Bad rap for sportbikes on local news
#1
Bad rap for sportbikes on local news
Local news ran this tonight . ( needless to say my wife wont let me go to Deals Gap or the mountains anytime soon)http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pa...Y&pageId=1.1.1
#5
It's too bad that many inexperienced/reckless riders have to give this reputation to sportbikes. Yes most of us do enjoy going quicker than the limit around curves and the occasional triple digit blip, but crossing double yellows and terrorizing cages is only going to hurt us.
Stay in your lane and don't tailgate! I have no problem with controlled speed myself.
Stay in your lane and don't tailgate! I have no problem with controlled speed myself.
#6
was it just me or did the reporter make it out to be like the sportbike riders were going 100mph everywhere....and in every shot there was never a place that I could see someone going 100.....well I am be unobservitory....I dont know...that coverage sucks...
#7
when I was in college, the roads around my school were all twisty mountain roads. at the time I was riding a 92 yamaha seca II (diversion). hardly a "bullet" bike. but I'll be honest I was passing people on the double yellow all the time. but like all things this requires a degree of common sense. something that too many riders don't have. you do it where its safe. not around a blind corner, the places I passed people were places that could have used a passing zone. and I wasn't usually pushing any limits. people on those roads were more often than not sight seeing tourists puttering along at a snails pace. something I think might be a factor in the brazen passing in that clip. even a lazy cruising speen for a bike on those roads is gonna be quit a bit faster than a car(with the occupants staring out the windows). lets be honest guys none of us is content to sit on the bottom of 2nd gear steadily through twisty roads. the hawk must fly! just pick you moves carefully. telling riders to obey the speed limit on roads like that is like telling a teenager to practice abstinence. . . ain't gonna happen.
#8
Please post the link for tomorrow nights follow-up story. I'd like to see it.
Swordfish, I agree with you for the most part. I am an MSF instructor, and although I enjoy riding and ride safely, I also like to have fun. You know, most of the complaints come from the folks who get passed by high revving 600s with loud pipes. Now, not that I'm against loud pipes, but you have to have some courtesy here and pass in a gear higher or something as to not scare and annoy the **** out of folks. If what it takes is 2nd gear at 12000 rpm to make it safe, then is it really safe? Why not try 3rd gear at 7000 or even 4th at 4500? Yes, the 600s are at a disadvantage there because they're anemic down that low. That's what I like about the literbikes and twins.
Swordfish, I agree with you for the most part. I am an MSF instructor, and although I enjoy riding and ride safely, I also like to have fun. You know, most of the complaints come from the folks who get passed by high revving 600s with loud pipes. Now, not that I'm against loud pipes, but you have to have some courtesy here and pass in a gear higher or something as to not scare and annoy the **** out of folks. If what it takes is 2nd gear at 12000 rpm to make it safe, then is it really safe? Why not try 3rd gear at 7000 or even 4th at 4500? Yes, the 600s are at a disadvantage there because they're anemic down that low. That's what I like about the literbikes and twins.
#9
I ride :The Loop" pretty much every weekend during the spring, summer and fall. As the folks interveiwed in the story said, the vast majority of riders really are riding safe. It's a few folks who think that they need to ride as fast as possible and nothing is going to slow them down.
#10
I ride :The Loop" pretty much every weekend during the spring, summer and fall. As the folks interveiwed in the story said, the vast majority of riders really are riding safe. It's a few folks who think that they need to ride as fast as possible and nothing is going to slow them down.
I had this nightmare vision a few years ago where they put "traffic calming" speed humps at the apexes of all the turns. I hope it doesn't happen, but with RFID equipped license plates on the horizon anyway, the future doesn't look too good. Big Brother will solve this problem.
#11
I saw this on another forum I'm on in GA. They have 18 pages of debate over this story starting a couple of weeks ago when she was getting footage. Anyway, I would have no problem with the story if They would give both sides of it and show the cagers that try to run bikes off the road and drive WAY to fast and cross the yellow lines. Then it would be fair and balanced like news IS supposed to be.
