i want to live, not just exist

[Kscreations08]

Some history for you guys. My father passed away from a motorcycle accident in 2011. He was drinking and got on a buddy's crotch rocket. At 140 miles an hour, He lost control of the bike and slammed headfirst into the post of a stop sign. No helmet... nor that it would've helped. I know in my heart that it wasn't the bike that killed him. It was his fault. But it seems that no-one else can accept that.

Present day:

I took over the payments for a 2009 blue 250 ninja that belongs to my baby moms around mid winter. It was accepted that I would take ownership in April, when the weather got nicer. Everything was set for me to start riding. Now, it's different. Motorcycles are dangerous. I'll get killed. It's turned into screaming matches with my brother because he has taken her side. She won't tell me I can't but the constant fighting it's really making **** rough. No amount of experience will change things because her uncle died on one too. And getting the brother to understand is like slamming your head on a brick wall.
So what do I do? Give it up? Go back to walking and riding passenger of her car? Buying my own isn't an option with rent and everything. This bike costs a fraction of a car in every department. Or do I say **** everyone and their opinion and do what I want?

[csmith12]

Seen this thread yet? http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=168454

[adouglas]

Reduce the conflict immediately. At this point everyone (including you) is so cranked up that all that's left to do is fight.

Start over. Have everyone concerned take the MSF course together. It's utterly safe, it's fun, and it's a chance to heal wounds. Make it very clear that what you're trying to do is educate them... and they can make up their own minds. Point out to them that you're asking them to meet you part way on this, and that the best way to learn (on BOTH SIDES) is to share an educational experience. Encourage them to grill the instructor (a knowledgeable third party) about safety.

AFTER THAT, have a calm and rational discussion about safety on the bike, risk management, personal responsibility and personal freedom. If they feel they have the right to dictate your behavior, then you should have the right to dictate theirs. Talk about the limits of authority. What would they be willing to cede to you in exchange?

Demonstrate that you're being safe. Invest in gear. Practice what you've learned. Take a safety mindset and talk about it. NEVER EVER EVER mix riding with alcohol... eight hours bottle-to-throttle MINIMUM...

If you prove that you're being a responsible adult you'll get a hell of a lot more respect than if you act like a pouting 12-year old who's not getting his way.

[Klondike1020]

Get a moped ! if it has pedals it cannot be dangerous lol

or find a really crappy car

or ride the bike and just communicate with postit notes!

then there will be no arguments because it will be so exhausting to have a convo!

make them buy the postit notes... your hard earned cash should be spent on gas!

[subxero]

people are afraid of what they don't know/understand and motorcycles certainly fall into this category.

I used to be anti street bike in my younger days (<--- seems bassackwards) because pretty much everyone I knew at that time that had ridden a streetbike has crashed and several of them pretty severely. All this despite loving motorcycles and having tons of dirtbike riding experience I was against riding on the street.

Something goofy changed at work and civilians were no longer aloud to park at the location but there was a loop hole and motorcycles were unaffected. I had a streetbike 1 month later and have not looked back

In my brief on road riding career lots of things have become more clear regarding riding and staying safe. One of them is the rider is generally the limiting factor and sure lots of people crash and get hurt or worse but the vast majority of these cases could have been easily avoided by a rider practicing good motorcycle & safety etiquette.

Several riders on this forum can most likely boast several year riding stints without any incident, which is pretty impressive especially when you consider national vehicle accident statistics. I remember hearing one time that if you live in greater D.C. you will be involved in a vehicle accident (minor or major) once every 2 years. When I lived there I found this to be true I was hit 3 times in 3 years at one point.

in 2011 in PA for every 2000 motorcycles registered there was 1 death
^
So that is just 1 raw statistic, imagine if you start teasing out info like, age, helmet, other gear used, DUI, type of motorcycle. And you can not even sort by how safe the rider was.

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departm...42_PA_2012.htm

[alex.s]

bikes are not cheap. proper gear is expensive, training is expensive,

if you are looking for cheap transportation, get a moped or a bicycle.

how far is your work?

[Ptdoughnut]

Originally Posted by adouglas

NEVER EVER EVER mix riding with alcohol... eight hours bottle-to-throttle MINIMUM...

I really like this quote, I have never heard it before today

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by adouglas

eight hours bottle-to-throttle MINIMUM...

.

Is that for professionals or just amateur drinkers?

[Skullz]

To live is to do what you enjoy.
Existing is the mundane act of doing the same things over and over with no change in routine. Until you lose the will to live you can truly never understand what existing is all about.

