superslushpuppy

Article in the P-I tday. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/...rcycles01.html

Motorcycle riding has never been more popular, and climbing gas prices have only prompted more new riders to join the ranks.

But with so many rookie riders on the road, motorcycle accidents also have begun to climb, and the inexperienced riders are making their mark on those numbers.

Wednesday, the Washington State Patrol reported that 80 percent of all motorcycle fatalities in the state were the result of rider error, the most common causes being excessive speed and lane errors, usually a rider unable to negotiate a curve safely.

"Here's a stark statistic for you. Of fatal crashes, 93 percent had no training," Davidson said. "There's a core message which anyone should be able to look at and go, 'Gee whiz, maybe some training would help me avoid becoming a statistic.' "

But the fatal wrecks continue to occur. As of Wednesday, there have been 48 motorcycle fatalities across the state so far this year. Four occurred over the past two weeks.

wordsareforplay

Holy fucking shit.

Some actual logic.

Transported

I think our mentoring program in Portland couldn't have started at a better time.

galenernest

That was a good article. I hope it gets more new riders into those safety courses!!

GixxerPete

Who needs training? It's all about self-control. Anyone can start out on a liter sport bike and be ok, they just need to have self-control and everything will be fine. After all, a bike only goes as fast as you make it go.

JonnyRotten

This is true but you also have to remember that the bike will get there a hell of a lot quicker than the cages that they are used to driving, and how many of us really have that much self control.

YamahaBlue

Partially agree, not with the first sentence though! Trial and error vs here is how it's done? I choose mentoring!

gixer_racer

True; HOWEVER, when newby riders make a mistake, or sudden road conditions cause a momentary loss of traction, the natural reaction pulls you back in the seat and with it the right wrist comes back too. On a smaller, beginner style bike, that reaction usually isn't catastrophic and said newby learns a lesson without a crash. Same situation on a modern 100+ hp bike (anything 600cc's and up pretty much for the I4's) and that same oh shit generally results in a crash.

Unfortunately, there's not really any training out there that actually provides common on road riding experience (unless you take a private course like Iron Horse or something like that). That's why I personally think a graduated license would be a good thing in this country. Unfortunately, we all know that will never happen either....

So in summary: Let's all beat on this dead horse that's been beaten on in hundreds of threads....

GixxerPete

Pretty much none, which was my point. Especially when you consider the main demographic for sport bikes... 18-24 year old males... a group not exactly known for it's self-control.

But hey, good beginner bikes don't look near as cool posing at Starbucks as a CBR/GSXR/ZX/YFZ whatever does, and it's all about looking cool, right?

JonnyRotten

Hell I am 39 and still don't always have the self control that is why I have been keeping myself on the 600 instead of the gsxr 1000 or busa.
Great article though.

GixxerPete

You are of course 100% correct. Too bad the noobs with zero experience and zero frame of reference can trump that logic with "it only goes as fast as you make it".

An effective solution, that will never happen...because it would trample on people's "freedom" and "rights" to ride whatever bike they want.

I'm jaded and bitter, can you tell?

JonnyRotten

Hey lets start selectively handing out busa's to newbs and do our part to help the gene pool.

YamahaBlue

i'll take the first one!

JonnyRotten

I'll be there in line right next to you. Pretending to be a newb with my helmet oakley's, jacket shorts and sandals.

holypiston

Can't argue with that. It's not the bike, but the meatsock on top of it.

That being said, i'll probably go out and crash being an asshat somewhere.

westerner

Inexperienced riders are knobs. Instant death to all knobs !

Completing a rider safety course is not a short cut to experience.

Self control on a liter bike is like driving a Porche slow = Impossible.

Wheelies are good

Bikinis are good

Chickenlittleism is chipping away at our freedom and allowing the man to take control of us and take our money. Instant death to chickenlittlers.

You chickenlittlers know who you are. Your days are numbered. Prepare for the end

Okay , I'm done, could be the new drugs I'm taking. Good drug !!



Joe

JonnyRotten

I can't agree more and I think you need to share those must be good drugs.

BigDave

Nicegy525

*runs to get his club*

IMO manufacturers, dealers and the dmv are not promoting enough safety awareness. There are tons of safety campaigns out for drivers, but almost none for morotcyclists. Its very difficult to find info on the beginners riding course. the requirements to gain a license are too lax. Rider ignorance of just buying a bike and hopping on also plays a big part.

I am all for a tiered licensing system up to a certain age. but I fear it will take many more deaths to make the rest of the population realize this.

While the article did raise awareness to the problem, it didn't discuss all the aspects adding to it. furthermore, it did nothing to offer some sort of solution. All it is going to do is further the negative image of riders.

Stringcheese

Will wonders never cease...never thought I'd see that day that an article wasn't sensationalized to the point of not having a point. I just can't believe the 93% stat, that just blows me away.

wordsareforplay

Why is it hard to believe?

Methinks you're reading it wrong.

93% have no training...does not mean 93% are not endorsed.

Just means that they never took a MSF course...or some other similar type of course...which in all reality doesn't teach you much in the way of accident avoidance, unless of course you're going under 30MPH.

Which I guess may be their subtle way of trying to poke at the state to subsidize more courses, or to have the MSF offer more classes...

taznhell

Buy bike, get endorsed, ride tires off bike....seems simple enough.

Cougar

Washington had a graduated license system many years ago...

GixxerPete

Not really. It was simply based on what size bike you took your test on. You could be a brand new rider with zero training or experience, and if you passed the test on a bike larger than 600cc, you could ride any bike you wanted.

In a true tiered system, you have to start out on a smaller bike, and move up through the ranks as you gain experience. In that system, no way could a noob rider ever be on a liter bike. In the old WA system, they easily could.

Mithras

Holy Crap....that...actually makes sense....A REPORTER GOT IT RIGHT!!!!!!

Sticks n Stones

It would have to be a tiered system based on OEM horsepower or horsepower-to-weight ratio. When a modern 600 is putting 110+hp and low 10 sec. 1/4miles down and a 2000cc + cruiser is only putting down 80hp and 12 sec. 1/4 miles it blows the theory out of the water.

superslushpuppy

It's a good to remind ourselves and new riders alike why some of us are dying out there without the dillusion that drunk cagers, moms in minivans, gravel or whatever else we like to think to ourselves is the true cause.

PeteN95