For most of us, the 2007 riding season is about to kick off.  With the thrill of being able to rev our engines, ride into the distance away from any daily troubles that may find their way to our doorstep, enjoying simple and short rides....   We sometimes forget the important things.

PLEASE...  PLEASE, be safe out there.  It's bad enough cagers cannot see us as well.  Be alert to what's on the road and alert to any barriers that may prevent a safe and enjoyable ride.

I remember last year around the begining of the season, we had many threads about people going down.  Let's try to keep that as minimal as possible this season.

My prayers are with everyone to keep them safe and happy.

Ive already had a few cages try to kill me on the road. no mistaking it was on purpose. I hope they burn in the fire pits of hell. not really but i felt like that at the time and if i  was any older I probly would have died of a heart attack because I felt like I was having on when they just about killed me.

oh and just today even in my BRIGHT WHITE TRUCK!!! I had a lady with her kid in a SUV almost smash into the side of me. good thing I noticed her running the red light and had enough time to slam on brakes. 

Be very wary of corners shaded by trees, these are the areas that moss will grow on the road.

oh and not to mention all the freaking GRAVEL!!! all that cinder used over the winter is just laying there waiting for us.. 

...and sand.

Quote from: scratch on March 03, 2007, 09:30:25 AM
...and sand.

+ a million!!!

also, here is a good "start of the riding season" post from tsba

Quote from: F1Every spring there is an increase of motorcycle crashes. Do not expect anything different this year, pretty soon there will be higher numbers of bike crashes being reported in the news, forums etc.

Riding is inherently risky but the risk factor increases significantly when starting to ride again after a winter break. A few months absense from the seat slows reflexes and reactions are not as sharp and quick. Best to take your time to build the confidence level to what is natural for you. Treat it as a mind and body break in period. A little practice will get the mind sharp and the body accustomed to being in the seat.

In the first few spring rides take your time to build reflexes and reactions back to same level as before. Same goes for saddle time and fatigue, the first few rides will be more tiring but do not fight this as the body conditions very quickly and only after a few rides your stamina for staying sharp for long hours in the saddle will return. So when you get tired, stop or take it easy for a while. If you experience any warning signs during this spring break in period, be grateful + take them serious and it will ensure a nice long and enjoyable spring/summer/fall riding season.

See yall out

Around here the season ended December 31, 2006 and started the next day.

-Ash

Silly Season is about to start off!

Or, is that "Squid Season"?

The time of year that fair-weather riders, old and new, dust off their helmets and textiles, and try to go as fast as the guys who've been riding all year long, trying vainly to shake off the cobwebs off of their "skills", and blaming their dried out tires of being 'too cold'.  Check the air pressures in your tires.  And, maybe changing the fork oil isn't such a bad idea either.

Thanks for the reminder Mom.

Luckily a job location change eliminated almost all my freeway riding, which has the most potential for nastiness, and where I crashed this winter.

I still go too fast on surface streets, however I throttle down when appropriate and check each corner/intersection like I might be ambushed in Counterstrike:Source. This includes a brief revdown and haxxor-fast doubletake left to right to left to right. If they do get me I will at least have time to slow to an acceptable (95% likely nonlethal) speed.

What scares me most is sudden/blind lane changers. Have avoided them all so far... not much use getting mad most the time. Just keep riding.

Murderous vehicles running reds doesn't scare me. It's possible but relatively unlikely and I'd never see it coming anyway.

Oh: careful at the crosswalks where the peds don't look before crossing (last week in heavy rain I bisected a small boy running across and his clueless, completely blind mother lunging forward with a stroller of a motherfucking things... ) Most dangerous, when cars in one lane stop for peds and you don't realize that's what it's for until you're about to pass... careful!

Quote from: nightrider on March 04, 2007, 03:38:53 AM
Most dangerous, when cars in one lane stop for peds and you don't realize that's what it's for until you're about to pass... careful!

I hate it when that happens.  And these cars stop in the middle of everything....  no matter what's around them.  It creates a more dangerous situation for not only the pedestrian(s) but for other drivers.

An, you bring up a good point -- thanks for the reminder. 

Those of us who have PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome) should realize we are rusty, and should be especially vigilant of our riding technique, powers of observation and risk radar.  As others have said, we may be fresh into a new season, but the Cagers are also not used to Motorcycles on the road either.

Expect the unexpected, like:

• Drivers that turn left and may not recognize you entering the intersection.
• Sand/undisolved salt/stones in the center and at the corners of intersections.  Public works departments are not into "cleanup" mode yet, especially in the snow belt.
• Water potentially in solid form.  Here in Michigan there ia a lot of excitement on that first sunny weekend when the temperature breaks 40-45°F.  But that puddle of water may not be all liquid -- best to steer clear.
• Limit your riding to daylight hours.  Nighttime riding reduces visability, and in cooler climates ambient air temperature drops quickly.  Even in daylight, dress warmly -- in layers so you can regulate.  Better to be too warm than too cold.

Best to temper our enthusiasm to be free and "out there" again, and slow down when in traffic or on your own in the middle of no where.  Excessive speed is a major contributor to single-vehicle accidents.

The best ride is any that you return home safely without incident.

yea its squid season alright,


people with no riding time at the shop buying r1/busa and busa killazz's

damn refund checks are going to kill some people.


and all i was there for was a damn 90$ fuel selector (which i didn't buy)




sadly there will be many, many wrecks and deaths. the only thing we can do a motorist community is try to educate people on the dangers, and hope that it helps.



so to all you here, head my waring as i have learned form it.

if you want to go fast, go to the track
going fast (even if you think you can handle it) on a public road will send you to one of two places
heaven or the hospital.

be safe, be smart, live long.

I always try to head warings and learn form them. 

Last week in bumper to bumper traffic this guy in a Mazda was creeping up behind me. I looked ahead because traffic started moving then the guys shoves me a foot or so. I pulled over to inspect and he waves sorry and starts driving off.  I stopped his car and made him pull over, the nerve of that guy! After I looked it over and saw there was  no harm I waved him off. I couldn't believe he was just going to keep going.

-Ash

would not have been me, no sir buddy, his mirrors would have taken a trip then me lane spliting

Yet another case for the right for motorcyclists to carry a shotgun. 

But, really, what did you learn?