LOTS of new riders!!

[cmonSTART]

Wow. A girl at work today showed up at the DMV a tad late this morning to taker her class M test and said the line was about 50-60 bikes deep for the test. That's a lot of new folks on bikes!!

[Dodsfall]

I think gas prices are driving people to find alternate means of transportation.

Hopefully all the new folks learn to ride safely and get the practice needed before hitting the roads.

[hsartteacher]

We're seeing lots of new bikes hitting the roads here in Miami, but even more scooters (I think). Everywhere you look there are scooters!

[Dan631]

I think gas prices are driving people to find alternate means of transportation.

Hopefully all the new folks learn to ride safely and get the practice needed before hitting the roads.

There are a lot more motorcycles on the road in my neck of the woods to.
As part of the program I am taking at the local college I am required to do "ride time" with the local EMS. Fortunately we haven't been called to any motorcycle accidents. The helmet law here in AR only applies to people 18 or 21 and under(I can't remember exactly) and the majority of the people I see on bikes here go without a helmet. One thing that kills me is "that guy" you see on a crotch rocket with his helmet strapped to the side of his bike. That's pretty common around here.

[cmonSTART]

It's never good to be "that guy".

[DjWags]

On my drive home, I like to count the motorcycles. Usually I pass 1-3 riders in proper gear, and about 10 without. in my opinion, why wear a helmet and a short sleeve shirt? Doesn't make sense to me. There are so many follow up lines i could write next, none of them pleasant. If anyone needs more convincing, I'd be happy to share. I'm sure our friend Dan can do an even better job, seeing as he is a paramedic...

[Pantera]

I took the bike to a church parking lot yesterday evening for my wife to practice. While she was riding around I counted 4 scooters and 5 motorcycles riding past us on the main road during her hour long practice.

Prior to last month, there were only 2 scooters I saw on any regular basis, now they seem to be everywhere. I saw three more on my way home from work yesterday, and that's only a 4 mile commute.

I think living so close to York (Harley Manufacturing Plant) motorcycles have always been popular here.

[misterdub]

in my opinion, why wear a helmet and a short sleeve shirt? Doesn't make sense to me.

Meh, I can see numerous reasons; some related to vanity (if I wipe out, I won't want facial reconstruction, but eh, what's a little road rash?) and others related to a promise they made (I promised Aunt Bessie I'd wear helmet, but she'd didn't say anything about not wearing sandals!) Probably a variety of reasons.

I agree, logically I don't get it. I feel weird that I'm only wearing jeans when I ride, I still feel like I should either be wearing chaps or some kevlar jeans -- but each to their own.

[LowRiderGhost]

It's kind of hard to tell around these parts aka Black Hills (motorcycle increase useage) because the area runs close to 50/50 on the road (MC's & Cars) before and after the Rally, during the summer. Of course during the Rally it's about 99.9% bikes, 400,000+++! :D Think it rather amazing (?) just a few short decades ago the Self-Righteous Sooth-Sayers in the Government (here) were trying to do everything in they're power to get RID of Motorcycles. Now I'm guessing just about everyone is on the Band-Wagon?! Kind of friggin' cool if ya' ask's me! ;)

LRG :cool:

Pantera: Would ya' believe it? 1980 I did stop in at the York Final Assembly plant there, looking for work actually. :rolleyes: Didn't get a job but least ways saw they're 'little' museum there. Plant was on shutdown at the time though so no tours (darn AMF! :p).

[C50-Blvd.]

in my opinion, why wear a helmet and a short sleeve shirt?

I admit to doing just that. If I go down wearing a helmet and t-shirt, the helmet will hopefully still protect me from a severe brain injury/paralysis/death. The jacket will protect me from severe road rash, which might hurt like there's no tomorrow, but probably won't be fatal. I'll readily admit that I should wear a quality leather or textile jacket all the time for the added protection. I do have a leather jacket I wear in the cooler weather, but when temps get to the upper 80s or 90s (right now it's pushing close to 100 here) and high humidities, I just can't handle wearing a jacket. Truthfully, when it gets as hot as it is today, I'll just park the bike. It's like riding in an oven to me and it's not enjoyable at all.

[Pantera]

Pantera: Would ya' believe it? 1980 I did stop in at the York Final Assembly plant there, looking for work actually. :rolleyes: Didn't get a job but least ways saw they're 'little' museum there. Plant was on shutdown at the time though so no tours (darn AMF! :p).

The York plant runs an (annual I think) Open House to tour their facilities and see the bikes being produced. I know it's really hard getting a job there, and from what I heard always has been, at least on the motorcycle side. I had a few students (when I was teaching) join their IT department. Unfortunately I never got do to any on-site visits with them. :(

[HarveyCreek]

... in my opinion, why wear a helmet and a short sleeve shirt? Doesn't make sense to me. ... I'm sure our friend Dan can do an even better job, seeing as he is a paramedic...