[rasta]

It's a simple question, really. You have two options, which do you prefer?

1.) On a motorcycle, with nobody but yourself.
2.) In a car, surrounded by those who love you.

You can't always have both, this sounds like one of those times. Only you can decide which is more important.

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by adouglas

NEVER EVER EVER mix riding with alcohol... eight hours bottle-to-throttle MINIMUM...

Sage advice. Higher risk advice (as long as we're quoting platitudes, homilies, aphorisms, and the like): Two wheels, two beers; four wheels, four beers.

[DEFY]

"Oh yes... One must live. Well since you seek to profit might as well begin"

[Aggrotech]

Do it. Majority of people live out their lives and they never really do anything truly thrilling or exciting. Your family is basing their decisions off of their emotions and are obviously biased. It wasnt the alcohol, it was the piss poor decision your father made. Based off what you've said they'll never blame the father, its the motorcycle of course, duh. He could have easily crashed in a car and killed not only himself but someone else. Guess we shouldnt use cars anymore.

[ForceofWill]

Seems to be a lot of guys letting girls make decisions for them lately. Sack up.

My wife spent time in ERs as a nurse and was naturally against it when I told her I was getting a bike.

Get the gear, explain the difference between the 250 and what they think motorcycles will do and take the training. She'll get over it or leave.

If a spouse/GF will leave over a decision as simple as riding a motorcycle it's probably for the BEST. What do you think they would do when times got really hard like if you lost your job?

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by dcj13

Sage advice. Higher risk advice (as long as we're quoting platitudes, homilies, aphorisms, and the like): Two wheels, two beers; four wheels, four beers.

Two beers drunk fast could make you illegal and WILL affect your reaction time even if you can't feel it. Four beers WILL make you illegal if you don't wait.

The "eight hour" thing is the standard in aviation. It's the FAA rule for pilots.

Frankly, it's not strict enough. Even after the alcohol leaves your bloodstream, you are impaired. Anyone who's ever had a hangover knows this. How would you feel if you knew that the pilot of your 8 am flight had been sloppy drunk at midnight the night before?

I personally stopped drinking entirely four years ago and it hasn't affected my enjoyment of life one bit... but for those who choose to imbibe, I recommend making darned sure you're stone cold before you go anywhere near that bike. Not the "oh, I'm fine" kind of "sober" that everyone thinks they can achieve. I mean really straight. Zero point zero zero straight.

I'm like most everyone else... I've had a glass of wine or a couple of beers and gotten home in great shape, none the worse for wear and plenty able to function. I'm also like many of us who have operated a vehicle when we shouldn't have, absolutely convinced that we were safe to do so.

It was only after I stopped all alcohol consumption for an extended period that I realized how it had been affecting my body. I'd never really noticed before, because the physical and mental effects can be so subtle.

The thing that's so treacherous is that one of the first things to be affected is your confidence. It goes up even as your physical reactions and judgment degrade... and it happens even before you feel buzzed. And we get away with it, time after time after time. Until we don't.*

It's a personal choice that we all must make for ourselves. Only you know what's right for you.


* I note here that in the 27-odd years I've been riding I've only laid a bike down once. I'd had a couple of beers (actually a couple, not the "couple" you tell the cops about) that evening. Related? Didn't think so at the time. Now, I'd say it was probably a factor.

[Ducati999]

Tough decision sorry for your loss and your situation. I would personally choose the bike but you are not me. Many of the posts above express involving your family in the safety courses. This is a great idea if they are willing and financially able. I have been on the down side of the "unsafe" argument and it is a tough position to be in anytime. Understanding is always the best way to handle a significant other. Express that you understand their position and concerns. Explain you are not like your father and her uncle (unless you are) and that being safe is your primary concern. Take her to a bike shop and have her help you "check out" some potential safety gear and show her how they protect you and what is available including HiVis vests and helmets. Have her pick out what she would feel would make you safe on the bike and suggest a trial time operating the bike to prove you will ride/be responsible and take the MSF course! Get her involved and listen to what she says, embrace her concern and assure her you will be safe for her. Hopefully this will work. Women can see your side but not if you are arguing and fighting, only when she see you see her point will see accept any other scenario and once she is on your side the rest of the family will be persuaded! With your girl on your side saying "he is really commited to being safe" and he "does everything possible to be safe" how can they argue?

Good Luck and I hope you are riding (safely) soon!

