To all my friends...

[Rcmutz]

It is not just the soccer moms, it is DISTRACTED drivers in general. WHAT the HELL is so important that you have to respond to a text message while driving?????

 

[genna]

I've gone through on-off times riding.

Bought my first one in December 2004, a 1984 Kawasaki KZ700 with over 100,000 miles on it. Lied to my mom and told her a friend asked me to pick it up for him when she yelled about having it in the back of my pickup. Kept that for 6 months, sold it for a profit. At the end of the summer I picked up a Suzuki Bandit 1200S (similar to the one @jesse had, although mine was older). Kept that around 9 months, sold it for a profit, too. I rode the Bandit to my MSF courses when I took those.

I lied about my first bike too. Honda CBR-F2. Had it for about 3 years while in college. Always pretended it was my friend's bike. He was on the title for that purpose, but i paid for it. I literally looked through couch cushions for change to come up with the money to buy it. Only 4 motorcycles and 1 scooter over 23 years though. Last 2(owned for 17 and 11 years) and a scooter(2 years) are still in the garage.

 

[Zeldman]

In 1984 I bought a Honda 350F. The 4 cylinder version. I really didn't know what I had until years later.

It not just cars that need to watch out. In 1988 I was with a friend in his pickup. We were sitting at a red light when WHAM.!!! Something hit us from the rear. Some kid and his crotch rocket slammed into the rear of the truck. He landed in the bed of the truck. He was still unconscious as the med crew carried him away. Witnesses stated that he never let off the throttle before impact.

 

[Ted]

I lied about my first bike too. Honda CBR-F2. Had it for about 3 years while in college. Always pretended it was my friend's bike. He was on the title for that purpose, but i paid for it. I literally looked through couch cushions for change to come up with the money to buy it. Only 4 motorcycles and 1 scooter over 23 years though. Last 2(owned for 17 and 11 years) and a scooter(2 years) are still in the garage.

My mom didn't encourage (or want) an open relationship with me, so she made it clear (even verbally instructed me) to either not tell her or lie to her about certain things. Flying was one of them, although I decided to tell her after my first solo.

The motorcycle was interesting. My mom is a very oblivious person. I picked it up in NYC over Christmas, put it in the back of my truck, and figured she might not even come outside when I loaded stuff up in the truck to leave. She did, yelled "WHAT IS THAT?!" and I casually said my roommate found a good deal on it and asked me to pick it up. That worked. Eventually I did tell her I started riding when I took the MSF course that Cliff was one of the instructors in. After that he introduced me to CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association). Cliff and others showed up to my college graduation on their bikes, in their leathers. It was great.

I let mom think I gave up riding, which is just fine.

 

[genna]

My mom didn't encourage (or want) an open relationship with me, so she made it clear (even verbally instructed me) to either not tell her or lie to her about certain things. Flying was one of them, although I decided to tell her after my first solo.

The motorcycle was interesting. My mom is a very oblivious person. I picked it up in NYC over Christmas, put it in the back of my truck, and figured she might not even come outside when I loaded stuff up in the truck to leave. She did, yelled "WHAT IS THAT?!" and I casually said my roommate found a good deal on it and asked me to pick it up. That worked. Eventually I did tell her I started riding when I took the MSF course that Cliff was one of the instructors in. After that he introduced me to CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association). Cliff and others showed up to my college graduation on their bikes, in their leathers. It was great.

I let mom think I gave up riding, which is just fine.

My parents are really odd about motorcycles and adventures that i get myself into. That first bike I never admitted to owning, but i didn't hide(but also not flaunted) the fact that i rode it from near the beginning. With the next bike(a few years later after a break), I just brought it home. Cries and yelling ensued for about half hour until it sunk in. Next we are drinking to celebrate the purchase(Russian thing). A week later my mom asks me to take her for a ride....

Flying, skydiving never really scared her that much. I didn't hide it at all. I only recently took my mom first time for a plane ride. She loved it and was very proud of me. Dad.... nope. Won't even entertain the idea. He's afraid of heights and no matter how i explain to him that it's not the same thing, he doesn't budge.

 

[Norman]

My mom didn't encourage (or want) an open relationship with me, so she made it clear (even verbally instructed me) to either not tell her or lie to her about certain things. Flying was one of them, although I decided to tell her after my first solo.

