Offs - What's going on?

I'm just astounded at the number of offs that have been posted lately and was wondering what everyone else thought. I'd expect more in winter but this summer seems to have caused them in droves. Is it related to the number of new members to the forum and thus no more than average as our total number increases? Or is there another factor, like global warming or me being thick or something?


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Originally Posted by jonboy

(is it) me being thick or something?.

If the cap fits!

tell you what jonboy.

i will type a few words here "DONT FALL OFF PEOPLE"

and next year you can thank me and pay me money because i typed them words when there are less off's.

Can't speak for this club but in general I thought there were always more accidents in the summer?

Its something to do with the fair weather boys who have relatively little experience even if they have been riding years. They start riding again in the summer and compounding their lack of skills is the fact that they are rusty after the winter lay off. These riders tend to ride bikes for pleasure more than anything else and so tend to ride quickly but also in groups - which in my opinion is one of the most dangerous things you can do.

Combine that with roads that are dry which lures people into a false sense of security because they still have oil, diesel, white lines, mud, gravel, road repairs etc. It can also be very slippery when you get the first rain after a dry spell where as in winter rain and ice you know what to expect.

I have just come back after years away from biking and I was shocked at how bad I was. Fortunately because I was once an experienced 365 day a year rider I was able to recognise just how poor my riding skills had become and really ride slowly giving myself more time for every move. I need it as well because I really am terrible but I figure the fact that I know it is a good thing.

I think it's got a lot to do with some areas having their first rain in weeks, making the roads far slippier than if they were just wet after days of rain.

Just my impression, but it does seem to be the newbies/less experienced in the main (I exclude RDOD and Mr Toad from this ) and they haven't been high-speed spills in the main.

Maybe it's youthful exhuberance? Or all the nubile young ladies in short skirts distracting otherwise blameless bikers?

Eitherway, please stay upright folks.

I made that comment to my better half a second before reading this thread, it's kinda worrying. Will just have to try twice as hard not to be included in the statistic.

One thing i have noticed in the bright light, lots of windows down and lots of reflection, my near smidys have gone up in the past few weeks.

Originally Posted by jonboy

I'm just astounded at the number of offs that have been posted lately and was wondering what everyone else thought. I'd expect more in winter but this summer seems to have caused them in droves. Is it related to the number of new members to the forum and thus no more than average as our total number increases? Or is there another factor, like global warming or me being thick or something?


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well i dropped mine last night while moving off! and broke indicator and chipped bar end,wally. take it easy out there!

Maybe it's something to do with being inexperienced.
Maybe it's something to do with wanting to be a better rider.
Might be because theres something in the water.
Might be because theres a 'Y' in the day of the week.

Who knows? But it definately sucks when it happens to you!!

I have had some falls in the past,(vigorously touches nearest piece of wood!) and have no wish to repeat any of them,despite most of them being reasonably slow one's apart from the time I obliterated my Honda 400-4 I loved that bike!

I drop the above in as I am willing to bet that there is for sure some underlying pattern to recent events. Be it inexperience/foolishness/bad judgement etc. There are always exceptions but it will be there somewhere.
Never think for one second you "have this biking thing sussed" no matter how many bikes you have had or years experience.Then you will always stay alert. Be safe folks!

Not sure. We've also had a couple of our more experienced riders have offs which has really shocked me.

On the other hand, Northwind hasn't come off too often recently! :P