10-22-2018, 09:19 PM
(10-22-2018, 06:21 PM)pekingduck_imp Wrote: One of the observations the reports made was that riders were unable to look far enough ahead and around to the sides. For so many years I rode bikes with clip-ons or lower bars that of course had me craning my neck looking up. I couldn't easily rotate my head to look to the sides. The plane of head rotation was not parallel to the ground, so what I viewed took a little longer to process.
With my first upright bike, a 1990 Transalp, I could not only see over traffic, but it was easy to rotate my head quickly, easily, and painlessly. What a revelation! Now I wouldn't want a bike with clip-ons or low bars in any traffic, especially in L.A.
It makes me wonder if the generation of younger riders starting out on Ninja 300s or R3s are unwittingly starting with a severe disadvantage.
they most definitely are. they're starting on those bikes because they "look cool" and because they wanna be loud and fast, even though they're not going to be fast on a 300 no matter how bad they want it. whenever i encounter somebody who's thinking about getting a first bike I always tell them to look for a standard. don't buy an overweight cruiser, don't buy a sportbike, buy a standard. you sit up, your position is neutral, your body is relaxed and you can focus on riding with agility. but i guess standards are nerd bikes because nobody ever listens.