[allanoue]

time is on your side. get the bike and hold off riding. Show self restraint unlike pop

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by adouglas

The "eight hour" thing is the standard in aviation. It's the FAA rule for pilots.
It was only after I stopped all alcohol consumption for an extended period that I realized how it had been affecting my body. I'd never really noticed before, because the physical and mental effects can be so subtle.

Are you, or have you ever been a pilot? Flying was my dream job as a kid.

I experienced a similar thing when I quit smoking daily. I didn't smoke for 5-6 months and when I decided to head to a hookah bar out of the blue I noticed exactly what it had been doing to me the entire time. The next morning I went out for my daily jog and I had some difficulty keeping my regular pace. I jogged while I was smoking hookah daily too and was none the wiser on how it affected me because it was a constant in my life. Just a lesson learned, hookah feels great and all without the illegality side effects (and paranoia) of ganja but it still has the same effects as any other tobacco product unlike the myth that "smoking through icewater dilutes the negative effects on your body" would have you believe. When I stopped the ganja the same thing also happened, my mind became clearer than it had been in years within the span of a month and almost a year later I can process ideas and concepts much quicker than before.

[dcj13]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Two beers drunk fast could make you illegal and WILL affect your reaction time even if you can't feel it. Four beers WILL make you illegal if you don't wait.

The "eight hour" thing is the standard in aviation. It's the FAA rule for pilots...

...It's a personal choice that we all must make for ourselves. Only you know what's right for you.

No argument here. Especially the quick 2 beers for the 120 lb'er.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by dcj13

No argument here. Especially the quick 2 beers for the 120 lb'er.

I've never believed in the weight rule. I've always been able to drink the same amount as people who double or triple my weight, I feel that it's mostly just used as an excuse for the people who weigh a lot to say they can drive "but man I weigh 240lbs I'm totally good to drive after splitting that 30pack with you".

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Sirref

I've never believed in the weight rule. I've always been able to drink the same amount as people who double or triple my weight, I feel that it's mostly just used as an excuse for the people who weigh a lot to say they can drive "but man I weigh 240lbs I'm totally good to drive after splitting that 30pack with you".

wrong, all things being equal

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by allanoue

wrong, all things being equal

I was merely speaking out of personal experience, I know that scientifically your blood alcohol % will be lower if you have a larger amount of mass but within my experience I have always had similar tolerances to people who weigh more than me. Unless there are other important factors I feel that the difference is not that large.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Sirref

I was merely speaking out of personal experience, I know that scientifically your blood alcohol % will be lower if you have a larger amount of mass but within my experience I have always had similar tolerances to people who weigh more than me. Unless there are other important factors I feel that the difference is not that large.

I think metabolism has a lot to do with tolerance. But that still takes time

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by allanoue

I think metabolism has a lot to do with tolerance. But that still takes time

Reading up on it. Metabolism does have a bit to do with it. However what I believe may be the reason for my tolerance equaling the weight tolerance of others is genetic tolerance. My family has had a bit of an alcoholic streak for the past 10+ generations. Luckily it would seem that my brother, sister, and myself have not progressed into any form of alcoholism and all 3 of us have tolerances that do not reflect our relatively low weight.

back to topic, in my family motorcycles, especially sport bikes, were associated with almost guaranteed death or injury as my dad worked for state farm for over a decade and my mother had 4 brothers who all got into accidents on motorcycles that left them injured. (one died, one lost a leg, one has road rash scars and broke about half his ribs, and the last one got lucky partially since he was wearing gear (only broke an arm)) At first the amount of disapproval that I received was excessively high. I decided to call the bluffs of my parents and got a 250 (I was not living at home at the time) over time my parents grew to become more accepting of it though they still don't like it. I believe that they prefer me being on a motorcycle than joining the army like a few of my cousins but that's largely unrelated. When I blew the engine of my 250 my parents saw how affected that I was by both having my bike and essentially losing my bike. At this point my dad co-signed the loan on my 300 (I had a good sized-down payment so it's not that bad and will be paid off in mid 2015 exactly 2 years after purchase)

The lesson to be learned is that over time they will begin to accept it and no matter what family would rather have you in their lives than out of it. They are afraid, give them reason not to be and they will become more accepting. Time is on your side.

