Ban SUPERBIKES11!

[edo]

If I had had the thou when I was 20 Id either not be typing this at all or doing it with a stick that was strapped to my forehead. I knew that was the case when I was 20...what I didnt know was that at 33 I still wasnt responsible enough to have one

[oxy]

It's like this great man once said ... Don't ban high performance vehicles, ban low performance drivers

[oxy]

If I had had the thou when I was 20 Id either not be typing this at all or doing it with a stick that was strapped to my forehead. I knew that was the case when I was 20...what I didnt know was that at 33 I still wasnt responsible enough to have one

I think Edo hit the nail on the head. Young people and high powered bikes just don't mix. It's crazy that a 20 year old in qld with no previous riding experience can do a 2 course and come out legally being able to ride any bike they wish. That's basically what I did and it even scares me to think what myself with 5 years more maturity (alleged) would do on a high powered bike.

I think this thread basically sums up the sentiments of a lot of people here. No disrespect to this guy, but is it really any wonder he ended up in a fatal acco based on the photo's in the first couple of posts

[paul05]

you guys are'nt gunna like this;young guy ,big bike,wheelie and dies.
adult,super powerful car,1/4 mile the wrong way,dies(judge)i know who the bigger f**k wit is,that latter.
wake up ,it's not a bike thing it's a responsability thing.
sorry for your loss mork.

[edo]

Paul, maturity & experience not neccessarily come with age.
How old was Valentino Rossi when he won his 1st World Championship? 19 I think...but he undoubtedly has the experience to deal with any bike (judging by his constant speeding fines on both 2 & 4 wheels he may or may not have the maturity)

[Drifter]

Yes you can.

Don't ban superbikes.

If you have someone who has demonstrated they have no common sense either NEVER let them drive / ride again ...

Or

Restrict what they are allowed to drive / ride.

Edo sold his GSXR because it could accelerate fast enough to get him into trouble too easy. Although he's said this kid's death was "Darwin at work", perhaps by the time he was as old edo (bloody old), he would be a bit smarter. We'll never know now.

Honestly, do you think those restrictions would really work on someone who has demonstrated no common sense at all? Someone for who those restriction are specifically there for, like this guy.

[coyote]

Oxy,

Not only was he 20, but he was a 20 year old who had his licence suspended multiple times for things like 20 minute high speed police chases!

From a purely selfish point of view, I'd like to see all such people banned for 10 years from piloting anything quicker than a postie bike because I have to share the road with them!

If a byproduct is that a few live long enough to grow up a bit, then I can live with that too.

BTW .. Edo is now MUCH older than 33.

[edo]

yes, Im nearly as old as you...but not as grown up.

BTW when are we making beer...I have a huge fridge to fill. Await ph call tonight!

[coyote]

Honestly, do you think those restrictions would really work on someone who has demonstrated no common sense at all? Someone for who those restriction are specifically there for, like this guy.

Would it work on every one? Of course not.

Fining people for drink driving and suspending their licence doesn't stop some either.

Moving away from punitive solutions is a good thing though.

Restricted licences, re-education and incentives to do the right thing are all far more effective than the alternatives.

Those alternatives are increased fines and suspensions, vehicle confiscations and jail. All of which I support AFTER trying the former solutions.

[coyote]

BTW when are we making beer...I have a huge fridge to fill. Await ph call tonight!

I just threw out 3 cartons of empties. Guess I'd best home and create some more.

[Paddington]

It should be mandatory that all first year bike license holders are restricted to either a CT110 or a Nifty 50

Young people and high powered bikes just don't mix

I beg to differ.

I had a Suzuki GSX-S as my first mode of transport. Basically I got my motorcycle license the day I was allowed to (17yrs 9 months) and my license on my 18th Birthday.

After my restrictions I rode quite a few big bikes, Kawasaki's, Triumphs, sports, sports-touring etc.

Yes, I admit, I sped (110-120 on freeways etc), but I always knew my limits, ie wet conditions+heavy powerful bike = me practically crawling home along the black spur.

Im 25 now and still alive, because I used a bit of nous.
Why should young guys and girls be restricted because other people have no comprehension of restraint and just act like fuckwits?

As for Edo selling the bike, had a friend who did exactly the same. Big Bike, very fast, rapidly diminishing points. Sold bike, bought a S15 200SX, same thing, speeding fines. Sold 200SX and now cruises around in a new F250.
He recognised that he was either going to kill himself or someone else and walked away from it. That kind of act I applaud.

(and its also kinda related to why I didnt put a 13B turbo in my car, I knew it was just a accident waiting to happen, I'm not that good a driver)

[Fatboy]

Oxy,

Not only was he 20, but he was a 20 year old who had his licence suspended multiple times for things like 20 minute high speed police chases!

From a purely selfish point of view, I'd like to see all such people banned for 10 years from piloting anything quicker than a postie bike because I have to share the road with them!

If a byproduct is that a few live long enough to grow up a bit, then I can live with that too.

You nailed that one perfectly Tony...

I think he was 22 but meh, it's a moot point. The kid had a very poor history, and should never had had a licence to ride something like that. Whether or not he still would have is another point, but at least it wouldn't have been encouraged by the authorities...

edo was smart enough to realise he'd become an organ donor in short time if he kept his bike, i did something similar. As Clayton keeps reminding me i threw an expensive near new GSX-R down the road and paid for it in skin and repair bills - my mate that owned it was not impressed !!

I have had enough experience on dirtbikes (and that short expensive ride on a roadbike) to know i am simply too stupid to ride a high powered bike. I can't ride slowly no matter how hard i try... I know that, and stay away from the temptation - unfortunately Morky's young bloke didn't get the chance to reach the age where he realised the dangers i guess...

I've met Richard a few times now through racing, he's a nice bloke, and a real funny bugger too. My thoughts are with him and his family...

[browney]

I'm all for people who have demonstrated no restraint (such as this huy) having probationary licences for 5 years but people who have never done anything wrong shouldn't be punished.

Age isn't necisarily a factor. I drove a wrx (my fathers) when I was on my P plates. When he hurt his back and couldn't drive, I had it for two months straight. I haven't had a speeding ticket to date (I'm 21), I have a motorcycle. All it takes is some restraint!

It is sad that someone so young has died, but it sounds like he had allready decided he was going early, I'm not sure you could legislate against someone like this.

[AlexinPerth]

the 22-year-old tragically proved them right, killing himself doing a "wheelie"

Kinda makes you wonder how anyone knows what he was doing. Showing off in front of mates?

But yeah, I think there are a number of failures that happened here:
*Failure of the guy's father/guardian to address the situation, even though they knew it was going to happen.
* Failure of the guy to get his act together and stop being a dickhead.

I think that changes could be made to punish repeat offenders using the licensing system, but it's not the ideal solution.

Alex.

[hamish]

I think his father tried pretty hard to stop his son wiping himself out, he actively discouraged him from getting the bike, he warned him, didn't let him ride his own big bore machine, and being involved in motorsport, I'm sure meant he was able to provide his son with plenty of outlets to explore his desire to go fast in a responsible manner. I'm really not sure what else he could reasonably be expected to do, plus at 22, his son is very much legally an adult, so he has no real control over what his son could do.

I see this as more a cry for help, he is not for a moment suggesting that these bikes be banned, but that people, particularly young men, who are demonstrably irresponsible road users, should be prevented from having access to these machines until they can prove otherwise.

Whist I can sympathise with the 'Darwinian' comments, the problem is the road system is a shared envioronment, and I have no desire to become a part of somebody elses natural selection experiment....