VTRBeefa

Are you sure it wasnt the pipes grinding out . ???? I was of the belief that the standard pipes will grind before the fairing gets close.
Otherwise we would all be scraping fairings at the race track when pushing hard.

L8RGYZ

You could tell the guy on the VTR was a bit over his head...he was running wide on several turns.
Yeah, the video was cool in a way and they were obviously skilled riders, but the reality is they were really lucky not to kill themselves or someone else. When you've gotta ride in the opposite lane into oncoming traffic to get your kicks, well I think the risks are too great even if you're V. Rossi.

inderocker

yeah. i'd have to agree..... i'm actually really surprised it didn't happen sooner.

thegreep

All I can say is complete insanity! And I wish that I had somewhere near the talent and ***** to ride anything like that. However, I would never ride to die. and riding like that in traffic. . .all I can say is stupid.

NOrrTH

Oh they did fine, 3 riders, 3 wrecked bikes, many gambles on lifetaking manouvers, never mind the wheelies ha ha

inderocker

"see you..... on the flip side" HAH!

superbling

You got your logic bass-ackwards. Since they are slow, the closing rate is that much greater. The really sad part is they are doing this to make a buck not for the ride. They sell these videos. I have one that's about 10 years old and it the riding/antics back then were considerably more "appropriate" for the relatively empty roads they were on.

Yeah, I've too notice that except for the alps a lot of their roads are narrow and not all that great (especially england).

mrjakeanderson

AWSOME!!! I never knew other people road like me. That movie was long, but I watched the whole thing it was the best movie ive seen in a long time ! Though I dont have a budget like they due and I'm now on my seccond crash with my VTR and this time its not going to ever be on the road again...
But aye. no body likes a quitter.
I'll see you on the flip side...

bluesman

Well, fellow Hawkers, let me try to give some input from guy who lives in Europe, lived in Eastern Europe, and been to US on many occassions.

I am not trying to say that what guys did not dangerous etc., but I feel in this discussion that probably lot of impression you have from video may to do with fact WHERE they are riding.
It's France, south of it. If you rode there - you would know what I am talking about.
One of reason European riders LOVE riding in France is simple fact that french people allow you take responsibility for killing yourself, but they do not help you to kill yourself. What I mean - well, how often you see cars moving out of lane to let rider pass in US? In France (except Paris) it is simple rule of the tumb - stay behind car for couple of sec, guy moves right to let you go. Always. If you did not actually plan to overtake - he will be so surprised, he will switch his turn signal to say "yes yes, you can pass - I am letting you". It's just different mentality, and bikers do not go slow there. One of reasons why popularity of cruisers is soooo low in France - those are too slow and heavy and handle badly.
I go for my time in France every summer, and another thing you may notice - roads there are corner after corner, sometime with no straights at all, and usually very well paved and very well marked. Signs like "next village have 3 pedestrian crossings on this road", all dangerous turns are marked. Now - somebody saying "what a horrible place to ride" - oh no man, you wrong. That's what sporty bikes are for, it is beatiful place to ride - you have as many corners as you can imagine, you got rider-friendly car drivers (who can drive BTW - never ever heard about car rear-ending bike in France, but in US heard it a lot from my mates there).
Lot of accomodations to stay, beatiful views, good food and drinks, sunny and dry - and again great roads to ride.
EVERYBODY riding aggressively and fast there. And roads - well, I was slightly agarophobic when I rode in US, despite I am from Ukraine - formerly part of Soviet Union, with vast territories and huge distances.
I think it looks too tight to all of you simply because people are different and live in different places - US is great and beatiful country, but views way more interesting than roads. Roads just a bit bland - and curves are big. I am not saying US riders can't ride - God forbid, I am saying that your riding experience and style completely and utterly different from that in Europe. I just experienced it again today - lost my mirror and door handle on my car cos I tried to squeeze between parked truck and next lane - I was in my own lane, not lane splitting, my car just did not fit!
So, irresponsible and dangerous - yes, not denying it - rate of death on French roads are highest in Europe. But - health and safety regulations will make humans extinct one day...noticed number of warning stickers in US cars? Yep....
So - do not judge and be not judged...IMHO drunk idiot driving his slow pickup on road are 10 times more dangerous than guy that will ride fast his bike into that truck and will kill himself...
Or - two fat ugly guys with big gold chains on their necks driving their ZX12s with no helmets at 30 mph on central street of Cinncinnati. Guaranteed they will twist throttle when road opens up...do you care about them killing themselves (no helmets) on straight and open road?