[alex.s]

how fast you are able to process alcohol actually has nothing to do with weight. however, how much alcohol it takes to reach a specific blood/alcohol level is entirely dependant on bodyweight and hydration levels. a small, poorly hydrated person will get drunk much faster than a large well hydrated person. however, those same people will "stay drunk" completely different times depending on their personal biology and liver and kidnee condition

example: i'm thin and have kidnee and hydration issues so i get drunk extremely quickly. but they tell me i've got a "beautiful liver" and sober up very quickly

[Kscreations08]

Thanks everyone for the comments. Believe it or not, it really helps. Adouglas, I love your idea of having us all take the MSF course, which I def will be doing in April. Unfortunately, the lady doesn't see the point of her going. She threw a white flag. She justs worries about me and with her being pregnant, she worries even more. As for my brother, he just refuses to understand. I'll talk to him about the MSF course tomorrow and see what he says about it. Worst case scenario, I'll get sticky notes lol

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

........As for my brother, he just refuses to understand. I'll talk to him about the MSF course tomorrow and see what he says about it. Worst case scenario, I'll get sticky notes lol

He knows about motorcycles as little as you know; hence, you will not have much material to discuss about.

He is correct regarding the dangers in motorcycling.
Your odds to get hurt and killed are several times higher than driving a car or truck, that is a statistic fact.

Proper education and training will reduce the risks, but that is something still to happen for you and never to happen for him.

I would say the moment is not now: you are really vulnerable.
You can study a lot and take the MSF basic course without touching the bike in your garage.
After that happens, you will have the first step on the right direction to show them.

That course alone will not make you a better and safer rider right away.
You will need to use many hours of reading and practicing before you could prove them wrong.

[xSean13]

Originally Posted by Sirref

Are you, or have you ever been a pilot? Flying was my dream job as a kid.

I have my pilot's license. It's not my job...yet (joining the Air Force next year), but going up and flying, especially in the smaller planes, is just an amazing feeling.

After going through all of the training and stuff to get my license, I really wish we would adopt similar policies the FAA has in place for motor vehicles. One example is the bi-annual flight review pilots must undergo in order to be "current" and legally allowed to fly. Too many drivers could REALLY use a driving test every two years :P

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by xSean13

I have my pilot's license. It's not my job...yet (joining the Air Force next year), but going up and flying, especially in the smaller planes, is just an amazing feeling.

After going through all of the training and stuff to get my license, I really wish we would adopt similar policies the FAA has in place for motor vehicles. One example is the bi-annual flight review pilots must undergo in order to be "current" and legally allowed to fly. Too many drivers could REALLY use a driving test every two years :P

I agree that having to take an annual driving test would be an improvement over the current system of "meh, you can just do it until you are medically disqualified due to old age or you break our laws enough times"

I'm jealous. Due to my hearing loss as well as my vision loss (corrected with glasses and lasik in a few years) I do not qualify to fly any aircraft. The closest that I can ever get to the feeling of flying is riding a motorcycle.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

Thanks everyone for the comments. Believe it or not, it really helps. Adouglas, I love your idea of having us all take the MSF course, which I def will be doing in April. Unfortunately, the lady doesn't see the point of her going. She threw a white flag. She justs worries about me and with her being pregnant, she worries even more. As for my brother, he just refuses to understand. I'll talk to him about the MSF course tomorrow and see what he says about it. Worst case scenario, I'll get sticky notes lol

Do try to get her to go with you... because it's a shared experience, something that you can do together. It's not about her learning to ride, though that will be a side effect. It's about her seeing that it's about having responsible fun not getting an adrenaline rush or being a badass poser.

When I first wanted to ride, having been married a year, my wife and I did the MSF together. She hasn't been interested in bikes since, but we had a lot of fun!

[xSean13]

Originally Posted by Sirref

I agree that having to take an annual driving test would be an improvement over the current system of "meh, you can just do it until you are medically disqualified due to old age or you break our laws enough times"

I'm jealous. Due to my hearing loss as well as my vision loss (corrected with glasses and lasik in a few years) I do not qualify to fly any aircraft. The closest that I can ever get to the feeling of flying is riding a motorcycle.

Ahh that sucks. Surely if it's not too bad, and your vision is correctable, you could still pass the medical. If not, I'm sure they have a similar thing where you can go up in a single engine with an instructor and fly around, and he'll show you the controls and let you take over in-flight. I remember when I did that for one of my aerospace classes, the instructor even let me land the plane (hardest part), albeit he assisted me in the landing...was still very cool!

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by xSean13

Ahh that sucks. Surely if it's not too bad, and your vision is correctable, you could still pass the medical. If not, I'm sure they have a similar thing where you can go up in a single engine with an instructor and fly around, and he'll show you the controls and let you take over in-flight. I remember when I did that for one of my aerospace classes, the instructor even let me land the plane (hardest part), albeit he assisted me in the landing...was still very cool!