The motorcycle was interesting. My mom is a very oblivious person. I picked it up in NYC over Christmas, put it in the back of my truck, and figured she might not even come outside when I loaded stuff up in the truck to leave. She did, yelled "WHAT IS THAT?!" and I casually said my roommate found a good deal on it and asked me to pick it up. That worked. Eventually I did tell her I started riding when I took the MSF course that Cliff was one of the instructors in. After that he introduced me to CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association). Cliff and others showed up to my college graduation on their bikes, in their leathers. It was great.

I let mom think I gave up riding, which is just fine.

Ted,

While I make no judgments regarding accuracy on your previous posts I have something to toss into the mix. I think I have a handle on Ben's death Not willing to post my feelings here but am open to discussion in PM's. The latent detective in me seeks answers.

 

[Bill]

My parents are really odd about motorcycles and adventures that i get myself into. That first bike I never admitted to owning

My parents were a strict no on motorcycles, so when I got off to college I bought the RD350 then the SR500. Both college town beater bikes, both rough and cheap. They served the purpose, basic college transportation. After getting out of school and saving some cash I started buying nicer bikes, and since I was off the payroll my parents could object but had no influence.

 

[BigBadLou]

Ted, sorry for your loss, it is not easy to lose a friend.

It is not just the soccer moms, it is DISTRACTED drivers in general. WHAT the HELL is so important that you have to respond to a text message while driving?????

IMHO (and y'all have the right to disagree), if the system started charging "distracted" (aka dumb) drivers the correct way, such as with murder or at least manslaughter, it should scare the dumb general populace enough to drop this "accident" rate.

If a driver ventures onto a sidewalk and kills a mom with a baby, it is all of a sudden an "assault with a deadly weapon". But killing a bicyclist or motorcyclist on the road is just an "accident" because such things happen, right? It seems like just the wrong kind of perspective. *shrug*

I used to ride. It was a lot of fun, while I was in charge of my own life. But when in the vicinity of a lot of idiots, I felt endangered pretty much every day. So I hung it up.
That's why I fly. Not as many dumb retards up there.

Go fly, people, it is much safer up there.

 

[Ted]

I used to ride. It was a lot of fun, while I was in charge of my own life. But when in the vicinity of a lot of idiots, I felt endangered pretty much every day. So I hung it up.
That's why I fly. Not as many dumb retards up there.

Go fly, people, it is much safer up there.

There's a lot to that. One of the things I like about flying vs. riding is that if I die in a plane crash, it was probably my own fault. If I die in a motorcycle crash, it was probably someone else's fault.

 

[Sac Arrow]

In 1984 I bought a Honda 350F. The 4 cylinder version. I really didn't know what I had until years later.

It not just cars that need to watch out. In 1988 I was with a friend in his pickup. We were sitting at a red light when WHAM.!!! Something hit us from the rear. Some kid and his crotch rocket slammed into the rear of the truck. He landed in the bed of the truck. He was still unconscious as the med crew carried him away. Witnesses stated that he never let off the throttle before impact.

That is not an uncommon problem with newbies on a supersport. They yank on the throttle, immediately get pulled to the rear by acceleration, and hang on to the bars for dear life, unable to roll back off the throttle, usually resulting in a twelve o'clock.

I saw that happen in the parking lot of a PX on Ft. Hood. Someone with a new sport bike let a friend try it out. He peeled out, full throttle, right in to the side of a parked car, totalling both the bike and the car.

 

[asechrest]

Timely thread, considering I just picked up a project bike (my first). It's only a 75cc, so I guess that either means it's not powerful enough to get me into trouble, or not powerful enough to get me out of trouble. D'oh.

 

[Ted]

That is not an uncommon problem with newbies on a supersport. They yank on the throttle, immediately get pulled to the rear by acceleration, and hang on to the bars for dear life, unable to roll back off the throttle, usually resulting in a twelve o'clock.

I saw that happen in the parking lot of a PX on Ft. Hood. Someone with a new sport bike let a friend try it out. He peeled out, full throttle, right in to the side of a parked car, totalling both the bike and the car.

