Quote:I was referring to the speed he was going, I wish they'd show that video so these kids getting on the rice rockets would grasp how fast things happen at 140 mph. Lets face it no one gets a rice rocket to cruise at 80 mph that's for us old guys on the Cruisers.

 

I know a few older guys who like to cross over the triple digit line occasionally, but it's rare, and when it happens, they usually do it on a very lightly traveled road.  Personally, 80-85 mph on a bike is plenty fast enough, and I'm still able to maneuver and bring the bike to a controlled stop in a reasonable distance.

 

The kids who buy these bikes are doing so to do exactly what they were doing in this video.  There's a bunch of guys in the area around where I live who have Huyabusas that have been raked out with the extended swing arms and all the other goodies.  They're not doing this to cruise around the neighborhood.  You'll hear them winding up on the expressways in the area, or see them blasting down the Southside connector easily topping out over 100 mph.  Heck, a quick flick of the throttle on those bikes, and you're in triple digits before you can shift. 

 

We knew a kid who rode a sport bike.  He was one of those hot doggers who would regularly push the bike beyond HIS limits.  That all worked well for him until one Saturday night on the Arlington Expressway, when he took the flyover ramp to the northbound connector.  He lost control of the bike at the peak of the flyover and hit the wall.  The bike slid down the wall several hundred feet.  He went over the side and hit the ground 70 feet below.  I drive past his memorial a couple of times a week. 

 

There are responsible bikers, and there are idiots.  The guys who jump on the bikes and head down to the Rooster minus a helmet, then cruise home after tossing back a few are no better than the kids on the crotch rockets hot dogging down the interstate.  Any time I see a report about a motorcycle accident, particularly where the rider is killed, more often than not, alcohol is involved.  Unfortunately, there are incidents where someone pulls out in front of a rider, or runs a red light, or rear ends a bike at an intersection.  But, when I read a report about a guy losing it on a ramp, it's usually followed by a report saying alcohol could have played a factor. 

 

Like I said, I've logged a lot of miles on my bikes, and I've had more than my fair share of scares along the way.  Still, on a day like today, when the sun is out, it's nice outside, and there isn't a whole lot going on, there's nothing quite as relaxing as hopping on the bike and riding along A1A down to St. Augustine.  Best therapy ever....except for going shooting, which elicits a similar response for me, but that's a different story.

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