#12
I saw this on another forum I'm on in GA. They have 18 pages of debate over this story starting a couple of weeks ago when she was getting footage. Anyway, I would have no problem with the story if They would give both sides of it and show the cagers that try to run bikes off the road and drive WAY to fast and cross the yellow lines. Then it would be fair and balanced like news IS supposed to be.
you must still believe in the easter bunny, santa claus and honest lawyers and politicians.
the news wants to put the most sensational story they can, to compete with other news stations. They don't care about truth.
#13
I saw this on another forum I'm on in GA. They have 18 pages of debate over this story starting a couple of weeks ago when she was getting footage. Anyway, I would have no problem with the story if They would give both sides of it and show the cagers that try to run bikes off the road and drive WAY to fast and cross the yellow lines. Then it would be fair and balanced like news IS supposed to be.
I did crash up there in 1993 on an RZ350. The DOT had been spreading loose asphalt on the shoulders in the middle of turns. I went into a corner and the road was covered with loose asphalt. I had nowhere to go, lowsided and snapped my collarbone. The sheriff came to visit me in the hospital and I told him what had happened, which was a big mistake. When I went back later that night to retrieve my bike, the road had mysteriously been swept clean. No loose asphalt anywhere. The DOT boys had covered their asses.
#14
This is about 90% hit piece. I have to laugh when SUV drivers talk about motorcyclists "running them off the roads." The most afraid I have ever been up there is when I came around a turn and a car was in my lane coming straight at me. Major pucker time.
I did crash up there in 1993 on an RZ350. The DOT had been spreading loose asphalt on the shoulders in the middle of turns. I went into a corner and the road was covered with loose asphalt. I had nowhere to go, lowsided and snapped my collarbone. The sheriff came to visit me in the hospital and I told him what had happened, which was a big mistake. When I went back later that night to retrieve my bike, the road had mysteriously been swept clean. No loose asphalt anywhere. The DOT boys had covered their asses.
I did crash up there in 1993 on an RZ350. The DOT had been spreading loose asphalt on the shoulders in the middle of turns. I went into a corner and the road was covered with loose asphalt. I had nowhere to go, lowsided and snapped my collarbone. The sheriff came to visit me in the hospital and I told him what had happened, which was a big mistake. When I went back later that night to retrieve my bike, the road had mysteriously been swept clean. No loose asphalt anywhere. The DOT boys had covered their asses.
#15
Yeah I know, I was just waxing nostalgic I guess.
#17
Yeppers, I'm looking forward to seeing the speeds actually recorded. I doubt there are that many, if any, going 100 mph. A sportbike looks fast even while moving slow. I think it is easy for people to misjudge actual speed.
I'm not a saint of a rider, but I'm by no means dangerous, careless, and I hope I'm not obnoxious. I will occasionally pass on a double yellow if there is plenty of line of sit distance, and I'm familiar with the road. I usually give the cars a little wave once I'm past them. It may not do much, but hopefully it will get them thinking about the wave, and not the fact they were just passed.
There are just way too many people in that whole area, sportbikes, Harleys, cars, bicycles, whatever. I hate going to Deals Gap on a weekend for that reason. I much prefere riding in the week. Winter is approaching so the majority of the problem people will pack up for the winter. I can't wait to get more open road in front of me...
I'm not a saint of a rider, but I'm by no means dangerous, careless, and I hope I'm not obnoxious. I will occasionally pass on a double yellow if there is plenty of line of sit distance, and I'm familiar with the road. I usually give the cars a little wave once I'm past them. It may not do much, but hopefully it will get them thinking about the wave, and not the fact they were just passed.
There are just way too many people in that whole area, sportbikes, Harleys, cars, bicycles, whatever. I hate going to Deals Gap on a weekend for that reason. I much prefere riding in the week. Winter is approaching so the majority of the problem people will pack up for the winter. I can't wait to get more open road in front of me...
