Why dont more people ride bikes? Why is there a general...
Discussion
Motorbikes are absolutely fantastic. Very similarly to you I bought my first bike at the age of 16 and have been riding on road with them since then (now 21) as well as doing my car licence at 17. I would say the reason it's not done by everyone is they're scared (bikes are more dangerous than cars), the cost of running two vehicles (they would choose the car as it's certainly the more 'sensible' option most of the time)and finally family members/ girlfriends not letting them get one because of the danger factor.
For me there's very little that can come close to dropping a gear and full throttling on my fireblade. Absolutely insane feeling. LordBenny you don't have to start off with a superbike you know, if you think you can't control something with massive power as a first bike, why not get something small until then?
For me there's very little that can come close to dropping a gear and full throttling on my fireblade. Absolutely insane feeling. LordBenny you don't have to start off with a superbike you know, if you think you can't control something with massive power as a first bike, why not get something small until then?
I've never even sat on a bike, just ever really had any interest in them TBH. Speaking as an outsider looking in, I wouldn't know where to start in order to pick up a interest in them...not trying to sound like a troll, but they all look the same to me.
One thing that put me off was that I've known only three bikers in my life and they all went on like they had something to prove. I'm sure it's only a coincidence, I wasn't trying to make it sound like all bikers were t
ts.
One thing that put me off was that I've known only three bikers in my life and they all went on like they had something to prove. I'm sure it's only a coincidence, I wasn't trying to make it sound like all bikers were t
ts.I passed my test when I was 17 and I'm now 48. I have a Street Triple now, which doesn't get much use and I do think about accidents but when I'm on it, I love it. The concentration that you command is amazing and far better than when I am driving my car. Certainly wakes you up on the morning commute through heavy traffic.
I had a bad smash in 2003 and was off work for 2 months and with 3 young kids, I decided that I had had my bike time, continental thrashes to the South of France, trips to the TT, worked as a dispatch rider for 2 years and even raced a Yammy RD250LC production a few times, so I sold the wreck and my kit and gave up.
But I couldn't stay away and after an out of the blue heart attack a couple of years ago, I decided that surely it would be better to die in a screaming fireball then lying in a hospital bed, so a month after getting out I was back on a motorcycle again.
I had a bad smash in 2003 and was off work for 2 months and with 3 young kids, I decided that I had had my bike time, continental thrashes to the South of France, trips to the TT, worked as a dispatch rider for 2 years and even raced a Yammy RD250LC production a few times, so I sold the wreck and my kit and gave up.
But I couldn't stay away and after an out of the blue heart attack a couple of years ago, I decided that surely it would be better to die in a screaming fireball then lying in a hospital bed, so a month after getting out I was back on a motorcycle again.
Bikes are great and more people should ride them, but they do require concentration and a level of mechanical sympathy that modern cars allow people to get away without.
In my case, before getting a motorbike I was a fairly good mountain biker on loose surfaces, had ridden bicycles on urban roads a lot and was a keen driver.
<clutches luck rabbit's foot, heather and a bag of horseshoes>
I have/do ride a bike in almost all weathers and all kinds of conditions and like 'making progress'.
There is a lot of talk about other road users, but in my few years of biking, I've thankfully not had a situation in which somebody has pulled out on me for which I'd not been prepared.
That's not to say it doesn't happen and that I'm superhuman, but it is in my own interest to:
1 Not hoon past side roads with gay abandon,
2 Make myself visible to others by my road position and not to approach people too quickly when they won't be expecting it
3 Assume that people haven't seen me and that they might pull out on me.
Observation, anticipation and covering the front (or rear if going slowly) brake and even slowing down in hazardous situations make a massive difference.
The fact is that a car never came from nowhere when it pulled out on a biker.
If you can't see what is ahead or into a side road or behind parked cars, be ready for the possibility that somebody might just drive out in front of you and visualise what you would do if they did.
-If you are going fast, could you stop?
Practising emergency stops so that you don't panic skid or just fail to brake will also make a big difference.
A lot of inexperienced riders don't seem interested in becoming better riders and a lot of people don't ride often enough to attain a good degree of smoothness and 'instinctiveness' on a bike.
Bikes are great.
