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General SportbikesThis area is made for sportbikes in general. Posts that dont really belong anywhere else besides here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects. If your question is Manufacturer specific please post it there.
Howdy everyone, I'm a new member. I'm Ken, and go by mccolo. I'm a bit different from the rest of you I would guess because I don't really ride a sport bike. I do have a Kawasaki Concours, which is more sport touring, but it does have the body work and the Ninja engine.
I have an ulterior reason for joining this forum, however. I'm a writer and I write about motorcycles and motorcycling. One of the things I do is write for Examiner.com, where I am their national Motorcycle Examiner. What I would like to do is make this forum a portal into the sport bike world. For instance, I did an article recently about Jon Kuo, a racer who is also an ABATE rider trainer and who had been sponsored as a racer by ABATE. In the article, which I feel is unfortunately one-sided, the ABATE folks talk about the organization's inability to get much traction with the sport bike community. I'd really like to publish a follow-up article to this presenting the feelings and opinions of the sport bikers toward ABATE and their efforts.
I'd also like to be able to touch in here from time to time to ask you guys about other issues I'm planning to write about. So how does that sound to you all? Anyone care to be the first to respond to the Jon Kuo article?
Welcome. The old concours is more than fast enough to be considered a sportbike, but if you've sparked the center stand through a corner then you will fit right in.
ABATE? Oh, the anti-helmet ppl...
I'm not for choice. I'm for keeping riders alive whether they like it or not. Socialist? I think it's common sense to do whatever it takes to protect your brain in a high risk activity...for those that dont find that to be common sense, that's for whom these laws are enacted for.
Sure...we can set up an interview. My rate is $125.00 an hour with a 2 hr minimum for questions, no pictures. Pictures/interview rate is $175.00 an hour. Have your people call my people.
I'm not for choice. I'm for keeping riders alive whether they like it or not. Socialist? I think it's common sense to do whatever it takes to protect your brain in a high risk activity...for those that dont find that to be common sense, that's for whom these laws are enacted for.
haha, same thing i thought.
ABATE is wetawded
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MSF Grad: July '06
2006 Ninja 250R 12,150 miles- sold!
2005 SV650S 7,200 miles- sold!
2008 GSXR 600 12,0xx miles and counting
my very own sticky! you+bike+gear
I joined abate years ago because a friend was a member. I went to one meeting and wasn't really welcomed around all the hardley crowd so i left.
You might want to ask one of them what makes them so much better than the sportbike crowd. Besides I'm not about supporting drinking and riding without a helmet.
I am more Sport Touring also, and like another said I too am no fan of drinking and riding, and especially riding with no gear. I do not understand ABATE's arguments against full face helmets. They always try and say how your neck will snap in a wreck so why bother. Or they say stuff like their vision is blocked, I'm guessing none of these ABATE members have ever really tried on a good quality helmet.
I am also not for loud pipes. Loud pipes piss people off and give motorcyclist in general a bad rap.
From my experience ABATE members tend to look down on sport bikes. I would hardly call an ABATE member a "Motorcyclist", I just call them a rider. They ride to look cool, they ride to belong. Where as I believe a "Motorcyclist" is someone that would be happy on anything, they love riding because they are riding...they could careless if they are on a moped, a HD, a ZX10r, or a 30 year old antique.
I'm not for choice. I'm for keeping riders alive whether they like it or not. Socialist? I think it's common sense to do whatever it takes to protect your brain in a high risk activity...for those that dont find that to be common sense, that's for whom these laws are enacted for.
I disagree in as much as if one chooses not to wear a helmet then likely there is nothing to protect anyway. At least here in Texas you are allowed to ride without a helmet providing you prove that you have insurance to pay for your head injuries so as not to be a burden on the tax payer/hospital. You also must show proof to DPS and then you get an exemption sticker for your plate.
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GSX-R750- built by a man, piloted by a woman.
It's by the grace of god that ABATE hasnt invaded the sportbike crowd. Sportbikes are much faster and more complicated to ride, while at the same time being ridden by a younger group. While I almost always endorse the idea of "freedom to choose", this is an exception.
EDIT: The fact that this whole thing is just to strengthen there voice, it has nothing to do with us, nothing to do with unendorsed drivers. They want to use us, that pisses me off.
Last edited by SamIAm_1021 : 06-24-2009 at 11:38 PM.
lol i like that ABATE offers rider training. i would laugh in someones face if someone who thinks wearing a helmet is dangerous offered to teach me something
__________________
MSF Grad: July '06
2006 Ninja 250R 12,150 miles- sold!
2005 SV650S 7,200 miles- sold!
2008 GSXR 600 12,0xx miles and counting
my very own sticky! you+bike+gear
Seems to me we had this nearly exact thread a year or two ago about how ABATE wanted to know why the sportbike crowd weren't represented in their ranks.
I also remember the thread didn't go so well...
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For as dumb as you are, even you will remember this. - Lee Ving/ Fear
Ever feel you've been cheated? - Johnny Rotten
I go Beltway blitzin' on my mad mofo musclebike WFO. Its a true choice, a god-like experience if you will. The thought that I could buy the farm in a spectacular fireball...................well, that gives me a stiffie! Tesco Vee/The Meatmen
I fully agree with what modette said. Although ABATE is a useful group sometimes, their stance on helmet laws is far too ignorant for me to take them seriously. They are really an anti-helmet organization, not a pro-choice one.
If you'd like more info on what sport bike riders think, there are two other threads that have been created that you should probably go through.
We know you're a unique and special snowflake. We know you're the exception to the rule. We know you're not like all those other dumb assed n00bs that wadded themselves up. You're a mold breaker, babe! You're a natural. You were born to tear it up on a hot rod stuntin' superbike.
Wow, you guys are definitely giving me something to work with. I want to take some time to sort through what you've said so far and ask some follow-up questions. Meanwhile, keep it coming.
Sport bikes and ABATE
My other ride is a 737!
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