Squid - or not?!

ha ha ha I like this thread! I'm gonna have to add some extra notes because I don't think it's all black and white.

-A newbie rider picks up his R6 from the dealer. He has taken the MSF course and is wearing helmet, leather jacket, gloves, boots and jeans.
Squid or not? Not as long as he goes easy on the throttle at first and gets familiar with the bike first before getting frisky. But if he tries to do a burnout in the dealership parking lot then YES a squid!

-Same rider above a month later takes off in shorts, T-shirt, and sandals, no helmet.
Squid or not?
If he's just doing a 10 mph test run around the neighborhood after changing the oil, replacing the chain, etc... NOT a squid. But if he's riding in streets and highways, Yes a gigantic SQUID!

-A ten year experienced rider with one piece suit and full gear, does a long wheelie down the interstate.
Squid or not?
If he's doing it with NO traffic around and he can do wheelies like a pro, Not a squid. BUT if he's doing it in rush hour traffic and/or doesn't know how to do a proper wheelie, yes a SQUID!!

-Same ten year rider and full gear does 200 miles of twisty backroads at a spirited pace. No wheelies, just twisties.
Squid or not?
Hmmm, I would have to add how the rider feels as he's running a spirited pace. If he feels like he's riding within his limits and he's not feeling, "Holy sh*t how did I just do that curve?!?!?!" then NOT a squid. But if his hands are shaking after he just did a kneedragging curve at 110+ mph then a squid!

-The entire class of MSF group starting out the course.
Squids or not?
The attitude here is a factor. If a classmate is just taking it to get it over with and doesn't want to learn anything. (Sometimes people take those MSF courses to avoid taking a road test for the MC license) Then I would declare that classmate a squid. But if the classmate really pays attention and wants to learn as much as he can about proper technique then NOT a squid.

-An experienced rider on a hot day grabs the helmet and takes off in a T-shirt, jeans and running shoes.
Squid or not?
Hmmm, a knee-jerk reaction would be squid but what if the rider is not even going above 30 mph? He could be just running to the store at 2 AM with no traffic. For that I'd have to say not a squid. But if the rider is going on the highway or is going in dense traffic area then yes a squid! With all the textile and warm-weather jacket they have no excuse for complaining about the heat. I've tried on textile jackets that are so light that it feels like I'm wearing a long sleeved shirt instead of a full-blown winter jacket.

-A 21 year old rider on a gixxer is riding in full gear.
Squid or not?
As long as the rider is riding within his limits and respects the safety of others then not a squid. But if he's going 100 mph in rush hour traffic then YES a squid! Stereotypically, ages between 18-23 are pretty bad ages for motorcycles but I have seen exceptions.

-Same 21 year old goes out later with helmet, jacket, gloves, but also jeans and running shoes.
Squid or not?
Same answer as above. Only exception is if he's going on a spirited ride in twisties he's really pushing the squid boundary. I have to say if you want to enjoy a spirited ride at least go for full gear!

-A 50 year old rider in full gear goes out for a day ride of nasty twisties. Then the next day, its hot and he decides to get out the Harley and go out for a cruise in a T-shirt and jeans, no helmet, just sunglasses.
Squid or not?
I don't care how old or how mature you are riding without a helmet is a BIG no-no so YES a squid.

 

-A newbie rider picks up his R6 from the dealer. He has taken the MSF course and is wearing helmet, leather jacket, gloves, boots and jeans.
Squid or not? NO Everyone has to start somewhere, he chose R6.

-Same rider above a month later takes off in shorts, T-shirt, and sandals, no helmet.
Squid or not? YES - Shorts are not proper riding apparel.

-A ten year experienced rider with one piece suit and full gear, does a long wheelie down the interstate.
Squid or not? YES - It does not matter how good you are at wheelies. This is squidly behavior.

-Same ten year rider and full gear does 200 miles of twisty backroads at a spirited pace. No wheelies, just twisties.
Squid or not? NO We all live for this.

-The entire class of MSF group starting out the course.
Squids or not? NO

-An experienced rider on a hot day grabs the helmet and takes off in a T-shirt, jeans and running shoes.
Squid or not? NO We've probably all done this at one time or another as well.

-A 21 year old rider on a gixxer is riding in full gear.
Squid or not? NO

-Same 21 year old goes out later with helmet, jacket, gloves, but also jeans and running shoes.
Squid or not? NO This (save for the running shoes) is my normal riding attire.