#18
I want to see that too. 150 mph? On these curves ?? I am no saint ether , I try not act like a hooligan unless I am on a deserted road ( most of the time anyway !) but if I wanted to just putt around the mountains I would have bought a goldwing. I am not saying that its ok to ride like a maniac , but most of these roads are 35 mph ( oh come on) for most car and suvs thats understandable on a sportbike 45- 55mph is completely safe ( especially if everyone stays in there lane!) To the average driver or pedestrian a sportbike doing 65mph in a lower gear looks and sounds like its doing 100mph. I guess one thing that bothered me about that coverage is they made it look like sportbike riders are a complete menace in the mountains! GEE its not like I have never seen WRXs & other sport compacts with fart can exhaust drifting around these mountain corners ( into the other lane ). I guess we will see that news report next month! I WILL POST THE NEWS LINK AGAIN TONIGHT so check back later for the second part of the report. As mama would say.. ( sportbikes are the devil Bobby Bouch'e) LOL
#19
The 150mph could be misleading. Someone accelerating will give a higher velocity than they are actually going.
Everyone should chip in so we can buy a mountain and pave it. Hmm.. I bet paving it would ridiculously expensive.
You know, I pass on double yellow.. but only when I can see what's ahead, and I know I can disappear. No one wants to get passed on a double yellow and then stare at the perpetrater. Plus I don't want someone taking down my license plate number. Also, I wave at almost every vehicle I pass. I actually mutter out a "sorry" as well... and I mean it. But I'm gonna keep doing it. Life goes on.
Everyone should chip in so we can buy a mountain and pave it. Hmm.. I bet paving it would ridiculously expensive.
You know, I pass on double yellow.. but only when I can see what's ahead, and I know I can disappear. No one wants to get passed on a double yellow and then stare at the perpetrater. Plus I don't want someone taking down my license plate number. Also, I wave at almost every vehicle I pass. I actually mutter out a "sorry" as well... and I mean it. But I'm gonna keep doing it. Life goes on.
#20
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/myfox/pa...Y&pageId=1.1.1Here is part 2 , And yes there was one clocked at 153mph
#22
There should be a follow up soon with interviews from local sportbike riders according to the other forum. One of the members talked to the reporter for 20 mins or so and he agreed that they should've gotten the other side of the story. We shall see.
#23
Interesting. If they were truthfully reporting the speeds from the laser, then I'm surprised by a few of those. The reporter said the sportbikes average 55-65 mph in that 45 mph zone. I think that is perfectly truthful for how most sport riders would ride on that kind of road.
I'm skeptical of the 153 on that short of a straight out of the turn. Maybe so, dude was definately moving quickly. That is insane.
Interesting story overall. Hate to see it, and its biasedness, but I guess that is to be expected.
I'm skeptical of the 153 on that short of a straight out of the turn. Maybe so, dude was definately moving quickly. That is insane.
Interesting story overall. Hate to see it, and its biasedness, but I guess that is to be expected.
#24
Interesting. If they were truthfully reporting the speeds from the laser, then I'm surprised by a few of those. The reporter said the sportbikes average 55-65 mph in that 45 mph zone. I think that is perfectly truthful for how most sport riders would ride on that kind of road.
I'm skeptical of the 153 on that short of a straight out of the turn. Maybe so, dude was definately moving quickly. That is insane.
Interesting story overall. Hate to see it, and its biasedness, but I guess that is to be expected.
I'm skeptical of the 153 on that short of a straight out of the turn. Maybe so, dude was definately moving quickly. That is insane.
Interesting story overall. Hate to see it, and its biasedness, but I guess that is to be expected.
That's what sells.
#25
I agree 22! The news has become a way to sell airtime. You can tell by the hyped up intro to both pieces. The one statement that I hung on was 13 rider deaths since 2005. That's three full years, nobody says whether they were all sport bike riders (I've seen some footage or some real idiots on Harleys up there), and there is no contextual anchor as to how many cage riders they've lost in the same time period. This a recreational area so I'm sure the bikers are not the only ones to loose sight of the road.