My 80+ year old father in-law, a retired paramedic, who hates that I ride and always tells me "His little girl ain't riding!", thus the solo seat to keep peace in the family. Anyway, I've heard when he's spotted one of those riders say "Well, that and their good Sunday suit, at least they can have an open casket at the funeral."

There was an article a week back or so in the local newspaper discussing the big increase in the number of Motorcycle riders in the rural parts of Oregon. They quoted a repair shop in one Eastern Oregon town remarking the huge increase of old bikes being brought out of storage from the garages and barns to be repaired. Said he had more bikes to repair in June than he has had in the full year for 2006. Seems the $4.00+ per gallon is bringing them all out. I'd have to agree, as I'm starting to see the 'Classics' almost in the same number as I'm seeing the scooters.

[cmonSTART]

Ya, same here. I've seen a few more "classics" than usual - old Honda's and the like.

[Wayward_Traveller]

As for riding gear, I have to agree.
I see people here on campus wearing full face helmets and then wearing shorts, t-shirt and sandals........why bother.
So your head will be protected and you can feel ALL the pain in the rest of your body.

Of the 4 deaths in the area lately that died from head injuries ALL were wearing their helmets. (meaning it's not all powerful)
So if you are smart enough to wear a helmet you should be thinking about other gear as well. Especially AT LEAST SHOES, I wear riding shoes which cover my ankles made by Alpinestars. I don't like big boots, like my other pair but I want something.

If you slide out, have to stop short, jump off your bike, or even wreck your feet are going to touch the ground, if your wearing sandals you're pretty much screwed.
How easy would it be to rip those right off your feet.
Just my opinion of course, as an instructor I am required to wear full gear at all times to set an example.

Are there times I wish I could ride in a t-shirt and shorts? Sure of course, I used to all the time when I was young (like 19 years ago) but I had my major wreck and I should have died because I didn't have proper protection on, I was lucky, so I learned from my mistakes.

Also yes it gets hot here too, look into mesh gear, I have a mesh jacket, heck with the liner (put it in when it's before 50) I really never have a reason to wear my textile jacket anymore.
Mesh pants are nice too, I have a pair of kevlar jeans as well.

O.k. enough of the safety rant, hard not to, I see so many people in class that just flat out tell me they aren't going to wear gear, hard to stomach with the amount of wrecks in the northwest this year.
Another driver died TODAY, passenger is in serious condition.....ok enough

[chipps61]

I admit to doing just that. If I go down wearing a helmet and t-shirt, the helmet will hopefully still protect me from a severe brain injury/paralysis/death. The jacket will protect me from severe road rash, which might hurt like there's no tomorrow, but probably won't be fatal. I'll readily admit that I should wear a quality leather or textile jacket all the time for the added protection. I do have a leather jacket I wear in the cooler weather, but when temps get to the upper 80s or 90s (right now it's pushing close to 100 here) and high humidities, I just can't handle wearing a jacket. Truthfully, when it gets as hot as it is today, I'll just park the bike. It's like riding in an oven to me and it's not enjoyable at all.

Amen on all of the above. I rode every day this week except today. Yesterday on the way home it was me in 90+ high humidity with full leather jacket, gloves and helmet, while getting passed by 10+ riders in short sleeved shirts (with and without helmets), and I will *NOT* do that again. By the time I got home I was just plain done in every way. I parked it today and drove my air conditioned cage to and from.

[louturks]

I have noticed alot more mopeds on the road

[Goliath616]

All the scooters are coming out because of the gas mileage, and if it's under 50cc's (at least here in Missouri) you don't need a motorcycle endorsement to ride it, and most are even single speed automatics, so no shifting. Only thing about them is you can not take them on the highway, they are not powerful enough for the speeds (the 50cc and under that is)

[TFee3]

I heard someone say the other day, "I dress for the ride, not the slide." And I agree with him. I always wear a helmet, but also wear a t-shirt, jeans, and boots. My skin on my arms and back will grow back, but if I scramble my brains, I'm just plain out of luck. Even though 4 deaths with head injuries while wearing a helmet were cited, statistics prove otherwise. AND, that's all I'll say, because this subject is HIGHLY controversial, and I don't want to start a battle! :)

[Dodsfall]

Only thing about them is you can not take them on the highway, they are not powerful enough for the speeds (the 50cc and under that is)

Even most of the 150s will barely make 55 MPH at full throttle. I would say it's not a good idea to drive a scooter under 250 CC or so on the highway for any length of time.

[cdillon23]

I have noticed more scooters and bikes around my area for sure. Most of the bikes I am seeing are sport bikes.