Do you ever envy those rocket ships with 1WD?
Discussion
RoverP6B said:
s3fella said:
Bike blown over by crosswind and they snapped their neck.....what both of them? What a load of Shyte! Someone's been pulling your pisser down the pub, fella!
Disastrous said:
Eh?? That doesn't even make sense.
I went to the funeral. I met the poor sod who found them, and the police officers who subsequently were called to the scene. Your dismissals of my account of what happened to my friends is deeply insulting.Motorbikes are not safe. Even when ridden responsibly without any other road users involved, you are far too much at the mercy of the elements, in a way a car simply is not. Even something daft like a Morgan 3-wheeler is infinitely safer than a bike.
julian64 said:
If I want to pop to the shops on a sunny day I don't suit up, the bike gets taken out with me wearing, well, whatever I'm wearing.
If you come off, even at quite modest speeds, the tarmac will shred your clothes and you'll be left with nasty, likely incurable road rash.Edited by RoverP6B on Friday 2nd October 15:45
Now, a cross wind may have caught out an inexperienced rider, and it pushed him across the road a bit and he hit a tree head on at 60mph......now that may have snapped their necks, but honestly, unless it was a tornado, the wind did not blow their bike over 180 degrees so they landed on their necks.
No less dead, but what you wrote is definitely b
ks. It cannot happen in the physical world!Unless they were on a 2 wheel version of this!?
Edited by s3fella on Friday 2nd October 17:11
Edited by s3fella on Friday 2nd October 17:12
[quote=Limpet]There simply isn't a feeling quite like accelerating hard on a big bike. You almost find yourself wondering how, in this elf 'n safety era such things are permitted.
quote]
haha, that is true, the acceleration is quite brutal, to the extent it can make vision a bit blurry, which isn't good at all!
quote]
haha, that is true, the acceleration is quite brutal, to the extent it can make vision a bit blurry, which isn't good at all!
RoverP6B said:
Even when the skin grows back, you never entirely get the tarmac out of the skin. The same thing happened to one girl who survived the Glasgow bin lorry crash.
bks. The nurses at A&E spent a good long time with a scrubbing brush getting it all out. It even tans the same colour as the rest of me.Honestly, where are you getting this nonsense from?
Yes, I miss my motorbike immensely :-( Managed 9 full years with one until my daughter arrived and a combination of money at the time and a sense of responsibility led me to selling my last one. A Suzuki SV1000. Had some amazing times though, was pretty much out every weekend between March and October every year, met some great people on the SV650 forum and visited some wonderful places (the annual weekend in Scotland was the best though!)
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.
s3fella said:
Seriously, the wind did not blow them over and snap their necks. Now, a cross wind may have caught out an inexperienced rider, and it pushed him across the road a bit and he hit a tree head on at 60mph......now that may have snapped their necks, but honestly, unless it was a tornado, the wind did not blow their bike over 180 degrees so they landed on their necks. No less dead, but what you wrote is definitely bks. It cannot happen in the physical world!
Rubbish. The bike was blown off the road, no trees, necks presumably broke on impact with the road. You do get quite strong winds around there, by the Tay estuary.ks. It cannot happen in the physical world!Disastrous said:
bks. The nurses at A&E spent a good long time with a scrubbing brush getting it all out. It even tans the same colour as the rest of me. Honestly, where are you getting this nonsense from?
The testimony of that Glasgow bin lorry crash survivor, and of various bikers I've spoken to over the years...ks. The nurses at A&E spent a good long time with a scrubbing brush getting it all out. It even tans the same colour as the rest of me. Honestly, where are you getting this nonsense from?RoverP6B said:
s3fella said:
Seriously, the wind did not blow them over and snap their necks. Now, a cross wind may have caught out an inexperienced rider, and it pushed him across the road a bit and he hit a tree head on at 60mph......now that may have snapped their necks, but honestly, unless it was a tornado, the wind did not blow their bike over 180 degrees so they landed on their necks. No less dead, but what you wrote is definitely bks. It cannot happen in the physical world!
Rubbish. The bike was blown off the road, no trees, necks presumably broke on impact with the road. You do get quite strong winds around there, by the Tay estuary.ks. It cannot happen in the physical world!They crashed their bike and broke their necks. Fair enough, that sounds plausible and sad to boot. But they were not blown over by the wind, they did not get blown off the bike by the wind, the bike was not blown up in the air and landed on their necks, by the wind, that is shyte.
They crashed. If wind was a factor, I'd suggest lack of experience, control and erroneous use of speed was probably a larger factor, and tbh, if the incident had all those factors, the fact they were on a bike probably only effected the extent of the eventual sad outcome.
This is getting a bit silly, what with the personal insults etc 
I'll add my thoughts though.
I've been on a reasonable bike before (750 something or other), and to be honest it did nothing for me. Yes I can see how someone would prefer that to a car but it's just not for me. I'm not saying I don't appreciate what they are and what they can do, and I'm fully aware that they are quicker than most things on the road. It's just my personal preference to be in a reasonably quick car.
Also I've been put off bikes even further recently having been involved in an RTA a year ago with a biker (and yes it was his fault)
We are all petrol heads at the end of the day and it shouldn't matter if we prefer cars or bikes...they should both be appreciated for what they are.
I'll add my thoughts though.
I've been on a reasonable bike before (750 something or other), and to be honest it did nothing for me. Yes I can see how someone would prefer that to a car but it's just not for me. I'm not saying I don't appreciate what they are and what they can do, and I'm fully aware that they are quicker than most things on the road. It's just my personal preference to be in a reasonably quick car.
Also I've been put off bikes even further recently having been involved in an RTA a year ago with a biker (and yes it was his fault)
We are all petrol heads at the end of the day and it shouldn't matter if we prefer cars or bikes...they should both be appreciated for what they are.
Fats25 said:
RoverP6B said:
Traffic is a PITA but at least I arrive at my destination merely frazzled.
I've been to too many biker funerals.
This is the line that really gets me. I've been to too many biker funerals.
I would say I have been to too many funerals in my life, but fortunately none of them caused by a bike accident, and as a biker myself I know quite a few bikers. 6 of them were in cars (all individual incidents). I currently drive to work every day, but the thought of my friends funerals does not cross my mind when I get in the car. Why do you think it would you, if you were to get on a bike?
I can understand the lack of interest in bikes, I don't like running*, but I know others that do (* replace the interest with any other hobby).
The fear aspect (from those that have not tried it), based upon others unfortunate circumstances is something I just cannot understand. I have 3 nephews, that are all petrified of going on a plane, because their mother is scared of flying. They have never been on a plane. They are all under the age of 10 though, and hopefully they will grow out of it. What a shame to be fearful of something you could love, just because of something someone else has told you, or something that has happened to someone else. Go and find out for yourself - life is too short, and you may love it. You may love it, and do your own risk assessment as others have done in this thread, and decide not to do anymore. At least you have tried.
That being said - I bought my Dad a bike lesson for his 60th birthday. I think he crashed 5 times on the lesson, and hated it! He did not have the patience or ability to do it. However he tried it, knows it is not for him, and now has a different dream to the one he had of riding a Harley around on his retirement - I think mostly involving drinking wine.
Sorry, but that's a fact.
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