Man killed after three mile ride

[stanG]

This guy waits 40 years to buy a Harley then dies after riding just three miles.

 

 

http://gawker.com/man-buys-motorcycle-over-wifes-objections-dies-after-801737298

[N3FOL]

RIP rider.

[Big Lou]

WOW so sad

[Snaggletooth]

These first time owner stories with a bad ending are frustrating. Not the first one I've read, heard or known about.

 

One new owner/rider was killed when leaving a dealers parking lot, over accellerated, went though a ditch and into traffic on the four lane highway in front of the dealership. Didn't make it to the other side.

 

Another one, right after picking up his brand new, first time ever on a bike never made it off the lot. Crashed into a parked car in the dealers lot and was killed without making it to the street.

 

In the end who's responsible for their death? The one on the bike. Sad for family and friends but they didn't cause it. They knew the risks as well as the rider.

 

I'm not a fan of over regulation and control. Would a law have stopped this from happening? Could the dealer have stopped the guy from riding away? Should have someone stepped in to make sure he had the skills?

 

There we are. The old coulda, shoulda, woulda. Kills a lot of folks.

 

The guy, got something he wanted. I'm cool with that, but at what cost?

 

I feel bad for the wife. She knew the possible outcome.

 

His boy..... "Dad went out with a smile on his face?" I seriously doubt it. Not at the end.

 

Riding is dangerous no doubt. We are here on this site because we learn to manage the risk in a safe manner.

 

If you know someone that wants to get a motorcycle step up and help, advise and educate them before the key hits the switch. I didn't take that step years ago with a friend and I regret it to this day.

 

Yeah, these stories hit a nerve with me.

[RedRider]

I agree with Snaggletooth. Whether this story is true or not, it reeks of stupidity.

 

Letting someone drive a new 500HP Camaro without a license or having someone teach them to drive? FAIL

 

Selling a 50 cal Desert Eagle handgun to someone that has never shot a gun or received any instruction? FAIL

 

Riding on an 800+ pound, $20,000 motorcycle with no training? EPIC FAIL

 

Also, if his helmet flew off, he didn't have it fastened correctly or was only wearing a beenie (purely a cosmetic helmet). HUGE FAIL

 

While I feel sorry for the wife (and kids), it appears her judgement was correct. This guy was not made, or certainly not prepared, for riding a motorcycle.

 

Rant off

 

RR

[Galapagos]

You can walk into a dealership and buy a rice rocket that will do over 200 mph if you got the cash. You don't even need a motorcycle endorsement to buy it and hop on.

Unfortunately stupidity is incurable.

[RedRider]

Stupidity is curable.

 

- Fixed -

 

Darwin awards prove that stupidity is curable. Unfortunately, the stupid don't usually get a chance to practice their new found knowledge.

 

"Wow, I really shouldn't have done that. I'll know better next time" as the sheet is being pulled over his head.

 

However, on a more serious note. I'm not sure I could ethically sell a monster motorcycle to someone with no knowledge, training, or brains. Would be hard to sleep at night. Next time I go to my dealer, I'm going to chat with the owner. Just curious about his attitude/policy.

 

I sold two motorcycles to a couple of my son's friends. Before they took delivery (rode them away), I made sure they had helmets (gave one of them an older helmet of mine) and we went to the fairgrounds parking lot and spent a couple of hours learning how to ride.

 

They were both signed up for the MSF course and had their temps. I still worried.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Very short Chariot ride to the afterlife...its just another way to leave planet Earth.

 

RIP Barry.

[Huggy]

I have to agree dealers have no interest in the ability of the person buying the bike. It's all about the . I think the dealer should bear some responsibility in making sure the buyer is not getting more than he can handle, which in this case was truly the situation.

[Yammer Dan]

Its all about the Green. THEY DON"T CARE!!!

 

My youngest son spent a week coasting down a incline and turning around. The 2nd week I let him start it and ride it back instead of pushing it back!!

