A Friend in Danger

[Narcissus]

A friend of my just graduated from high school and her (idiotic) parents bought her a GSXR1000... She has two years of prior experience on a 250 Yamaha dirt bike and believes that this qualifies her to ride the GSXR. I can't talk her into a 500, SV650 or even an older 600.

I hate to do it but would it be wrong to talk to her parents about Luc Bourdon's recent death? It is my understanding that he bought his GSXR 750 as a first bike only 2 days before his death, perhaps riding a more novice friendly bike might not have saved him but no one can dispute the fact that a novice rider on any modern 600+ inline-four is asking for an accident. Her parents probably don't know how much power the bike actually has, and her two years of dirt biking must have been comforting enough to them to allow her to have it.

I might end up getting her bike taken away from her (hopefully) and that would be something that I would hate to have happen to me. But hey, I've had 2 GS500's over the past 2 years and I don't feel like I could handle anything more powerful in a stressful or surprising situation. I think it's worth loosing her as a friend to keep her out of harms way, am I wrong?

[Jay_wolf]

You should punch her dad in the face .... Hes handed her a Gun more of less, and she'll pull the trigger

U give a Gs a handful, it might come up .. mine does.. but a stock one wouldnt ,Give a GSXR a handful and ur dead...

Can she even ride ur Gs? , id tell her to give that a go...

Yes tell them , if thats not proof that a huge bike to a new person, is more of less suicide

[annguyen1981]

Don't be such in a rush to talk to the parents...

She's THEIR daughter...  they know her best...  They must have confidence that she would treat the bike with respect and not act like a squid.

I purchased my first R6 about 15 months after getting my GS500f... the GS was my very first bike.  She, on the other hand, has been riding dirt for two years...  I think you've got your heart in the right place, but your mindset isn't.

[ohgood]

You should punch her dad in the face .... Hes handed her a Gun more of less, and she'll pull the trigger

U give a Gs a handful, it might come up .. mine does.. but a stock one wouldnt ,Give a GSXR a handful and ur dead...

Can she even ride ur Gs? , id tell her to give that a go...

Yes tell them , if thats not proof that a huge bike to a new person, is more of less suicide

bingo.


send her, and her parents to http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm (ride 2 die)

find the nastiest crashes on youtube and rotten, and make her watch a few. hopefully she'll hate you for losing a gixxer, and you'll influence her to live a nice long fruitful life.

[Jay_wolf]

You can THINK u can ride , and U'll end up killing yourself , She Will THINK she is Great at Riding , And then theres a funeral

Ive been riding since i was 13 on dirtbikes, first 50cc road bike at 17 , and then 5/6 125cc until i was 19. and got a gs500 , and the thing scared the crap out of me , when ur used to 0-60 in maybe 8-9 seconds (TZR 125cc) . and then i got a gs , it took me a good 3/4 months to get used to the power curve , and by then i had complete control over the bike , which i learnt on all my other bikes ... Ive ridden a few 600cc's      a zzr 600r ,. Cbr 600 .. and they were fast and a lil scary , and i didnt over gun it , and these were 30 min ride max , where i couldnt push it to hard, on a nice warm dry , and ive had what 8 years bike experance ..

Im not a kitty cat however , i feel i have progressed on to bigger bikes ,and i respect them so much

She has ridden a 250cc , even a Aprillia Rs250 2 smoke , is one of the quickest 250's and theyre nothing compaired a Zzr600r

So u think its right for a girl who rode for 2 years on a Weak 250cc Dirt bike , is ready for 160 bhp? Something that can Smoke A R6?

U said it yourself Ann , u waited 15 months to ride a R6 .. and thats learning on a 500cc pretty Fast bike

I think what u said it a load of rubbish ,

[El motociclista]

Did I read you correctly...a GSXR-1000?! 
Yeah, what are you waiting for? Speak to her and her parents, pronto. 

[GeeP]

Tough call.  I really have to wonder what the hell the parents are thinking though.  180 HP, sub 350 lbs, 18 years old, on the street with no prior streetbike experience?  WTF?

Is the GSXR actually in the garage, or has it been "promised"?

[yamahonkawazuki]

hopefully not delivered yet, cause IDK , seriously have a talk with teh parents ( in private) about the pros and cons of teh deathrocket

[Narcissus]

The GSXR has been promised and ordered, it'll be at the dealership next week she's been telling me. I'm going to talk to her father about it today as I know him better then her mother, hopefully he is just ignorant to the amount of power this bike actually has.

[Jay_wolf]

You should take him on the back Of Your Gs , Drive hard on a straight road , and mention the GSXR has 4 times the power ... He'll Put his wallet down

[yamahonkawazuki]

well put jay. now narcissus, as a rider of 2 years on teh 250 ( her), how well has she ridden, misshaps etc etc etc
play these

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GG09-A4iKSM

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CnsaYt9pWWE&NR=1

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oEpumIIZ5Rc&feature=related what this thing is capable of. beg him to reconsider. show him these and what ever eelse you can find. and ask/beg him to reconsider. or at least send her to MSF

[lewismug]

Take her father for a ride on your GS and then for a ride on the GSXR that he's bought.  Show him the difference.  If you don't do something, she may end up dead or in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.  You don't want to carry that burden for the rest of your life.  Plead with them, offer them rides on both bikes, do everything you can.  At least that way, if they do continue with the GSXR, you'll have a clean conscious.  Tell them how scared you are for their daughter.

