RIP David Patten

[Southieinnc]

CA - 1 San Luis Obispo to Santa Cruz. I could do it in 2 hours flat (back in the day)
Skip to 2 minutes if you don't want to see cattle ranges.

 

[sharkymcwrath]

CA - 1 San Luis Obispo to Santa Cruz. I could do it in 2 hours flat (back in the day)
Skip to 2 minutes if you don't want to see cattle ranges.

Epic. I've been in SoCal 15 years and I still haven't gone further up than Santa Barbara on my bike yet but I really want to. That looks amazing.

 

[Southieinnc]

Epic. I've been in SoCal 15 years and I still haven't gone further up than Santa Barbara on my bike yet but I really want to. That looks amazing.

It is an awesome ride. Give yourself plenty of time if you want to enjoy the views. They are breathtaking.

 

[LetsGoPats]

My last street bike was a Yamaha RD400. Fast and maneuverable - enough that I never got into a wreck.
I could do so much more with that bike than ANY bike available - now or then. Very nimble.
Riding a big heavy bike in traffic scares the hell out of me!

Man, that's a good point. I don't ride so I never even thought about it.

 

[cheerupcharlie]

I'm just not comfortable riding one so they scare me. My oldest son is contemplating buying one. I hope he doesn’t. I told him he will never be too old for me not to ground his ass and take his bike away.

 

[Breed]

If you want nimble and control forget street bikes altogether and get you an enduro instead.

 

[sharkymcwrath]

SEE

Search
Evaluate
Execute

It is the trick for staying alive.

 

[Ron G]

I ride every single day all year long. Commute 20 miles each way on Rt 5 in Los Angeles where splitting lanes is legal(and fun) and traffic is insane. My opinion is it's always the riders fault. People do stupid fucking shit and the rider has to be ready for it, or don't ride.

And ya, when something does go wrong it doesn't usually bode well for the rider.

Why is that even legal? There must be some logic. Wait, sorry it is California.

 

[sharkymcwrath]

Why is that even legal? There must be some logic. Wait, sorry it is California.

It should be legal and I'm incredibly grateful that CA recognizes that. CA ranks #35 in motorcycle deaths out of 50 states where there is WAY more traffic and WAY more people AND we split lanes. We simply ride better here because we're more experienced.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

I'm about three months away from buying this, then I read stiff like this an lose my nerve.
View attachment 279178

Beautiful bike. How much expirence do you have riding? She's not a starter bike. Or maybe I'm reading into your nerve comment?

 

[Ron G]

It should be legal and I'm incredibly grateful that CA recognizes that. CA ranks #35 in motorcycle deaths out of 50 states where there is WAY more traffic and WAY more people AND we split lanes. We simply ride better here because we're more experienced.

Many years ago I had an accident in Orange County in a rental car. A motorcycle clipped the rear view. He was not injured seriously, but me, him and the other car he hit afterwards all had to deal with accident. The traffic was very heavy and for that he was lucky. He was going way faster than the traffic. At the time I did not know that was law. I just thought he was nuts, and in fact I still think so.

 

[YankeeRebel]

I'm not into Indians, Harley's Triumph's or any of the classic road bikes.
My last street bike was a Yamaha RD400. Fast and maneuverable - enough that I never got into a wreck.
I could do so much more with that bike than ANY bike available - now or then. Very nimble.
Riding a big heavy bike in traffic scares the hell out of me!

View attachment 279181

The Indian Scout is 540 wet so it's not a real heavy bike IMO

 

[nefansince75]

SEE

Search
Evaluate
Execute

It is the trick for staying alive.

I'd say the trick is to realize when you can't hesitate and when you need to hesitate. You can't drift into a mental zone the way you do with cars.

 

[BigKen]

It is the trick for staying alive.

If you want to live as long as I have:

Never Forget Where You Are

Especially on a motorcycle.

The only exposure to death equal to a bike is war.

 

[nefansince75]

If you want to live as long as I have:

Never Forget Where You Are

Especially on a motorcycle.

The only exposure to death equal to a bike is war.

Any tips for living longer than you have?

 

[Southieinnc]

If you want nimble and control forget street bikes altogether and get you an enduro instead.

I raced motocross professionally. Thanks for the advice.

 

[sharkymcwrath]

I'd say the trick is to realize when you can't hesitate and when you need to hesitate. You can't drift into a mental zone the way you do with cars.

That's what makes the SEE concept so effective in my opinion. You must be aware and have a plan at all times or you shouldn't be riding.

I certainly don't want to come off as cocky because that usually ends in bad news on a bike. I'm simply suggesting to everybody that there are ways of staying as safe as possible.

 

[Southieinnc]

That's what makes the SEE concept so effective in my opinion. You must be aware and have a plan at all times or you shouldn't be riding.

I certainly don't want to come off as cocky because that usually ends in bad news on a bike. I'm simply suggesting to everybody that there are ways of staying as safe as possible.

Assume you are invisible
Know where everybody else is around you. You may not have time to look around!
Know what everybody else is doing. A woman with a cellphone can kill you quicker than the Taliban!
Always have an escape route
Know your machine and what it can do.
Don't wait for a panic stop to learn how to make a panic stop!
Always wear a helmet!

 

[nefansince75]

That's what makes the SEE concept so effective in my opinion. You must be aware and have a plan at all times or you shouldn't be riding.

I certainly don't want to come off as cocky because that usually ends in bad news on a bike. I'm simply suggesting to everybody that there are ways of staying as safe as possible.

You don't come off that way at all. I translate what you are saying to two things. Be prepared and be alert. Being prepared for anything then not being alert for that "anything" isn't very useful. Being alert but not knowing what to do when a certain scenario happens isn't very useful either.

 

[BigKen]

Any tips for living longer than you have?

I haven't lived longer, so the answer is no.

To live as long as me.....

1. Never jump out of a helicopter at 40-50 feet even if it's about to crash. Even landing in a rice paddy isn't a guarantee.
2. Always have an extra ammo can. 5000 rounds is never enough.
3. Never get so drunk that when you wake up, the woman laying beside you ""IS"" the nightmare you had.