[Flyinfool]

It is not always the dealer.

There is a local dealer here (many years ago) that once sold a V65 Magna to a first time rider, they tried everything to get him to accept some instruction before he ever got on his new bike. But the young mans pride could not let him admit that he did not know all that there is to know. He made it about 100 feet out of the lot before the front wheel came high off the ground and he went thru a cyclone fence. He lived but it was not pretty.

A local Harley dealer offers a free MFS course with a purchase and before pickup. They can offer but there is no way to require it.

 

There are some (not all) dealers that try to do the right thing. As you say dollars are the bottom line, even the good dealer knows that if he refuses to sell you the bike that you will just head down the street to the next dealer and buy it, and the only thing that will have changed is that a different dealer got the money. Buy making the sale he can at least try to get you to understand the need for training.

 

I know I was surprised at how many riders do not have a MC endorsement or even a learners permit. They just ride with no license. They refuse to go thru the process because learners are required to wear a helmet, once you get your license the helmet requirement is gone. Helmets are for geeks......not men......

[Trader]

People who say "He died the way he would have wanted to" or something along those lines are just idiots.

 

Who wants to slam their bodies into a solid object, get bodies mangled, faces mashed, bones broken and if nothing else have that "oh S***T moment just before impact.

 

I love bikes with a passion....but its not the way any sane person wants to go!

[Kurt Behm]

I haven't checked the stats lately, but so many of the fatality statistics seem to happen

in the first 6 months of motorcycling. It seems like it you can make it past the first half-year (statistically), your chances of never dying in a M/C crash are very good.

 

Anyway, always tragic to lose one of our own.

 

Kurt

[XV1100SE]

... It seems like it you can make it past the first half-year (statistically), your chances of never dying in a M/C crash are very good....

 

If it was only dependent on the riders experience and skill then this holds true. Sure, as we gain riding experience we learn more and know what to watch out for. But considering the majority of accidents occur at intersections where an oncoming car turns in front of the rider and "didn't see them"... our survival isn't only in our hands.

 

As for dealers selling bikes that new riders (or old riders) can't handle... if a buyer wants something specific you can't talk them out of it. Only regulations can control the size of a bike riders at different levels can purchase. How many times do you see an outfit on a woman and say to yourself how awful it looks on her. Not up to the stores to police bad taste or bad choice.

[RedRider]

If it was only dependent on the riders experience and skill then this holds true. Sure, as we gain riding experience we learn more and know what to watch out for. But considering the majority of accidents occur at intersections where an oncoming car turns in front of the rider and "didn't see them"... our survival isn't only in our hands.

 

Actually, almost half of crashes are single vehicle accidents (motorcycle only). All almost 100% preventable with training, proper maintenance, and experience (and riding sober).

 

Summary from:

 

A 2009 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Highway Loss Data Institute report found that:

 

More than half of motorcyclist deaths involved at least one other vehicle.

 

42 percent of two-vehicle fatal motorcycle crashes involved a vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle.

 

A little less than half of all motorcycle driver deaths involved no other vehicle.

 

Of the 1,791 motorcycle deaths that involved only the motorcyclist

 

48 percent were speeding.

 

42 percent had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.08 percent or higher.

 

RR

[Huggy]

The dealer has the option to refuse to sell to someone they fell does not have the capability or experience needed to handle the machine. Saying they couldn't talk him out of it is just a copout. The dealer could have said no this is too much machine for you to handle. The guy got over his head and didn't know what he was doing. I have seen numerous people get into his position and end up in the hospital or dead.

I know in the London Ontario area there's been a number bike car collisions this summer and most are due to cagers NOT look for bikers. They don't see a car they pull out or make there turn and SMASH another biker down!

