I always have people come up to me and tell me about their horrible crashes. The bank. The grocery store. Seven eleven. I haven't even owned a bike for a year, and im already jaded about it. Its always the same story. "I was doing like 140. Shorts and a T shirt. Hospital for days. Check out this scar. Blah blah blah."  Its getting hard to smile and say "im glad your alive" when im trying to get a muffin for breakfast at 9am. Seems strangers only feel the need to share the negative with other strangers.

While walking out of the crappy public library branch by my apartment, someone started to talk to me about motorcycles. They guy got all excited when he saw my bike. The model numbers were familiar to him. He quickly realized he use to own my bikes predecessor. An 81 gs 550e. He politely asked if he could sit on it, and was very excited when i gladly said yes. The strangers smile was large as he grasped the bars, and lifted the bike off its side stand. He looked forward, lost in thought for a few moments before he looked down at the controls and started talk again.

He said he had not been on a motorcycle in years and years. I didnt ask why. He placed the machine back on its side stand with care and dismounted. He shook my hand, and said "Thank you. You have no idea how much that meant to me."

He smiled again and walked away.

I wish i ran into more people like that. Im not even sure why, but it really made my day.

lol i hear teh 140 people all the time. half of the time im an ass, i say glad your okay, next time wear some gear 

Yep, gotta love the negative nancies.  I get it a lot too. 


Them:  "My cousin used to have a motorycle" 

Me:  "Oh?"

Them:  "Yeah, but he got killed on it."

Me:  "Oh well..."

or

Them:  "I'd never let my daughter ride on the back of that thing.  I want her to be with a responsible young man."

Me:  "That's cool, 'cause your daughter is pretty ugly"

Them:  speechless

Her:  biggest grin I've ever seen.   

or

Them:  "You need to sell that deathtrap crotch rocket and buy a cruiser.  They're much safer!"

Me:  "So safe you don't need a helmet or leathers?"

Them "Uhhhh..."

or

Them:  "Back in the day I had a motorcycle."

Me:  "Oh?"

Them:  "Yeah, it was a hoot.  But see this scar?  I broke my leg in 19 different places."

Me:  "Well, shaZam! happens I suppose."

Them:  "Never been on one since.  Them things is dangerous."

Me:  "So is getting out of bed in the morning from what I hear."

or

I could go on and on and on and on...   

There's a social stigma regarding motorcycles, not entirely unfounded.  However, there are also a whole lot of idiots out there riding bikes.  To a degree, riding a motorcycle brings out the idiot in all of us.  Some of us have the self control to know when enough is enough and the sense to constantly advance our skills.  We're the ones who will likely survive the experience and gain something from it.

Twice today I was nearly rear-ended in my car.  In the second instance I was on a 2-lane road with a left turn lane.  Half the rear of my car was out in the left passing lane as the turn lane was full with semis.  I watched as a blue Dodge Durango made a jackrabbit start from the traffic light about 200 yards behind me, headed straight for me.  I had nowhere to go and couldn't really do anything.  On a bike, I would have shot the gap up next to the semis, there was PLENTY of room. 

Luckily, the car in the right lane saw the situation and yielded long enough for Durango Dude to swap lanes, literally RIGHT behind me.  Those were a nervous and helpless few seconds.

I feel safer on a bike.  The difference is I can't abdicate my responsibilty to stay alive to 36 airbags and a ton of steel.

Every once in a while, you'll run into a truely interested character.  I've met SO many interesting people who have out of the blue walked up and engaged in conversation.  I stand out in a crowd wearing my leathers, I guess.

Yeah I bought my first bike a couple of months ago[Gs500F], and the first thing i heard at work was how bad and horrible motorcycles were and it seem like everbody had a "friend"  who died on one. When I asked if they had actually rode on a bike the answer was NO. I think people who have never ridden should not be trying to give advice. In the the few months I have had my bike I know I'm hooked. You can't get me off it. I'm looking forward to many more years of riding and no one else's opinion will change that.

i concur if you look at the facts most motorcycle injuries and deaths could have been prevented with a little investment in a good armored riding jacket and a helmet 4 to 5 hundred dollars doesnt seem like alot compared with 20 thousand dollars in medical bills

People are opinionated about motorcycles because a) they just want to be b) don't know better c) they watch too much you tube searches "motorcycle crashes" and assume the the norm is that jackass that we have all seen blow by us on the road at 140.

I got this woman at work that has been on the b*** seat of her boyfriends bike for year, broke up with him and wants her own bike.. thankfully between her friends and I we convinced her to get the MSF class... I loaned her a helmet, jacket, gloves from my wife's older gear to do the class (she did not want to get her own before buying the bike (yeah whatever I though)..