[bucks1605]

I've ridden dirt bikes since I was in 6th grade, I  would say it helped me with low speed maneuvers and passing the test to get my license.  But it in absolutely no way, would have prepared me to buy a 1000 as my first bike.  I still after two years on my gs am scared to death of a 1000. Could I ride one safely? Yes, but I know I could still get in to a scary situation and probably not come out of it. I hate to say it, but I don't think she would last long on that bike.

[annguyen1981]

wow.  I can't believe that I'm the only one that DOESN'T think that a bigger bike is ALWAYS bad...

I've been able to ride an R1, GSXR1000, and Duc 998???.... All MUCH more powerful than both my R6's...  I respected the bigger bikes just as much as the R6's...

Would I get a 1000cc bike?  Not really.  The 600 is just as fun... and as long as you respect ANY BIKE, you'll be ok.



It's not the amount of horsepower underneath you, it's how the rider handles it.  THAT'S the main thing I learned on this site...  Most of YOU taught me that.... 

[spc]

I'm with you on this one. These guys are being a bunch of big vaginas...........

[scottpA_GS]

I say... Mind yo own binniss.  I know a 16 y/o who bought a Repsol CBR 1000 from us and he can ride circles arround me. They obviously know their own daughter better than you could. What do you know about her riding abillity? I say let it be. Not everyone needs to start out on the same bike you did. I know and I believe that the GS is one of the best bikes to learn on, but its not for everyone. She could just as easily be killed on a GS500.

To each his own, but I say keep your nose out of it. Its not your place.

[blue05twin]

It all depends on the maturity of the rider.   And don't hand that BS that she's just graduated from HS either, I know plenty of 30ish people that have a maturity lvl of a 5 year old.  Had my 750 for 2 years now with about 1 yr on the GS and I'm still alive.   Been riding with a friend of mine his first bike was a busa, no accidents yet in the past 3 years.   And yes we do more then go fast in a stright line

But because you are worried this is what I thought of;

You didn't say if she took the MSF course or not, if your really worried about her safty talk to them about her taking the MSF and proper gear.  From reading your first post she wants a new sportbike, not an old one try talking her down to a NEW 600.

Then even if you do convince he parents not to get her a 1k whats to stop her from going and getting one herself?  You need to talk to her not the parents, actually the best thing would be to sit them all down together.  Don't make her get a bike she doesn't want to ride.   More than likey she won't ride it and thats one more person less to enjoy motorcycle riding.

[Jon The Buddha]

There is NOTHING wrong with finding out if the parents know a damn thing about bikes.  They might be shocked to find out what they are putting their daughter on.  I'm guessing that he knows whether his friend is mature enough to have a chance at success with the bike, and I'm further guessing he has come to the conclusion that their is reason to believe she might not have a good grasp of what she is potentially getting into.  If you don't know the parents much at all, then I would probably recommend not talking to them and just continue to try talking to her, but it sounds like you know her parents pretty well, so that makes things way easier.

Having said that...DON'T go into the conversation with a line like "Do you know your daughter could get killed on that thing?".  That ain't the right way to approach the subject.  Just casually inquire how they came to the decision that that particular bike is the right one.  For all you know the parents might have walked in to a dealership and asked the first salesperson they saw, "what's a popluar motorcycle now-a-days?".  From there you can drop subtle hints that you are concerned the bike might not be the best choice.  If they have any brains at all, and value the safety of their daughter, they will pick up on the hints and should naturally be curious to learn more about what they are buying.  There doesn't have to be any scare-tactics on your part at all in the conversation.

Maybe everyone has done their research and feels comfortable with the purchase.  If so, then great!  But I would MUCH rather have a friend's parents ask me "why is that bike not good", then to ask me "why didn't you tell us that bike wasn't right".  All this "Its THEIR daughter" crap is ridiculus.  She may be their daughter, but she is also his friend.  I'm guessing none of them want to see her hurt.  I don't know if you've noticed, but many parents today believe letting their kids run wild, do whatever they want, and buying them anything they want is 'good parenting'.

[scottpA_GS]

All this "Its THEIR daughter" crap is ridiculus. 

Hmm... I highly dissagree.. This seems to be the "American way"  Push your ideals on everyone else because "we" are always right "they" are always wrong 

They may not be making a good desicion but its THEIR decision to make. Guiding them and giving them "your" advise is not a good idea... What makes you the expert?

I recall a debate here not that long ago about people correcting or yelling at another persons children... Seemd to be the general concensus was... you just dont do that. I would think that this is the same scenario. Here in our dealership if an 18yo kid comes in to buy a Busa he gets the busa. not the 5th degree from us. Its not our responsibillity to tell people what bike they "should buy" sounds wrong to you all im sure but its not. People live their own lives, not what lives you think they should live. Do you tell them they have to go to church with you on sunday? or eat no meat? or stop smoking? no.. its not your place, not your business.

</rant>

[Chokstick]

I have to agree with Jon.  Age is hard to judge someone's maturity level.  I know a lot of youngsters who are very mature and responsible and a lot of "older" people who are just as likely to get themselves killed by being idoits.

If your conscience is telling you to do something, then perhaps broach the subject with the parents and see how much they know.  A responbile sales person should have pointed out to them how much bike they are buying for their daughter.

Bottom line, if they feel comfortable putting their daughter on the bike and she's comfortable being on the bike, then there isn't too much you can do. 

As an aside...when I graduated highschool (or even University), my parents never bought me a bike (let alone a GSXR).  Lucky girl