on the road? Why would you?
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