I went rideing last fri. with some freinds and my dad on my lunch break. It was the first time I'd rode with the freinds. They came up to my office and were talking about stunts and how they are going to learn more.
Well we get riding and they are flying in and out of traffic passing people on a two lane double yellow, I'm thinking ok this is not how I normally ride, but for the sake of good fun I ran with them for a minute. I noticed quickly that they are not the best riders, so me and my dad  backed off and let them do there thing. I got back in front of them down the road a litle bit.
Then comes the fun part. we hit this old road that is rarely traveled but in great condition. I lead because I know the road I flew through the twiswties and at the end I only had one person behind me, so we go back to look. I'm thinking it might of been my dad becuase he was on my Shadow, but no it was one of my "stunt happy" freinds. My dad said the guy passed him trying to catch us and then just never turned, I guess he thought he was going down anyway so he would try to slow down. I tried to tell him the need in a safe bike and riding skill but it seamed he to think I was just soft for not stunting. Let me tell you about the bike "Ninja 500" bald flat topped tires, rigged up almost every thing NIN600 chain flopped around really bad, muffler hanging off, and bent bars just to start the list and this is before the crash. he said he couldn't slow down because he had no back brakes, this is when I know he didn't know how to ride. I told about my crash and how a good bike is a life or death type choise.I then told him I would help rebuild the bike but he said he needed a bigger bike anyway.

So just left it at that. I hope he learns before it's to late, but those cool videos never teach you how to ride safe. So noone thinks its cool to actually learn to  ride safely.

Ok I'm done for now.

On my race bike ( gs500) the rear brake disk was polished to almost a chrome finish due to the lack of use, and the pads just buffing the disk. It lends creedance to the need for front brakes vice the rears.

Jason Pridmore came to Miramar Air station here in San Diego, to talk to the young marines, to emphasize the option of taking your adrenaline to the track instead of the streets. There has been a large number of motorcyle accidents in the area by young Marines partially attributed to the soldiers coming back from deployment with a wad of cash, and need for speed.
Sometimes I think the British may be on the right track. They have to work their way up the displacement ladder each year  of holding a motorcycle license. You can not go out and ride a 1000cc bike in your first year. I think we should do that here too.
1st yr:  0 - 500cc
2nd yr: -600cc
3rd yr; - 750cc
4th yr: - 1000cc

^^^^^^what he said   

I really like the British system. It's actually more about hp than displacement, but their riders seem to be a lot safer and more mature. Hell, I wouldn't even mind not having a helmet law if a helmet was mandatory for the first year you ride.

I totaly agree with you. I but the whole part about the brakes in their becuase I knew he didn't know what he was doing but that comment made me sure of it. I would support a law like that becuase every young kid I talk to about bikes whats to get a supersport for thier first bike, It's like putting 24"s on a car that only needs 20"s or 44" superswamppers on a trunk in the mountians. All they know is the bigger the better and in this case it will kill you. I try to advise everyone who wants to learn to get a starter bike but it seems like they are  compinsating for something. There are so many liter SS bikes around here it's not funny and I guess they think they are faster but I know I could burn them on most of this roads. I always wear my helmet, wouldn't care if there was no law. You can't protect people from them selves and it's not up to the government, it's not there job eithier.

Quote from: Unnamed on June 12, 2007, 12:15:28 PM
I really like the British system. It's actually more about hp than displacement, but their riders seem to be a lot safer and more mature. Hell, I wouldn't even mind not having a helmet law if a helmet was mandatory for the first year you ride.

Arent they required to go through a pretty intesive training class as well?  Someone told me its like a week of nights for 4 hours?

Rumor or true? either way  I agree with the brits system. we should do it here for sure

we have a similar system in OZ but we work on a power to weight ratio with a list of bikes ok to ride but nothing over 660cc, due to the p/w we are not allowed CBR600 or other hyper 600 no RGV250 or RS250. For our L plates 1 full weekend theory and practice then you have 6 months to apply for your P plates so another weekend of theory and tests but its not hard you learn quite a bit and it is fun you have to spend 2 years I think on your P's unless your over 30 and have a full car licence then you can skip the P's and go straight to a full licence 

From what is readable on the net, the British system is much more restrictive. Getting caught wheeling in the US means a ticket. In Britain it's a year ban (no riding at all) or so iirc.

