Riding safe in Thailand - what's a safe speed?

[Gweiloman]

There are many factors and causes of motorbike accidents. The most common ones vary from country to country. But there are some which are common throughout the world.

Single vehicle accident - usually due to the rider unsuccessfully negotiating a bend

Head on collisions with a passenger vehicle (not motorcycle) - usually due to the driver of the passenger vehicle not seeing the motorbike (on TV recently, there was even a driver of a sedan that did not see an oncoming bus, causing the bus to swerve and crash into a ditch)

Junction collisions - that's why one should always slow down and be extra careful when approaching or leaving from a junction

Going by this, others who are involved in the incident is generally at fault. In a single vehicle accident, no one else is involved.

Those that have to take you to hospital or funeral parlour are doing their job - ie something they are paid to do.

As for those who relied on your income - ever heard of insurance? People who are adequately insured are usually worth a lot more dead than alive. Sad but true.

Finally in Thailand, no one funds any one else's medical care. That's why I have my own hospitalisation insurance. As to paying higher premiums, I have had full NCB / NCD for longer than I care to remember, never having made an insurance claim in over 20 years. Seems like I'm funding other idiotic drivers.

an utterly facile answer - and the thing is, I think you know it.

No, it was genuine, hand on heart answer. What's facile about it?

You are going on about some of us riding at unsafe speeds (one poster even went as far as to say that some of us dangerous pricks endanger the lives of others). I put it to you that by going at the speeds that we do, we remove ourselves from the dangerous situations that arise when idiotic drivers catch up to scooters and slower bike riders travelling at 60-80 kph. That's when the danger exists.

The danger that exists for riders like us are as follows:

- poor road condition (gravel, sand, oil etc) - that's why we choose the time and place

- oncoming overtaking traffic in our lane - at higher speeds (as oppose to pottering along), our minds are more focused and concentrated on all potential hazards

- intersections / U turns - that's why we slow down and move over to the right or left depending on the intersection

- kids running out onto the roads - we don't speed through urban and built up areas

- slower vehicles pulling out in front of us - when focused on the ride, the mind calculates changes in direction of other vehicles in a split second (look at taninthai's video where he "undertook" a pickup

Anyway, let's face it. Most of the motorcycle accidents in Thailand happen to slower and smaller cc bikes as opposed to those of us that occasionally go past 160 kph.

It would appear I'm a far better informed motorcyclist than you are - but please don't let me stop you either mis-reporting my comments or parading your ignorance on the subject.

i have got my knowledge and experience of both motorcycles and road safety by both experience and study....I suggest that you are in need of a lot of learning to get up to speed on the issues you think you know about.

It seems like you are losing the plot here wilco. First off, the subject is about riding in Thailand and doing so safely. It seems that you don't even ride in Thailand in the first instance. Riding a 110cc step thru down to the local 7/11 is not the kind of riding referred to in this thread.

Instead of making a sweeping, unjustifiable statement about your superior knowledge and experience (you sound like another poster who claimed to have ridden over 700,000 kms but has not been heard of since), why not dissect and rebut points one by one? Which of my points are factually incorrect or show poor judgement or constitute bad advice?

[Gweiloman]

I got my first motorbike when I was 7 years old, and have been riding ever since....however in Thailand I limit my bike ownership to a 110cc step-through.

The reasons?

one - I don't like riding unless I can wear full protective clothing. Although I could splash out on the latest carbon-fibre technology, the cost and other reasons add up to not getting involved.

The other reasons? - roads here are extremely badly built (surfaces,potholes etc) and designed (junctions, camber, curves etc.) - in Thailand billboards obscure vision at junctions trees overhang bends etc etc - the chances of other motorists not seeing a car are bad enough but the chances of your m/bike not being seen are in my opinion unacceptably high.

Then there's what happens if you DO come off - the final and overriding reason for me however is the Thai (emergency) healthcare service. If you have an accident in Europe there are specific times by which an ambulance and paramedics will get to you. ........ and once in hospital you get the best treatment, no questions asked.

