Quick!! Close the Barn Doors... the Horses (Donkeys) Have Gotten Out!!!

[kkim]

Sorry, Rant On... <rant>

WTF is it with you new people that don't fully suit up when you ride? I don't care what your excuses are, it's not gonna help you if you don't suit up, crash, THEN think about buying some protective gear. Don't you realize it can happen to any one of us? You are not so special that you are exempt from the possibility of ever going down, especially when you've been riding for less than a year!!! Close to 50% of 250 riders will drop their bikes withing the first year of ownership.

Read some posts and learn something for once, unless you enjoy wearing a cast or going to the ER room. Don't give me any BS about it was unavoidable or it wasn't your fault. You're on the bike, it's your responsibility to minimize getting hurt.

Too many of you are crashing... period! Some have been luckier than others, but the main point is the lack of safety gear most are wearing. It's not a fashion show people!! It's about getting gear that protects you more than jeans or tennis shoes and using it... even if you do sweat while you're sitting at a stop.

So gear up and expect the unexpected... and stop thinking about "upgrading" when you can't even ride a glorified scooter properly!

Consider this my Father's day gift to you.



<rant off>

[Strider]

<joins Kelly's Rant>

25 years of riding .... crashed 3 times (and I consider that lucky) ... full gear each time. THAT is why I am still alive, because I take protection seriously!
It drives me nuts to see the kids (and adults) in my area riding in jeans, t-sirts and tennis shoes!
Kelly's hit the nail on the head again!

[Snake]

Thanks Dad.

[kkim]

Alan,

I could really give a rip about "others" that don't know any better and choose to ride dangerously due to their ignorance, but people on this forum should know better, but choose not to listen.... that's what drives me nuts!

With Ninjette, we have a great vehicle to teach people what proper safety gear is, yet people are still choosing to ride w/o and are getting hurt.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Snake

Thanks Dad.

you're welcome... do you have that condom I gave you in your wallet?

[Strider]

Originally Posted by kkim

Alan,

I could really give a rip about "others" that don't know any better and choose to ride dangerously due to their ignorance, but people on this forum should know better, but choose not to listen.... that's what drives me nuts!

With Ninjette, we have a great vehicle to teach people what proper safety gear is, yet people are still choosing to ride w/o and are getting hurt.

Point well taken, and true to the bone.

[Snake]

^^^^^^^^^Yes still there and still not used. In fact its leaving a circle mark on the outside of the wallet. lol.
Thanks and keep up the fight.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Snake

Yes still there and still not used. In fact its leaving a circle mark on the outside of the wallet. lol.

odd... I thought you would have used it by now. They are not reusable, you know.

[CANTFUNCTION]

I would also add the MSF Course. I know it not gear but I think what you learn in the class is very useful too. Like how stop quickly in a straight line and in a curve, how to swerve to name a few. It looks like most poeple here have taken the class already.http://http://www.ninjette.org/forum...ad.php?t=10286

Just a thought if the insurance companys would give a discount if you ware full gear do you think more people would ware it? This was one of the reasons I took the MSF class.

[Rayme]

Even though I totally agree with you, i know that for some people you can say whatever you want and they'll do whatever they want. It's a personal responsability, theres only so much you can preach. Unless somebody is my close friend I won't push the "put your gear on" thing...I leave the rest to darwin..sorry that who I am :P

[ScorpionNinja]

Heh, well if you goggle "HOLY ****" motorcycle , youll see some Pics and a brief summary of a story about it. It happened in Sweden.

My dad emailed me it, though i couldnt figure out how to link and post it here! sorry



Anyhow, about Gear and my Point.... if your able to search and find this Article, NO GEAR wouldve helped in this situation! Enjoy

[Apex]

Meh.

Some people just need to learn the hard way.

[Daeldren]

So gear up and expect the unexpected... and stop thinking about "upgrading" when you can't even ride a glorified scooter properly!

so true, part of the reason I want to go back to the 250 is that I felt I was compensating my riding skills with the r6 throttle. I'd rather be able to ride the hell out of a small bike than be slow on a big bike any day of the week.

[g21-30]

Originally Posted by kkim

you're welcome... do you have that condom I gave you in your wallet?

kkim..you didn't see the video of how far a condom will stretch? That was the ONE you gave him! Just kidding.

[noche_caliente]

Originally Posted by kkim

Sorry, Rant On... <rant>

WTF is it with you new people that don't fully suit up when you ride? I don't care what your excuses are, it's not gonna help you if you don't suit up, crash, THEN think about buying some protective gear. Don't you realize it can happen to any one of us? You are not so special that you are exempt from the possibility of ever going down, especially when you've been riding for less than a year!!! Close to 50% of 250 riders will drop their bikes withing the first year of ownership.

