Ever worry about a stranger after seeing them on a motorcycle?

[Guth_imp]

This past weekend my wife and I were out exploring Oregon's wine country. While doing so we stopped in a small town where we strolled around a bit and had some lunch. Right after we arrived I noticed a trio of motorcyclists just as they were headed out. The last rider stood out to me as his kickstand drug along the main drag making quite a racket for quite some ways before it finally hit something big enough to kick it upwards.

My wife and I ate lunch at a restaurant there on main street where we were seated right by the front window. About the time we were finishing up our meal I saw the same trio of riders return to town. They parked right across the street from the restaurant where we were eating. The same fella that had left his kickstand down earlier when leaving wasn't really sure how to park his bike. After nosing it into the curb his riding buddies said something to him and he tried to move the bike around so that his back wheel was up against the curb. He then backed the bike into a car while doing so. A woman actually walked over to inspect the car to make sure no damage was done before she gave him the okay to carry on. I don't even think it was her car as she appeared to be just a bystander.

After many years of riding I'm still not exactly "smooth" at parking my bike. (I can say that ease of parking is one aspect of my Hawk GT that I do miss.) I can also still find things to criticize about my own riding in the name of getting better. But in this particular case I don't mean to be critical of this other rider. I really just wanted to share this story as I found myself a bit worried for this guy who was clearly rather new to riding. Also, he wasn't a small guy, but it was obvious he was having a bit of a struggle with the big cruiser that he had chosen. Maybe it was just a rental bike, I really don't know. In the end I figured that it was none of my business, but as I watched all this play out I realized that I had actually grown a bit concerned about a complete stranger. None of us are guaranteed safe travels out there on two wheels. I just hated to see someone seemingly stacking the odds even higher against themselves.

Anyone else have a similar experience? Maybe such stories aren't all that rare. I learned to ride a motorcycle when I was still a kid. By now I've surely romanticized in my mind any such problems that I might have had way back then. I know that we all have to start somewhere. I can't help but think that it's much better to get that kind of stuff out of the way early on, long before hitting the street as an adult much later on in life. Hopefully the guy I saw struggling somewhat goes on to enjoy many years of safe and happy riding.

[Blockhead_imp]

I recently saw a guy on a full dressed Harley drop the bike at the Pa./Ohio turnpike border toll booth while reaching to pay his toll.

He was with a few other riders, it was obvious he was a newbie though. They helped him pick up the bike, he was a flustered mess. Truckers honking at him from behind were no comfort I’m sure, he almost dropped the bike again when he took off. The poor guy seemed way beyond his comfort zone on that big heavy bike...I hope he got to his destination safely.

[cookiemech]

I spend a fair amount of time on a Harley forum and I never cease to be amazed at individuals who have never ridden before, yet just HAVE to buy a Harley for a first bike! I rode for 28 years and probably 350,000 miles before buying my first Road King, and was still uncomfortable riding that big heavy thing for a week.

I guess easy credit is the reason people step right up to the big expensive bikes rather than doing what I (and most others) did years ago, which was to buy an old, cheap bike and actually learn to handle and ride it.

I'm not unsympathetic; I'd certainly be glad to advise and help someone like that if I could. Since the advent of state-sponsored motorcycle "safety" training, I think many people actually believe motorcycle riding is "safe" and just another hobby. It ain't.

[redbirds_imp]

Too many new riders want to start out on a big cruiser because they feel so comfortable on the showroom floor. The easy reach to the ground and the laid back riding position belie the effect of riding a very heavy bike with a long wheel base.

I feel fortunate to have started out riding dirt bikes in the late 60's. All types of lessons about control may be learned with less risk in the dirt.

[Rocky_imp]

I spend a fair amount of time on a Harley forum and I never cease to be amazed at individuals who have never ridden before, yet just HAVE to buy a Harley for a first bike! I rode for 28 years and probably 350,000 miles before buying my first Road King, and was still uncomfortable riding that big heavy thing for a week.

I guess easy credit is the reason people step right up to the big expensive bikes rather than doing what I (and most others) did years ago, which was to buy an old, cheap bike and actually learn to handle and ride it.

