Off road FJ

[axiom-r]

Well!!!!!!!!!!! all I can say is I FUCKED UP and got away with it.  I dont know what I was thinking of but it sure the hell was not turning  lol

These are the moments that will define you as a motorcyclist.....  I did something very similar years ago on my first FJ (an 86).  I was up in Yosemite looking at the trees and scenery and when I looked back too late I was at the edge of the marbles and headed straight at a "Ped Crossing" yellow diamond sign.  Couldn't turn on the rocks and was so lucky to run wide of the sign...  that near miss made me think more about everything that led up to it and the gear I was wearing at the time.

Nothing to be ashamed of at all courtsdaddy- all riders have moments. Great riders learn from them. This is a perfect opportunity for you to review that video and figure out how you got yourself there. Chances of it happening again are now considerably lower! So that's a congrats on learning as you go without the scabs to prove it!

I appreciate the debate that has followed- I too greatly value my freedom of choice.  That said I have been off the bike enough to know that I would never take the chance of riding without gear- not just for my own protection but for my family who deserves that I think ahead for them.

Great thread!

[SlowOldGuy]

Remind me not to go riding with your group, David.  No offense intended, but it should really be up to the individual rider what sort of gear he wears or doesn't wear.  This is supposed to be America, after all.

Wow, spouting that crap, I'd swear you ride a Harley.  "I guess I just don't get it."  (No offense intended)  :-)

It is America and I'm free to not ride with people that put their "freedom" above the responsibility to their fellow riders.  Nothing worse than someone going down on a ride.  If they are wearing decent gear, usually you can dust them and the bike off and continue on.  Without gear, chances are the ride is over except for the trip to the emergency room.

DavidR.

[TheRadBaron]

No offense taken.  While I ultimately may not agree with turning under-dressed riders away, I guess that I can see your point about lack of proper gear being potentially a real problem for other riders.  And I also agree that it's your group's right to decide who they do and don't ride with. 
And for the record, I do indeed also ride a Harley.  It's a '47 U flathead that my dad restored when I was a baby.  I love it and I ride it a lot, but I wouldn't be caught dead in a Harley shirt, I don't wear leather chaps, and I don't buy into any of that Harley "lifestyle" nonsense.  I find myself embarrassed by the fact that I own a Harley a lot more often than I feel pride about it.
Different people have very different views about safety.  I find it very frustrating to live in an extremely safety-conscious society.  I like danger and risky behavior.  Almost all of my favorite things to do involve a high probability of death.  That's why I like them.  I don't go out of my way to make something more dangerous than it need be, but I don't try too hard to make a dangerous activity safe, either.  Safe, law-abiding behavior that's well within social norms does not make for interesting stories or an interesting life.  Think Ernest Hemingway.

[The General]

Well!!!!!!!!!!! all I can say is I FUCKED UP and got away with it.  I dont know what I was thinking of but it sure the hell was not turning  lol

These are the moments that will define you as a motorcyclist.....  I did something very similar years ago on my first FJ (an 86).  I was up in Yosemite looking at the trees and scenery ...  that near miss made me think more about everything that led up to it and the gear I was wearing at the time.

Nothing to be ashamed of at all courtsdaddy- all riders have moments. Great riders learn from them.

I appreciate the debate that has followed- I too greatly value my freedom of choice.  That said I have been off the bike enough to know that I would never take the chance of riding without gear- not just for my own protection but for my family who deserves that I think ahead for them.

Great thread!

I too had an incident recently I`ll sharewith ya. I was riding in the "danger zone" recently (ie Very cautous, very slow - less than 50klm/hr-  as I was within 2klms from home-- a  known accident prone area statistically) - not to be confused with "on Song Zone" which can be ensane, especially if there`s a young "Rossi" trying to keep up with this delusional old wanker - but yes I wear the safety gear, blah blah blah......

Anyhow, a young female "P" plater pulled up on my left (Aussie road) at a T intersection and I grabbed a handful judicously. She looked straight at me and propped - so I let go the brake and she promptly drove straight out in front of me.

I ended up dropping the FJ to avoid her, she came back in tears and a witness helped me move the bike off the road.

