MOTORCYCLE SURVEY

[TURBO KING]

Thanks Guys!

Sorry to hear that Steve, my wife has neck problems also.

Thanks for your help.

Walt

[dogfish7]

  Finished.

[TURBO KING]

Thanks!

Walt

[55chevr]

I'm in ... Joe

[Old Scrambler]

Its been filed...............Regarding the accident question.............Its always of interest to see if most rider accidents occur in the first few months of riding.

[tomsmith]

I did fill out the survey since I used to ride on streets and had some relevant data.  I started when I was 13 years old on my trusty Whizzer with a California juvenile license.  I initially commuted 10 miles each way from my new home in Monterey Park to my old school in Clearwater (now called Paramount) until the term was over.  When I was 15 I converted to a Harley 45 with suicide clutch.  I still have a street bike (Kawasaki Mach III 2 stroke), but I haven't ridden it for a few years.  That spans from 1946 until now with some gaps.  I was hit by a guy running a stop sign (a cop saw the whole thing), and another time by a guy turning left in front of me.  I had many scares, like a guy making a U turn from the curb on a 4 lane surface street - I got stopped about a foot from his driver side door.  Another time a guy started up while stopped at a red light and deliberately tried to run into me (we had eye contact).  That is just 2 of many, and I was very lucky several times.

[TURBO KING]

I have been lucky too...but not that lucky!

Walt

[TURBO KING]

Thanks guys!

I am up to 405 responses!!!!!

I want to have more than the rest of my class!

Plus, I THINK, once I reach around 500 responses, it reaches the "95%" confidence level, with a + or - 5% error, the industry standard, I believe.

Walt

[55chevr]

Walt --- we can "stuff the ballot box" if you want ... Joe

[little max]

Hope this helps you .
Little Max

[V8Pinto]

I had to think about the "do you think you have a higher chance of getting in an accident while commuting vs. pleasure riding" questions.

They are both dangerous.  Basically, a motorcycle is like a hot iron and you should treat it as such.  Whether it's hot or not, you should respect it and act like it's hot or it can be bad.

I have had to put my boot in people's fenders, been run almost off the road, cut off, etc. while commuting.  It certainly feels more dangerous.  But I also crashed while pleasure riding just cruising around a lazy corner.  Ok, so it had been snowing and they had sanded the road but the sun was out and everything looked cool. 

So I didn't know how to answer those.

[55chevr]

Just a related thought ... Hope Walt doesnt mind ... any one of us that rides motorcycles would benefit from the motorcycle safety course. I took it 30 years ago and recently discussed some of the instruction with an employee that was taking the course.  She said something that I picked up,  something that I had forgotten over the years ... "looking out into the turn" ... I am going to take the course again this spring as there are a number of bad habits I have developed over the years since taking the course ... Joe

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Speaking of just that, Joe -- I'd love to take the course.  I've never done so, and can't (whenever I've tried) get into the local school 'cause it's ALWAYS full - and they try to restrict entry to just those folks that have never ridden before.  Some day I will, though, and I'm planning on learning what I can while there.

I've taken five on-track riding schools -- a Reg Pridmore and four Keith Code schools.  When I'm asked "What should I buy first for my brand-new Honyamasukicati crotch rocket bike?" - - I always tell the asker to take a school.  I usually get a "Aw, that's so dull and bland" response, even when I add that if they take a school and pay attention they'll be able to ride circles around their buddies.  I sure try to get folks to continue their riding education. 

[TURBO KING]

LOL, no need to stuff the box!

Walt