Another bike crash!

[wncbmw]

No not me! Yesterday, I utilized the nice weather and 70 degree November afternoon to wash the results of mulitiple rain rides off and naturally needed to ride it dry. A couple of hours ought to do it!

At some point, I get behind a Yamaha sport bike leading two HDs on a twisty road. Slowly. Holding up traffic slow! I can't get around them. The sport bike gets a curve or two ahead and I finally decide to pull off in a gravel pullout and let them get ahead of me. Happen to pull over right where the Yamaha rider apparently went airborne over the embankment! Car driver that witnessed it stopped to flag us all down.

Rider was alert when I left, bleeding from the face and complaining of broken ribs. He made it about 35 feet down the embankment, the bike about 75 feet. When I left, there were about 8 volunteer firemen and an ambulance on scene. Easy investigation for the Highway Patrol. Skid marks showed he locked the rear up on a relatively easy left hand turn and kept them locked until the point of liftoff.

Ya'll be careful out there. My Trooper friend (and rider) says they are scrapping them up all over the place! Sort of took the fun out of my ride home!

[DJ Downunder]

Glad it wasn't you...ride safe everyone. (says me who just posted about pulling wheelies.. )

DJ

[Arbreacames]

I suppose that that's the price to pay for the absurdly simple licensing requirements in the US. In Europe, that guy would have learned basic skills at the safer speeds of a 50 or 125cc bike.

[JCsman]

Carlos, I agree with your basic point.

But a rider on a "sportsbike" leading two "H-D" riders at "holding up traffic slow" speeds then locks up the rear and rides it off the road still locked.

I'd say this guy would have been a menace on a moped.

[wncbmw]

I honestly cannot say what happened. Perhaps he was run off by a car across the center line or something. I do know the two HD riders were awful! Slow with 'vegematic' turns! (chopping them into dozens of pieces! )

I stopped by my buddies local bike shop and we discussed licensing requirements as perhaps some measure to stop the madness!

[OU812]

In Ill. you cannot ride anything over 150cc until 18 yrs of age. Thats the law. I did get pulled over in 1975 on a 1966 Honda CL160 and got a ticket for no license. Well back then all the courts were held in town, and my mother new the judge, so I got out of it saying I would sell the bike. But the law did save my life as I would have had a CB750 for sure!

[JCsman]

'vegematic' turns! (chopping them into dozens of pieces! )

Ahhhh. So THAT is why they call their bikes "choppers".

[Silverr]

I was just having the license discussion with a friend of mine yesterday. He got pulled over for speeding and had no license, just a C class. It must have been his lucky day, the cop did not want to bother with the impound, so he told him to drive home and get his license.

Here in California, its a little rediculous. You can have zero road miles, walk into dmv and take a written test for a permitt that is very easy and then walk out and be legal to drive a motorcycle during the day with no passengers. Its good for one year, to give time to "practice" for the driving test. Does that make any sense??? You can actually take the motorcycle safety training class with hands on driving instruction and practice over 2 weekends (it satisifes the DMV drive test) and not be legal to drive on the road, until the written test is passed. To me, the california motorcycle license laws are completely backwards. It should be the other way around with regards to license.

I probably woud never say this if i was 18, but the license requirements should be much harder and require driving instruction and practice before any permit to drive is issued. Just think, how many kids are driving Gixers, R1's and the like with zero to minimal experience

My two cents.

[Rick Lee]

Same way in VA. Get your permit with next to nothing, though I think you have to have another rider close enough to render assistance in case of emergency. You only have to have it a few weeks before you can take the road test and get your license. I did the MSF course in one weekend, got my license the next day and, although I was the only one in the class to get a perfect score on the road test, I was still pretty nervous when I picked up my bike the following weekend and rode on the NJ GSP as my very first ride in traffic in about 15 yrs.

[m@rco]

Pretty amazing requirements... Ok, the next story may sound a bit over the top, but I guess it helps reduce accidents significantly. Here in Holland we need to take 3 exams :

First an exam on theory. Even if you already have a car licence. Basically because the theory regarding a bike's position on road, how to take curves, and technical knowledge on for example how to check chain tension and wear on brake pads is different from a car. Test consists of 50 or so questions (pictures on a TV screen of actual situation) and you may only fail 5. Believe me, you have to study for the test because it ain't easy and it's costly if you fail. 75 euro's...

Secondly, you need to take a "Special Tasks" practical exam. This is a 30-minute test during which one has to demonstrate special skills. From walking the bike backwards to park it in a tiny spot to driving fast and slow slaloms. How about a U-turn (turning 180 degrees on your bike) without your feet on the ground in a space of only 6m (18ft) wide.... Most exciting one is the emergency brake test at 35 mls/hr when you need to stop within few feet. Wet surface is not an excuse... Another challenging one is the emergency escape/detour where one has to swing the bike around an obstacle at high speed. Exam cost about 125 euro's...

Finally, the practical "Road Test". This is a 45-min exam where your instructor and an examiner follow you in a car. Instructions are being told over the radio headset. Now it is time to demonstrate your knowledge of traffic rules, your insight in traffic (how to deal with a truck's dead spot), double-lane roundabouts, starting from an incline without rolling backwards, show that your agile, and show that you're not afraid to "open it up". In fact, when entering the highway on a ramp, it is even suggested to "loose" the instructor's car behind you (he'll catch up later). Nice way to show that you know how to control the power and use it when necessary . Cost about 150 euros...

Anyway, if you're lucky and have some talent, you need to take approximately 12 90-minute lessons to master all requirements. Oh, yeah, that cost money as well. I paid 66 euros per lesson a couple of years ago. If you're not so talented, you may need 20 or more lessons. All in all, it is doable, but it takes at least about 3 months time.

Last but not least: minimum age for motorcycle licence is 18. Up until you're 24 you may only ride bikes that have less than 25kW. At 24 you may drive anything you like.

Anyway, it sounds a bit strict. I used to agree.... But I now realize that bikers are actually very good riders and generally have become better car drivers after obtaining a motorcycle's licence.

[Rick Lee]

I wish it were that way here for cars and bikes. Driving in Europe is such a pleasure compared to the chaos and optional laws here.

[JCsman]

Got you all beat. In Alabama everyone with a license to drive a car before (I think) 1998 is "grandfathered to be able to ride ANY motorcycle.

Currently, if over 16, you take a written test only. Then you can go right down and buy that Gixxer 1000cc that looks so good on the cover of the bike mags.

I'm amazed we aren't scraping 'em off the curbs right outside the dealers doors every week.