Things you should think about in talking to a new rider, for the experienced folks

[Lewd Ferrigno]

Originally Posted by WhoUtink

Where have you been you fargin bastige? I missed you jumping on the noobs and telling it like it is. I dont know if you stopped posting or I just missed it, but it seems you have been gone. I dont think we have spoken but I read alot of your post. Maybe it is because I haven't been reading the newrider forum. Just wanted to let you know I missed you. Awesome post by the way. It was needed.

Well thanks.

I've recently switched jobs and things have been sorta busy. I'll try to hang around.

[UberGoober]

Originally Posted by 90zx7

Wanted to let yall know that 90zx7 was on his bike and was rearended by a car today. Nothing broken but has a head trauma and will be ok. I know he is new on here and was just talking about a few of the people on the website. He had the bike for a couple of weeks and was very excited about riding again. The lady that hit him was talking on a cellphone and ran a red light. Totaled his bike that he just purchased. He wanted me to say that he was wearing a helmet and that he will be right back on one as soon as he heals.
Thanks.
Stephanie.

That is pretty horrible. We all hope he gets better soon.

[kunosoura]

Originally Posted by Fargin_Bastige

And here's a table from the MAIDS study concerning rider experience in months/accident statistics.

This table is very misleading. It has two six month periods, then lumps together FOUR six month periods (two years) to get the highest number of accidents. Spread over a constant x-axis, you would probably come to a different conclusion.

However, I have read that statistically the period between two and three years IS the most accident-riddled, so I do agree with your point. I just had to say that table is weak.

[Lewd Ferrigno]

Originally Posted by kunosoura

This table is very misleading. It has two six month periods, then lumps together FOUR six month periods (two years) to get the highest number of accidents. Spread over a constant x-axis, you would probably come to a different conclusion.

However, I have read that statistically the period between two and three years IS the most accident-riddled, so I do agree with your point. I just had to say that table is weak.

The study takes this into account in their methodology. It's essentially the accepted methodology for statistical accident data gathering.

The table simplifies it, but the report itself is more thorough. It's a Cliff's notes version, essentially.

Their reasoning was that the accident level remained static in that month range, with no discernible difference within the 6 month increments.

[UberGoober]

Opened and returned to other threads

[acalliste]

Bump for the new year.

[bush]

+1 AC

[Goin Ape Nutz]

you are the man FB

my favorite one was number 7. there's so much info out there for anyone and their grandmother to find. instead of taking what people say as gospel, searching for info yourself and finding answers to your questions on your own is very self rewarding.

[Rick_72]

I think what Shiro's trying to say has a lot of merit. Maybe what he's trying to say isn't being understood.

I came to this board as a returning rider. I had already bought my bike before reading through all the "stickies" and tons of pages of stuff about the subject, or even coming to a website to start to try to become part of a community I hadn't been part of for several years. When I posted I was immediately ripped into by a few folks on this board that assumed that their experience gave them the right to call me an idiot, but offer absolutely nothing constructive whatsoever. The problem was that many of the other experienced riders jumped on that wagon with them when I returned fire at people that were just plain being dicks. I wasn't trying to justify my decision, the decision was already made and purchased before I came here. I was just looking for some tips on the new bikes that I realized after riding home where much more than the SS bikes that I had riden long ago. But all I got was disdain. I considered not coming back to the board at all to read anymore, thinking it would be of the same....someone busting someone else's hump about their misguided decisions. In the end I stuck around anyway, mostly just to see what someone would say in the next thread lol.

I think Shiro's point is that many of the constructive comments get over shadowed by a few guys that only take the time to tell them how quickly they're going to be picking their brains up off the highway. 19 year old kids aren't going to stick around the board to actually try and learn something if they're shunned away be being embarrassed, especially when those bustin their balls are only a few years older themselves (reguardless of no shit experience, many have their age listed on their details). Many of them also don't have the attention span for statistics and research. Often times you can get through to them if you stop trying to emaciate them with terms like "future squid"..... just tell them the facts and leave it at that. There's no reason to turn threads like this into 100 page diatribes over why the poster is stupid. There's a chance they haven't already bought their bikes, and may actually give facts some thought when their at the local shop picking out their bike. However, half assed facts that are put out there with comments attempting to be whitty are not helpful simply because many of those facts are concocted by the poster trying to be funny, or overblown in an attempt to drive the posters point home. Even though the funny guys, and the mad guys, are right....everyone is different and thinks their special, you just aren't going to get thru to anyone with an attitude like that. So I also completely agree with Fargin Bastage's #2, as real researched facts that cannot be refuted with a quick internet search will re-affirm a posters confidence in the information they're getting from those claiming superior experience.