Yeah, when I got my first bike my motorcycle mentor at the time told me that I was only allowed to buy a 600cc or lower bike, and it was not allowed to have the letter "R" in the name. Extra demerits for multiple Rs. The KZ700 was an exception because it was old and didn't have much power. He warned me of exactly that problem, and also that before getting on it on a supersport of any sort you need to physically brace yourself and you should have your hand in a position that if you're thrown back, your hand doesn't pull on the throttle more.

So when I got my Bandit 1200S, I was very careful starting off. It had a lot of throttle response. What I always did on sportbikes was work my way into full throttle starting in top gear, and working my way down so I got a handle on acceleration bit by bit.

 

[Half Fast]

I had a Kawasaki Ninja 500 for two years and put 10,000 miles on it during that time.

I put 32,000 miles on a Ninja 500 before it was stolen. Great bike.

 

[jsstevens]

My first street bike was a 1981 Yamaha SECA 750. I had some experience on dirt bikes. The first ride I pulled out onto a nice straight stretch and rolled on some throttle. I thought "This has a quick open kit." But the throttle just kept on going. I scared myself on that one a rew times. But it was a nice one.

John

 

[Ghery]

I bought my first motorcycle right after I graduated from high school. A Honda 90. The one with the 3 speed automatic clutch and plastic guards in front of your legs to minimize rain. The "Bikey 90" we called it. Came home with it and that was when the big secret was let out. My dad had one during WWII. Actually, he loaned his brother the money to buy it (Indian 45) and that was when they learned that when you acquired a new motor vehicle you got a new book of ration stamps. Ran out of stamps, his brother paid off the loan by transferring the bike's title to dad. New book of ration stamps. Did I mention that my uncle later went to law school? Dad sold the bike to another sailor when he went to boot camp and that guy killed himself on the bike.

I sold the Honda 90 shortly after Marilyn and I got married and replaced it with a Honda CL-175. Good bike. We were on it the night an idiot ran a stop sign in a 1968 Ford Mustang and hit us broadside. We were wearing helmets and survived. Still suffer the aftereffects 43 years later, however. Got the bike repaired and rode it until we graduated from college. Sold it, used the money to pay for a new refrigerator and haven't owned a motorcycle since. She hasn't been on one since the night we got hit.

Motorcycles are fun. However, regardless of who has the right-of-way, get into a physical argument with a car and you lose. Wear a helmet! I knew 4 people through high school and college who needed them. 3 (including my wife and me) had them and are alive today. One didn't and he died at the scene. Small sample size, but 100% correlation.

And, Ted, I'm sorry about your friend. That sort of thing stinks and you never get used to it.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I bought my first motorcycle right after I graduated from high school. A Honda 90. The one with the 3 speed automatic clutch and plastic guards in front of your legs to minimize rain. The "Bikey 90" we called it. Came home with it and that was when the big secret was let out. My dad had one during WWII. Actually, he loaned his brother the money to buy it (Indian 45) and that was when they learned that when you acquired a new motor vehicle you got a new book of ration stamps. Ran out of stamps, his brother paid off the loan by transferring the bike's title to dad. New book of ration stamps. Did I mention that my uncle later went to law school? Dad sold the bike to another sailor when he went to boot camp and that guy killed himself on the bike.

I sold the Honda 90 shortly after Marilyn and I got married and replaced it with a Honda CL-175. Good bike. We were on it the night an idiot ran a stop sign in a 1968 Ford Mustang and hit us broadside. We were wearing helmets and survived. Still suffer the aftereffects 43 years later, however. Got the bike repaired and rode it until we graduated from college. Sold it, used the money to pay for a new refrigerator and haven't owned a motorcycle since. She hasn't been on one since the night we got hit.

Motorcycles are fun. However, regardless of who has the right-of-way, get into a physical argument with a car and you lose. Wear a helmet! I knew 4 people through high school and college who needed them. 3 (including my wife and me) had them and are alive today. One didn't and he died at the scene. Small sample size, but 100% correlation.

And, Ted, I'm sorry about your friend. That sort of thing stinks and you never get used to it.

Love those old Honda 50's, 70's and 90's. They use that same pattern engine in their current 125 models that power motorcycle like scooters all over Asia. Dirt simple and bullet proof. The recycling gear centrifugal clutch transmission takes some getting used to.

