Play at the track.....

[flhtifz]

I don't know how many of you guys think that it's all right to go racing on the road, but you're wrong. If you want to race, go to a track day or a drag strip. I went to the Blue Ridge Parkway Saturday morning, an hour from Manassas, VA where my family lives. My bro-in-law and uncle and I went to ride. We started up the road, and a sign appeared that said, " CAUTION: Motorcycle accidents the next 3 miles". I swear we didn't get 1 mile up and came upon a fresh crash involving 2 bikes and the ambulance could be heard about the same time we saw the crash. The riders had attempted a right hand turn and lost it, high siding by the looks of the mangled bikes, and slid across the road into a guard rail. Let me just say, if they would have hit any oncoming traffic, there would have been more bodies than there were. Do they have the right to put my life or my loved ones at risk like this??? NO !!! Not at all. I don't want to be out on a ride and get hit by a jackass that thinks the public road is his private race course !!! This is what gives bikers a bad rep. Accidents happen, I'm aware of that, but you don't need to increase the odds. There's a saying in this sport bike world,,,,,"dress for the crash, not for the ride". I wish you'd keep your odds of crashing to the track, not the street. Again, I'm aware accidents happen, but if you're screwin' around when it happens, YOU DESERVE IT, but the person you hit DOESN'T !!!
The tail of the dragon is a magnet for these idiots, so I won't even ride there. Go ahead and flame me now.

 

[WenMark]

Exactly...There are always going to be a select few who think they are invincible and dangerous. That's why they have the accidents and wrecks most of the time. The best I try to do is be safe and lead by example. I know motorcycle riders get a bad rap. There are a lot of very good riders who take it seriously and ride safe and smart. I listen to them not the speed demons:thumbup:

 

[mstewar1]

I'm not going to flame you as I agree with the sentiment. However, I do think that the sentiment is going to be lost on those for whom it may be meant.

I am always amazed at the number of times in my day when I hear a bike getting wound up and run through the gears. And I'm nowhere near a track... As a rider, I get it that we're in control of this pretty amazing piece of machinery that can go from zero to stupid/death in no time, it's a visceral, exciting experience to ride a modern bike.

But, IMHO, how we ride our bikes, how we conduct ourselves, all comes back to the whole "rights and responsibilities" argument. We've earned the right to ride the bike on public roads. But those roads are shared by other drivers, riders, and passengers, thus it's our responsibility to ensure that our actions don't endanger or otherwise tread upon the rights (right to safe usage and passage on those roads) of the other drivers.

I couldn't agree more with you. But, like I said, there are just riders who can't seem to grasp the "responsibility" side of the issue and no amount of venting ever seems to make a difference.

And no, I'm not perfect either. I've had/committed my transgressions. But I've learned and I work at it constantly. I was a kid once, too. (not that such behavior is the solitary domain of young riders...)

 

[chemicalsmile]

Thanks for the post, I almost forgot I'm freakin loaded and can waste thousands of dollars on full leathers and track time to possibly wreck my financed bike in a place where insurance won't cover it. Wtf was i thinking.

Sorry, but alot of us can't afford track days. I'm not saying that racing or stunting on busy public roads is ok but opening it up on the back roads where the only risk is yourself, your bike and some cow fencing is completely acceptable imo

 

[Speedygonzales]

If I lived 1 hour from a track ... that's good piced and has doable rules ... I would hardly ride on the street ...

But unfortunatly I live in belgium ... were you get black flaged with a STANDARD 100% road legal gsx-r 600 because it's to loud! Imagine that.

 

[flhtifz]

but opening it up on the back roads where the only risk is yourself, your bike and some cow fencing is completely acceptable imo


That is completely acceptable I'd say. If I'm alone on a road I'll let 'er rip too, but I try to respect others right to health and safety.

In the accident I stated above, there is no doubt in my mind that the first guy took out his buddy when he lost it. If his buddy dies, I wonder how he will handle that ???

 

[DefyInertia]

No one is against *you* killing yourself, just don't involve anyone else. That's all. Easy so say....but how you manage that is the challenging part that involves using your head.

 

[YamahaMAXdRPMs]

i ride fast all the time, ill admit it.. but not around cars.. and to be honest not because i care about the cagers, i care about myself. i know plenty of people who will do 120 through traffic on 4 lanes of traffic. Hope they have a will and good life insurance. At any second a car could change lanes without looking, or even while looking, but not being able to estimate your speed.. then what are you gonna do pancake? if im gonna ride fast i keep it to empty roads. Only endangering myself. and a cow or two... thats even better than the track where you have other riders to put at risk..

 

[chemicalsmile]

That post may have come off wrong, I don't condone riding over your head anywhere. I don't have a death wish but if you're the type that does, keep it on the back roads where you won't take someone with you (unlike the guy on the 1000rr that ghost-rode his bike by me at 90mph the other day in rush hour traffic on the interstate...:squid