I`ve got daughters the same age, I thought it was a great lesson for her, so it only cost her a couple of new plastic bits with no loss of license -cause no cops called.. -But I was actually real pissed off with my own performance (felt sure I could`ve missed her without having to drop it when I had virtually stopped, but had to turn the front to just miss her while suspension was bottomed.) So I later practised a few emergencey stoppers etc - as I accept the reality that people simply don`t see motorcyclists despite having a new HID headlight system.

But what I didn`t think of till recently pointed out by some reading, was that I should develop the habit (and now do) of flicking the high beam as part of my cautous ritual.  Ya do learn from mistakes (That`s why I`m so knowlegeable )

[racerman_27410]

IMO everyone is free to make a choice... I'm all for any and all personal freedoms......only trouble on group rides is that the individual's choice can have a HUGE effect on the rest of the group.

if you choose to ride with me without proper gear then you might just be on your own if you crash.... well..... i will call the emt's for ya when i get to the next intersection.


Its not anything to do with me judging a person.... more like me just wanting to ride instead of sitting in an emergency room.

KOokaloo! (but a man's gotta know his limitations- read humpty dumpty)

[craigo]

seems to handle the rough stuff pretty good.

Off-road Dave

BTW, Nice video. What did you use to take this vid? How did you mount your camera?

Thanks,

CraigO
90FJ1200

[courtsdaddy]

Wow!! all this from my video cool!  The video was from a Contour Hd Cam my buddy had mounted to his helmet.  On a normal basis I wear helmet gloves and a jacket, just because I dont wear the pants and boots doenst mean I think I wont go down or get hurt!  I just choose to not wear all that gear, I forgot my gloves at home that is why they are not on in the video.  I truley think it is/should be the riders choice of what they ride and what they wear to ride as long as you atleast wear a helmet.  This was my 2nd year on a bike and a very good learning session for me,  I slowed way down the rest of the summer  because I was just not ready to go at the pace I was trying too.  My first bike was a gs500 and then I got the FJ so I was a little throttle happy with all the power and never learned how to handle it.  Anyways enjoy the video and I hope everyone (with/without) full gear has a safe riding season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dan Filetti]

Just to echo the sentiment of others.  Wear whatever you want.  You can drive your car without auto-insurance too, I don't care.  It makes no difference to me, but if you are dressed irresponsibly or even recklessly (no helmet, t-shirt, flip flops etc.) while you ride, you have only your self to blame when preventable sh!t goes down.  I would likely not ride with someone who decided to dress like this, for the reasons stated.  That, is 100% my choice.

Be an ass/ squid if you like, just don't expect responsible people to tolerate this and ride with you.

Dan

[SlowOldGuy]

But what I didn`t think of till recently pointed out by some reading, was that I should develop the habit (and now do) of flicking the high beam as part of my cautous ritual.  Ya do learn from mistakes (That`s why I`m so knowlegeable )

I've read several accounts where this action is discouraged.  Flicking the high beam can be interpreted by the other driver as giving them the "go ahead." 

Many distracted drivers pull out in front of a motorcycle because they are not concentrating on their driving and only using a fraction of their brain.  In this kind of distracted auto-pilot state, they are only looking for other cars.  Many riders report that "they saw me and then proceeded to pull right out in front of me."  The driver really did see the motorcycle, but their distracted brain was only looking for cars.  Since a motorcycle is not a car, their brain told them to go ahead. 

I've experienced this same thing.  Someone knocked out my passenger side mirror one day.  I was driving down the road and went to change lanes to the right.  I was distracted thinking about work and glanced at my passenger side mirror (which was not there) to check for cars.  I didn't see any cars, so I started to pull over.  I suddenly snapped out of my coma when I realized that I didn't see anything!  My brain was only looking for cars and when it didn't see any it told me it was okay to pull over.  Very enlightening moment for me.

DavidR.

[SkyFive]

I'll get my opinion in here, riding is suppose to be fun and it's no fun to ride around in 90° weather wearing full leather and sweating like a hog. I prefer to wear shorts, jeans and a tee shirt. I always wear a helmet, never wear flipflops, always tuck my laces in on my hiking shoes. I know what your thinking, I will wish I was wearing leather if I ever go down and slide across the pavement but hopefully that will only occur .001% of the time so why be uncomfortable the other 99.999% of the time? Did I mention I ride responsibly, defensively and always within my ability (not saying the rest of you don't).