Read some posts and learn something for once, unless you enjoy wearing a cast or going to the ER room. Don't give me any BS about it was unavoidable or it wasn't your fault. You're on the bike, it's your responsibility to minimize getting hurt.

Too many of you are crashing... period! Some have been luckier than others, but the main point is the lack of safety gear most are wearing. It's not a fashion show people!! It's about getting gear that protects you more than jeans or tennis shoes and using it... even if you do sweat while you're sitting at a stop.

So gear up and expect the unexpected... and stop thinking about "upgrading" when you can't even ride a glorified scooter properly!

Consider this my Father's day gift to you.



<rant off>

Amen to the gear part, and also to the upgrade part. 3 months and 1000 miles on a 250 does NOT qualify you for a bigger bike, regardless of how much you THINK you know!

[patw]

Well said. My wife goes into a bit of a fit every time she sees people riding without gear.

[Obsidian]

This is my wifes wrist.

Really, how many times should I have to post this?

Idiots need to open their eyes and see. She wore full gear with this, albeit gear that was substituted but it still saved her major damage. The full face helmet she wore at this time was TRASHED! Her face and head would have suffered major damage.

Whatever, I think I just don't care anymore. We can make thread after thread on this and it won't change a thing. It may help people who are considering the gear, but others who just want the bike and to go "fast" will disregard everything we say.

To the ones considering it. BUY THE GEAR! I won't go around the block without all of my gear on. Most accidents occur within 3 miles of home.

Happy father's day. Just remember, if you want to be around for the next one, gear is a good way to help be there.

-Brandon

[TnNinjaGirl]

My Dad always says, "you can't fix stupid." I'm starting to believe him...

[kkim]

seriously... there have been too many crashes lately on the board. My objective was to make plain that injuries do occur frequently when you crash and it can happen to you worse if you're not properly suited up. Many beginners have a difficult time understanding the likelihood of it being them that goes down and because of that, getting hurt is somehow a remote concept.

Read the crash/gear stories lately... I only had t shirt, helmet and jeans... my knee injury due to having only jeans... should I buy 2 different type of jackets to start off with my limited gear budget and not include boots, etc, etc, etc.

you may not be able to fix stupid, but damn, you should be able to educate the ignorant and unaware.

[miks]

And here I was expecting some pictures of horses and donkeys running amok.

Disappointed...

[SpyderGirl]

Dress for the crash, not for the ride. And if you cannot afford the gear, you cannot afford to ride. Period.

[zartan]

K, I like your point about upgrading. geez if the Ninja isn't going fast enough for you or fun enough, then you don't know how to ride it. It is great to see experienced riders choosing this 250. It is freakin fun. I do suggest riding all geared up and oh yea,,, Sterilization at birth is my suggestion

[VeX]

Originally Posted by kkim

you're welcome... do you have that condom I gave you in your wallet?

Heheh speaking of Father's day, for tHIS year's cake for my Pa I had them write, "Thanks for not using a condom!"

And amen to gear. When I dumped it (at about 30 mph) I was able to get up, pick up the bike and ride back home. I didn't sustain a single scratch, my gear held up amazingly, and come to think of it I didn't even bruise! Meanwhile one of the Marines I used to work with dumped a dual sport bike he was playing with in the parking lot and was COVERED with road rash (and actually had to take a day or two off as he was too stiff to walk).


... But then again another Marine I worked with pointed out that he'd rather be killed on a motorcycle from not wearing any gear then wear full gear and risk winding up in a wheel chair and/or having to spend months in a hospital recovering.

[bogdanb]

Originally Posted by kkim

They are not reusable, you know.

Are you sure about that ?

[Banzai]

Originally Posted by Obsidian

Idiots need to open their eyes and see....

Whatever, I think I just don't care anymore. We can make thread after thread on this and it won't change a thing. It may help people who are considering the gear, but others who just want the bike and to go "fast" will disregard everything we say.

After 20 years of watching my fellow shipmates and Sailors under my control at my commands die, I'm right with you on this point. No matter how many safety briefs, no matter how many classes we make them attend, no matter what safety gear we mandate, no matter what we do, nothing has changed for the better in the last 20 years. In fact, Navy and Marine Corps deaths on Sport bikes is trending upward, and at a 30 year high (since they started keeping records).

We we even mandate that they attend the MSF course that we give (for FREE) for all riders. We even give the mandated MSF Experienced Riders Course and a Sport Bike Riders Course for FREE!!!

Doesn't change a thing.

If mandatory compliance is that hard, imagine how hard non-mandatory compliance is?

We even put mangled "scare cars" at the front gates to demonstrate to everyone coming and going the potential of an accident. Maybe we should switch to mangled bikes and bodies.

