Who trailers their bike?

[Trav]

In all these years i have never found myself facing a real high speed panic stop wet or dry.
Maybe it comes from riding a old British iron when i started that had poor drum brakes and couldn't stop well anyway,with these bikes there is no such thing as a panic stop,you either avoid it or hit it.

When i was learning to ride i high sided a few curves at high speed during the first few years and scared myself white as a ghost,trying to ride beyond my abilities.

 

[boraticus]

Avoidance is your best choice. No doubt. However, with poor visibility caused by rain and a deer suddenly jumps out of the ditch only meters ahead of you, there's oncoming traffic right there leaving you with very little room to maneuver, avoidance isn't an option. It's either stop, hit the deer, ride into the ditch or a head on collision. Stopping was scary as [censored] and by the time we had slowed sufficiently, the deer left the scene. Had it stayed where it was, we would have hit it but at considerably less speed. Probably around 25 to 30 mph. That's still fast enough to cause serious injury if not death.

An incident or two like that will certainly cause one to evaluate the wisdom of riding in the rain.

 

[BigCahuna]

If you don't have the skill or wisdom to ride your bike in any weather condition, it's probably best to trailer it or sell it.,,

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
If you don't have the skill or wisdom to ride your bike in any weather condition, it's probably best to trailer it or sell it.,,


Easy to say until your number comes up!

I've been riding for more than thirty years. I've got thousands of miles riding gravel roads, trails and many more on pavement. I agree that skill and wisdom are essential qualities for survival. I'm certain that it was my skill that kept us from serious consequences. Hopefully, if you're ever in the same situation, you will have the skills to survive it.

I'm not certain where "wisdom" comes into play when an unavoidable obstacle suddenly appears in front of you. Maybe you can elaborate on that aspect.

 

[BigCahuna]

Motorcycle riding is a dangerous sport. Always has been. If you don't feel confident in riding in rain after 30 years, or are so worried about what "might" happen, sounds like it's time to hang up your helmet and trailer your bike off into the sunset.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Motorcycle riding is a dangerous sport. Always has been. If you don't feel confident in riding in rain after 30 years, or are so worried about what "might" happen, sounds like it's time to hang up your helmet and trailer your bike off into the sunset.


Everyone is brave until it's their turn......

I still ride and enjoy it and have no intention of quitting anytime soon. However, the wisdom issue (which you apparently failed to address), is all about choices. The wrong decisions can and do have fatal consequences. Increase your risk by making bad choices at your peril.

The learning process enhanced by experience. The more one learns, the wiser one becomes. However, there are some that never seem to get that message.

By the way, I don't even own a trailer. I don't have a Harley so why would I need one?

 

[RonH]

I'll probably anger a few people, but such is life. How many people smoke and die from it? How many family members have died from smoking but the remainder of the family continues? How many times has someone stunk from smoke from 50yds and told me I was going to kill myself by riding a motorcycle? Well I'm still alive despite riding 40 yrs in all weather as they all preach and smoke themselves to death. No wisdom in that for 50 billion people.

 

[BigCahuna]

Maybe if you had a Harley you might not be so paranoid about riding, or should I say crashing. So by being the "wiser" one, I guess you don't want to tempt fate and ride when it's too sunny, or too cloudy, or too hot , or too cold, too much traffic, raining or too many animals in the area. It must be lack of confidence in what you ride that makes you feel that way. Based on your statements in this post I would have bet you had a trailer.,,

 

[Trav]

I started riding in Germany in 1975,to say it was hard to get a licence would be an understatement.
A woman ran a red light in 1995,i saw her out of corner of my eye and went full throttle but she clipped my rear,instead of a 30+ mph full side impact i had a broken collar bone and the bike was not totalled.The skills from all the school training saved my life.
If this would have been a car it would possibly have been a fatal full drivers side impact according to the police.

The bottom line is when your numbers up it doesn't matter what your doing or driving.Now at 52 i live every day like its going to be my last.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Maybe if you had a Harley you might not be so paranoid about riding, or should I say crashing. So by being the "wiser" one, I guess you don't want to tempt fate and ride when it's too sunny, or too cloudy, or too hot , or too cold, too much traffic, raining or too many animals in the area. It must be lack of confidence in what you ride that makes you feel that way. Based on your statements in this post I would have bet you had a trailer.,,


Your comments are making less sense with each post.