-A 50 year old rider in full gear goes out for a day ride of nasty twisties. Then the next day, its hot and he decides to get out the Harley and go out for a cruise in a T-shirt and jeans, no helmet, just sunglasses.
Squid or not? YES No helmet=stupid squid, regardless of age.

 

My comments are above. Age and lack of experience doth not a squid make but behaviour does.

 

LOL!

Joey has some good answers!

 

A squid comes in all shapes and sizes. A squid can use common sense every once in a while, and an ATGATT rider can act squidly. Squid is as squid does.
I have ridden in a shirt and shorts(on a closed course) but NEVER without a helmet.

 

-A newbie rider picks up his R6 from the dealer. He has taken the MSF course and is wearing helmet, leather jacket, gloves, boots and jeans.

Depends. Is he respectful of the bike he has just bought? Is there a touch of fear in his eyes? Or is he talking about draggin knee like those AMA racers Rossi and Hayden.

-Same rider above a month later takes off in shorts, T-shirt, and sandals, no helmet.

If they are testing something in the neighborhood and not acting like a goon...then no.

-A ten year experienced rider with one piece suit and full gear, does a long wheelie down the interstate.

Lol. If there's no traffic around and the only that gets hurt is him and he knows this...or if he accepts the LEO yanking his ass over..then no, not a squid. Otherwise...squid

-Same ten year rider and full gear does 200 miles of twisty backroads at a spirited pace. No wheelies, just twisties.

Uh ya...defined spirted? Are they staying within their lane and otherwise abiding by the "spirt" of the law? If they are over their head, squid.

-The entire class of MSF group starting out the course.

How many of them are Ricky Racer? Or the next number one stunta?

-An experienced rider on a hot day grabs the helmet and takes off in a T-shirt, jeans and running shoes.

Prolly pretty squidly....but I've done it and so has a lot of others.

-A 21 year old rider on a gixxer is riding in full gear.

How is he riding?

-Same 21 year old goes out later with helmet, jacket, gloves, but also jeans and running shoes.

That's normal riding gear for some, again how are they riding?

-A 50 year old rider in full gear goes out for a day ride of nasty twisties. Then the next day, its hot and he decides to get out the Harley and go out for a cruise in a T-shirt and jeans, no helmet, just sunglasses.

Ya that's a squid.

 

yeah, what VT Viffer said!

 

I'd say Joey hit this one out of the park.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

So are Italian squids calamari?

Referencing a column written by Marilyn Vos Savant who has one of the highest IQ's recorded, when asked what it would be like if we were all the same, her response was that it would really be easy to get a boring date.

 

Lot of grey area that is for sure:wacko:

 

The gray matter will eventually leave the squid's skull. I think Joey had the answer sheet.

 

Very insightful Joey

 

Ha ha ha Nozzle, I'm just passionate about enjoying driving. I'm going to get into a rant, just a warning.

I hate how the law dictates you have to follow a certain speed no matter how experienced/inexperienced you are and how cops assume that because you're going above the speed limit that you're a danger to society.

If speeding truly is dangerous then highways with 70 mph speed limits would be death traps where hospitals would have to be right next to them so they can process the inevitable flow of bodies. Same thing applies for Germany where they have autobahns.

The REAL danger is lack of attention to the driving task. I know several people who always follow the speed limit but they scare me sometimes when I ride with them in their cage. Why? They don't pay attention. There's this coworker who drives us to lunch sometimes and I literally have to be a backseat driver because there was more than one occassion I saved us from an accident. Oh and most of them were under 25 mph and the coworker was talking to someone else in the car.

Plus I have an aunt and she scares me too because she freaks out easily and lets her emotions drive her. She's gotten into some pretty nasty accidents when she was following the speed limit.

One time I was on a highway in my cage and I saw a construction truck ahead of me. A metallic cylinder object fell off the truck and started heading toward me. But I remained in control and looked to the left before attempting a left turn. Nope, a car was to the left so I looked to the right and a car is on the right too. Plus a car was behind me so I couldn't slam the brakes. I decided then I will have to literally eat it and let the cylinder object hit my car otherwise I'd be involved in a multicar pileup.

Fortunately it was just a fllimsy aluminum tube and it went under my car harmlessly. Oh, and I was going at least 85 in a 65 mph zone. So much for speed kills argument.

I wish there was a better approach to road safety than just one speed limit for everyone but I doubt that'll happen in my lifetime so I just gotta do what I can to get away with it.

 

I'm even more lazy, what he said.