Yes, and BTW - on helmet camera all that looks way more narrow than it really is - it is by far looking like less distance between objects while in real it is actually quite enough distance...

Now you can start throwing eggs at me

thegreep

Instead of Eggs, how about thanks. For bringing up a different view of things.

You're right, I could care less about the non-helmeted crowd, as they are just plain dumb. Let them die.

On another note, don't think that all roads in the US are big and flat either, come on over to the Rocky Mountains and I'll give you a tour. The beautiful part is that I can go find that big flat deserted road to go like hell and still only be a few minutes from the twisty mountain road.

bluesman

Well, I must say - thank you, it is very nice to see such open minded people riding Storms I guess I chose right bike and got to great site!
About Rockies - oh man, don't rub it
I highly appreciate invitation to show me those places, and you got it spot on - that's my dream to go to Rockies at least 1 time in summer with bike and 1 time in winter with skis... But...since I took mortgage and bought house 2 month ago this goes on shelf for few years
Yep, I just completely forgot about that area when talked about roads.
I am sure there must be a loads of mountain passes, I saw videos from Hornet (Honda 919) rider while I was riding Hornet myself and visited forum - great roads, absolutely spot on for cornering...
That's to prove again that "generalising " is wrong, and I did it - and been wrong. Sorry.
My ultimate dream actually is to go across US from NewYork to Daytona and then by another cross from side to side...I was very taken by what I saw so far as I am very much of "outdoorsy" man and don't like big cities (after spending most of my life in 5 million people city of Kiev)...

thegreep

You bring the congac and vodka (60th aniversary of pushing back the germans vodka is good) And we'll be here waiting for you.

bluesman

Agreed!
I tell you what: if my company will decide that despite "cost savings" they can allow me to travel to US - I'm going to extend my stay and try something!
And - beleive me, there is no better vodka than Ukrainian we have about 300-400 sorts of vodka - just like Belgium with beer

BTW - when is that date official for you guys? I mean - all countries do it at different dates, Ukraine and all ex-SU countries celebrated on May 9th....just curious...

NOrrTH

I've been to France and England and know how the roads are constructed and people drive.

I think what we can all agree upon is that at least two of the three riders were riding over their heads as proved by them often going wide on corners and wrecking 3/3 bikes. This ain't cool cause when you do that your gambling with someone else's life. Other than that, if they wanna one armed head standing wheelie around naked at 200km/hr off in the country side, thats their business.

v2weapon

Bluesman, thanks for the Belgian perspective. When you get ready to head to the States, let us know. We'll all have to meet up at Deal's Gap, ride the Dragon, then head over to US 119 in TN/NC, which is basically a longer version of Deal's Gap. That may improve your opinion of US roads just a little.

You do make many good points. If Big Brother wasn't so determined to save us from ourselves, we might improve our gene pool through pure Darwinism. The guys in this video don't seem very concerned with the Police, and the Police don't seem very concerned with them after they crash. Notice the good citizenship they show by sweeping up their debris and clearing the wreckage as quickly as possible. In the US the entire road would be blocked for two hours while the cops did a full accident investigation, and the riders would be looking for someone to sue. Despite the fact that there were no injuries, all three riders would have been hauled off in an ambulance in full neck collars, and the wreckage debris would still be on the road a month later.

I think I prefer the European way.

superbling

Well, I'll just have to see for myself in a couple of weeks (London & Paris). Unfortunately it won't be with a bike tho'.

v2weapon

Doug, you're going to Europe just in time to miss the first US Moto GP at Laguna Seca? That's just wrong, man. You shoulda timed it so you could go to Monterey, watch the race, then sit with the umbrella girls on the trip across the pond. 8)