<shakes the good luck charms again>
In my case, before getting a motorbike I was a fairly good mountain biker on loose surfaces, had ridden bicycles on urban roads a lot and was a keen driver.
<clutches luck rabbit's foot, heather and a bag of horseshoes>
I have/do ride a bike in almost all weathers and all kinds of conditions and like 'making progress'.
There is a lot of talk about other road users, but in my few years of biking, I've thankfully not had a situation in which somebody has pulled out on me for which I'd not been prepared.
That's not to say it doesn't happen and that I'm superhuman, but it is in my own interest to:
1 Not hoon past side roads with gay abandon,
2 Make myself visible to others by my road position and not to approach people too quickly when they won't be expecting it
3 Assume that people haven't seen me and that they might pull out on me.
Observation, anticipation and covering the front (or rear if going slowly) brake and even slowing down in hazardous situations make a massive difference.
The fact is that a car never came from nowhere when it pulled out on a biker.
If you can't see what is ahead or into a side road or behind parked cars, be ready for the possibility that somebody might just drive out in front of you and visualise what you would do if they did.
-If you are going fast, could you stop?
Practising emergency stops so that you don't panic skid or just fail to brake will also make a big difference.
A lot of inexperienced riders don't seem interested in becoming better riders and a lot of people don't ride often enough to attain a good degree of smoothness and 'instinctiveness' on a bike.
Bikes are great.
<shakes the good luck charms again>
Edited by MC Bodge on Tuesday 7th June 20:47
croyde said:
I passed my test when I was 17 and I'm now 48. I have a Street Triple now, which doesn't get much use and I do think about accidents but when I'm on it, I love it. The concentration that you command is amazing and far better than when I am driving my car. Certainly wakes you up on the morning commute through heavy traffic.
I had a bad smash in 2003 and was off work for 2 months and with 3 young kids, I decided that I had had my bike time, continental thrashes to the South of France, trips to the TT, worked as a dispatch rider for 2 years and even raced a Yammy RD250LC production a few times, so I sold the wreck and my kit and gave up.
But I couldn't stay away and after an out of the blue heart attack a couple of years ago, I decided that surely it would be better to die in a screaming fireball then lying in a hospital bed, so a month after getting out I was back on a motorcycle again.
+1!! nearly gave up myself , but just couldn't do it , nothing but nothing comes close to a litre bike in any sense (although i love any size bike , absolutely anything!! )I had a bad smash in 2003 and was off work for 2 months and with 3 young kids, I decided that I had had my bike time, continental thrashes to the South of France, trips to the TT, worked as a dispatch rider for 2 years and even raced a Yammy RD250LC production a few times, so I sold the wreck and my kit and gave up.
But I couldn't stay away and after an out of the blue heart attack a couple of years ago, I decided that surely it would be better to die in a screaming fireball then lying in a hospital bed, so a month after getting out I was back on a motorcycle again.
I agree with all the safety posts above and I, too don't have the balls to ride a bike. BUT, I do keep looking at these -
http://en-gb.spyder.brp.com/showroom/all-series.as...
and wondering........
I realise that they don't have weather protection and safety of a car or the manouverability of a bike, but I do quite like them!
(runs away and hides from the onslaught of the bikers on here
)
http://en-gb.spyder.brp.com/showroom/all-series.as...
and wondering........
I realise that they don't have weather protection and safety of a car or the manouverability of a bike, but I do quite like them!
(runs away and hides from the onslaught of the bikers on here
)JONSCZ said:
I agree with all the safety posts above and I, too don't have the balls to ride a bike. BUT, I do keep looking at these -
http://en-gb.spyder.brp.com/showroom/all-series.as...
and wondering........
I realise that they don't have weather protection and safety of a car or the manouverability of a bike, but I do quite like them!
(runs away and hides from the onslaught of the bikers on here)
Pretty pointless in traffic as you might as well be in the comfort of your air conditioned car. I can see it's appeal to some people though.http://en-gb.spyder.brp.com/showroom/all-series.as...
and wondering........
I realise that they don't have weather protection and safety of a car or the manouverability of a bike, but I do quite like them!
(runs away and hides from the onslaught of the bikers on here
)Hmmm. Great to watch on a track - love the technology - I'd like a Ducati on the lounge wall!
