"Death rate in overdrive for older motorcyclists"

[skooter]

$15,000.00 and 1,500 miles don't make you a biker!

[skooter]

When I got my license it was as easy as most others who got theirs years ago. These days it is much harder to get. I'm not exactly sure of the details but in Ontario Canada we have progressive motorcycle licensing. The first stage only allows you to ride in the daylight on roads limited to 50 mph speeds and no passengers and absolutely no alcohol in your blood. The next stage allows you to ride on larger highways in the daylight only and no passengers and no alcohol. The final stage allows you to drive day or night on any road at any speed with a passenger and you can drink alcohol. By the time you get your full license you are qualified to screw up as big as you want.

[alleydude]

Safety course? We don't need no stinkin' safety course!

[gilx]

I got my bike in June of last year after not haveing ridden for about 15 years. To be able to commute to my work, I was required to take a local MSF advanced rider course. Glad I did. It forced me to recall some things I had forgotten. However, I think at least as important as the MSF course is to get a lot of miles under your seat. Experience with the bike is absolutely required to know how it handles, and how you react with it. Although I felt fairly confident riding it from the first, in retrospect I was in jeopardy for about the first 3000 miles. It wasn't, for me, until after about then that I was able to instinctively react...with the bike...to surprise situations in traffic. The bike needs to be broken in, I think the rider does as well. I would strongly recommend, especially for us older riders, to take it easy, ride the back roads, conciously practice what was learned in the MSF course, and develop the skills needed to be a safe rider. Old dogs can learn new tricks!

[jnor]

What I see happening, is that most of the deaths, and accidents involve drinking. The wrecks at Daytona bike week almost always involve drinking.
I think that drinking, and not wearing helmets are the cause of most of the deaths, not so much the age group.
I have been riding for 35+ years, but I don't drink. A bunch of people that I know that ride always involve bars and drinking, but they golf and drink, play softball, and drink, bowl and drink, ride motorcycles and drink.

[jnor]

Your right, most of the people that i know who ride, only ride 1500 miles a year or less and claim to be riders. Also the load a passenger on the back and drink, which a recipe for disaster. I have Harley's and sport bikes, but the sportbike people ride much more than the Harley people.

[collinsb]

Great experiment by Motorcycle Cruiser staff called: "Rolling Stoned Experiments in riding"! It's a quick read for all of us who like our brewsky.

http://motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/drunk/

Billy Nobeeronaharley

[collinsb]

[QUOTE=jnor]Your right, most of the people that i know who ride, only ride 1500 miles a year or less and claim to be riders. QUOTE]

I probably fall in that category! I ride approximately 3,000 mi. per year. My bike is garaged from December through mid April due to the midwest weather. At 60, I'm very mindful each new season, that I have spent 4 1/2 months out of the saddle. I usually spend some cautious riding time before I go into my one wheel and bike jumping routines.

Billy

[flathead45]

not me man, light the wick, drop the hammer and waaaaaaa hooooooooooooooo , one wheel , smoke rollin' out the back , and the ol'lady hanging on for dear life , spring is right around the corner

[Darhawk]

Originally Posted by collinsb

Great experiment by Motorcycle Cruiser staff called: "Rolling Stoned Experiments in riding"! It's a quick read for all of us who like our brewsky.

http://motorcyclecruiser.com/streetsurvival/drunk/

Billy Nobeeronaharley

Very good article...................it points out clearly many of the reasons I quit drinking.