#26
We were on old 18 and then up to top of 181 last weekend, just north of Asheville NC, great roads by the way ....the group of 4 I was with had a ton of fun, speeds for the other three got a little high, and yes they passed on double lines, line of sight was good...but there was two othere bikes that caught up with us that were insanely stupid, I have no doubt this one guy was well over a hundred and doing stupid ****, makes the rest of us look bad, and draws unwanted attention to us...I mean yeah we passed on double lines, and speed limit was broken, but all in all we were pretty safe...
Like everyone has said, it sucks that a few chumps make us all look bad....
Like everyone has said, it sucks that a few chumps make us all look bad....
#27
whole video tries to go out and make sport bikers look evil. in the 2nd part the acceleration video isn't even of a stock bike. it's a damn turbo hayabusa. even found the vid in the first link and the first vid after I typed 'turbo hayabusa video' into google: http://www.uponone.com/sortvideos-speed-viewed.php (top video)
It's a very well known video... I feel like writing a letter of disgust to them about it
oh and I'm skeptical about the 153 mph reading. not because I don't think it's possible, just the scenario that it was in. you had a group of bikers go by and it was like 98, 153, 89 for the mph readings... doesn't make sense
It's a very well known video... I feel like writing a letter of disgust to them about it
oh and I'm skeptical about the 153 mph reading. not because I don't think it's possible, just the scenario that it was in. you had a group of bikers go by and it was like 98, 153, 89 for the mph readings... doesn't make sense
#28
A few points:
I do not like FOX news so that does not help.
They will sell a motorcycle to anyone; we have some problem riders.
I don't tell anyone where my racer road is, watch this report and you will know why.
I would never ride like some of these guys; blind corner over the D yellow, WTF!
I do track days to get it all the way to the edge.
I was young once (been riding since 67) and raced a lot of bikes, I don't know why but I just couldn't let someone go, I whould ride ***** out to stay in front, I don't know what the answer is.
Let's not kid ourselves, cars racing is an even bigger problem and they kill a lot more bystandes.
Some of us are just plain dumb! JIM
I do not like FOX news so that does not help.
They will sell a motorcycle to anyone; we have some problem riders.
I don't tell anyone where my racer road is, watch this report and you will know why.
I would never ride like some of these guys; blind corner over the D yellow, WTF!
I do track days to get it all the way to the edge.
I was young once (been riding since 67) and raced a lot of bikes, I don't know why but I just couldn't let someone go, I whould ride ***** out to stay in front, I don't know what the answer is.
Let's not kid ourselves, cars racing is an even bigger problem and they kill a lot more bystandes.
Some of us are just plain dumb! JIM
#29
What I thought was funny is how in they talked about sportbike riders crossing double yellow and Harley riders always obeying the law. However at the beginning of the first video they show two harleys going into a turn crossing double yellow.
#30
whole video tries to go out and make sport bikers look evil. in the 2nd part the acceleration video isn't even of a stock bike. it's a damn turbo hayabusa. even found the vid in the first link and the first vid after I typed 'turbo hayabusa video' into google: http://www.uponone.com/sortvideos-speed-viewed.php (top video)
It's a very well known video... I feel like writing a letter of disgust to them about it
oh and I'm skeptical about the 153 mph reading. not because I don't think it's possible, just the scenario that it was in. you had a group of bikers go by and it was like 98, 153, 89 for the mph readings... doesn't make sense
It's a very well known video... I feel like writing a letter of disgust to them about it
oh and I'm skeptical about the 153 mph reading. not because I don't think it's possible, just the scenario that it was in. you had a group of bikers go by and it was like 98, 153, 89 for the mph readings... doesn't make sense
Notice how the camera man made sure the camera was waving around frantically to get the bike in the shot, on purpose to make it look worse no doubt.