BUT
My neighbour lost a leg in a bike accident which f***ked up his scuba diving hobby amongst other things and I lost a good friend who ran straight into a ute/pickup that was on the wrong side of the road. I got the identify the body
So, not for me. My sons have luckily stuck to 4 wheels.
BUT
My neighbour lost a leg in a bike accident which f***ked up his scuba diving hobby amongst other things and I lost a good friend who ran straight into a ute/pickup that was on the wrong side of the road. I got the identify the body
So, not for me. My sons have luckily stuck to 4 wheels.
Friend of mine had an accident near Westminster Bridge. A car coming toward him made a right turn in his path. He has extremelt limited use of his right arm, suffered a smashed hip and walks with difficulty now, he will probably need a hip replacement sometime soon.
One of my work colleagues was killed in 2009 in a motorbike accident on the way home from work
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_rider_s_death_c...
So simple really, I don't want to be disabled, or dead.
One of my work colleagues was killed in 2009 in a motorbike accident on the way home from work
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_rider_s_death_c...
So simple really, I don't want to be disabled, or dead.
When weather is good, when I want to go out for no other reason than because I can, for cheaper insurance, for cheaper fuel costs, for the sheer excitement: I have a modest honda 600cc street bike
Weather indifferent, when I need to travel, higher insurance but safer, more fuel hungry but comfortable air-con and leather seats and for looking at it: I have a modest mk2 TT
At 26 I want to drive and ride for the next 50 years - not just 1 fast afternoon. Pick the suitable machine for the conditions. Drive said machine at the correct speed for the conditions. Enjoy pistons at 6,000rpm or 14,000rpm
Weather indifferent, when I need to travel, higher insurance but safer, more fuel hungry but comfortable air-con and leather seats and for looking at it: I have a modest mk2 TT
At 26 I want to drive and ride for the next 50 years - not just 1 fast afternoon. Pick the suitable machine for the conditions. Drive said machine at the correct speed for the conditions. Enjoy pistons at 6,000rpm or 14,000rpm
Really struggling not to bite to some of the stupid posts about death, injury, carnage etc etc. My own experience is I know more people killed or seriously injured in car accidents, than in bike accidents, but I am not sure that is relevant to this thread.
There are inherently more risks to riding a bike, not least balance, than driving a car, and i am sure that is known by all bikers. However they are still ridden. I appreciate people have a fear of them, but a bit like people are scared of spiders or flying, I don't get it.
I was fortunate, I always wanted to ride a bike, and finally could justify the cost of my test, all the gear and my first bike when I was 28. Probably the best thing I ever did and cannot see me ever not having a bike.
I still like my cars, but cars are for comfort, bikes are for fun!
There are inherently more risks to riding a bike, not least balance, than driving a car, and i am sure that is known by all bikers. However they are still ridden. I appreciate people have a fear of them, but a bit like people are scared of spiders or flying, I don't get it.
I was fortunate, I always wanted to ride a bike, and finally could justify the cost of my test, all the gear and my first bike when I was 28. Probably the best thing I ever did and cannot see me ever not having a bike.
I still like my cars, but cars are for comfort, bikes are for fun!
Fats25 said:
Really struggling not to bite to some of the stupid posts about death, injury, carnage etc etc. My own experience is I know more people killed or seriously injured in car accidents, than in bike accidents, but I am not sure that is relevant to this thread.
There are inherently more risks to riding a bike, not least balance, than driving a car, and i am sure that is known by all bikers. However they are still ridden. I appreciate people have a fear of them, but a bit like people are scared of spiders or flying, I don't get it.
I'm not scared of the bike - I'm scared of other fukwit road users putting me in a wooden boxThere are inherently more risks to riding a bike, not least balance, than driving a car, and i am sure that is known by all bikers. However they are still ridden. I appreciate people have a fear of them, but a bit like people are scared of spiders or flying, I don't get it.
Drive Blind said:
I'm not scared of the bike - I'm scared of other fukwit road users putting me in a wooden box
Are you also scared of crossing the road? Those same fukwit road users may not notice you there either. I am more fearful of the silent assasin (tram) in Croydon getting me on a workday than I am of my commute in on the bike. You are missing out on some great fun, through your perceived incompetence of others...... A bit sad really.
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