Then there are all the other things that matter. Like HP restrictions, a license that means something etc.

It really ticks me off to see an idiot with no gear on a GSXR 750 weaving through traffic WITH A GIRL ON BACK (no gear either) and thinking 'what if..'

The only stunt I do is actually commuting in Tampa

displacement is nothing...you can kill yourself on a fiddy.   courses are ok i guess, having never taken one i would not know.  but nothing beats experience.  i started riding in 1973 on my little DS80 and have learned plenty the hard way.   there are too many newbs on bikes now and too many stupid people that do not wear helmets.  here in maine you must wear a seat belt however you can roar down the road on a motorcycle without a helmet....lunacy

the british system is fairly harsh.
first you do a cbt (compularsy basic training) which is 1 whole day8 hours then you sit a theory test and that lets you ride a 125cc bike with no more than 13bhp
next is training with an instructer for a few lessons then
next is a practical test if you pass that, you are restricted to 33bhp for 2 years or you can take a direct access course if you are over 21(normally about 4 days long)
which lets you ride any bike once passed

in new zealand its fairly good.
at 14 or older you take a basic handling course, usually a afternoon
then when you are 15 or older you do a theory test (if you have a car licence already then you just have to answer 5 oral questions about motorcycles)
that gives you your learners licence. which lets you ride any motorcycle up to 250 cc no power restriction but you arnt allowed to carry passengers or ride after 10pm at night(i had a rgv250 at 15 62bhp of fun )
after 6 months (or 3 if you have had lessons (car driving lessons also count)) you sit  a restricted test which is just a ride with a tester following you in his car, it usually is about 10mins long
doing your restricted doesnt give you any benefits over the learners licence except you are one step closer to passing your full.
next you have to wait 18 months (unless you do a defensive driving course,(just a theory course over a couple of evenings))
that cuts your waiting time to 9 months
once your time is up its another test exactly the same as the restricted test and a guy in a car follows you again
and thats it job done you now have a full licence and can ride what ever you damn well want
as you can see you can have your full licence at 16 if you do the courses (which i did )

brilliant system

hmm...AFAIK rumours are that here in the rest of EU (other than UK, I mean) things are getting harder to become a rider (which makes me happy I had the idea of getting my bike license 2 1/2 yrs. ago )

At present, here (Italy) it goes like this:
age >=14 : <50cc mopeds under passing a written theory test (10 questions with 3 answers each); before 2004 (or 2005? ) age was the only entitling element to allow you to ride.
age >=16 : A1 driving license, 2 tests -theory & riding -, bikes <125 cc and <11kW=15hp.
age >=18 : A2 (also called "A-Limited"), only riding test if other licenses (car, truck,...) already owned (otherwise, theory test too), bikes of any displacement but <25kW=34hp and having power/weight ratio of 0,16 kW/kg, all of this for the first two years since obtaining this license.
age >=21 (or after 2 yrs. since A2 obtained): A3 ("A") license, bikes of any power/displacement. Again, only riding test.

i;m curious don't your provinces have separate DOT rules/regs like our states?

what we need to see is some hard data to back up the British and Aussie systems. In terms of reduced fatalities, loss of person-years, insurance claims etc.  Then maybe, just maybe we could start pushing something similar here in the states.   I know there are comparison studies that are probably out there, I'm just too lazy to look them up right now.

The Brit system may be a bit harsh, But so is death.

If a graduated system saved just one life.....

BeSafe.

the british systems harsh....Harsh but fair 

its only rencently say like 20 years its been like that, before you could take your test and ride anything , my mates dad got a 900 for his first bike , and shattered his leg ,

Quote from: frankieG on June 12, 2007, 06:32:49 PM
i;m curious don't your provinces have separate DOT rules/regs like our states?

Our bureaucracy is already slow,complex and twisty "as is"...let's not furtherly complicate it setting different rules for each province/region...Italy would be more hell than it is at present
Seriously speaking, all DOT/Highway Code etc. rules apply on the whole national territory; IMHO, our regions/provinces are so small that splitting procedures would have no sense.
The only income you pay to Regions, and not to the State anymore, is the road tax.

Lamps!