'09 street glide is ordered

[Cowracer]

I pretty much agree with the whole post, but especially the part I made bold.

I do ride like every one else on the road is trying to kill me.

However I have a friend who was killed this spring on a bike. There was nothing he could do. He was stoped at a red light with a pick up in front of him. He was rear ended by a van. From what the police report and news paper said, he saw the van coming was turning right and starting to move off the road, but not quick enough....

Meaning he was stoped and saw the danger, and reacted, but could not get out fast enough....

My point is you can do everything possible, but there is still a slight chance, no matter who safe and careful you are some idiot will tag you...

I am so sorry to hear of your friend. I am not without sympathy, but there is ALWAYS something that can be done. Did he leave enough room between him and the truck? Did he have an escape route planned? Was he in neutral with the clutch out, or in gear with it in? Did he think while he was sitting there "What if a car comes up behind me, what would I do"

Sorry if my 'tude is a bit harsh on this, but the guy that taught me to ride was a instructor pilot as well as someone who raced flattrack motorcycles, and a man that would not tolerate excuses. How many times did I hear "That a fine excuse laddy, but you'd still be dead". those words still resonate with me to this day.

Motocycling is inherently dangerous. the only protection you have in avoiding disaster is your own mindset. If you let your guard down, even for a moment, you could wind up very much dead. My point is that sometimes you wind up in a situation where there are no options left. The trick is realize ahead of time when there IS still somethign you can do.

Tim

 

[Sparky8370]

I disagree that you can always do something. You can certainly increase your chances of survival but you can never eliminate the chances of someone else doing something stupid. I was in a truck once and someone literally pulled out right in front of me. I left about 5-7' of rubber and I don't even know how I managed that. The guy didn't even look my way, someone else waved him out. If I was on my bike I would have been dead.

On the noise issue, I believe louder than stock is good but obnoxious is bad. If you need to ride with ear plugs your bike is way too loud.

Oh and my bike was a softail. I had a Harley leather jacket. I had one Harley t-shirt that my parents got me while in Georgia. I had a few little things with Harley on it, but the funny thing is that I have seen many people that own way more Harley shirts than I ever did and don't even own, or never have owned, a Harley.

 

[FLSTFI Dave]

I am so sorry to hear of your friend. I am not without sympathy, but there is ALWAYS something that can be done. Did he leave enough room between him and the truck? Did he have an escape route planned? Was he in neutral with the clutch out, or in gear with it in? Did he think while he was sitting there "What if a car comes up behind me, what would I do"

Sorry if my 'tude is a bit harsh on this, but the guy that taught me to ride was a instructor pilot as well as someone who raced flattrack motorcycles, and a man that would not tolerate excuses. How many times did I hear "That a fine excuse laddy, but you'd still be dead". those words still resonate with me to this day.

Motocycling is inherently dangerous. the only protection you have in avoiding disaster is your own mindset. If you let your guard down, even for a moment, you could wind up very much dead. My point is that sometimes you wind up in a situation where there are no options left. The trick is realize ahead of time when there IS still somethign you can do.

Tim

My friend was a Motorcycle Riders Safety course instructor for both beginer and the Advanced course. He was an instructor for 10 years and a rider for more than 30 years.

According to the police report the bike was in gear.

According to witnesses he saw the van coming. The rider then started to go turning to the right to get out of the way, he was not quick enough. The front forks and wheel on his bike recieved zero damage, so he was almost out of the way.

I am pretty sure he did everything possible. I know he always taught ride like every one is trying to kill you. He also taught always leave yourself an out. He stressed never sitting at a light in nutral.

Sorry but there are times when you do everything in your power, but you can not prevent the disaster.

 

[SfcJones]

I am always sorry to hear about a rider who died in the saddle, I also will agree that you can not stop everything from happening...I have laid one bike down and totaled it because I didn't have a escape route....long story for another time. Since I have bought my newest bike...08 Kawi 1400 Connie, I have had so many close calls with people running into the side of me while in the city in a contruction zone.....cellphoneitis is the problem....no where to go, just hope that the other driver hears your screams and the factory oem beep beep horn.....

 

[Sparky8370]

I am always sorry to hear about a rider who died in the saddle, I also will agree that you can not stop everything from happening...I have laid one bike down and totaled it because I didn't have a escape route....long story for another time. Since I have bought my newest bike...08 Kawi 1400 Connie, I have had so many close calls with people running into the side of me while in the city in a contruction zone.....cellphoneitis is the problem....no where to go, just hope that the other driver hears your screams and the factory oem beep beep horn.....

That's where the loud pipes come in.

 

[Cowracer]

My friend was a Motorcycle Riders Safety course instructor for both beginer and the Advanced course. He was an instructor for 10 years and a rider for more than 30 years.

According to the police report the bike was in gear.

According to witnesses he saw the van coming. The rider then started to go turning to the right to get out of the way, he was not quick enough. The front forks and wheel on his bike recieved zero damage, so he was almost out of the way.

I am pretty sure he did everything possible. I know he always taught ride like every one is trying to kill you. He also taught always leave yourself an out. He stressed never sitting at a light in nutral.

Sorry but there are times when you do everything in your power, but you can not prevent the disaster.

I guess in this case, that is true. But I hate accepting that because if you start beliving that theres nothing you can do, I feel you will start getting complacent. Your freind was obviously a skilled and attentive rider. Maybe even that wasnt enough.

We take our chances everytime we throw a leg over. I have explained to my wife and kids, that if I were to die on the bike, I died doing something that I loved, that brought me great joy.

Tim

 

[SfcJones]

The worst thing i have seen as of late is cellphoneitis...it will kill you, i have put almost 16k miles on a bike this year...thats the biggest problem

 

[FLSTFI Dave]

I guess in this case, that is true. But I hate accepting that because if you start beliving that theres nothing you can do, I feel you will start getting complacent. Your freind was obviously a skilled and attentive rider. Maybe even that wasnt enough.

We take our chances everytime we throw a leg over. I have explained to my wife and kids, that if I were to die on the bike, I died doing something that I loved, that brought me great joy.

Tim

I never believe their is nothing I can do, and always try to leave an escape. However there are some times there is nothing you can do. Luckily that has not been the case for me so far. I have had close calls, but managed to use my escape with success.

I do agree, we know the risks, and take a chance every time you get on it.

A blow out at 80 mph would be a tough one to handle.

I have hit a rabbit, and was very close to a deer.

My closet call was three crotch rockets.

I was riding home at early evening on a narrow two lane road, wife was following behind me in her truck. Three crotch rockets decided to pass both of us, in a blind curve. I was already 10 mph over the posted limit. Well the first bike barly made it by me, with out hitting the on coming truck with boat trailer. I moved to the far right of my lane. The middle bike hit the tandum axel of the boat trailer. Ripped the forks off his bike and the rim off the trailer. The rim and tire missed me by inches, the third rider hit my handle bars as he went by, and broke my mirror off. I do not know how I did not go down. I had cuts on my left arm and hand from the third bike.

Sad thing is the front and back bike left the scene of the wreck, and their buddy in the ditch. He broke his arm, sholder, collar bone and leg.

That is the worst I have ever been shook up.

 

[ultimate Trucks]

Good luck and ride hard on the new bike Tim. They are nice riding bikes. Good choice.