Are motorcycles dangerous?

I have started wondering how Harleys etc, which are very heavy and more than capable of getting over the speed limit only have single brakes at the front.

But yes. Motorbikes are reeeeeally dangerous. I worry about you so much- why can't you get a car instead?

[ophic]

Originally Posted by thedonal

I have started wondering how Harleys etc, which are very heavy and more than capable of getting over the speed limit only have single brakes at the front.

Simple answer is, the weight is much more rearward than on a sportsbike. The rear brake more than makes up for the lack of front.

The other answer is, the front does actually work - you've just really gotta haul on the lever. And the first thing it does is compress the raked out forks.

[Supervox]

Let's get one thing straight here - MOTORCYCLES ARE NOT DANGEROUS !!

If you sit and stare at one it's not going to leap up and beat you about the head, or spontaneously decide to run you over.

Motorcycles - like most other things only become dangerous when in use & interacting with other people or things.

As for the OP's 'logic' - not quite in the same class as Aristotle, Plato or Socrates is it ?

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by ophic

Simple answer is, the weight is much more rearward than on a sportsbike. The rear brake more than makes up for the lack of front.

Weight transfer means that can't be true. A bike is always controlled by rear axle lock.
Thing is a cruiser could actually stop really well, since such a long wheelbase means no stoppie-limited deceleration.
Crap setup designed by some redneck stylist rather than for effectiveness.


You know what, I will keep my GSXR forks with big f*** off prolite discs, 8 pistons and working compression damping!

[ophic]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Weight transfer means that can't be true. A bike is always controlled by rear axle lock.
Thing is a cruiser could actually stop really well, since such a long wheelbase means no stoppie-limited deceleration.
Crap setup designed by some redneck stylist rather than for effectiveness.

Ok "more than makes up for" is an exaggeration. What I meant was, the rear brake is really good and much more effective than it would be on a sportsbike. The other problem is the forks - raked out and soft - a decent front brake might ping you off with the rebound once you'd stopped.

Design certainly isn't effectiveness. It almost seems designed to be safe in a "can't hurt yourself by being stupid" kind of way. This doesn't help much when you need to stop quickly tho.

[yorkie_chris]

You know what, I would rather hurt myself by grabbing too much brake than tw*t the side of a car going 20mph faster than you would otherwise be.

Or is the idea to just let the excessive weight punt any right-of-way-violating car out of the way?

Its the riders

Originally Posted by beabert

Its the riders

Sums it up really,


I quite regularly cut people out of cars and it certainly doesn't take two hours to get them out, generally they're in hospital in under an hour, that's the target.
Recently had to remove a crash barrier from around a motorcyclist took longer than getting someone out of a car and I'm sure he would have rather have hit it in a car than his anorak, jogging bottoms and trainers! What a mess!

[ophic]

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

You know what, I would rather hurt myself by grabbing too much brake than tw*t the side of a car going 20mph faster than you would otherwise be.

Or is the idea to just let the excessive weight punt any right-of-way-violating car out of the way?

You know what, I totally agree with you. I'd say UK traffic isn't where it's designed to be ridden, and it certainly ain't a high speed machine. You have to be aware of its limitations and ride accordingly.

But on the US open roads, riders making daft mistakes might be a more common occurrence than other vehicles on the road

Originally Posted by curvy custard

Just read this answer to someone that asked the above question on yahoo answers :

In a serious bike accident you will be thrown from the bike and end up lying on the road where you can be picked up, put in an ambulance and taken to hospital. In a serious car accident the engine will be pushed backwards through the bulkhead, crushing and trapping your legs. You will be thrown against the steering wheel which will also have been pushed backwards. This will crush and break your ribs. Your unprotected head will smash against the door pillar leaving you with concussion. The door frame will be bent and twisted so the door will not open so you will have to be cut out of the car by the fire brigade. This could take an hour or more.
Bike rider to hospital - 20 minutes?
Car driver to hospital - 2hours, maybe more
I think I'll stick to the bike.

Obviously written by a yank who's never heard of crumple zones in cars... or drives a '72 Fairmont.

Utter buIIsh1t