If I had a Harley, crashing would be the least of my problems. I'd have to get it out of the garage or off the trailer first.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
If you don't have the skill or wisdom to ride your bike in any weather condition, it's probably best to trailer it or sell it.,,


Part of the wisdom of being a smart rider is to reduce risk by not putting yourself in dangerous situations. Riding in foul weather is not only miserable, it's just plain unsafe, and riding a poor handling Harley on top of that only compounds the risk....

 

[Trav]

Riding in foul weather is not unsafe if you pay attention to what your doing.Chances are your being so careful the chances of having an incident are greatly reduced.JMHO and experience.
Harleys may not handle as well as say a sport bike but the guys who ride them take that into consideration (i ride a K1300S).

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Riding in foul weather is not unsafe if you pay attention to what your doing.Chances are your being so careful the chances of having an incident are greatly reduced.JMHO and experience.
Harleys may not handle as well as say a sport bike but the guys who ride them take that into consideration (i ride a K1300S).


Riding in foul weather is more dangerous no matter how well you're payig attention simply because you never know what's going to happen and you have reduced traction and/or visibiity.

 

[Trav]

That's your opinion and maybe its true in your case.Of course there is less traction but you take that into consideration.
All fair weather riders have the same arguments.Believe what you want and I'll keep riding.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Trav
That's your opinion and maybe its true in your case.Of course there is less traction but you take that into consideration.
All fair weather riders have the same arguments.Believe what you want and I'll keep riding.


Claiming it's not more dangerous riding in inclimae weather is just asinine....

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: Trav
That's your opinion and maybe its true in your case.Of course there is less traction but you take that into consideration.
All fair weather riders have the same arguments.Believe what you want and I'll keep riding.


Claiming it's not more dangerous riding in inclimae weather is just asinine....


Let's see....

Less visibility for everyone on the highway, less traction for everyone on the highway...

Yeah, I can see his argument.

Why would not having the ability to see, maneuver and stop as well have any effect on safety?

 

[Trav]

I said..
Quote:
Riding in foul weather is not unsafe if you pay attention to what your doing.Chances are your being so careful the chances of having an incident are greatly reduced


I never said there is not less traction reduced braking.I said it is not unsafe.Meaning if you ride according to the conditions you can ride safely,and the simple fact that inclement weather turns a ride into an dangerous situation isnt so.

Quote:
Claiming it's not more dangerous riding in bad weather is just asinine


This is asinine! Read what i actually posted.If you ride the same as you would in good weather then of course its going to be more dangerous but you wouldn't ride the same or would you?

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I said..
Quote:
Riding in foul weather is not unsafe if you pay attention to what your doing.Chances are your being so careful the chances of having an incident are greatly reduced


I never said there is not less traction reduced braking.I said it is not unsafe.Meaning if you ride according to the conditions you can ride safely,and the simple fact that inclement weather turns a ride into an dangerous situation isnt so.

Quote:
Claiming it's not more dangerous riding in bad weather is just asinine


This is asinine! Read what i actually posted.If you ride the same as you would in good weather then of course its going to be more dangerous but you wouldn't ride the same or would you?


Whether you ride more carefully or not, riding in bad weather is always going to be more dangerous than riding in good weather,so why take the risk? It isn't worth it.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: Trav
I said..
Quote:
Riding in foul weather is not unsafe if you pay attention to what your doing.Chances are your being so careful the chances of having an incident are greatly reduced


I never said there is not less traction reduced braking.I said it is not unsafe.Meaning if you ride according to the conditions you can ride safely,and the simple fact that inclement weather turns a ride into an dangerous situation isnt so.

Quote:
Claiming it's not more dangerous riding in bad weather is just asinine


This is asinine! Read what i actually posted.If you ride the same as you would in good weather then of course its going to be more dangerous but you wouldn't ride the same or would you?


Whether you ride more carefully or not, riding in bad weather is always going to be more dangerous than riding in good weather,so why take the risk? It isn't worth it.


Sounds like there might be a few candidates here for the "Darwin" award.

If you don't recognize danger, it doesn't exist. Right?

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Trav
That's your opinion and maybe its true in your case.


It's fact and it applies to everyone. It doesn't matter how skilled or careful you are, it's still more dangerous to ride in bad weather.