So.. excited she goes to the class with her best friends that decided to learn it as well, Monday comes, I come in half hour early cause I want to hear all about it. .. she starts by stating she loves the class,m she learned a lot and learned a new respect for bike..
I replied with a smile knowingly, ain't the same as the back seat eh?

to which she replied... (pull up her pants from ankle to knee) and shows me a good half dozen bruises on her legs... and goes to babbles about this and that in the class and by end of explanations she fallen 5 times with the bike, and lost control of it once confused controls and ran into her best friend in the class (moto vs moto crash)...

oh yeah and she pass the exam..  As of last week, she has a cruiser on order, got a FULL helmet, and gear  (jacket, boots, gloves) and she stated... I rode for years without gear on the back seat, but never again, I learn a new respect for motorcyclist, and I am still going to need some good practices in a parking lot before I ride on the road will would when I get my bike, help me out ? <grin> sure thing, let me know when your bike arrives, Ill even ride it to your house for ya. (she dint have a trailer)

Quote from: respite
While walking out of the crappy public library branch by my apartment, someone started to talk to me about motorcycles. They guy got all excited when he saw my bike. The model numbers were familiar to him. He quickly realized he use to own my bikes predecessor. An 81 gs 550e. He politely asked if he could sit on it, and was very excited when i gladly said yes. The strangers smile was large as he grasped the bars, and lifted the bike off its side stand. He looked forward, lost in thought for a few moments before he looked down at the controls and started talk again.

I have lost a friend back in the 80's in a motorcycle accident, the same accident I spent 3 days in the hospital unconscious. and countless hours in pain from broken bones, it did take 20 years for me to get back in the saddle. I can appreciate the man that sat on your bike, talked shortly about it and then left without a word. odd are, he's got a story, but is not ready to share it.

People always will be negative, hell even motorcyclist on the road are like that... had a cruiser rider at a light, attempt to ask why I had so much gear on and wasn't I hot... to which I signaled to his pipes and got him to understand that his pipe were too annoying for me to answer him. (besides I had my music playing... and I am tired of answering the "you got your donors card?" question.)

People will be people, and as people go, each of them like an butt-hole, they have their all knowing opinions on the subject.
you can only change the people that care to have it changed...

Today I was riding home from work, and dropped by the local airport to catch up with an old friend I used to skydive with, who works there doing tandem jumps. As I'm leaving, another skydiver sees me getting on the GS and says "Isn't that thing dangerous?"
I'm speechless; this guy has spent his entire day throwing himself at a large planet from 14.000 feet!

I usually cut the conversation down quickly

Me: Standing in line at XYZ Food or Coffee joint, full face Biaggi Rep AGV in my hand, HD Icon leather jacket or something similarly loud and protective on me.

Joe Schmoe: Hey, you Ride?

Me: No I walked here but with Morons like you manning 4000Lbs vehicles I feel much safer wearing a helmet and leathers while walking.

Me: In line at XYZ Convenience Store, Full on MX Gear, Alpinestar Boots, Muddied Fox Pants and Jersey, loud bold designs, sweat dripping off of me.

Dumb Fluck: Hey, You ride Dirt Bikes?

Me: No I just got done with 18 holes of Golf.

The responses I get usually are dumb founded stares, most people, especially the clueless Flucks who think that Convenience stores are conducive to talks with total strangers, state no need to be a smart ass. I respond with Smart Ass? Next time you start asking a stupid question just to strike up a benign conversation with a total stranger think before you do as it really shows how pathetic and wanting you really are in life.

I just tell em..

I dont ride it! Satan does the driving, I just try and hang on 

my parents told me that when I got paralyzed they'd put me in the corner of a room and water me like a house plant 

but yeah, I've had friends who have died and heard ALL the stories, but it's a LOT of fun, very economical, and I'm careful. Not saying I won't crash, but I don't do stupid things and always ride within my limits and like nobody can see me

I've heard all the horror stories too..So that's why I embrace it.Take a look at my helmet I painted over the winter,it raises some eyebrows Look..your only going to live as long as God wants you to.This body will die,but your soul goe's on forever.Just a question of Where.If you know Christ as your Savior..You are death proof! The 13 with the ace of spades is there because luck doesn't exist.It a tweek on those that do belive in that crap.You can get killed tommorrow on a motorcycle or the next day stepping out of the tub! The way I look at it.When it's your time,NOTHING will stop you from keeping that apppointment.

I"ve heard the ignorant "you'll get killed on that thing" line many times.   Luckily, MOST people just ask what I ride.

There've been a few dumbasses that wound out an R1 at 140 and just went down. all I can say is, IDIOT.

Quote from: Ronin on July 13, 2008, 01:42:51 PM

Every time I see this picture of your helmet, I think it's going to be a bounce house for kids or something.  That is until I scroll down far enough to see the DOT sticker.  It's all the perspective with the trees in the background.  Nice paint job though! 

I must have weird friends. A lot of them tell me to be careful, but most of them ask what its like to ride a motorcycle and how I learned how to do it. I talk to a ton of people who are like "I've always wanted to ride a motorcycle, what should I do?" I always tell them to go take the MSF course and not to buy a bike that they can't handle...