NONE of this is available in Thailand. What happens is a lottery - an "ambulance ca be just about anything from a pickup to a van that resembles and ambulance - is it equipped? Are they properly trained paramedics? I and others have witnessed accident victims being shoved and pushed and loaded - NO SIGN OF A NECK BRACE!!!!! please! In a country where the chances of coming off are considerably higher than my home country why would I ride a bike when the emergency services are in the dark ages - in fact they probably wouldn't have cut mustard in the days of the Great Plague itself!

this has got to be the most pathetic bunch of excuses I have heard ,sounds like one of the old guys stuck in Thailand ,don't like the food ,weather or people and cannot afford top quality health insurance......????

People are just piling ignorance upon ignorance - you clearly have no idea of the importance of emergency services when it comes to RTAs. do you seriously think that when YOU are lying in the road someone is going to decide you have insurance and call for a "better" ambulance.....not that one exists anyway?

A mate and I were riding to Kaeng Krachan track one Friday. Unfortunately, he ran into the back of a 110cc step-through that pulled out without warning to make a right turn (and we were not riding at 160 mind you). Within half an hour, the ambulance turned up. The paramedics did a quick inspection, asked him a few questions, put a neck brace on, loaded him onto a stretcher and transported him to the nearest hospital.

Are you willing in the middle of Nakhon absolutely Nowhere where they don't have properly trained paramedics, ambulances, hospitals?

You are the ignorant one when you make sweeping, inaccurate statements.

[seedy]

I do not believe he is interested in a frank, open discussion.

I brought up the fact that another poster called me an idiot. I invited him to discuss my points - no reply. Except to agree with the other poster.

Either he scared himself so bad that he gave up riding a motorcycle above 10hp, or is using this forum - and this thread - to advance a position he freely admits he has no knowledge of.

Them that can - ride. Them that can't - well, see for yourself.

[Gweiloman]

I do not believe he is interested in a frank, open discussion.

I brought up the fact that another poster called me an idiot. I invited him to discuss my points - no reply. Except to agree with the other poster.

Either he scared himself so bad that he gave up riding a motorcycle above 10hp, or is using this forum - and this thread - to advance a position he freely admits he has no knowledge of.

Them that can - ride. Them that can't - well, see for yourself.

Yes, it looks that way. He behaves the same on another thread about road safety. He rubbishes other posters by saying they don't know what they are talking about yet he does not post anything constructive related to his so called knowledge and experience.

There's all kinds I guess.

[seedy]

I agree. Learned many things on TV. Some great people on here.

But the flip side of that ...

Oh Well !

[Garry]

I do not believe he is interested in a frank, open discussion.

I brought up the fact that another poster called me an idiot. I invited him to discuss my points - no reply. Except to agree with the other poster.

Either he scared himself so bad that he gave up riding a motorcycle above 10hp, or is using this forum - and this thread - to advance a position he freely admits he has no knowledge of.

Them that can - ride. Them that can't - well, see for yourself.

Yes, it looks that way. He behaves the same on another thread about road safety. He rubbishes other posters by saying they don't know what they are talking about yet he does not post anything constructive related to his so called knowledge and experience.

There's all kinds I guess.

The perfect example of an iinternet troll comes to mind.

[dave_boo]

A mate and I were riding to Kaeng Krachan track one Friday. Unfortunately, he ran into the back of a 110cc step-through that pulled out without warning to make a right turn (and we were not riding at 160 mind you). Within half an hour, the ambulance turned up. The paramedics did a quick inspection, asked him a few questions, put a neck brace on, loaded him onto a stretcher and transported him to the nearest hospital.

Are you willing in the middle of Nakhon absolutely Nowhere where they don't have properly trained paramedics, ambulances, hospitals?

You are the ignorant one when you make sweeping, inaccurate statements.

If he's riding in the middle of Nakhon absolutely-<deleted> Nowhere he's probably visiting me.

