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Bikers are older, but not always wiser
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | July 14, 2007 | ANNYSA JOHNSON

Posted on 07/15/2007 7:30:18 AM PDT by BraveMan

click here to read article


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To: BraveMan

A helmet is a tool, and as such isn’t appropriate for every single ‘ride’ one takes.

I’ve been riding a motorcyle of one kind or another since I was around eight years old. I’m riding today, actually.

No helmt. I’m in a rural area of Southern Ohio. The biggest dangers you face here are deer, followed by large John Deere farm equipment that I still don’t have any clue as to what they do, only that they are bigger than my first four apartments - Combined.

You only have two options when riding. Avoid whatever it is that might hit you/you hit....or don’t.

I prefer unrestricted vision, and the additional hearing I get without the helmet on these rural roads. Expressways, or roads allowing that type of speed, yep a helmet is the best course of action.

Its worth noting the young lady quoted initially in the article makes NO CLAIM a helmet would have kept her parents alive.....

As for the age of victims being ‘over 45’ we can all thank motorcycle manufacturers that keep the price of their bikes inflated by keeping production runs smaller than the immediate demand.....


241 posted on 07/16/2007 12:22:55 PM PDT by Badeye (You know its a kook site when they ban the word 'kook')
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To: BraveMan; All

This article is pure lies and propaganda.

It does NOT consider there are FAR MORE bikers on the road.

It does NOT mention that 90 percent of all accidents are riders who have had their bikes LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.

It does NOT mention that the VAST MAJORITY of accidents involve people who do NOT HAVE A MC ENDORSEMENT on their licnese. (riding without a license)

It also doe snot mintion that the vast majority of those in accidents have NEVER taken a safety class.

It also does not mention that FMVSS 218 (the ONLY NHTSA safety standard that must be complied as a matter of law. the snell standard is legally irrelevant) ONLY goes up to 14 MPH for impact!

The issue the article obstructs is that this is NOT about to wear or not to wear, this is about to regulate behavior or not regulate behavior.

If you REALLY wanted to reduce motorcycle accidents, require AUTODRIVERS to take a motorcycle safty awareness couse.


242 posted on 07/16/2007 1:18:05 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: BeAllYouCanBe

per capita the number of deaths is down.

Keep in mind each and every year there are more motorcycles on the road.

Consider how many car accidents have skyrocketed since 1850. Perhaps we should go to 1850 levels of automobiles.


243 posted on 07/16/2007 1:20:56 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: rabidralph

helmets (which fmvss218 only requirs about 14mph damage speed) give insurance companies the same benefit as sleeper trains set up so the pillow end of the bed was in the direction of travel. A broken neck means less expense to the insurance company.


244 posted on 07/16/2007 1:23:47 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Eagle Eye

What’s a “hypercharger”?

My Ford pickup has a supercharger and I’ve owned several vehicles with turbochargers.

Sounds good to me, Star’s are one of the most popular metric cruisers.

Bushmills is and excellent adult beverage as I remember from my drinking days. >:-}


245 posted on 07/16/2007 2:25:14 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: longtermmemmory

Howe many cars were on the road in 1850????


246 posted on 07/16/2007 2:29:22 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: blackie

Hyperchargers and jetting help the incoming airflow. Sad to say it isn’t anywhere near as effective as turbo or supercharging but it is better than standard carb and air filters.

I’ve startled a few 600cc sport bikes...eventually those cc’s kick in!


247 posted on 07/16/2007 3:50:33 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (Size matters. Unless you got more than me.)
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To: ichabod1

It was a normal place that turned due to new owners.


248 posted on 07/16/2007 5:08:59 PM PDT by Dutch Boy
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To: blackie

I would say the number of people injured in train accidents skyrocketed after 1850. But the good news is the number of people killed in horse related accidents plummeted!

Then in the early 1900s the number of automobilie injuries skyrocketed! But the number of train wreck fatalities plummeted!


249 posted on 07/17/2007 5:24:58 AM PDT by ichabod1 ("Liberals read Karl Marx. Conservatives UNDERSTAND Karl Marx." Ronald Reagan)
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To: Eagle Eye

Thanks for the explanation. ;)

Ya can’t beat cubic cc’s ~ if you like speed, check out the ‘08 Hayabusa.

I like riding on twisty two lane back roads and the SV650 is excellent for that discipline. There are always short straight stretches where you can whack it on and hit 120+. >:-}


250 posted on 07/17/2007 10:50:51 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: ichabod1

How about horse related accidents in the early 1900’s?

My dad was badly injured while riding in a rodeo in 1905.


251 posted on 07/17/2007 10:58:58 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: blackie

It ain’t a ‘busa but for speed I have an ‘87 Kaw ZL 1000, only made for 2-3 years. Fast, meant to battle the Vmax of its day. 0-60 2.9 but I’m probably closer to 3.5 secs. Still pretty quick.


252 posted on 07/17/2007 12:00:41 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (Jesus is the image of the invisible God. The image of, not God Himself.)
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To: Eagle Eye

I had an ‘81 Suzuki GS1100EX that I rode from ‘80 until ‘91 when I bought a 1200cc Sportster.

The GS was pretty quick in its day and it was bullet proof; it ran and ran and was still running great when I sold it to a software engineer here in Eugene.

I didn’t have room in the garage or I would have kept the old lump. >:-}

The Sportster was fast for a Sportster; it had Screaming Eagle ignition, Sifton Cams, 42mm Mikuni flat slide carb, Works Performance rear shocks, reworked dampeners in the front forks and after mkt baloney cut mufflers which were not as loud as straight pipes.


253 posted on 07/17/2007 1:32:35 PM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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To: blackie

You could very easily get trampled walking down the street, no need for a rodeo. But the universality of horses meant that young men were more tempted into reckless behavior LIKE rodeos. Still, the more trains were available for hauling goods and people, the fewer horses were needed, the fewer accidents. But the number of people dying in train crashes got very high at one point. Five or six thousand a year for decades, IIRC.


254 posted on 07/17/2007 2:11:14 PM PDT by ichabod1 ("Liberals read Karl Marx. Conservatives UNDERSTAND Karl Marx." Ronald Reagan)
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To: blackie

You could very easily get trampled walking down the street, no need for a rodeo. But the universality of horses meant that young men were more tempted into reckless behavior LIKE rodeos. Still, the more trains were available for hauling goods and people, the fewer horses were needed, the fewer accidents. But the number of people dying in train crashes got very high at one point. Five or six thousand a year for decades, IIRC.


255 posted on 07/17/2007 2:11:17 PM PDT by ichabod1 ("Liberals read Karl Marx. Conservatives UNDERSTAND Karl Marx." Ronald Reagan)
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To: ichabod1

Nothing compares to the numbers that are killed and injured on our roadways each year ~ even with all of laws, rules and regulations on vehicles and drivers.

The truth is ~ we’re all gonna *die, sometime. >:-}

(*with one exception if you are a Christian)


256 posted on 07/18/2007 10:46:25 AM PDT by blackie (Be Well~Be Armed~Be Safe~Molon Labe!)
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