My very first bike was a 70's vintage Honda Trail 70. It had a three speed transmission and a standard clutch. It was a pleasure to ride.

 

[Justin M]

TL;DR: Suzuki GS 650 ES, Yamaha Radian and Fazer, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10 and ZX-11.

First bike was a Suzuki GS 650 ES. A lady turned left in front of me and I speared the side of her car and smacked my helmeted head into the side of another car after flying off the bike at 20 MPH. Bike and Helmet totaled.

Next bike was a Yamaha Radian (same engine as the Yamaha FZ600, different frame). Rode it from Dallas Texas to Madison Wisconsin in one ride, with a four hour nap between 4:00am and 8:00am somwhere in Oklahoma (left Dallas at midnight).

Girlfriend and I were returning from the grocery store when a driver ran a stop sign and we speared his car. Left a grapefruit sized dent in my gas tank and the Radian was totaled. Insurance paid out all but 100 dollars of the purchase price (despite 10,000 plus miles) and later tracked me down through 3 changes of address to send me an additional check for 67.50 after they recouped their payout less court costs. So impressed with that insurance company.

Next was a Yamaha Fazer. Great bike. A buddy and I rode it out the airport for our first skydives. Instructor said we already did the most dangerous thing we were going to do that day except for the ride home.

Looking back on the days I'd ride a motorcycle to the airport with wearing my skydiving rig on my back and the pilot chute safely tucked out of the airstream; I'm glad I never had a premature deployment on the highway.

20,000 miles later, I traded it in for a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10. What a blast. 35,000 miles later, I bought a Kawasaki ZX-11D. 135 Horsepower, 189 MPH indicated. A blast.

One day, I had to ride both bikes Kawasakis in the same day (picking them up from the dealer after some routine maintenance). The ZX-11D was so much smoother than the ZX-10, I put the ZX-10 on the market and rode the ZX-11 exclusively.

Once I moved to my current town, with no time to ride, having to move it weekly just for street cleaning, and not really pleasant to play in traffic, I sold the ZX-11.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Clark1961]

Sorry to hear about all of your losses.

FYI there is a Harley dealership walking distance from FNL (Fort Collins-Loveland, now Northern CO regional). Big runway and cheap tie downs, uncontrolled airport, in the flat part of the state. And just outside Rocky mountain national park.

Hooters is closer.

 

[MikeS]

> "Part of me would like to own one as well, but it does give me a sense of fear knowing that I'd be out riding among the idiots on the road. It's the other guy you've gotta watch for."

Goes without saying. And watching for loose gravel & sand & oil on the surfact and things that jump out from between parked cars . . . and this includes old ladies looking the other direction when they hit the gas - they already looked your direction less than a minute ago so "time to go!" Screech, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep along with a shaken fist in anger.

Your idea of riding on the weekends is a loss, not a gain in safety. Ride every day, or every other day, or every trip that doesn't require four wheels. It's guys like me (almost 72) that drive a bike as a daily driver that stay quick and lucky. Mainly it's just paying complete attention.

 

[BigBadLou]

If I die in a motorcycle crash, it was probably someone else's fault.

A friend from high school loved riding his 250cc. And he rode her hard, had a lot of fun on her. I told him he'd kill himself one day. He laughed "unlikely". And he was right, he was killed by a clueless twit who failed to yield and catapulted him right into a light pole. She got a point on her DL.
After the funeral, my parents demanded that I get rid of my bike. I did eventually.

 

[Ted]

Two relatives died the same day last week, and another friend a week or two after the original post. Brings it to 7 for the year. Well, 5 who died this year, 2 who died last year who I found out about.

I think that makes a new record for me, by a long shot. Hoping not to shatter it any further.

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

So sorry for your loss, Ted.

There's a lot to that. One of the things I like about flying vs. riding is that if I die in a plane crash, it was probably my own fault. If I die in a motorcycle crash, it was probably someone else's fault.

I've owned a couple of dual-sports over the years (Suzuki DRZ400, Honda XL500), using their street legality only as a means to get to my favorite nearby trails. Off road, the risks on a bike are more analogous to flying. Would never consider commuting on a motorcycle, or riding a bicycle on a road with my back to traffic. I've lost two friends in motorcycle accidents in the past four years.