Nearest real hospital is 90 minutes away. An even better idea of where I am is that the nearest traffic lights are an hour away. And that's a single set in a moo ban.

[ll2]

Whilst i realise that the OP was about Thailand, the same ideals apply anywhere .

The road is in fact in Aus and it is an ''open speed limit'' stretch on a state highway,how nice is that??

Outside of that 'stretch' though the speed limit varies 100kph and 130kph.

Get caught at 45kph above the posted speed areas you cop a $A1000 fine!!

The worst thing is 6 demerit points also for this one offence.

You only have 12 points to lose in 3 year period.

One must be in the right zone to speed.

Sounds like you guys have it easy in Thailand.

Yes we do, that's one reason we moved to Thailand in the first place, freedom is a very nice thing.

Good looking girls is also a good reason if you ask me, 50kg's ones and not 100kg's is another good reason, he-he.

Now this is one hell of a good reason if you ask me.

There is a generally acepted implied restriction on freedom - that your actions don't impinge on others.

if you come off your bike you affect others.

firstly those who are involved in the incident.

secondly those who have to take you to hospital or funeral parlour.

Then there are the ones left behind - those who have to look after you as you recover or worse for the rest of your life, OR those who are left without husband, family member, lover etc - those who relied on your income as breadwinner.

...and finally the set who in the nd fund your medical care either trough taxing us or higher premiums of insurance companies.

Road deaths and injuries cost Thailand billions....and why should we have to contribute extra to support the false "freedom" of being able to go at 250kph?

sorry but if you say these, i dont think so you have experience about motorbikes. just sit at home then! i dont live my life like this or that MIGHT happen.

again and again, we are individuals and we take some risks in life like riding a bike or by eating greasy but delicious food.

the ones that might left behind is none of your concern too. bc it is me doing an accident.

going 250 kph is not a sense of false freedom and it might not even count as freedom for some but we are free to do it and you are not a police to enforce this as a farang here. you go at 60 kph but you have no right to criticize me if i go at 250 kph.

plus you might not be capable of riding at high speeds or maybe no balls, how can we know if you say these just bc of these?

[pokerkid]

"Here lies the body of William Jay,

Who died maintaining his right of way.

He was right, dead right, as he sped along,

But he's just as dead as if he were wrong."

[wantan]

Whilst i realise that the OP was about Thailand, the same ideals apply anywhere .

The road is in fact in Aus and it is an ''open speed limit'' stretch on a state highway,how nice is that??

Outside of that 'stretch' though the speed limit varies 100kph and 130kph.

Get caught at 45kph above the posted speed areas you cop a $A1000 fine!!

The worst thing is 6 demerit points also for this one offence.

You only have 12 points to lose in 3 year period.

One must be in the right zone to speed.

Sounds like you guys have it easy in Thailand.

Yes we do, that's one reason we moved to Thailand in the first place, freedom is a very nice thing.

Good looking girls is also a good reason if you ask me, 50kg's ones and not 100kg's is another good reason, he-he.

Now this is one hell of a good reason if you ask me.

There is a generally acepted implied restriction on freedom - that your actions don't impinge on others.

if you come off your bike you affect others.

firstly those who are involved in the incident.

secondly those who have to take you to hospital or funeral parlour.

Then there are the ones left behind - those who have to look after you as you recover or worse for the rest of your life, OR those who are left without husband, family member, lover etc - those who relied on your income as breadwinner.

...and finally the set who in the nd fund your medical care either trough taxing us or higher premiums of insurance companies.

Road deaths and injuries cost Thailand billions....and why should we have to contribute extra to support the false "freedom" of being able to go at 250kph?

sorry but if you say these, i dont think so you have experience about motorbikes. just sit at home then! i dont live my life like this or that MIGHT happen.

again and again, we are individuals and we take some risks in life like riding a bike or by eating greasy but delicious food.

the ones that might left behind is none of your concern too. bc it is me doing an accident.

going 250 kph is not a sense of false freedom and it might not even count as freedom for some but we are free to do it and you are not a police to enforce this as a farang here. you go at 60 kph but you have no right to criticize me if i go at 250 kph.

plus you might not be capable of riding at high speeds or maybe no balls, how can we know if you say these just bc of these?

