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PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 13:13 
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Ziltro wrote:
Most bikers in Florida wear little more than a T-shirt and shorts/trouser. Most don't seem to wear a helmet.


Florida made helmet free riding legal about 3 years ago

More than 20 US states are now helmet free. I have covered this topic many times before and many of you know my views.

Since 2003 I have covered more than 10,000 miles riding in the US in the US, mostly helmet free.

If I had the choice sometimes I would wear a helmet and sometimes not. I think I should chose and not the state.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 14:04 
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Gizmo wrote:
Ziltro wrote:
Most bikers in Florida wear little more than a T-shirt and shorts/trouser. Most don't seem to wear a helmet.


Florida made helmet free riding legal about 3 years ago

More than 20 US states are now helmet free. I have covered this topic many times before and many of you know my views.

Since 2003 I have covered more than 10,000 miles riding in the US in the US, mostly helmet free.

If I had the choice sometimes I would wear a helmet and sometimes not. I think I should chose and not the state.


Just a thought

In the US you pay your *own* healthcare, In the UK it is paid for through taxation. I wonder is this has something to do with the differing official attitudes towards this sort of thing? :scratchchin:

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 16:24 
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Dusty wrote:

Just a thought

In the US you pay your *own* healthcare, In the UK it is paid for through taxation. I wonder is this has something to do with the differing official attitudes towards this sort of thing? :scratchchin:


Interesting point but nope...The rules vary from state to state. In some states you are required to have additional insurance to ride helmet free othere do not. If the risk was that great the additional costs for the insurance would be astronomic, and it is not!

If insurance is the issue give me the choice of taking our additional insurance to ride helment free!


Motorcycling, helmet or not is a fraction of the healthcare burden that smokers, drinkers and the obese are.

Example of the law...
Quote:
Texas Motorcycle Helmet Law
Generally, Texas requires all riders and passengers to wear a helmet that meets the safety standard of the state's Department of Public Safety.

However, those 21 and over who successfully complete an approved motorcycle operator training and safety course or those covered by a health insurance plan providing at least $10,000 in medical benefits for injuries incurred while operating the motorcycle can drive the bike without wearing a helmet.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 16:48 
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Gizmo wrote:
Motorcycling, helmet or not is a fraction of the healthcare burden that smokers, drinkers and the obese are.


I think you will find that smokers, at least in the UK, have more than paid for their healthcare burden by the time they need it. Especially when you factor in the fact that the majority of them have also worked and owned vehicles :wink:

As regards helmet or not, it should be up to the individual. If you have an accident without a helmet you probably won't need any healthcare anyway.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 20:20 
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Icandoit wrote:
So simply by not wearing protective clothing you WILL make a mistake and it WILL be your last?


No, that's not what I said. Everyone who rides makes a mistake sooner or later. Especially people who only ride sportsbikes for thrills on sunny weekends.
Hit the deck at relatively low speeds in comparison to the capabilities of modern bikes without gear and the chances are you ain't gonna get up again.


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 20:35 
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Patch wrote:
And there is the rub; does "crash protection" encourage risky riding?


I suppose it does. Riskier, anyway.
I wouldn't ride the way I ride on rideouts without kitting up. Not that I ever ride outside of my ability or do anything truly dangerous (well, ok, occasionally I get a bit carried away following someone faster than me), but the risk of having an accident can never be zero and at those kinds of speeds I'd have next to no chance of escaping at the least a long stay in hospital without gear.

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Just imagine that we never had a helmet law in this country, would this country be the sports bike capital of the world or would bikers get their freedom sensation on cruisers/nekkids etc?


I don't really get a freedom sensation anymore tbh, maybe it's because I don't have a car to compare it to. It's the adrenaline rush I go for, as well as all the practical reasons (live in London) and the social aspect.
I do feel really quite isolated in full textiles/helmet etc. I've moved the bike etc. without gear on occassion and it really is a glorious feeling.
Are those perforated leathers as good as they're made out to be for feeling like you're wearing nothing at all?

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I often ride my nekkids with out donning the full protection gear, but feel naked opn the VFR without it, I even just invested in a full race suit as two piece zip together leathers just don't feel good enough for the track.

Don't get me wrong I am not against protective clothing but I am very wary of over zealous encouragment of it


Well it should never take the place of good riding, but the risk of accident on a motorcycle is so high I couldn't justify going without it.
These days as I am more confident in my riding ability I wear jeans if I'm going to visit friends or whatever, and usually forego the back protector because it's so damn inconvinient and makes my back all sweaty. If I'm riding just for the sake of riding and it isn't too hot I'll wear it.

