Learning to ride... Hmmm

[KeithTurk]

My Youngest Son comes by and wants to learn how to ride... ( never asked them to like the things I like.. )

So I'm showing him the ropes... riding slow in a parking lot... working the game REALLY Slow... having him follow me... we ride here and there... end up out there on the road... just generally having a good time.. So we ride out to local gunnery range... ( this place is Huge and open to the public, leave the road become a TARGET ) and there are 3 cars parked out there beside the road... Chris and I stop.. ends up to be a Friend of mine... and he tells me about how his kids friend was out riding and got hit head on 2 hrs before and was killed...

Pretty sobering... but it brought home the point to my son that these things aren't Purely toys... Care and concern even in a car... Stay in your own lane... don't charge intersections... so on and so forth... Be careful out there...

Keith ( I gave him the 360, but he's got his eye on my 550 parts bike.... Hmmm Tell me I didn't raise him right eh? LOL )

[BUBBA]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

teach him how to ride on one of those Honda's then buy him a HARLEY.
just kidding as long as he is riding that is the main thing.

D

[KeithTurk]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

Nahhh I really want him to stick to motorcycles... ya know...

Your thoughts would having packing up and moving to Frisco...

K

[mike343sharpstick]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I had some wild days riding ludicrous speeds on public roads before I started roadracing, nobody got hurt, just plain lucky really. The simple fact with Motorcycles is that they are not at all forgiving to mistakes and lapses in judgment.
Oh and by the way… wear a helmet, a good one!

[bowtiemonster]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I have been thinking of lerning myself with gas prices getting higher. Plan on using a non-profit school here in colorado called abate. two day course and at the end they waive your written and driving test and get your licence when passed.

[RyanWalker]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

Riding motorcycles on the road can be Russian roulette at times. My father used to road race motorcycles in the early to mid 70's. Knows how to operate a motorcycle. Was tuning his bike before a race, took the bike out just to see everything was sorted, waits at an intersection for red to go green, green comes he looks both ways goes, drunk driver comes out of nowhere, t-bones my father he flys 100 or so ft. is in a coma for nine days. YOU GOTTA WATCH OUT YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR A CAR ANY SIZE.

[msc66]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I just love these stories. I can't have a conversation about my bike without someone telling me a story about someone getting splattered by a car. I understand the risks but it sure takes the fun out of having a bike sometimes.

[RyanWalker]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

Just a reminder.

[ls7gto]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

Keith , glad your son is interested in riding, but like in my other post to you, PLEASE BE SAFE.
I need somebody to torment at B-ville!

[Agent-OO6.]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I tried ride'n before. My Brother has 3 old Yamaha's which me & my Sister's have ridden at different times,of course,this was wayyyy back when. We just did it for fun,in fields-n-stuff. The biggest one was 'an RM-125(Yellow & Black),and a pair of '69(?) Dirt-Trackers. Fun for what they are/were at the time. The D/T's were street legal with Lights & things,but the RM-125 was strictly a 'Track-Bike.' Like I said,we still have them,but they have'nt been used in years. ~OO6.

[ford141]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I just bought my first street bike about a month ago, mostly to save on gas, but also for the added fun factor. Got a '83 Honda Nighthawk 650 (larger, uglier, later-model brother to the 550), ready to ride for $600. I've had dirt bikes since I was 14, and considered myself an experienced rider, so I thought that this would be a piece of cake. I found out real quick how intimidating it can be to be the smallest thing on the road, in fact it kinda scared me for the first few weeks. I have slowly been getting used to it and building up my confidence, but I always remember in the back of my head how small I am on the road and how even a slight mistake by another driver could end up bad for me. It is fun, don't get me wrong, but it does take extra care and caution, and remember to always ride defensively. I just got my bike inspected on friday, and the mechanic told me about a guy just the night before about a mile away who got hit head-on by a car. He's busted up, but his full-faced helmet saved his life...

[DanStokes]

Re: Learning to ride... Hmmm

I have always kept this attitude when road riding - AUTO DRIVERS ARE ACTIVELY TRYING TO KILL YOU. Sorry ladies, but especially women in Cadillacs. But all drivers are actively trying to kill you. True, many aren't, but it's impossible to tell those who are from those who aren't, so you have to assume that they are out to kill you. When I found out upon moving to Wilmington that there were a lot of drivers on the road, none of whom did anything to dispel my theory, I sold the bike to Keith. Enterprise may not have any fewer drivers, percentage-wise, who are trying to kill you, but there are just fewer on the road. If I lived there I'd likely have kept the bike.

Keith - glad you and Chris are having great dad and kid time.

Best of luck to ALL

Dan