inexperienced Bonehead riders

[speed]

Hey everyone,

Is it me or are there a lot of inexperienced riders on the roads lately , and Im talking on sport bikes for now. I see them everywhere, they take off from a light and ether drag there feet for 100 to 200 feet or try to walk the bike to speed ? yeah we saw that one last night on the way to dinner and at the next light i had to ask him ( how long have you been riding ) no reply.

They get on a freeway and take the curves in the gravel, haullin ass in between slow cars in the right lane. how often do they have to change clutches with the way they slip them ? how did these people pass any of the D M V test ? definitely never have been threw a motorcycle course of any type, Some of these folks just make me cringe, you know its just a matter of time before they kill another nice bike or them selfs.

I for one DO NOT want big brother watching me much less telling me what to do, but maybe a motorcycle safety course should be mandatory to get a license ? something should be done to make new riders aware of the correct riding teckneks ,

Whats your feelings ? maybe its just southern California ?
and then theres the HD that have to twist the throttle as they go by ?
and no i don't wanna start another HD bashing i just am concerned about the inexperienced fellow riders out there ?

[jasonsmith]

The majority of what you speak of could all be cured with a brain. Inexperience may lead to a foot drag of a few feet but am fairly sure there is some grey matter shorting out with those fellers.

[Alaskan]

I have not seen this where I live in Alaska. Or in Oregon or Northern CA, for that matter. Squids, sure, but not incompetent riders.

[speed]

come to southern calif and get your fill

[drewl]

I would step out on a limb and say that many of these people do not even have a moto permit. It seems riding without a license is quite common.

[KC-10 FE]

It's not just Commiefornia, it's everywhere. Here at KWRI, every single MSF class is booked solid until the end of August with 4 standby's in every class.

With benzin bleifrei costing $4+ a gallon, what do you expect?

KC-10 FE out...

[vintagehondarider]

Hi,
So sorry to read about your little girl. I'll remember her.
About fools on bikes, I've thought for awhile now that for 600 cc ownership you should be 25 minimum. But then, I don't want anymore gov't involvement either. I guess education is the key.
I went on my first weekly Tues. night ride today with the Redemption Riders. Only 18 bikes showed up, weather was in the 50's. My VF500F was the only sport bike.Their site is rrmm.org. It started here in SW Mich, and is slowly spreading. Maybe you could start a chapter!
Ride on brother.

Vintagehondarider

1st Gen. Battalion

[300shooter]

I think maybe gas prices are driving folks to get a bike when in some cases they have no business being on two wheels . I'm seeing alot more people at work getting bikes but what gets me is that most of 'em , even if they take the MSF course are going straight out and dropping 30k on a new 800 lb. "HOG" that they inevitably drop within a month. I went on the "ride for dad" this weekend and was just cringing at some of the stuff I saw, one gal in particular had her entire face covered in road rash from going down and low and behold.. beanie helmet,tank top,cutoff shorts.

[Bubba Zanetti]

Originally Posted by drewl

I would step out on a limb and say that many of these people do not even have a moto permit. It seems riding without a license is quite common.

You hit the nail on the head drewl.

A mandatory MSF class to get a motorcycle endorsement is not Big Brother crawling up our butts. It makes good commen sense and I think the statistics for the past 30 years, primarily the Hurt Report, would emphasize this.

On a funny side note, my buddy Jeff, well his wife actually says smartass comments to people at lights when they do not wear gear or rev their loud piped bikes. Some of the stories have had me in stiches. She is a pretty girl so I think when she starts rolling down her window the turds think she'll say nice bike or thats a cool bike, but instead she says Hey pal, were a f&#%&^g helmet! Or Your bike sounds like S#@$!

She still has not had anybody say something back, they apparently just stare in disbelief that they could be anything but cool. And having a hot girl say it to them is all the better.

BZ

BZ

[rolling]

Draging the feet is a sign of 1/4 mile racing habits. Good tec for the track not for the steet.

[Seattle]

Most of the folks they passed in my MSF class have no business on the street.

Three East Indian guys could hardley ride their bikes even after two days on the course. I shuddered when they squeaked by on their tests. Another guy was so overweight he struggled to keep the bike (cb125) balanced. When he was heading down to the dealership the following Monday to purchase a Valkyrie.

[Lgn001]

Well, if we (as a species) were going to be serious and responsible about not giving licenses to those not qualified to ride OR drive a motor vehicle, we wouldn't have this post to respond to...

Seriously, though, I think every street rider should start on a small dirt bike, slide around a lot and fall a few times. It really is a sinking feeling knowing that somebody you just saw wobbling down the road is most likely going to get hurt before they develop any skills worth having. It could be worse, though. They could be driving a 4000 pound SUV... Oh, wait... never mind!

[Bubba Zanetti]

Originally Posted by Seattle

Most of the folks they passed in my MSF class have no business on the street.