[tjkamper]

There is no excuse for not going out with full gear.

A little heat won't kill you... a wreck and no gear will.

It is impossible to be 100% safe, but I prefer to stack the deck in my favor. If you had the money for the bike, you should have bought some gear too. Finance the bike for another year and get the correct gear.

You don't see snowboarders and skiers go out without snow pants and jackets, so why should anyone think a motorcyclist should go out without riding gear.

I've known many people who have walked away from bad wrecks who were wearing full gear, and too many who have been seriously injured from little falls without gear. So I never go out without gear... (And yes that means pants too). A fancy Leather jacket wont save your knees or ass.

[cwb48]

Kelly, I hear your frustration and empathize completely. When I bought my first bike in 1969, I was much like many of the people here today. I had just been drafted into the Army, and I sold my '62 MGA because I couldn't afford it on Army pay. I thought the bike would be a good choice for commuting, less expensive to keep and maintain and exciting too. I picked the Honda CB-350, which was at the time the second largest displacement machine sold by Honda. It was $825, brand new. I had a friend who knew how to ride (I had only been on a bicycle) pick it up for me and give me a couple of hours of lessons in a grass field near my home. That was on Saturday. On Sunday, I spent the whole day practicing riding on the street, and on Monday morning I woke up at 4AM and rode from Pasadena, Maryland to Ft. Belvior, Virginia to make formation at 6AM. I had a good helmet, a Bell purchased from the auto department at the nearby 2Guys store, and I wore denim and leather driving gloves. I did this for several months before a sudden rain shower forced me off the highway early one morning, and I hit the wet grease strip on the exit ramp and went down. I remember it like it was yesterday- I low sided and when the bike hit the curb (they had curbs then) it high sided and threw me onto the grass. I was very lucky not to hit the pavement, and escaped with a few bruises. The bike had some bent handlebars and levers, but was not too badly damaged. This was the first of several mishaps over the next few years, the details of which I will spare you. They were all preventable, and fortunately none of them caused me any permanent or major harm.

Here's my problem though; in '69, there was no internet. No Ninjette.org. No MSF course. No Keith Code videos. No place to go and get a lecture, free of charge, from someone with 40 years of experience on a motorcycle. If these resources had been available in 1969, would I have used them? You can bet your a** I would have.

Then how do we explain the fact that very smart young people will not listen to what cautious old folks have to say on certain subjects (motorcycles, sex, drugs...)? I can't. But I will continue to throw in my two cents when I think I can contribute something, hoping that it might have some effect.

Kelly, middle age can bring a lot of frustration, but at some point you begin to accept the inevitability of some things. Do what you can to make the world a better place, but don't let it depress you when you always seem to fail. I know that you and others here are doing some good.

Chris

[BlueTyke]

It is not a matter of IF... it is WHEN. Dress accordingly.

[TrueFaith]

If anything good at all can be said of crashing, it certainly points out where your gear is lacking or what part of your body you're not protecting enough. A hard lesson to learn to be sure, but I doubt many of those that have crashed in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers will continue to ride unprotected. My crash and resulting knee injury pointed out quite dramatically how little thought I had been putting into protecting my knees. I now wear knee guards every time I ride. For those of you that haven't crashed yet, protect yourself or learn where your gear's shortcomings are the hard way.

[Cali619]

I wear at the least a jacket, helmet, gloves and pants, but it doesnt upset me as much as some people posting here about others not wearing gear. Unless it was someone I actually cared about i could care less about it. I thought that is why we have that term 'ride your own ride' :shrug:

[ironglory]

If one gets a used learner bike, its ok to get items on clearance as well. With all the motorcycle sites available, I'm sure one will have a size for you that will not break the bank.

e.g. http://www.kneedraggers.com/list/1428

Be smart, ride smart.

[kazam58]

There's a lot of ignorant, invincible people out there. The only thing that gets through to them is personal experience. It's a pity, but that's how it works. It's a vicious cycle where the majority of the inexperienced will not listen or believe the experienced. It's been happening for centuries. It's not something you can prevent. However, it's no reason not to try.
As for those who cannot afford it. I have this message. I'm 18, I don't work a real job, and I had enough money for the bike, insurance, and much of what I need for day to day expenses. I also manage to have a full arsenal of gear. Good gear too. If I can afford it, anyone can. Just search through clearance.

[Obsidian]

Originally Posted by Banzai

After 20 years of watching my fellow shipmates and Sailors under my control at my commands die, I'm right with you on this point. No matter how many safety briefs, no matter how many classes we make them attend, no matter what safety gear we mandate, no matter what we do, nothing has changed for the better in the last 20 years. In fact, Navy and Marine Corps deaths on Sport bikes is trending upward, and at a 30 year high (since they started keeping records).