I'm not unsympathetic; I'd certainly be glad to advise and help someone like that if I could. Since the advent of state-sponsored motorcycle "safety" training, I think many people actually believe motorcycle riding is "safe" and just another hobby. It ain't.

Very true and wise words.
I see that scenario here a lot too; older rider with no riding experience trying to handle a big bike (Harley?) or other monster cruiser. It's so obvious they barely know what they're doing.
I just silently shake my head in dismay and wish them well.
We've already had some deaths this season when an older rider lost control of his cruiser and crashed.
Very sad.

[KiowaEagle_imp]

I spend a fair amount of time on a Harley forum and I never cease to be amazed at individuals who have never ridden before, yet just HAVE to buy a Harley for a first bike! I rode for 28 years and probably 350,000 miles before buying my first Road King, and was still uncomfortable riding that big heavy thing for a week.

I guess easy credit is the reason people step right up to the big expensive bikes rather than doing what I (and most others) did years ago, which was to buy an old, cheap bike and actually learn to handle and ride it.

I'm not unsympathetic; I'd certainly be glad to advise and help someone like that if I could. Since the advent of state-sponsored motorcycle "safety" training, I think many people actually believe motorcycle riding is "safe" and just another hobby. It ain't.

Very true and wise words.
I see that scenario here a lot too; older rider with no riding experience trying to handle a big bike (Harley?) or other monster cruiser. It's so obvious they barely know what they're doing.
I just silently shake my head in dismay and wish them well.
We've already had some deaths this season when an older rider lost control of his cruiser and crashed.
Very sad.

Very true and wise words.
I see that scenario here a lot too; older rider with no riding experience trying to handle a big bike (Harley?) or other monster cruiser. It's so obvious they barely know what they're doing.
I just silently shake my head in dismay and wish them well.
We've already had some deaths this season when an older rider lost control of his cruiser and crashed.
Very sad.
Add in the fact that they are wearing little to no protection (no helmet law here in PA) because they want to look the part and it makes for a very bad mix.

[emptysea]

Yes, I worry about other motorcyclists who do not seem in full control of their bikes. I don't know why I worry about them, but not about someone not in control of their car (at whom I typically just roll an eye), but maybe it has to do with empathy. We were all there once, or at least most of us were, where we edged a bit past that "70% of your ability" threshold. Maybe this empathy is sort of at the heart of "the wave", and the "What year is that one?" and "Where are you from?" conversations that we don't share with our 4-wheeled counterparts.

[Roper_imp]

Last night, I was coming down a canyon which had several spurs for camping areas. Every mile or so, there was a sign which read, "Watch for vehicles entering road," because there were an awful lot of blind corners followed by a spur to a campsite. Plus, it was dusk, and I already had passed several deer along the side of the road. A fellow motorcyclist on a sport bike followed me for a couple of miles. As soon as we got to a short straight section, he accelerated to at least double the 35 mph speed limit in order to pass before the twisties began again. I worried for him. He was going too fast to stop if a camper pulled onto the road or a deer jumped across. I caught him at the bottom of the canyon. Traffic was backed up because of construction. Thank goodness he was okay.

[use2b_imp]

mostly I worry for the young guys I see doing all the stupid things i use to do Luck and eventually a degree of wisdom entered my brain and i gave up those ways.= high speed and wheelies ......
When i owned the only Goldwing I never liked " a 1500cc Aspencade = HUGE and Heavy even had a Reverse.... Anyway a smaller guy who had the same bike dropped it at a red light after slipping in oil with his foot and down he went. I got off my bike and tried to help him but he angrily declined any help and said " I got this " so i got back on my bike to watch as he used his back and legs to pick the big bike back up only for it to fall even harder on the other side. he then asked me for some help ! So yes i worry about the abilities of all riders having so many close and not so close calls with them , yet at the same time being ever mindful of my own ability's especially since 70 YO is not that far away .

[LongRanger_imp]

I think much of it is driven by naivety and ego, only to be exacerbated by testosterone and peer pressure. Group riding can be especially hazardous. The folks I feel most badly for are the gals who ride pillion (on a sport bike or a cruiser, it doesn't matter) in street clothes, no helmet, or worse. Once they climb on, their fate is out of their control.