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Nothing to do with so called "illegal" bikes, personally I think that this is a greatly over exaggerated problem limited to a few less desirable estates in some of our worst inner cities.


Like most "problems" we never hear the end of, really...


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 21:00 
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repiV wrote:
It's the adrenaline rush I go for,

What style of riding does it take for you to get your adrenaline rush?

And once you have achieved that rush, what style of riding does it take to achieve the same rush again?

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 23:47 
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Gixxer wrote:
What style of riding does it take for you to get your adrenaline rush?


Sometimes I go to a nice set of bends late at night when there's no traffic about and keep going up and down the road, improving my speed and more importantly, smoothness. I seem to get the most pleasure from perfectly linking together a set of corners. In fact my absolute favourite stretch of road has an advisory speed limit of 25, it's just so awesomely bendy. Doesn't need to be particularly fast.

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And once you have achieved that rush, what style of riding does it take to achieve the same rush again?


That's the problem, I get bored of things quickly. Doesn't mean I turn to stupidity. I still have sizeable chicken strips...the bike's capable of far more than I've ever asked it to do.
Although I'm thinking the challenge of racing is what I really need.

If you want to meet genuine lunatics, just pop down the Ace on a Friday night...


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 08:56 
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R1Nut wrote:
If you have an accident without a helmet you probably won't need any healthcare anyway.


Strange generalisation comming from a "biker". The vast majority of accidents, helmet or no helmet are not fatal.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 09:42 
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repiV wrote:
If you want to meet genuine lunatics, just pop down the Ace on a Friday night...

I was meeting genuine lunatics 20+ years ago at both the Bridge (Chelsea) and the Mile (Sutton By Pass).
While somewhat mildly impressed (at the time) by what some of the peeps were capable of, their skill level wasn't anywhere near what the school age boys and girls who compete in proper motorsport are capable of.

In fact, I reckon that if you stuck some of todays so called "friday night stunt riders" on a 25 year old GSX 11 and asked them to do the same as what they do on their pocket rockets, they'd be on their arse before the first corner.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:05 
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Ain't that the truth.

I cut my teath on a 1979 XS650 and I can now comfortably ride most things. I recon had I started on an R1 or something else of that ilk I'd be dead by now.

Incidentally. I went to a rally at the weekend and witnessed some of the worst riding I've ever seen. Dunno if this guy was high or something, but he tried to ride up the inside of me whilst I was turning left and then overtook me and sat between me and the other half (both on near identical rat bikes, so fairly obvious we're together) and dawdled :?

I don't get such a 'rush' from riding these days, kitted or not, I just get a nice warm glow from a safely completed journey.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 13:18 
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Gizmo wrote:
R1Nut wrote:
If you have an accident without a helmet you probably won't need any healthcare anyway.


Strange generalisation comming from a "biker". The vast majority of accidents, helmet or no helmet are not fatal.


As it is a requirement to wear a helmet in the UK then we will not know whether the fact that wearing the helmet did or didn't save someone's life. I know in the three accidents that I've had definitely one and possibly another would have resulted in severe head injuries. In those instances I would not have gone on to reach accident three.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 13:31 
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Gixxer wrote:
I was meeting genuine lunatics 20+ years ago at both the Bridge (Chelsea) and the Mile (Sutton By Pass).
Gixxer! :o I remember the Mad Mile from my youth as well, when I lived in Cheam! On our way up to Box Hill...

Sorry - quick reminisce... :P

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 13:58 
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R1Nut wrote:
As it is a requirement to wear a helmet in the UK then we will not know whether the fact that wearing the helmet did or didn't save someone's life.


Well there you go. You do your thing and I will do mine........All I want is the choice, and what is wrong with that.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 14:11 
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Gizmo wrote:
R1Nut wrote:
As it is a requirement to wear a helmet in the UK then we will not know whether the fact that wearing the helmet did or didn't save someone's life.


Well there you go. You do your thing and I will do mine........All I want is the choice, and what is wrong with that.


As I said previously, I agree that it should be up to the individual :wink:

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 18:56 
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Sixy_the_red wrote:
Ain't that the truth.

I cut my teath on a 1979 XS650 and I can now comfortably ride most things. I recon had I started on an R1 or something else of that ilk I'd be dead by now.

I started riding at 9, so I had a bit of advantage.
However I agree, if I had started at 16 on a bike of today although I don't know about the being dead part, I certainly wouldn't have the advantage of knowing what it is like to ride something that doesn't handle and doesn't stop all that well (which simply means I wouldn't really know what is going on underneath me).

