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Young kid died not too far away this past weekend

Thats sad to read....For as scared as they say he was of the bike, you would think he would have had at least a helmet.
 
PS: looks like Connecticut passed the law that will require riders to pass BRC course to get motorcycle endorsement. not sure if this kid even had endorsement though.
 
Smersh said:
PS: looks like Connecticut passed the law that will require riders to pass BRC course to get motorcycle endorsement. not sure if this kid even had endorsement though.
Click to expand...

The course is mandatory here in Florida. But really, riding for 8 hrs under 25 MPH around orange cones in a parking lot will not qualify you of riding a R6! This is where the problem is in my own opinion.

I've been riding since 6 yo. I pass my class last summer. Out of 12, 4 of us rode before, other 4 were just within there regular skill level for someone who never drove before. The other 4 might have kill them self within the first 2 weeks (if they bought a bike). So the class doesn't fix everything (All the 12 students did pass... I couldn't believe it!!!). If someone struggle to drive a 250 with 20HP in a parking lot, why they will go and buy a 100+SS right out of the box. I think this is where some regulation need to come in play...
 
Marthy said:
The course is mandatory here in Florida. But really, riding for 8 hrs under 25 MPH around orange cones in a parking lot will not qualify you of riding a R6! This is where the problem is in my own opinion.

I've been riding since 6 yo. I pass my class last summer. Out of 12, 4 of us rode before, other 4 were just within there regular skill level for someone who never drove before. The other 4 might have kill them self within the first 2 weeks (if they bought a bike). So the class doesn't fix everything (All the 12 students did pass... I couldn't believe it!!!). If someone struggle to drive a 250 with 20HP in a parking lot, why they will go and buy a 100+SS right out of the box. I think this is where some regulation need to come in play...
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree. the course really teaches you how to ride ... on a parking lot, and that's about it. After that, you are on your own, and it's up to you to develop skills. I'm still hoping that those who take the course will get some ideas about what motorcycle is like, what gear does and how much is thinking is involved in riding a motorcycle.
Actually, I am going back to BRC with my fiance this weekend - we'll see how it goes.
 
Smersh said:
Absolutely agree. the course really teaches you how to ride ... on a parking lot, and that's about it. After that, you are on your own, and it's up to you to develop skills. I'm still hoping that those who take the course will get some ideas about what motorcycle is like, what gear does and how much is thinking is involved in riding a motorcycle.
Actually, I am going back to BRC with my fiance this weekend - we'll see how it goes.
Click to expand...

BRC riding part prepares you to ride safely in a parking lot, but classroom time provides the foundation for a lifetime of safe riding, imo. Quick stopping and swerving skills are covered as well and those are essential for safe street riding.

Still sad that the kid died.
 
It is sad to see, my thoughts go out to his family. We just had an incident by my house that I posted on this forum last Sunday. My fiance and I were sitting on the patio enjoying the night. A kid I estimate in his late teens or early twenties came zooming through our neighborhood. We could hear him from several blocks away. He turned the corner and wheelied past our house going about 50 MPH. A half hour later we heard a motorcycle go down. We walked to the bottom of the hill (400 ft.) and found his wrecked brand new GSXer 600. He put it over backward doing a wheelie. The bike had the dealer plates on it yet. I don't know if he was hurt, there were three trucks in the area as we walked to the bike. They all left before We got there.
 
A week ago I was stopped at a Shell convince store on Rt. 8 in CT. I was talking to two kids (maybe 20) one on a r6 that other on a gsxr. They were wearing shorts and wife beaters and one had flip flops on, neither had a helmet. I asked them how they can ride without a helmet because of the unbelievable amount of bugs. One said it is totally freeing and helmets are too hot. The other kid said he would wear his helmet but they're meeting up with friends. I guess his friends don't think it's cool to wear a helmet.
 