Three East Indian guys could hardley ride their bikes even after two days on the course. I shuddered when they squeaked by on their tests. Another guy was so overweight he struggled to keep the bike (cb125) balanced. When he was heading down to the dealership the following Monday to purchase a Valkyrie.

From what I understand the 'old' MSF course was much more gruling and hard. A few years ago it was streamlined and made 'better' and some of the older coaches opinions with regards to how its taught to participants agree that the teaching is better, but all of them complain the exercises have been dumbed waaayyy down. Thus, those really shaky people sometimes sqeak by Its a tough thing to watch Seattle, but I can tell you when we go over someones score individually and alone, we have a real heart to heart about waht bike they want and the reality of what riding skills they possess at the moment.

I've seen some of the old exercises and man they are fun but some are tough. Alot of slow tight turn manuvering. People complain about the 20 foot box exercise, well there are 3 exercises that equal that one just it involves cones instead of painted lines in the old exercises.

BZ

[VsVFR]

You know I noticed while taking my kids to the Land Between the Lakes this past weekend I actually counted 3 times as many H/D riders wearing helmets than sportbike riders. I didn't see a single sportbike rider wearing a helmet until I had returned home and watched a neighbor go buy with his girlfriend. Now they were both in tank tops and shorts, but at least they had helmets on. As for the rest I just get frustrated. We have laws that require cage drivers to wear seat belts but actually allow motorcycle riders to choose not to wear protective gear.

Personally I started on a 250 ninja and after riding the wheels off that bike for 2 years I finally moved up. I recommend that to every kid that ever asks me what would make a great first bike. And then they usually laugh at me and go buy a "Gixxer or a Busa" and either wreck it or sell it in around 3 months. Darwinism at its best!!

[Alaskan]

A recipe for a good rider:

Start on a small dirt bike (125 cc) and ride the crap out of it in the dirt.

Start riding at a young age! Like 14 or 15. Don't start riding a street bike when you turn 50 years old.

Make sure your first road bike is gutless.

Take the MSF course even if you think you don't need it.

[barleymashers]

I am a new rider who took the MSF course last year. Out of the 15 people in the class, only 2 people did not make it. It was easy to tell from the start that the one guy was having difficulty, during the break the instructors would spend that time with him to see if he could get better. At the end of the first day they told him not to come back, that riding just wasn't for him. The other person just didn't show up for day 3.

I thought the class was good, provided fundamentals of what to do, but it was still a shock to me to get out into the real world on a real bike. It took me a whole year to actually consider getting a bike (lots of issues for me here in NJ: road conditions, idiot drivers and lots of traffic) after taking the course. So I went to Florida to visit my sister who rides a ZX11, I rode that and she road her husbands Honda (not sure, looks Harley-ish). For a few days she took me out and we did drills, working my way up into highway situations and all to where I got to the point of being comfortable with a larger bike and highway speeds (I don't think I even got passed 30-35 miles per hour in class - kind of insane when you think about it). She provided feedback on stuff I was doing wrong, it helped me immensely. When I got back, I finally felt ready to purchase my own bike (2003 Silver VFR) and ride. For the first few days I basically went to a parking lot and practiced turning, circles and stops and starts.

So while I agree that class should be the starting point for any rider, I think that it is just the beginning, people should be practicing with there new bike from the get go to make themselves better riders, which doesn't seem to happen. Almost any idiot can take the course, pass it, get their license and then forget everything and be a nuisance on the road - they have to want to be good riders and I think that is where things breakdown.

[VsVFR]

I agree Barleymasher, for most newbies out there riding is just a passing fad. Not something they put enough effort into to truly learn, just something they do to fit in. And unfortunately it is a very dangerous fad for most.

People should take the time to practice, and like you said hit the parking lots. After I got my 250 and headed to the house, I was scared poopless. So following the manufacturers recommended break in, I spent about 2 weeks just travelling lightly trafficked back roads and large church parking lots, breaking the bike as well as myself in!

[mello dude]

Originally Posted by speed

Hey everyone,

Some of these folks just make me cringe, you know its just a matter of time before they kill another nice bike or them selfs.

I for one DO NOT want big brother watching me much less telling me what to do, but maybe a motorcycle safety course should be mandatory to get a license ? something should be done to make new riders aware of the correct riding teckneks ,
i just am concerned about the inexperienced fellow riders out there ?

I kinda chopped up your quote but I'm with ya. Recently I have just seen one too many newbies wreck or kill themselfs within days of buying the new bike.
When I go to the dealer and see a newbie buying a bike, I just cringe.
I just want newbies to stay alive and make it to long time rider lifestyle.

I have been wondering if experienced riders start some kind of group --
"mentors" if you will. Advertise in the paper or dealers and take newbies out for training runs.

Then also I dont like the big brother at all too, but I'm damn close to the mandantory MSF as a requirement for license.

MD