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[Twolanerider]

Ride all day, sleep some later, and watch out for portable toilets and loose straps.   Was reading the online version of the Rapid City, SD newspaper earlier this evening just to catch some Strugis news.  Yes, they were unfortunately reporting the fatality total for the week so far.  It was five as of their current count.  But one poor guy was killed when the straps from his luggage were flopping loose in the brooze and fouled his back wheel sending rider and bike spinning like a dervish while another guy was killed when he hit the portable toilet that fell off the tailgate of the pickup truck in front of him as they were both going down the highway.  That one ended up involving two other bikes.  But only the guy who didn't know better than to get waaaaaaay behind a truck with a tall vertical unstrapped load on its tailgate got killed.

Please understand, I'm not trying to diminish any family's loss.  Not at all.  But overall KIA stat's for use of the public highway perhaps ought to have asterisks for accidents wherein the unfortunate victim didn't tie down his cargo or wasn't paying proper enough attention to something dangerous directly in front of him.

[SERYDER]

wasn't paying proper enough attention to something dangerous directly in front of him.  
Posted by: Twolanerider

I drive a PETERBILT, 4000+ miles a week,48 weeks a year for the past 9 years without 1 accident. (Knocking wood hard ) I've only seen 1 bike wreck this year (fatal) Appeared the rider went down in a slight turn and slid into a guard-rail in a median dividing the two lanes (hwy 152 outside Hollister Ca). 1 week prior to the Laughlin Rally.
 Your statement is profound, and applies to all vehicles on the road. I see no fewer than 5 wrecks a week. Some are beyond amazing, and in my opinion 90% are operator error.  
 The common phrase in these strings, "RIDE AS THOUGH YOU ARE A/THE TARGET" & my own personal favorite, "PROTECT YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE RING" are "RULES" to live and survive by out there...

I mean really, An unsecured honey-pot, falls off a tail gate and kills a rider. Its a true shame but it just shows that S--T Happens out there every day.   Sorry [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[Striker]

Has anyone taken into consideration that the people buying bikes have a higher spendable income? ie the the baby boomers, (of which I am proudly one!) are in their income peak in most cases, buy more expensive toys, and in some cases haven't got the experience to go with the horsepower.  This FLHTSE could get you in trouble if you didn't have some pretty decent experience when riding here in Colorado.  I know of too many riders my age that "get it 'cause they can" and really haven't developed the skills to go with it.  If I think back of all the rides I have had, starting with a cute Honda Hawk to where I am today, there was a huge learning curve I went through without even realizing it.  The riding population is aging without a doubt, but the average number of years on a motorcycle I am sure isn't.  
By the way, I turn 59 next month, so don't forget my birthday [smiley=beerchug.gif] [smiley=drink.gif]