Mork meets Mindy Part II. 2/20/2006
Roy passed this on to me today.
More information on the young rider who was killed last week doing wheelies on a 1200 c.c. Kawasaki. The young man’s father is calling for licensing restrictions based on age. This is something I feel is wrong. Riders ride because they value freedom above all else. And things are already bad enough in that our sport/hobby is already being marginalised and stereotyped.
In this particular case, a young man bought a machine, and was a little foolish with it on public roads, which resulted in his unfortunate demise. But to make other young riders pay for his foolishness? Is there any justice in that? Will it bring his young son back?
I don’t blame anyone. I don’t blame manufacturers for putting out bikes that are beyond the capability of 95% of riders to ride to the edge. I don’t blame bike shops for selling a high powered motorcycle to someone who is young, and with a less than pristine driving record. The only person than can be blamed is the rider himself. He was sitting in the seat. He had his hand around the throttle. He was in control. He has only himself to blame.
The performance envelopes of modern motorcycles are very scary, especially to someone like me, who first started riding in the days of air cooled in line 4s and 19 inch front wheels. When I was first looking for a proper motorcycle, I was 2 months shy of my 16th birthday. I walked into a bike shop and saw an RD250 on a display stand. The owner of the shop came up to me, and saw me standing there in my school uniform, and asked me what I wanted.
I told him I wanted to buy that motorcycle, in white and red racing stripes. He looked at me, and asked me very quietly if I had ever ridden a motorcycle before. I looked, at that stage in my life, much older than I actually was, but he obviously had his doubts. I truthfully told him that I had only ridden step throughs and once round the block on an Uncle’s CB125. He smiled when I said this, and told me, in no uncertain terms, that the RD was not the bike for me.
Instead, he steered me towards a Suzuki GS550, saying that the bike was more suited to someone of my size and build, was not as intense in the power band, and a lot more stable. And he was right. That Suzuki was a good bike for a beginner. He probably had the thought in the back of his mind that he would prefer to have me as a repeat customer, and coming back for upgrades as my skill improved, which is something that would be a whole lot easier to do if I was actually alive and riding.
The guy who sold me that Suzuki, 25 years ago, is still there, in the same shop. I drop by on occassion, to shoot the breeze. His son now runs the wrenching part of the business, and is competing in the local race series. He likes the Silver Lady, and once told me he wanted one. But he couldn’t afford it. Not that he lacked any kind of skill in riding it. But he was being realistic about it. As his father once did to me.
And I am alive today because of it.
- Posted in : On the road
- Author : thesnark
Comments»
The thing here is the father, quite frankly, is being a dumbass. The man himself is a racing driver. He of all people would be in the best of position to teach his son the dangers of irresponsible operating of a motor vehical.
Yet he would rather blame legistrators them himself. I say if anything should be licenced, it ought to be Parenting. No bringing up children until you learn to bring them up correctly.
This is just like parents who blame computer games for their children’s gaming addiction. At the end of the day, if you brought your kid up correctly, you won’t be in this mess.
I kinda disagree. I think it is a good idea to restrict high powered bikes from new riders.
Per the the Snark’s own narration on his first bike, the bikeshop owner acted responsibly and imposed a “restriction” so to speak. However, if the Snark wanted, he could’ve gone elsewhere to some other “irresponsible” shop owner and got the bike.
Hence, in the absence of “responsibility”, it is up to legislation to enforce this.
What I disagree about the Father’s comment was using the restriction on cars as an example. Everyone knows the recent blanket ban on Hi performance cars including Forced Induction cars is just dumb.
I strongly believe that riders should spend time on smaller displacement bikes before moving on to the more high-powered machines, but the proposed regulations aren’t the way to do it.
For one thing, it’s a matter of experience, not age. A buddy of mine bought a CBR900 for his first bike in his late twenties, unintentionally wheelied and laid it down several times in the first week, and then swore off bikes entirely.
This kind of thing could be avoided if more shops took the attitude of the owner the Snark mentioned, and if the rider community stressed the importance of learning on a bike you can handle.
L: I don’t disagree with you that riders should start off small, however i think legislation license limits arn’t the answer, because legislating a minimum age, or for that matter putting time restrictions (I.e Limit riders to a max of 250cc for the 1st year) isn’t going to solve anything because people will just sit on their license for the probation period and buy a big bike when the period is over.
What i would rather have is something like Firearms regulations in Malaysia where one of the conditions of you owning a gun is to join a firing club and learn to handle the gun properly.
So maybe make the joining of an accredited Biker’s Club (Obviously legislation would be useful here to give these clubs standing) compulsary for all new licencees and make the participation at a number of events organised by the club compulsary. Then before being allowed to buy high powered machine, one would have to submit a notice to the club which would be published to members to hear if anybody who knows you has a solid and credible objection to you owning a super bike.
That way not only can safer riding habits be ingrained thru positive peer pressure, but there will also help foster a sense of fellowship. Not to mention make life easier if you ever wanna organise an expedition somewhere.