Had I done more reading before buying my bike (come to this and a few other sites to have a some early 20 year olds attempt to cut my balls off) I probably would have bought a sport tourer for riding to work, and bought a used SS (that I wouldn't mind modding the shit out of) later on when I was ready to start going to the track. I want to ride fast, but after doing a 150 mile ride through the twisties (and doing just fine at my own pace) and watching some really fantastic riders deal with the unknows of street situations, I'd really rather do my fast riding on a track where there's no lane straddling asshat in a Celica with aftermarket turbo's showing off for his terrified girlfriend in the passenger seat (situation that I saw while driving my F-150 not my bike lol). But the point is, I didn't. I jumped right back into riding with both feet, having been off two wheels for more than 15 years. Besides the advice given at this board often differs significantly from advice given other places, so who do you think new riders are going to listen to, those telling them what they want to hear, or those telling them something they didn't expect and at the same time telling them in many colorful ways how stupid they are?

Great initial post btw...I agree with your methodology Bastage.

[Raven1961]

My riding has been over many years..
First on mini-bikes, 50cc, 100cc 125ccMX till I was 16.
I got my MC driver endorsement at 17 when i started on the original crotch rocket an RD350 It had a full 1970's race fairing rear-sets and clip-ons and K&N cones for the two carbs, street leagle but ancient by todays standards.
That's the one i stuffed into a gaurdrail at 70+ mph in a dog-leg Hwy cloverleaf. It hit the pegs and i had enough time to ponder the thought
"I F***ed up, I'm dead" before i kicked the bike away from me as I was sliding towards the gaurd rail. It's moments like that, that will make you think pretty hard about how you thought you were invincible. That incident made me realize alot of things. Gear is an important part of riding, a full face helmet, and a harley davidson cafe jacket took much destruction that would have otherwise been bits of me. To this day I don't get on my bike without my gear. Now it includes racing gloves, an armoured jacket, full-face helmet, road-racing boots, and leathers. Will continue this soon - life is calling right now...

[bumblebee]

Good post! Many on here would sling poo at you for bringing up an old thread, good find and good post

[acalliste]

+1.

It's that time of year to bump this thread up anyway.

[SilverBandit 03]

Why isn't this thread stickied?

[TalkofDC]

I have viewpoint...

Is it possbile for a newer rider to understand the theory of what to do on bike without actually having done it?

i.e. It's possible to know that in a rear skid, releasing the rear brake is most likely possible to result in a high side once the rear regains traction if the bike got sideways...however it's possible that that particular rider has never been in that situation...

The reason I bring this up is b/c my riding days can still be measured on a calander without having to do a lot of flipping...but b/c I love bikes the ONLY reason that is is b/c at a certain point in my life I was not ABLE to financially afford to ride. During that time I was introduced to SBN and also a few great riding books that I've read.

So I believe that one can know alot about theory of riding even though they may not have experienced it in real time from a book point of view their thinking could very well be correct.

It's just like there are millions of boxing analyst who never set foot in the ring...but yet they probably could tell someone capable of boxing HOW to box.

I agree that theory is just theory, and that doesn't translate into YOU being able to perform what you read...but still it's a starting point.

just my opinion and not to take anything away from other riders. If you are wrong you are wrong and if you are right you are right...regardless of milage.


PS...THIS WAS A GREAT REMINDER FOR NEW AND NEWER RIDERS TO THINK ON...

[acalliste]

It's definitely possible to understand the theory of it without having the ability to do it/handle it/be able to react properly to it. Developing muscle memory is a big part of learning to ride. Until you can respond in an appropriate way quickly & correctly without having to stop and think about it, you haven't really "learned" it in a way that means anything as far as your riding skill is concerned.

That's why saying "respect" will keep you safe is BS. No one intends to screw up. It's not a lack of respect that causes common new rider errors, it's a lack of skill, experience & muscle memory.

That said, I do believe that learning the theory of it does help tremendously, when you can also practice what you read and hone your skills.