Trout
GT Reference
I started this in reply to the Sidestand rotary switch thread but it became apparent that it I was getting away from the topic.
The old Ambassadors side stand spring would get weak and fall off. I pogo'd (new word: Like a pogo stick)thru a left curve one time that increased my heart rate by quite a bit.
As far as the "safety" end goes if you are into a curve at any speed and the stand is down (because you left it down or the spring went away) that kill switch is not going to make a difference.
As riders are we not responsible for knowing how to operate our machines?
It's my opinion that in general we have become too dependent on laws and things that protect us from ourselves. There is a whole new generation of riders demanding more & more technology to protect "us". The cry is: Build us bigger engines with more horsepower, let us go faster because we have armor clothing and big insurance policy's but you need to build in all kinds of stuff so we don't get seriously injured or we will sue you for our stupidity. We want traction control & anti-lock brakes & side stand switches and rev limiters and........
How many riders actually do a safety check before riding?
I love seeing chains waving in the air or so rusted it's squeaking. Bald tires, leaking fork seals, smoke coming off engines from oil leaks. Just this past Sunday I pulled up along side of another rider & pointed to his engine smoking. He just smiled, shrugged and said "Yeah I know got an oil leak from pushin it too hard a few weeks ago." Cool so just crash & burn behind me baby, the rear tire was covered in oil.
Do you look for the neutral light to know you are out of gear?
I know what gear I'm in by the sound of the engine so I know how many clicks down is neutral. Sitting still with the engine running just let that clutch out a little & see if it pulls.
Is it really that hard to rock the bike to see if it is in gear before hitting the button?
It was always funny to me in the time before the "electric foot" when somebody would jump on the kick starter and the bike would flop over because it was in gear. Usually only happened once to the same person. Before all the safety stuff I saw guys with electric start do the same thing which was even funnier because at times the engine would start. You learned or you got hurt or you quit riding but because people are lazy and cry loudly we had to have clutch switches and neutral switches. I say know your machine, learn to ride and take responsibility or pay the price.
How quick can you stop your bike?
Take a Sunday and some chalk and a tape measure and go find an empty parking lot to improve your braking skills. Take along some other riders and turn it into a contest.
Then spread some dirt and do it again.
How tight can you do figure eights?
How slow can you ride in a straight line?
Chalk line 30 feet of parallel lines 6" apart keep your tires between the lines, go slow and then faster speeds.
Can you back your bike up in dirt, wet grass, soft sand, loose gravel without sitting on the saddle?
Do you look through a curve?
Do you turn your head and visibly look when changing lanes?
These are all basic skills that make better & safe riders. The rider training courses I've observed are a joke, people are getting license that can barely shift properly let alone stop without falling over, it's a license mill producing an income but not quality riders.
And that's why we have to have "safety" stuff.
Who taught you how to ride?
Who have you taught to ride?
Live to ride & ride to live.
The old Ambassadors side stand spring would get weak and fall off. I pogo'd (new word: Like a pogo stick)thru a left curve one time that increased my heart rate by quite a bit.
As far as the "safety" end goes if you are into a curve at any speed and the stand is down (because you left it down or the spring went away) that kill switch is not going to make a difference.
As riders are we not responsible for knowing how to operate our machines?
It's my opinion that in general we have become too dependent on laws and things that protect us from ourselves. There is a whole new generation of riders demanding more & more technology to protect "us". The cry is: Build us bigger engines with more horsepower, let us go faster because we have armor clothing and big insurance policy's but you need to build in all kinds of stuff so we don't get seriously injured or we will sue you for our stupidity. We want traction control & anti-lock brakes & side stand switches and rev limiters and........
How many riders actually do a safety check before riding?
I love seeing chains waving in the air or so rusted it's squeaking. Bald tires, leaking fork seals, smoke coming off engines from oil leaks. Just this past Sunday I pulled up along side of another rider & pointed to his engine smoking. He just smiled, shrugged and said "Yeah I know got an oil leak from pushin it too hard a few weeks ago." Cool so just crash & burn behind me baby, the rear tire was covered in oil.
Do you look for the neutral light to know you are out of gear?
I know what gear I'm in by the sound of the engine so I know how many clicks down is neutral. Sitting still with the engine running just let that clutch out a little & see if it pulls.
Is it really that hard to rock the bike to see if it is in gear before hitting the button?
It was always funny to me in the time before the "electric foot" when somebody would jump on the kick starter and the bike would flop over because it was in gear. Usually only happened once to the same person. Before all the safety stuff I saw guys with electric start do the same thing which was even funnier because at times the engine would start. You learned or you got hurt or you quit riding but because people are lazy and cry loudly we had to have clutch switches and neutral switches. I say know your machine, learn to ride and take responsibility or pay the price.
How quick can you stop your bike?
Take a Sunday and some chalk and a tape measure and go find an empty parking lot to improve your braking skills. Take along some other riders and turn it into a contest.
Then spread some dirt and do it again.
How tight can you do figure eights?
How slow can you ride in a straight line?
Chalk line 30 feet of parallel lines 6" apart keep your tires between the lines, go slow and then faster speeds.
Can you back your bike up in dirt, wet grass, soft sand, loose gravel without sitting on the saddle?
Do you look through a curve?
Do you turn your head and visibly look when changing lanes?
These are all basic skills that make better & safe riders. The rider training courses I've observed are a joke, people are getting license that can barely shift properly let alone stop without falling over, it's a license mill producing an income but not quality riders.
And that's why we have to have "safety" stuff.
Who taught you how to ride?
Who have you taught to ride?
Live to ride & ride to live.
