Biker with 14yr old pillion - 122mph

Originally Posted by Baph

As above, my 4 year old has been on the back to 30mph. Does anyone want to raise an eyebrow at that? My eldest has seen 40mph.

Since you quoted me, I wasn't saying that anything is essentially more dangerous than anything else with regard to having kids on the back, but you're definitely risking more, my comment was specifically related to this case.

Regardless, you'll obviously know that it was up to you to decide whether your 4 year old was able to ride safely behind you, and not your 4y.o's decision. Whether I'd raise an eyebrow or not would depend on my opinion of you. If you'd just been caught speeding at 122mph in the wet with an older child on the back then yes, I might raise an eyebrow.

That's why I was saying that it's an issue, even with a 14 year old- That you cannot just assume that the parent is as responsible as they should be, and that when the rider is doing something as stupid as this (it's the going faster because it's wet thing that swings it for me) then you have to question his general judgment and sense of responsibility.

[Paul the 6th]

cheers for this myc, I read this post at midnight last night before going to bed then had a nightmare where I got caught by a camera van travelling at something ridiculous like 190 odd mph, and I was pleading with the copper & the courts that the SV is absolutely not capable of it - they wouldn' have it though "It's on tape and it's concrete evidence mate, stop lying" bleh horrible feeling. It was all over the news as the highest ever recorded speeding motorist or something. Really bizarre

Lol Paul don't blame me, you should have gone to bed earlier

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

Lol Paul don't blame me, you should have gone to bed earlier

I stayed up to catch a bit of "ross kemp returns to afghanistan" after watching "The truman show"... My other dreams involved being shot at by a film production crew and then the taliban making a show about my life but I wasn't aware of it and I lived inside the millenium dome.

(the first dream about speeding was true lol... just glad I didn't watch rock'n'rolla or I might have had to deal with the mafia)

[dizzyblonde]

If i could get away with taking a 14 yr old up to warp speed at 122, well I wouldn't find it irresponsible. If they were wearing correct gear, and I was a confident enough rider then fine I would. Like above the only thing that would sway me would be the rain thing.

Plus...not, getting at you personally here MissYC, not at all, so please don't get me wrong, but to be fair how on earth can folk say something is irresponsible when they don't ride themselves. Its a whole different ball game being in the pilots seat, to being in a car or indeed sat on the back.

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

14 year old lad, 120mph on a Busa? COOOOOOOLLLLLL

I will quite openly admit to having taken a 12 year old lad, who is the son of a close friend, at well over 130mph in a car on public roads.

On German autobahn it's perfectly legal, which is where we were at the time.

Getting back to the UK, I often took my eldest daughter at similar speeds to what this guy did, and much faster, on the back of a ZZR1100 when she was about 15 or 16 years old.

It's not about the speed, it's about the guy's stupidity at admittng dangerous driving when so many factors could have swung in his favour had he got a decent brief on the case.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

If i could get away with taking a 14 yr old up to warp speed at 122, well I wouldn't find it irresponsible. If they were wearing correct gear, and I was a confident enough rider then fine I would. Like above the only thing that would sway me would be the rain thing.

Plus...not, getting at you personally here MissYC, not at all, so pelase don;t get me wrong, but to be fair how on earth can folk say something is irresponsible when they don;t rode themselves. Its a whole different ball game being in the pilots seat, to being in a car or indeed sat on the back.

The rain thing swayed me too.

I don't ride and I'm not a parent so maybe I should shut up. But 122mph is flippin' quick and it doesn't matter how people airbrush it, the risks are higher at faster speeds, and in some circumstances with a younger pillion these risks may be increased. Riding in the wet would not be classed as suitable conditions for those speeds and not with your kid on the back either.

However I have had to explain myself enough times I'm probably contradicting myself so I shall bow out and let you lot finish your discussion

Originally Posted by sinbad

That's why I was saying that it's an issue, even with a 14 year old- That you cannot just assume that the parent is as responsible as they should be, and that when the rider is doing something as stupid as this (it's the going faster because it's wet thing that swings it for me) then you have to question his general judgment and sense of responsibility.

You cannot assume that all motorcyclists are of equal ability either. You may not feel that 122mph is safe in the wet, but I've done it thousands of times and it felt fine to me.

Originally Posted by sinbad

you'll obviously know that it was up to you to decide whether your 4 year old was able to ride safely behind you, and not your 4y.o's decision.

I was waiting for someone to bite.

For the specific ride in question (and it's only happened once), he not only had "love handles" for comfort, but he'd been on the back at walking pace a fair amount with the handles too.

He was also wearing a strap effectively binding him to me, so should he of suddenly wanted to jump, he couldn't of fallen anywhere.

The point is, I only gave you limited information in the initial post. Everyone here is forming an opinion on the case in the media based on limited information.

Bennett was filmed doing 122mph and the camera also picked up his son holding on with his bare hands to the back of his seat.

So no the lad didn't have proper gear on.

"But it had started to rain and I pulled back the throttle."

Crappy excuse, why would someone accelerate just because it was raining?

"My Suzuki GSX-R is a 1300cc machine. It is the fastest bike around and it has a top speed of 220mph".

Not the best thing to say whilst being interviewed... sorry but this fella sounds a complete to$$pot!