Of course we can critizise you for doing something that is illigal and endangering the life of others. Go to the track for speeding and if you dont like critics.

[AllanB]

Whilst i realise that the OP was about Thailand, the same ideals apply anywhere .

The road is in fact in Aus and it is an ''open speed limit'' stretch on a state highway,how nice is that??

Outside of that 'stretch' though the speed limit varies 100kph and 130kph.

Get caught at 45kph above the posted speed areas you cop a $A1000 fine!!

The worst thing is 6 demerit points also for this one offence.

You only have 12 points to lose in 3 year period.

One must be in the right zone to speed.

Sounds like you guys have it easy in Thailand.

Yes we do, that's one reason we moved to Thailand in the first place, freedom is a very nice thing.

Good looking girls is also a good reason if you ask me, 50kg's ones and not 100kg's is another good reason, he-he.

Now this is one hell of a good reason if you ask me.

There is a generally acepted implied restriction on freedom - that your actions don't impinge on others.

if you come off your bike you affect others.

firstly those who are involved in the incident.

secondly those who have to take you to hospital or funeral parlour.

Then there are the ones left behind - those who have to look after you as you recover or worse for the rest of your life, OR those who are left without husband, family member, lover etc - those who relied on your income as breadwinner.

...and finally the set who in the nd fund your medical care either trough taxing us or higher premiums of insurance companies.

Road deaths and injuries cost Thailand billions....and why should we have to contribute extra to support the false "freedom" of being able to go at 250kph?

sorry but if you say these, i dont think so you have experience about motorbikes. just sit at home then! i dont live my life like this or that MIGHT happen.

again and again, we are individuals and we take some risks in life like riding a bike or by eating greasy but delicious food.

the ones that might left behind is none of your concern too. bc it is me doing an accident.

going 250 kph is not a sense of false freedom and it might not even count as freedom for some but we are free to do it and you are not a police to enforce this as a farang here. you go at 60 kph but you have no right to criticize me if i go at 250 kph.

plus you might not be capable of riding at high speeds or maybe no balls, how can we know if you say these just bc of these?

I think there is a strong smell of....what comes out of the back of a cow's boyfriend here. 156mph on a bike in Thailand, I don't believe it for one minute, got a headcam?? No I take that challenge back, remembering that Norfolk moron who, last year, decorated the road with what little brains he had and he was only doing 95mph on a decent UK roads. Traumatised some poor guy for life and it could have been worse.

IF, you are riding at anything like the speeds you claim, it isn't a case of "whether" it is a case of "when", so go find a track somewhere, before you kill an innocent Thai bystander. You can verify these speeds then too.

Balls my arse! .....More like PEDP

[Gweiloman]

Whilst i realise that the OP was about Thailand, the same ideals apply anywhere .

The road is in fact in Aus and it is an ''open speed limit'' stretch on a state highway,how nice is that??

Outside of that 'stretch' though the speed limit varies 100kph and 130kph.

Get caught at 45kph above the posted speed areas you cop a $A1000 fine!!

The worst thing is 6 demerit points also for this one offence.

You only have 12 points to lose in 3 year period.

One must be in the right zone to speed.

Sounds like you guys have it easy in Thailand.

Yes we do, that's one reason we moved to Thailand in the first place, freedom is a very nice thing.

Good looking girls is also a good reason if you ask me, 50kg's ones and not 100kg's is another good reason, he-he.

Now this is one hell of a good reason if you ask me.

There is a generally acepted implied restriction on freedom - that your actions don't impinge on others.

if you come off your bike you affect others.

firstly those who are involved in the incident.

secondly those who have to take you to hospital or funeral parlour.

Then there are the ones left behind - those who have to look after you as you recover or worse for the rest of your life, OR those who are left without husband, family member, lover etc - those who relied on your income as breadwinner.

