THIS!

I have never heard it put this way but I like it!!

As far as front & rear brake. I will tell you this... I use both on my HDs. My Ultra has GREAT Brembo ABS brakes. I can stop that heavy pig probably as well as any sportbike here. Simply because of break size and hugely on part because of the ABS.

In the twisties... it's all rear brake. It simply stabilizes the ass end of the heavy bike. I might use the front to scrub off big speed, say after a straight, but beyond that, it's all rear brake.

Just saying...

And my stand on helmets...

In the day and age of cars/trucks/suvs required to have side impact beams, crumple zones, anti roll over computers, 3 point seat belts, the steel cage that makes it a car/truck/suv, and 47 air bags deploying all around you. Yet, on a motorcycle, the only defense to saving your life, the helmet, and you think the govt should just let you not wear one! You're logic is VERY flawed!

However, if you are able to talk some idiot politician into it. By all means, go for it. I will ride with you regardless. However, when you splat your head and become a veggy, I don't want to pay for your bad decision. I support the required medical insurance option if you want to ride helmet less. I also believe that rider should be required to take a MSF or otherwise riding safety class. I don't care if he/she has been riding for 50 years!

No, it doesn't sound like something a responsible person would do... does that mean there should be a law against it? I mean, people would have to form search parties and tons of resources would be used to look for your wandering ass... so yeah, that should be outlawed.

Come to think of it... alcohol causes health problems, traffic fatalities, etc, we should just outlaw alcohol. You know, because us Americans obviously cannot make good decisions for ourselves.

Drugs should certainly remain outlawed too... Afterall, people OD, ruin their lives, etc, etc because of drugs... mommy government obviously knows what's best for us there too... Keep up the good work War on Drugs!

You know what else should be outlawed? Fast food. Terrible shit... serves no purpose, makes people fat, and causes other health problems that hospitals and insurance companies have to deal with. We need laws against that.

Shit... you know what... Motorcycles don't really serve much of a purpose, fuck helmet laws, we should just ban those. You can get similar MPG's with some hybrids and even better with scooters that offer more storage and still maintain point A to point B transportation. People are far more likely to get hurt or killed on them, which again, makes people who have to clean that shit up, etc, more inconvenienced - helmets or no. There should be laws against those things too.

It's simple... If my actions do not hurt or harm others... or have the potential to hurt or harm others (ie your goofy stop sign statement)... it should not be momma gub'ment's job to police it... technically, it's not supposed to be. Shoveling up my brains on the highway and inconveniencing travelers who have to wait for me to get pressure washed off the highway is NOT hurting or harming anyone other than myself.

The difference between your car analogy and motorcycles is that it's a requirement of the manufacturer to build the vehicle with safety in mind... motorcycles don't have such ability without completely neutering them - HP limits or outright banning them is about the only real option.

I agree on the MSF course thing... Just like getting a license to drive a car... more education the better. Not because I give a fuck about the douchebag behind the wheel or on the bike, but because they could possibly hurt or harm someone else due to their lack of ability. Again, if the only person or property that could possibly be harmed or damaged is the one making the decision, it should not need to be legislated.

In a way, you're right. If "we" were able to make good decisions on our own, we wouldn't need a law against DUI. So if you drive drunk, but don't actually run over anybody, is the DUI law just an infringement on your right to make bad decisions? Hey, you didn't hurt anybody, right?

Tell that to the people who lost wages, and the companies that lost productivity while their employees were waiting for the mess you caused to get cleaned up.

Just because you don't give a fuck about other peoples problems, doesn't excuse you from causing them.

JC

See... law against DUI protects OTHER people. That's what you're not addressing...

And again, an inconvenience... nobody else is directly getting hurt or killed because I didn't wear my helmet and ended up as a skidmark on the highway. So again, if you are REALLY concerned about inconveniencing others, we should just ban motorcycles... I mean, if I get run over by a semi, the highway is going to be shut down for a LONG time...

Is it a right to not be inconvenienced on roads that you don't have a right to use?

OK, let's address it. Where do you stand on mandatory eye protection laws for motorcyclists?[/QUOTE]

You have a really odd way of looking at things. The obvious solution in your scenario, would be to ban semi trucks.

You keep mentioning the word "ban" in your posts. You're trying to make the point that, banning something, is a logical extension of safety laws. You are, of course, kidding. Well here's the thing: Some asshole in a government office somewhere, is having the same thought, only he's not kidding.

We are a minority, and public perception is already against us. As it stands, I can walk into a shop, and buy a stock bike that will almost double any state speed limit. Every time some asshat offs himself on a bike, some asshole wants to ban them, or limit their performance. For me, helmet laws decrease the odds of that happening. Less dead people = less press. Less press = fast motorcycles.

Sure, I care about the "common good", but my reasoning is also self serving.

Another great thing about helmet laws? Who's more likely to get pulled over, me in full gear, or some cruiser dude in a fake D.O.T. beanie? It's a win/win. Cruiser dude has probably been bar hopping, so there's another drunk off the road, and less cops available to hassle me.

I look at it as a courtesy issue. If I smoke, I go outside. When I ride, I wear a helmet.

JC

Courtesy doesn't exist any more, that's why there are so many laws. *sigh*

Eye protection... that's a tough call... I'd say there could be a good case for eye protection as it could cause a rider to hit someone else due to not seeing.

Understand that I'm AGATT... but that's my choice. However, don't kid yourself that those asshats in Washington would be looking at banning shit less in lieu of mandatory training, helmets, etc... Old ladies will still be pissed off about how loud they are, soccer moms will still be up in arms about how fast they are, and politicians will still look for any reason to fuck up our trip to gain a few votes.

The "freedom" folks are overlooking the fact that operating any kind of motor vehicle on public highways is a not a "right."