Quote:
Incidentally. I went to a rally at the weekend and witnessed some of the worst riding I've ever seen.

Funny you should say that, I had to go to St Thomas' Hospital today (next to Westminster Bridge).

Jesus H Christ....the standard of driving in London is nothing short of f***ing abysmal.
We should forget the driving test in it's entirety, and replace it with a simple "If you can get from one side of London to the other without incident, then you have proved yourself worthy of holding a license".

Don't get me wrong, I'm no "country bumpkin" when it comes to driving in London as I despatched there for long enough and had plenty of idea about how manic it could be.
After today though, I think I would prefer to get ripped off by Network SouthEast to the tune of £40 return if I have to go back rather than ride or drive.


BottyBurp wrote:
Gixxer! :o I remember the Mad Mile from my youth as well, when I lived in Cheam! On our way up to Box Hill...

Sorry - quick reminisce... :P

Sunday afternoon at the Box, through the "deceptives" both on the way there & back, something to eat at Ryka's, and the mile on the way back........those were the days.

FWIW, I lived in Mitcham back then.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 19:30 
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Gixxer wrote:

I was meeting genuine lunatics 20+ years ago at both the Bridge (Chelsea) and the Mile (Sutton By Pass).
While somewhat mildly impressed (at the time) by what some of the peeps were capable of, their skill level wasn't anywhere near what the school age boys and girls who compete in proper motorsport are capable of.

In fact, I reckon that if you stuck some of todays so called "friday night stunt riders" on a 25 year old GSX 11 and asked them to do the same as what they do on their pocket rockets, they'd be on their arse before the first corner.


I just thought it was stupid. Pulling wheelies and burnouts and shit on the North Circular...nothing more than immature bravado.
Although it was quite funny, when we rode off to leave the whole hundreds-strong crowd was standing there cheering for us, expecting us to do some kind of crazy stunt.


Last edited by repiV on Tue Jul 31, 2007 19:41, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 19:40 
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Gixxer wrote:
However I agree, if I had started at 16 on a bike of today although I don't know about the being dead part, I certainly wouldn't have the advantage of knowing what it is like to ride something that doesn't handle and doesn't stop all that well (which simply means I wouldn't really know what is going on underneath me).


I've ridden a '97 TLR1000. It handled like a barge, couldn't stand the thing. I'd rather have a Bandit, and I hate those too.
How badly did the older bikes handle compared to a TLR?

Quote:
Jesus H Christ....the standard of driving in London is nothing short of f***ing abysmal.
We should forget the driving test in it's entirety, and replace it with a simple "If you can get from one side of London to the other without incident, then you have proved yourself worthy of holding a license".


Yeah, it's shockingly bad. When I first went for a ride through central London I came out feeling like I'd just run the gauntlet. It demanded so much more skill and attention than any other kind of riding.
I commuted to Southwark for a couple of months, initially I used to narrowly avoid being hit at least once a day, sometimes more. And I always arrived stressed and frazzled. Developed this kind of sixth sense after a while and it didn't happen so much anymore, but it was without a doubt extremely dangerous.


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 20:32 
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repiV wrote:
How badly did the older bikes handle compared to a TLR?

Riding a TLR 1000 is like having nanny wipe your arse at 30 years of age, you are spoilt.

Ride an old (late) 1970's twin shock GSX 1100 ET that had a 19" front wheel, a rear tyre that was no wider than 130mm (and that was standard), making around 130BHP if you had it tuned (which we all did even though it was the fastest bike in the world at the time).....and then you'll know what proper riding is all about :wink:

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 20:52 
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Gixxer wrote:
Riding a TLR 1000 is like having nanny wipe your arse at 30 years of age, you are spoilt.

Ride an old (late) 1970's twin shock GSX 1100 ET that had a 19" front wheel, a rear tyre that was no wider than 130mm (and that was standard), making around 130BHP if you had it tuned (which we all did even though it was the fastest bike in the world at the time).....and then you'll know what proper riding is all about :wink:


Hrrm. Light and nimble is so much more fun...adore the R6. It's like a very fast bicycle. Shame I can't afford one.
Got my insurance money today (don't worry, I wasn't actually anywhere near the bike when it was written off...), probably going to buy another Fazer. Although I do have a soft spot for the SV650 they've given me, it runs out of steam comparatively quickly.
Going to try out a '97 GSXR750 a friend of a friend is selling too, though. I imagine it won't be particularly light or nimble however. I like flickable bikes.


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