advice pls

Hey guys,
since my mate dan came off the weekend before last(same day as ron),
a lot of people have been pressuring me to get rid of my bike.
I've only had my bike a month or so, and seeing a guy i've known since i was 4 in hospital has really made me think about the consequences of riding on the road.

I've gotten a lot of advice from people who don't ride and therefore don't understand the happiness it can bring,
so if anyone can dispense some wisdom from the other side of the fence, that'd be much appreciated.

cheers, vince

Vince, take it as a reminder that maybe you should be doing more to protect yourself on the road - like take a couple of defensive riding coourses, or maybe upgrade your gear (swap your regular jeans for draggin's or something along those lines)... or maybe just pay more attention in traffic and think more about your corners...

whatever you do, don't pike on something you love so much, just make the effort to ensure your safety as well as you can... reminders of our own mortality are a good reason to keep on living, not to stop and hide from everything. Hope your friend is ok + gets back to riding soon -J.

Vince,

I got hit by a car on the 19th March just gone..........allbeit i was only going really slow, and my bike was written off the best thing i found out is Draggin's are worth the money.

Not only did i get a new bike, i got back on her and rode thru the intersection i had my accident at. ( a bit hesitant but i did it).

Don't give up what you have found to be fun and exciting. Be very wary of whats around you....hey i'm looking at doing a riders course to get my confidence back..

It hasn't stopped me from getting back on........Don't wear jeans and sneakers invest in some good riding gear for your protection and when in doubt slow down and keep your eyes in gear for those damn cars......

Don't give up on it. Unfortunately one of the downsides of what we do is that when it goes pear shaped it hurts.

Go back to your level 1 and 2 course and remember all the roadcraft info that your instructor would've passed on and get whatever training you can as you can afford it. Ride within your limits and don't do anyhting your not comfortable with. Practise your braking whenever you get a chance and ride with the attitude that you don't trust anyone else on the road, Cars, bikes or otherwise.

When your confident enough go and do a ride day and learn how to push yourself a bit further then you can on the road (you'll be amazed how much your riding will improve).

Good luck and enjoy your riding.

people die while driving or being a passenger in cars too mate... if your serious about minimising risk while on the road, by a helicopter
but then they crash too
so if you love riding, why give it up???!!!

so if you love riding, why give it up???!!!

consequences essentially.

the consequences of a stupid mistake, not necessarily a mistake on my part, can be three times as bad on a bike.

i do love it and i don't wanna give it up, but what do you say when there are many good arguments thrown at you for why you should give it up?

i'm just really confused at the moment.

I rode 10 years on smaller bike so alot of confidence when riding the ZX6. Guess what... I stacked it .

From then on, my take is ride 75% of my skill, 50% on unknown roads. If shit is there such as gravel, stupid ute, bus, etc. you have likely chance to survive. Dropping the bike is the most annoying thing to me.

My recent trip to Tassie I stepped on something on the road (very slippery, invisible. Moss?? Ice???) and able to recover with no drama. Should I done 10-20k quicker I may as well lie in a hospital in Tassie.

But of course shit happens on bike or not. It just that more frequent on bike

I've seen some terrible accidents in my time.........
I've had some terrible ones to.......

1989 Epping NSW, a tow truck at a major intersection (Epping road and Lane Cove Rd) turning left , decided to do a uey ffrom the left hand lane.....I was in the right lane in my charade at the time..... I went straight under him. nearly got killed but it didn't stop me from getting back in the car.

Vince,
I can't tell you what to do. You have to do that yourself....but i still feel safer on my bike... chin up hun put it in the garage for a week or so and think about it...... or come for a ride with tape and I (lol)...... we will always be here but remember those people who are giving you advice who have NEVER been on a bike before have no idea till they get behind the power and have something large and throbbing between their legs then it becomes an addiction!!

IMO, you need to do whats right for you, and only for you. We can all gear up and be as aware as humanly possible but shit still happens!!!

What you need to think about is, is your passion for riding strong enough to keep you out there.

I have had the same lectures and nags from friends, family and work mates, but I have explained that its a part of me and who I am. I know the risks and accept them, and it really helps that my partner Sarah supports me 100% (poor girl has seen what I'm like with out a bike)

If you feel that you want to keep riding then take on all the good advise in the posts above, it might just save you some grief.....or worse.

Vince
I have been riding more than 30 years...(ouch )
and I still enjoy it and thats despite quite a few offs riding dirt bikes
and having been off twice on the road (neither my fault)

my answer to your dilemma ?
do these so called naysayers advise .....
people who have a car crash ..to give driving away?
to those who fall off a push bike..to give away riding?
to those who fall over skiing...to give it away..?
to those who play rugby or football..to give it away?
and
to those who say, those don't count ..no?
all can kill you or harm you

so are they going to stop skiing or driving a car??
no!
and
so I suggest to you that if you enjoy riding your bike
learn on it, do riding courses, get serious about it
go for rides..by yourself and with others
go out and enjoy yourself
and the better trained, equipped and experienced you are
the less likely sumfing will go wrong
and the more likely you will enjoy motorcycling

Only a motorcyclist knows why a dog hangs its head out the window


ciao

Last edited by Smitty on Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

i do love it and i don't wanna give it up, but what do you say when there are many good arguments thrown at you for why you should give it up?
.

use my comments....

Dont give it up if you enjoy it.
If you live your life by saying, "if I do this I could get hurt" you'd never do anything.
The whole point of life is to enjoy it, our time is up when its up, maybe its when you are on your bike, maybe its when you are in the shower, who knows?
Just make sure you are well protected, with proper biking gear and ride as safe as poss.

Vince, ask yourself will I be happy with no bike in a few months time.
I know you won't be, some of my family have been at me about my bike, I said to them don't bother telling me your arguements because I won't listen, then I remind them about the big truck accident that almost killed me so they really can't say much anymore.
I suppose the only good arguement for bikes is explain how much enjoyment you get from riding and you do it safely with a group of sensible people.

You know what I'd do??

I'd tell them all to go and get fucked, then get on my bike and go for a ride.

Thanks very much for the wisdom guys.

it is a part of me and i can't give it away.
i think i've just gotta come to terms with the fact that when shit goes down (and it probably will, every biker has a story about putting their baby down) its gonna hurt.
but i suppose wounds heal and life goes on.

i knew i wasn't alone in this area but its reassuring to have it confirmed.

cheers, vince