Let me preface this by reiterating that I'm an @$$hole. That being said, I don't really feel bad about these types of wrecks. Read the article. There are red flags all over the place:
-19 years old
-big, tough, and fearless
-bought a motorcycle on a whim
-started out on a late model 600cc race replica
-was scared of his bike
-unknown whether he was licensed or took MSF class
-had only been riding for a few months
-loaned his bike out to his friends (who were likely unlicensed and w/o gear)
-refused to wear a helmet, even when pressured by friends​

This guy was bound to become a statistic. He's the same asshat who's picture we laugh at in squid threads. There's nothing about this story that was unexpected.

I don't let my friends become squids. And if I can't stop them, they are no longer my friends. They're free to ride w/o a helmet, but I'm not gonna be there to pick up their brain matter or console their mom. Once you become a squid, you're dead to me. It's only a matter of time until you're dead to everyone else.
 
I have to somewhat agree with The Dude.

This story was bound to happen given the information.

It's careless kids like this that end up as statistics and give motorcycling a bad name. Squids are the reason that most cagers don't respect us in traffic
 
I agree - he was a quintessential squid, pretty much a definition of it. I just find it sad that some people never learn in time. I hope that somebody who read the news will decide to change his flip-flops to motorcycle boots, and will think about whether it makes sense to buy a high-performance motorcycle to learn riding.
 
I hate seeing news like this. I passed over this thread a few times after seeing the title.

If you think about it you can do a lot more damage in a single crash with a motor vehicle than you can with one bullet, yet the bullet is so much more emotionally planted in our psyches than a car or 600cc projectile.

We require a back ground check before you purchase a firearm but a bike dealer just needs cash.

You would think that insurance companies would lobby for laws that would require some sort of qualification and education.

I don't care what it looks like in the stupidity dept. This is just very sad. :(
 
Motogiro said:
I hate seeing news like this. I passed over this thread a few times after seeing the title.

If you think about it you can do a lot more damage in a single crash with a motor vehicle than you can with one bullet, yet the bullet is so much more emotionally planted in our psyches than a car or 600cc projectile.

We require a back ground check before you purchase a firearm but a bike dealer just needs cash.

You would think that insurance companies would lobby for laws that would require some sort of qualification and education.

I don't care what it looks like in the stupidity dept. This is just very sad. :(
Click to expand...

I agree with you Cliff, it is really terrible that there aren't any type of regulations.

I try to do my part as a sales associate to educate people and literally prevent them from buying 'future fiery wrecks'.

I had a young man, 19, who wanted to buy a 2011 ZX6-R and had the financials to do so. I started talking with him about the importance of making a smart decision when it came to preserving his life. I showed him a Ninja 250 and told him that it was a better fit for beginning rider. Initially reserved, he understood that what I was trying to do is allow him to eventually upgrade to a ZX6-R by honing his skills on a 250.

I went to his job to see how he liked his Ninja and he was off that day. His coworker asked why and I told her I sold him his Ninja. She then told me that he loved it and was happy with his decision but then asked me (with an angry tone) why I didn't recommend a 600 to him. I stated that although the non-motorcyclist stigma is that a 250 won't give you as much pop on the freeway; ignorance around engine size and attention to "bigger being better" gets people killed.

She looked somewhat distraught that I would say that back to her; I explained that although I'm looked at as a salesperson, I try my best to be a member of the community by promoting safe behaviors and logical thoughts.

Some people don't agree, but I enjoy de-squidding people to where regulations shouldn't overcompensate for common sense.
 
Cant believe anyone with an ounce of common sense would ride a bike without a helmet!!! It's law over here 50cc and over..But NO ONE ever complains or moans about it.New riders are restricted to 125cc until they pass their test.

He wont be the last killed on a bike sadly..Luckily Bikers make good organ donors , So if they cant handle a bike make sure they have a donor card handy.
 
Last edited:
Chupacabra said:
I agree with you Cliff, it is really terrible that there aren't any type of regulations.

I try to do my part as a sales associate to educate people and literally prevent them from buying 'future fiery wrecks'.