Now, as for this "I won't ride with a jackwagon that don't dress the way I tell him to or think he should" is exactly why I'm not a team player. Riding alone has it's rewards.

[The General]

I'll get my opinion in here, riding is suppose to be fun and it's no fun to ride around in 90° weather wearing full leather and sweating like a hog. I prefer to wear shorts, jeans and a tee shirt. I always wear a helmet, never wear flipflops, always tuck my laces in on my hiking shoes. I know what your thinking, I will wish I was wearing leather if I ever go down and slide across the pavement but hopefully that will only occur .001% of the time so why be uncomfortable the other 99.999% of the time? Did I mention I ride responsibly, defensively and always within my ability (not saying the rest of you don't).

Now, as for this "I won't ride with a jackwagon that don't dress the way I tell him to or think he should" is exactly why I'm not a team player. Riding alone has it's rewards.

Okay, (munch) okay, I`ll put in my 2 bits worth. I don`t disagree with you entireley.

Most Bike riders value independence, or freedom if you will and so tend not to be team players, yet obviously tribal in most cases wether they admit it or not.

Living in a beach suburb a number of my mates succumb to the temptation of limited apparel and I accept that - though with some friendly concern.

But I have had the occasion where I was concerned for a new guy trailing me as i would hate to see him run off the road thru trying to keep up with some more experienced riders. The result was, that concern for him limited the fun (My fun)  that may have been on offer with a certain (say) Ducati up front. - Similarly if an unknown (great or okay rider) was behind or in front with apparel that could be interpreted as "inexperience" or "Risky for him" - then my lost in space "Danger" "Danger" flag would be subconscously up, (more so, if our bikes were all similar) - and so the enjoyment of my ride may be limited. If I had put a lot of planning into such a ride, or expense, time etc, I would be totally fucking pissed off and wonder How I came to be with such ignorant arrogance.     Doug

[Klavdy]

Yeah, fuck 'em, wear whatever the hell you want to wear,


Remember, chicks dig scars,,,



You know they do ,



Well, most do,

apart from the lesbians,


They dig Chicks with scars,,,

[Kopfjaeger]

Is it just me ? and I'm not bagging anyone here, but just curious... when did "freedom" overrule or misplace "common sense"? Wear what you want but from coming off a few times and losing lots of skin,  nahhh... give us me jacket and gear anyday. I like being a "basic colourless jap bike rider".... so no window licking safety vests neither... 

[TheRadBaron]

"Common sense" is a very subjective term and really has no bearing on freedom.  Common sense means very different things to different people.  Still, it's interesting that you bring the common sense vs. freedom point up since that very argument is regularly used by legislators to deprive us of our freedoms.
Besides, having the freedom to choose what you do or don't wear while riding doesn't mean that you have to go without gear either.  I'm warming up to the idea of proper riding gear as time goes on.  I'm up to a FF helmet and good jacket now (always with heavy canvas pants and work boots), and I just bought a pair of warm-weather gloves.  Still, I'll fight tooth and nail against anything that tries to mandate that I wear my gear.
I'm a Marine veteran.  I enlisted because the idea of "fighting for freedom" was (and still is) very romantic for me.  However, I found it ironic that I had almost zero freedom while I was fighting for it.  So I served honorably, but then got the hell out.  Back to being a civilian, I find that America is no longer the land of the free or the home of the brave.  Politicians are slowly, and sometimes not-so-slowly, but very surely chipping away at all our freedoms, while the general public CHEERS THEM ON.  I take the idea of freedom and liberty pretty seriously.  The thing that shocks me is that most people really don't seem to at all.  Freedom is not necessarily a safe and feel-good thing all the time, but it was Benjamin Franklin that said "Those that would give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety".
To my way of thinking, every liberty is an essential liberty.  If you let one liberty be taken away, what's to stop more from being taken?

[racerman_27410]

To my way of thinking, every liberty is an essential liberty.  If you let one liberty be taken away, what's to stop more from being taken?

AMEN!

I've been down and i know exactly what it feels like and what it does to you....i made a decision (yes all by myself) to buy the best/safest riding gear i could and to ride with all the gear all the time ..... even if i'm just going a few miles.

Pain IS real!

KOokaloo!