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[PASN YU]

Another thread got me thinking about this subject. I wanted to start a new thread so that I didn't hijack the other thread and to get some opinions on the subject without singling a person out, hurting someone's feelings, being harsh blah, blah, blah... 

Contrary to popular belief (about 52.7% I believe), not everyone should own/operate/have everything. Not everyone should own a home or have a credit card. Every kid should not get a trophy when they play sports. Not everyone should hold a drivers license or operate a car. And, most congruent with this forum, not everyone should ride a motorcycle. This isn't to be coarse but just a fact of life as I see it. I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Disclaimer - Whether you have an agreeing or disagreeing opinion please feel free to post, flame, or whatever you like. My feelings will not be hurt. 

[gabe]

 not everybody wants to do the things on your list

[PASN YU]

I didn't say that everyone wants to do those things. I said that not everyone should.

[Ghost Rider]

Who gets to decided who should and who shouldn't get to do stuff (assuming we are talking about legal "stuff") if its me, than I agree, if its Twolane than no way.  That guy will jump out of a perfectly good airplane.   

[grc]

In the immortal words of Dirty Harry Callahan, "A man's got to know his limitations."  These days all too many folks don't seem to think they have limitations, probably due to overindulgent parental units as well as all those "Do It Yourself" TV shows and magazine articles that try to convince ordinary clueless individuals that anyone can do brain surgery as long as they buy the right tools.

Sadly, anyone can walk into a motorcycle dealership and buy anything up to and including a thinly disguised racing bike that will do close to 200 mph.  The dealership might notice the buyer's severe lack of coordination and obvious lack of experience, but if he's got the money or the credit they will sell him whatever he wants and not worry about making sure he can actually ride it away from the dealership.  I've seen guys crash before they got off the dealer's lot, and even saw one instance where it was immortalized in print in the local newspaper, with the guy not only crashing but also doing several thousand dollars worth of damage to a dealership employee's car.

Anyhow, back to the subject.  NO, obviously not everyone is physically or mentally equipped to ride a motorcycle, just like not everyone can fly an airplane.  I personally believe a separate motorcycle driving license should be an absolute minimum requirement, and it should include actual riding tests and not just a true or false written exam.   


Jerry

[Midnight Rider]

I'll have to agree that everyone should not ride a motorcycle, just like some people never can quite get driving a straight shift car and need an automatic transmission so they don't have to think about anything but steering and pushing two pedals.  A bike takes a certain level of coordination,  with all four appendages doing things at the same time (kind of like a drummer), and your brain coordinating that activity along with watching, and listening to, everything around you.  There's also a "feel" involved, IMO, to be really good at riding.  Some people just don't have that in them and can't be taught that.  Given time, and the desire, I guess most can learn to ride, but it's going to take some a lot longer than others.  Everybody is wired a little differently...thank goodness.

On the other hand, someone like me, with a 29" inseam, has no business parking a 980lb motorcycle on an incline where the downhill side is opposite the kickstand, no matter what kind of whiz-diz shocks are on the bike...

DUH...

[JCZ]

I'll have to agree that everyone should not ride a motorcycle, just like some people never can quite get driving a straight shift car and need an automatic transmission so they don't have to think about anything but steering and pushing two pedals.  A bike takes a certain level of coordination,  with all four appendages doing things at the same time (kind of like a drummer), and your brain coordinating that activity along with watching, and listening to, everything around you.  There's also a "feel" involved, IMO, to be really good at riding.  Some people just don't have that in them and can't be taught that.  Given time, and the desire, I guess most can learn to ride, but it's going to take some a lot longer than others.  Everybody is wired a little differently...thank goodness.

On the other hand, someone like me, with a 29" inseam, has no business parking a 980lb motorcycle on an incline where the downhill side is opposite the kickstand, no matter what kind of whiz-diz shocks are on the bike...

DUH...

Something you want to share with us Terry?          

[kraut]

futile discussion.

Whoever wants & has the funds to buy himself a motorcyle can and will do so.

[Midnight Rider]

Something you want to share with us Terry?          

    I'll never tell.  Just take my word for it...getting it ON the sidestand can be done, it's getting it OFF the sidestand and being able to get the sidestand up when you need both legs to be about 3" longer...that is the trick...nothing got hurt other than my feelings, and I'm well practiced at getting over that.   

[JCZ]

    Thanks a bunch Terry.  I knew, at your expense, it was going to be damn funny......the visual image.   

[HDSLK]

When I got my MC endorsement on my license I took a basic riders class so that I didn't have to take the riding portion of the license test ( if I passed of course). Anyway, I was surprised when 4 out of 12 people didn't pass. And really, they didn't belong on the road. I felt much better knowing that they were at least holding people to a minimum standard.

[JCZ]

futile discussion.

Whoever wants & has the funds to buy himself a motorcyle can and will do so.

Profound point!    And that applys to cars, guns, computers and ten millions other things that somebody may think people shouldn't be allowed to possess.

[ralford]

Frankly, I have often thought that riding a motorcycle (crotch rock if possible) should be a requirement for getting a car license.  It would solve a lot of our current problems.

[Ironhorse]

It's taken me a lifetime to figure out that what other people do is none of my business.

[JCZ]

It's taken me a lifetime to figure out that what other people do is none of my business.

Profound point trumping all others.