I had a young man, 19, who wanted to buy a 2011 ZX6-R and had the financials to do so. I started talking with him about the importance of making a smart decision when it came to preserving his life. I showed him a Ninja 250 and told him that it was a better fit for beginning rider. Initially reserved, he understood that what I was trying to do is allow him to eventually upgrade to a ZX6-R by honing his skills on a 250.

I went to his job to see how he liked his Ninja and he was off that day. His coworker asked why and I told her I sold him his Ninja. She then told me that he loved it and was happy with his decision but then asked me (with an angry tone) why I didn't recommend a 600 to him. I stated that although the non-motorcyclist stigma is that a 250 won't give you as much pop on the freeway; ignorance around engine size and attention to "bigger being better" gets people killed.

She looked somewhat distraught that I would say that back to her; I explained that although I'm looked at as a salesperson, I try my best to be a member of the community by promoting safe behaviors and logical thoughts.

Some people don't agree, but I enjoy de-squidding people to where regulations shouldn't overcompensate for common sense.
Click to expand...

Thank You!
We do need more like you people in this sector. :rockon:

Sometimes you can make a great difference in people's lives without having to scare them and by just sharing experience and concern.
 
The Dude said:
Let me preface this by reiterating that I'm an @$$hole. That being said, I don't really feel bad about these types of wrecks. Read the article. There are red flags all over the place:
-19 years old
-big, tough, and fearless
-bought a motorcycle on a whim
-started out on a late model 600cc race replica
-was scared of his bike
-unknown whether he was licensed or took MSF class
-had only been riding for a few months
-loaned his bike out to his friends (who were likely unlicensed and w/o gear)
-refused to wear a helmet, even when pressured by friends​

This guy was bound to become a statistic. He's the same asshat who's picture we laugh at in squid threads. There's nothing about this story that was unexpected.

I don't let my friends become squids. And if I can't stop them, they are no longer my friends. They're free to ride w/o a helmet, but I'm not gonna be there to pick up their brain matter or console their mom. Once you become a squid, you're dead to me. It's only a matter of time until you're dead to everyone else.
Click to expand...

I'm an a$$hole too. I agree with you. I say it's Darwin at work with his bleach in the gene pool.
 
iSteve said:
A week ago I was stopped at a Shell convince store on Rt. 8 in CT. I was talking to two kids (maybe 20) one on a r6 that other on a gsxr. They were wearing shorts and wife beaters and one had flip flops on, neither had a helmet. I asked them how they can ride without a helmet because of the unbelievable amount of bugs. One said it is totally freeing and helmets are too hot. The other kid said he would wear his helmet but they're meeting up with friends. I guess his friends don't think it's cool to wear a helmet.
Click to expand...

One thing I never understood...how in the hell do you SHIFT wearing flip flops? I've tried it on my ATV (putting it away for the night), and it just downright hurts.
 
The Dude said:
Let me preface this by reiterating that I'm an @$$hole. That being said, I don't really feel bad about these types of wrecks. Read the article. There are red flags all over the place:
-19 years old
-big, tough, and fearless
-bought a motorcycle on a whim
-started out on a late model 600cc race replica
-was scared of his bike
-unknown whether he was licensed or took MSF class
-had only been riding for a few months
-loaned his bike out to his friends (who were likely unlicensed and w/o gear)
-refused to wear a helmet, even when pressured by friends​

This guy was bound to become a statistic. He's the same asshat who's picture we laugh at in squid threads. There's nothing about this story that was unexpected.
Click to expand...

Firstly, wear gear.

Secondly, I don't buy into the whole not wearing gear is an instant death sentence or that a person deserves to have an accident/death whatever.

Lastly, my guess (yes, it is a guess) is that people who tend to go overboard on people who don't wear gear are trying distance themselves from the fact that riders completely geared and trained in riding can, do and will die in motorcycle accidents.

People choosing to ride a motorcycle is enough to ensure that you or someone you know is who also rides a motorcycle is going to die or be seriously injured being fully geared and trained how to ride isn't going to stop that. Of course, gear and training can improve you chances on being one of the fortunate ones to make it but you still are taking an unnecessary risk with you life in pursuit of pleasure either way.
 
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