We we even mandate that they attend the MSF course that we give (for FREE) for all riders. We even give the mandated MSF Experienced Riders Course and a Sport Bike Riders Course for FREE!!!

Doesn't change a thing.

If mandatory compliance is that hard, imagine how hard non-mandatory compliance is?

We even put mangled "scare cars" at the front gates to demonstrate to everyone coming and going the potential of an accident. Maybe we should switch to mangled bikes and bodies.

Hey, I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm an 8th year going for 20 guy in the Coast Guard. I've been to the mandatory training and I've seen the horrors first hand (my wife's wrist. I had to drive her to the hospitol like that).

I believe it's now mandatory for every sportbike rider to attend the MSF every two years. I think it is a good idea, though it's going to be a burden at times. Maybe that burden will turn off the guys only wanting the speed.

And it's a great course. Anytime I see someone not wearing full gear I freak out. I only wear thin pants right now, but I'm still looking for some riding pants. It's one of those things I've come to the conclusion that it will be my fault if I mess up my legs if/when I fall, but for now it's ok. I have everything else.

That being said, all of those young marines coming back with all of that money just go out and buy the biggest damned bike they can. Sad to see it but hopefully with the mandated MSF, it will get better.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by kkim

Close to 50% of 250 riders will drop their bikes within the first year of ownership.

I can see how this could happen. I had a Yamaha 650 twin in the 80s, and got my current Ninja ZZR250 last December, without having ridden for over 20 years. So, I was almost a new rider on the Ninja - a different kind of "horse" to the Yamaha 650, like a Thoroughbred compared to a Warmblood, maybe, especially on high RPM (the Yamaha torques best around ~5000 RPM as I recall vs the Ninja's 11,000). And since I began riding the Ninja, I could have wiped out at least 3 times.

The first time was applying too much throttle on a tight curve, and the rear tire momentarily broke loose.

The second time was downshifting too fast and popping the clutch too sharply, and the rear end also momentarily let go.

The third time was 2-up in a sharp curve, when I took it too fast, and the center-stand scraped hard.

Under a competent rider, the Ninja 250 is a perfectly stable and predictable platform, but overestimating ability and underestimating protection could at least cost you the fairing, and huge patches of your skin, if not anything deeper, including your pride. Kelly's father's day gift could save your life.

AM

[diablo250]

I started riding 8 years ago in high school. My first bike was a 1998 zx-6, running on 3. Thank god I couldn't tune carbs worth a damn then because I would be dead now if I had all 4 cylinders running. I dropped it twice, both at low speeds (3mph+/-) and both right behind my house. Now, I look at the 250r as a safety device in itself. There have been a couple of close calls in the month since I've had my ninjette-where had I been going 10mph faster, say on a 600, I would be in much more trouble. For these reasons, I don't want a larger bike right now. I could have gotten essentially any bike I wanted, but the ninjette appealed to me the most.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Cali619

Unless it was someone I actually cared about i could care less about it.

I care about every ninjette member as if they were a close friend.... hell, they ARE my friends, being fellow motorcycle riders, hence the original post. We are all part of the fellowship of riders and need to help one another when we can.

[Ohh Snap]

i agree, it happened to me .

no more free ride

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by kkim

I care about every ninjette member as if they were a close friend.... hell, they ARE my friends, being fellow motorcycle riders, hence the original post. We are all part of the fellowship of riders and need to help one another when we can.

Well thats more on a personal level with about who you consider friends and what not, but in general everyone that has taken the MSF is told about the risk, so why should I let someone not using gear cause stress is all... I have enough to worry about than people I dont really know and will most likely not know , and that person already knowing consequences etc. blah blah... I like let people in the "brotherhood" have individuality, thats a major element in the whole picture. Don't get so upset when someone does something different than you or doesnt want to listen...

[CC Cowboy]

Kelly, where do you get your stats? I think that actual percentage of 250r riders who will crash is 90%.

What I don't get is the people who post about it like it is a badge of honor (or looking for sympathy).

If you crash, you're an idiot, you have no one to blame but yourself (no matter what the situation is). If you feel it's only a matter of when, it's going to come sooner rather than later. Crashing is not being able to handle every situation. If you feel you are going to crash (at some point) get a scooter and ride that until you feel that you can handle every situation. It will be cheaper (not safer) and you can still wear your gear.

I bet most of you who crash are deadly on a bicycle also.

Your life is in your hands. Think about what you are doing and whether you should really be on a motorcycle.

[Anthony_marr]

Originally Posted by diablo250

I could have gotten essentially any bike I wanted, but the ninjette appealed to me the most.

This is good, because some may think that we love the Ninjette because she is "cheap".