 

[denverpilot]

Two relatives died the same day last week, and another friend a week or two after the original post. Brings it to 7 for the year. Well, 5 who died this year, 2 who died last year who I found out about.

I think that makes a new record for me, by a long shot. Hoping not to shatter it any further.

Tough year man. You're ahead of my record by a few.

 

[rtk11]

Sorry Ted. It's bad enough to hear about one, let alone seven. Condolences to you and your friends' families for those that have passed on.

 

[3393RP]

And watch out for motorcycles!

That is all.

This might happen every year, but the motorcycle fatalities here in the DFW area have been appalling this spring.

The warmer weather gets the riders on the road, and I guess over the winter drivers forget what a motorcycle is.

It's been terrible.

 

[Bill]

I'm sorry for your rough times, Ted.

 

[CC268]

A great friend of mine died on his GSXR last November. A year before that an acquaintance of mine died on his dads Harley. About two months ago another acquaintance of mine (who was best friends with the guy who died on his dads Harley) was killed on his motorcycle as well. Insane. I grew up racing motocross and I've been around bikes my whole life...my dad rides a Suzuki V Strom and rides to work frequently. I don't think I would be willing to ride a bike here in Phoenix...it's just too crazy and the freeways here are so insane. People driving 85 while texting while tailgating 10 feet off your bumper. I almost don't feel bad for those who get into an accident when they drive like that.

 

[Justin M]

My sympathies on your losses.

 

[Anthony]

A friend from high school loved riding his 250cc. And he rode her hard, had a lot of fun on her. I told him he'd kill himself one day. He laughed "unlikely". And he was right, he was killed by a clueless twit who failed to yield and catapulted him right into a light pole. She got a point on her DL.
After the funeral, my parents demanded that I get rid of my bike. I did eventually.

I sold my bikes when I started flying many years ago. I have thought about getting back into it from time to time only to chicken out. Yes, I am that scared of distracted drivers, or just bad drivers in general.

 

[Zeldman]

A few days after graduating from high school, a friend of mine bought a big touring bike of the time, with plans to tour the country before starting college.

He pulled out of the parking lot right in front of a delivery truck.

Spent 17 years in a coma before he finally passed away.

He put less than one tenth of a mile on the bike.

 

[Norman]

A few days after graduating from high school, a friend of mine bought a big touring bike of the time, with plans to tour the country before starting college.

He pulled out of the parking lot right in front of a delivery truck.

Spent 17 years in a coma before he finally passed away.

He put less than one tenth of a mile on the bike.

Damn! That is sad.

 

[denverpilot]

Red Wanting Blue - My Name Is Death

(Great song. I was sitting about one row behind whoever shot this video.)

Lyrics:

Hey there, fellas. My name is Death
So when you see me coming
Better hold your breath

Some call me the repo man ‘cause I seem to collect where ever I am
I’m often called the big finale
I’ve got a tendency for bringing the curtain down
And I can’t help my reputation precedes me
Like clouds before the storm
You’ll run for cover, believe me
And I start every conversation the same, saying…

CHORUS
Hey there, fellas. My name is Death
So when you see me coming
Better hold your breath
‘Cause I’m your last gasp
I’m your sweet retreat
I’m the baddest mother****er you will ever meet
‘Cause I’m free to come and go as I please
I wear the seven deadly sins upon my sleeve
And I’m dying to meet you now
I’ve got a handshake you’ll never forget, my friend
I’m the end. My name is Death

Now, don’t think I’m all work and no play
I’ve just got a knack for taking people’s breath away
It’s not to say exceptions can’t be made
When the Stones wrote me a song, I cut ‘em a break
And I can’t help I’m dressed best in black
Even better than the late great Johnny Cash
And I shot more men in Reno than he ever did. I told ‘em…

CHORUS

I’ve got a million weapons and ways to use ‘em
From nuclear power to drugs and boozing
But my favorite just might be the element of surprise. I whisper…

CHORUS
I’ve got a handshake you’ll never forget
And I mean no disrespect
But if you see me coming, better run

‘Cause my name is Death