My hearing loss is fairly severe. It's classified under "Borderline deaf" which puts me at roughly 50-60% of the decibel perception of the average person (legally Deaf is 49% or less, at that point things such as cochlear implants come into play to help the person lead a more normal life)

[Kscreations08]

Arguements have come to a close. It is time for compromise and discussion. A cool down period and effective communication are always beneficial. My girlfriend listed problems she has with the bike, not me. Apparently, her ex husband beat the balls off it because he hates small bikes

Question for you guys: The back tire needed replaced from 's burnouts (didn't know you could do that on the 250 lol). So he took the rubber off a 600's front tire and put in on the back rim. Dangerous? Retarded? Is it something I'll need to replace or worry about? Will it pass inspection? She said something about treads facing the wrong way...

Side Note: @adouglas, the little brother loves the idea of taking the MSF together. I explained that it will give us both an opportunity to better understand how to be as safe as humanly possible. Motofool made a great point when he said neither of us even know enough about what we are talking about to get anywhere arguing. So the opportunity to grill the instructor should really help

It is impossible to tell you guys how much I really appreciate the help. Hopefully, Alex can show the rest of the world how to corral the good people

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

Arguements have come to a close. It is time for compromise and discussion. A cool down period and effective communication are always beneficial. My girlfriend listed problems she has with the bike, not me. Apparently, her ex husband beat the balls off it because he hates small bikes
............

You would need to check the rotation arrow stamped on the side of the tire as well as to compare the dimensions and pressure with the ones recommended for your model.

http://www.ninjette.org/wiki/Category:Tires

[adouglas]

Awesomeness.

Yes, get that bike into PROPER shape immediately.

Check back in later on to let us know how everything went!

[DEFY]

Calm and rational thats the way to do it. Look up a place and time for scheduling that MSF. Course Link

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

Arguements have come to a close. It is time for compromise and discussion. A cool down period and effective communication are always beneficial. My girlfriend listed problems she has with the bike, not me. Apparently, her ex husband beat the balls off it because he hates small bikes

Question for you guys: The back tire needed replaced from 's burnouts (didn't know you could do that on the 250 lol). So he took the rubber off a 600's front tire and put in on the back rim. Dangerous? Retarded? Is it something I'll need to replace or worry about? Will it pass inspection? She said something about treads facing the wrong way...

Side Note: @adouglas, the little brother loves the idea of taking the MSF together. I explained that it will give us both an opportunity to better understand how to be as safe as humanly possible. Motofool made a great point when he said neither of us even know enough about what we are talking about to get anywhere arguing. So the opportunity to grill the instructor should really help

It is impossible to tell you guys how much I really appreciate the help. Hopefully, Alex can show the rest of the world how to corral the good people

Nothing really wrong with putting a 600 front on the rear of the 250 as long as it's within the range of sizes that are known to work. Some riders "experiment" but as a rider in your situation, I would avoid that. Hernan is spot on about the directional/sizing aspect of tire mounting but we have run them backward before to squeeze out just a bit more life out of the tire. Again... I don't see that fitting your situation very well. Best foot forward ya know. Will it pass inspection? It would here, YMMV though.

Taking the MSF with another family member will give you an ally. Plus it's just damn fun to share the experience of riding with someone else. Asking plenty of questions to your RiderCoach during the MSF is only the beginning of a career of riding safely. So start thinking more long term now. You have a few other options past the MSF.

Also, once your MSF is over, there are a few RiderCoaches on this forum that will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have going forward.

Best of luck and safe riding!

[Ducati999]

The standard front tire for a GSXR 600 or pretty much every 600ss is a 120/60/17. What this means for your ninja is that YES it will work ok and will pass inspection as long as there is enough tread left on the tire and no unusual wear. The 120 size is smaller than the stock rear tire the Ninja came with but a lot of racers use them because contrary to what most people think, on a motorcycle more narrow rear tires turn in faster. The wider the rear tire the slower the bike will change direction. I wish I had a pic of a Hyabusa with an 18" swing arm extension and a 300 series tire to show here! The smaller tire will work fine just check the arrows printed into the side wall if they point down in the front and up in the back, forward on top and rearward on the bottom you are all set.

Good luck and sign up soon for the MSF course they fill up fast in the spring!!

[Kscreations08]

5 mile smile guys bike is coming down this weekend so I can start the work on it. Registration for the msf course starts the 5th... is that today? Lol classes start late April for my area. Permit test will be scheduled tomorrow. There are places to go. People to see. Many things tp be done. And many miles to ride.