[Ducati] Moto Safety....was Anti Harley Shirts- Sorry

[MS&F]

Well, we are hardly an endangered species - let natural selection take 
its course.......Stuart

Aaron Gillies wrote:
> Lack of proper gear, respect and responsiblity are way over looked as important to riding. I remember this past summer, there was a kid in his early 20's on a late model red Superhawk. Those look similar to a half-faired 900ss. My folks saw it on the news and flipped out. They were calling everywhere trying to get a hold of me. I thank my dad all the time for "making" me take the MSF class. What's even more telling is I failed the final exam on that thing (DIdn't pass the emergency braking test). So what does that say about me at that age (16)? Now we've got squids loading up an R-6 and taking it for a joy ride in sandals and a muscle shirt, with his girlfriend on the back wearing high heels and a skirt. 
>   Common sense is going to make a comeback. Hopefully.
>    
>   Aaron
>
> Jalo Duc <jaloduc at hotmail.com> wrote:
>   
> "armpit of California, (AKA Bakersfield)" I resemble that remark!
>
> It has been an unusually high year in terms of deaths on bikes in Bako. I started to notice it in 2000 to 2004 when "squids" would show up on the local ride up to Glenville. More often kids would show up not geared up right and clueless. They thought riding was doing wheelies and stoppies. It seemed like every weekend one would run off the road or take a turn too hot and wind up across the double yellow. It got bad enough that the KC Sheriffs started having there CHP buddys on bikes come up too often. I put 20K miles on my 97 748 up until 2004 and maybe 3K since. Most of my riding buddies got sick of it as well. Hence the dirtbikes since. I also noticed that most non-motorcycle people lumped us together with the squids and that didn't sit well with me. I have been riding since I was 10 and was not allowed to ride unless I was fully geared up. When I turned 18 and wanted a street bike my parents did the same with me. Take an MSF course, get proper riding gear and 1 report of
>  being an idiot on the thing would be grounds for banishment even though I paid for thing and insurance. I was lucky that most of my street riding buddies were older and they wouldn't tolerate BS. Don't get me wrong I like wheelying, just on my dirtbike instead. They are cheaper to fix!!!
>
> Rino
> 97 748
> 01 KTM 400 EXC (with a plate)> Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 13:24:22 -0800> From: contingencya at yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Ducati] Anti Harley Shirts- Sorry> To: ducati at ducati.net> > In the armpit of California, (AKA Bakersfield) there were quite a few fatal accidents involving motorcycles this past year. I don't know why, but I did notice that 1 of 2 trends were involved with 65% (random number, I really have no idea, but that is what it seemed like on the news) of these accidents. 1) Young (<21 yrs) riders on overpowered rockets, or 2) alcohol was involved. > > So i've been thinking to myself about what was required of me by my dad before I even purchased a motorcycle...A weekend in a Motorcycle Safety Foundation class. I learned so much about riding in that MSF class. I think many riders these days do not have much respect for the machines that they are on. They don't ride as if they are invisible, they do not treat a motorcycle as a privelige, but as a right. They don't respect
>  it enough to know they could be injured/killed so much easier than in a car. > > I think an MSF class should be required in order to obtain a lisence. Its $180 and a weekend. They'll spend more than that on maintanence (mid-90's Duc) in a year. If life isn't worth a little cash and some time, then they have not earned the privelige to ride a two-wheeled machine. Not only opinion, but a practice that I will enforce with my children.> > Aaron> 99 900ss> > Bob Marren wrote:> Mike, I have not entered into this before mostly because I was busy > riding. Personally I dont care> what a person rides as long as they ride. Any riding beats sitting on > the couch watching the tube.> just my .02 cents> Bob M> > > > --------------------------------->