 

[Goose68]

If this is true it is very sad, but in no way would I want the government making laws telling me what I could or couldn't buy. If a dealer refused to sell to me I would go some where else and not ever use that dealer again. I think the biggest problem is lack of common since and to much pride to ask for help. I grew up in the country and around bikes so it seemed natural to ride a bike. But i did not start out on my dads bike I started out on a mini bike and worked my way up. I didn't ride for 20 years and just got back into riding the last couple years. Sure I wanted a big bike but I felt I wasn't ready for a big bike so I bought a used Honda 600 VLX at a great price and I rode it for a few months to get my sea legs again. Then I sold it at a profit and bought my Venture. When I bought my 1St hand gun I found a local club and joined before I ever loaded or fired it. I had grew up around shotguns and rifles but knew nothing about handguns. They followed all NRA guide lines on safety and were very open to teaching me and my daughters how to own a handgun safely. Plus you make great friends with common interest. I also( and my wife laughs at me) watch ours of (how to) you tube videos anytime I try something new. So I think the key is Knowledge and start out slow.

[DragonRider]

Everyone knows I ride a lot and when a new guy started about a year ago, he inquired as to who owned the bike, and he was directed to me. Nice guy, very big guy, never ridden a bike in his life and he is in his fifties. His family all ride and wanted him to ride. But for some reason he came to me to inquire about how hard is it, what should I start out on, the normal questions a newbie asks. I advised him to start out on something small and used, and to first take the riders course offered at the local Hog dealer, well he followed some of my suggestions, the one about the riding course, but not about small and used. His first bike is a big ole full dress Ultra Classic. It took him quite some time to ride it to work, he was pretty nervous about riding it 65 miles one way to work. He has had it about a year now and so far so good. Havent had the chance to ride with him yet but I have observed him and he seems to be a fairly decent rider. I am just glad this story didnt end like the above mentioned story.

[darthandy]

One statistic that I did not see mentioned was produced by an insurance organization some years ago. It stated that (at that time, anyway) the majority of accidents occurred to riders with less than two years of riding experience or who had less than two years experience on the motorcycle that they owned at the time. In other words, not only is it a good idea to get some good instruction and experience when you learn but also when you change bikes. I would think that this is especially true when going from one class to a very different class of bike - e.g. - from a crotch rocket to a cruiser or vice versa.

 

Andy

[Kurt Behm]

"the majority of accidents occur at intersections"

 

Years ago at an intersection in Worland Wyoming a woman in a suburban full of kids cut across the intersection with a wide arc into the lane where I should have been sitting ------ but I wasn't.

 

I learned over these many years to lay back and give the oncoming cars a wide berth.

I have literally 'worn-out' my horn, announcing my presence to any oncoming car looking like it was going to turn in front of me

 

Experience may not be 100% effective, but it gets you pretty close, if put to practice.

 

KPB

[bj66]

I feel bad for the guy, but it was his decision. Terrible outcome. But if he went into the store to buy it, its on him not the dealer. When does a dealer say "you cant buy because of......", and the next guy can. Sorry I just dont see it. If a guy lost his drivers license for a DUI or something, could'nt he go buy a new truck/car? I would think so. That guy obviously doesnt have a license etc., and I know the circumstances are different. If a dealer had to have guidelines, then all motor vehicles would have to follow same guidelines. Boats,Jet-Ski's etc. not to mention cars/trucks. Heck if I weighed 350 pounds when I should weigh 165 and I went to a fast food place, I am sure I would get served. That probly isnt the best decision either, but its my choice. Its just too bad that this thing happens. But unfortunately some people just dont THINK of the consequenses of their actions. I have ridden motorbikes since I was 7 years old. My wife wont ride with me at all because if something did happen to me on the bike, It wouldnt be both of us and leave our kids without parents. It frustrates me some times that she wont, but shes overly cautious and I can respect that. Other people throw caution to the wind....thats the way it goes sometimes.

 

As stated in an earlier post, I do agree a dealer should try to fit a rider to his machine, and try to talk some common sense into a buyer as far as a starter bike. But looking back at the pic, that bike was no full dresser either.

Edited July 18, 2013 by bj66