I haven't been riding that long, but I have been told by numerous people how dangerous it is. Looking at statistics, it's generally alcohol, speed, or testosterone induced idiocy that causes motorcycle related casualties. Most accidents can be prevented by simple common sense and looking 12 seconds ahead of you.

What I am posting about is a trend I have seen. I am a fan of sport bikes, so don't think I am knocking it, but I have seen more inexperienced idiots on Ninjas, Nighthawks, etc. than anywhere else.

Teaching my girlfriend a couple driving lessons, a guy on a Nighthawk came out of a corner in the wrong lane as we were making a legal turn and if I hadn't grabbed the wheel and pulled the car off the road he would have been hurt.

Driving my family's Ram 1500 down 131 at about 85 a Ninja came out of nowhere(literally, I could see a mile either direction). The Ninja came up and walked by me like I was standing still.

An electric green Yamaha was riding me in traffic. I braked for a yellow light, and he shot by me through a red light. People had to stop for him as another light turned green for a left. If they hadn't seen him who knows what would have happened.

A friend of mine was riding through the S-curves in GR. He had a Ninja 636, almost brand new rebuild with modifications. He shot through the curve at 125mph, and beat his bike to the median by a quarter second and woke up in the hospital missing skin.

These kind of things make me so angry. I answer for their mistakes to everyone that chews on me about riding. I explain to my fiancee every couple weeks after every cycle crash in the news how it was the rider's fault for going so fast through a dangerous area. I pay higher insurance because they give my age bracket a bad name.

I like to ride hard too, but there's a difference between the occasional holeshot and riding at 130+ mph in rush hour traffic on the freeway.

 

Agreed! I was in Port Angeles Wa on Saturday, and a group of 15 riders on crotch rockets came around us, and I was like WTF guys? They were riding twice the speed limit and weaving in and out and even riding down between cars. IDIOTS!

 

Welcome Ponchodude. (I can tell you some GREAT Pontiac stories...)
STUPID PEOPLE are the most dangerous, regardless of activity. Stay away from them.
Glad to have you aboard.

 

Some very valid points. Having ridded for many years I now have engraved on the inside of my skull "Do not dump bike". I play the game in traffic, have eyes everywhere, check my 6 for the tailgaters and observe the environment I'm riding in but I pick my place to play silly buggers.

gammac

 

indeed, I had my moments,,,,well still do actually. Why track time is more cost worthy and more fun in the end.

 

"Why track time is more cost worthy and more fun in the end."
Yes. The environment is better and there's somebody on hand to pick up the pieces if necessary but you still get some heroes who provide free entertainment.

gammac

 

insurance statistics show that the vast majority of motorcycle accidents are by riders with less than a year of experience.