...and finally the set who in the nd fund your medical care either trough taxing us or higher premiums of insurance companies.

Road deaths and injuries cost Thailand billions....and why should we have to contribute extra to support the false "freedom" of being able to go at 250kph?

sorry but if you say these, i dont think so you have experience about motorbikes. just sit at home then! i dont live my life like this or that MIGHT happen.

again and again, we are individuals and we take some risks in life like riding a bike or by eating greasy but delicious food.

the ones that might left behind is none of your concern too. bc it is me doing an accident.

going 250 kph is not a sense of false freedom and it might not even count as freedom for some but we are free to do it and you are not a police to enforce this as a farang here. you go at 60 kph but you have no right to criticize me if i go at 250 kph.

plus you might not be capable of riding at high speeds or maybe no balls, how can we know if you say these just bc of these?

I think there is a strong smell of....what comes out of the back of a cow's boyfriend here. 156mph on a bike in Thailand, I don't believe it for one minute, got a headcam?? No I take that challenge back, remembering that Norfolk moron who, last year, decorated the road with what little brains he had and he was only doing 95mph on a decent UK roads. Traumatised some poor guy for life and it could have been worse.

IF, you are riding at anything like the speeds you claim, it isn't a case of "whether" it is a case of "when", so go find a track somewhere, before you kill an innocent Thai bystander. You can verify these speeds then too.

Balls my arse! .....More like PEDP

Allan, how about improving your comprehension before jumping into a debate? No one has claimed to have ridden at 250 kph, especially on Thai roads.

There are lots of videos on YouTube showing bike rides in Malaysia at this speed but none in Thailand to my knowledge.

Personally I have driven at 250 kph but that was in a car and on a German autobahn. No big deal really.

[wantan]

^
Errr, i know some members here who do this in Thailand. But it doesnt need 250 to kill yourself. Imo everything above 200 is a death wish in Thailand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t05RQvAwGbk

The rider in this video has balls. Not because he is going at such speeds, but for sharing this video with the public

[liddelljohn]

there are a lot of idiotic posts on here ,, i have ridden in Thailand since 1993 , and covered more than 200,000km on bikes alone ,, a couple of minor accidents ,, and i too have reached over 250kph a few times in appropriate conditions ,, the thing to realise that its riding in a way appropriate for the prevailing conditions ,, 99% of the time here its too unpredictable or dangerous to go really fast ....

[sup3r1or]

I dont think there is one speed fits all. It depends on many factor, bike, experience, road, cars surroundings etc. It must vary to insure safety.

I cruised at 100-120 on highways.on Thai roads anything can happen at any time. Saw one driver had to throw a bike on highway because of two dogs on the road.

[DualSportBiker]

Why cant' you simply allow someone to pass, they go by and you have the open road and visibility in a minute or so?

You don't need to open up. You and others have been talking about big time speed which I think is too much.

IMO, when you overtake something you normally take ownership of the relationship between the two vehicles - relative speed and position and timing of the move. If you are on a bike and a car overtakes you, everything is upside down - you can't see them as clearly, watch/see them so consistently, control when they pass as accurately, and you cannot anticipate their movements as confidently; it can be significantly more disconcerting than when you overtake a car. If you chose to pass a cage on a bike, you can normally dramatically change the relative speed, and pick the lateral distance, as well as precisely time when you overtake them.

As the rider, the risk is clearly higher; it seems even this is a (partial) justification to take control, and responsibility for the manoeuvre ones self.

If you ride at pace, and a car passes you in Thailand, there is a reasonable chance that you are the reason they are driving that fast and that increases the risk they will take where you are the most exposed. When ever I overtake a car that has exhibited aggressive driving ahead of me, I time my overtaking so it can be definitive; remove the idea of them challenging me. If they do pick up the chase, I normally pull to one side and let them go - I am just not interested in racing of any kind on the roads, only riding in a safe space that I control by placing myself into gaps.

Returning from CM 2 years back I was just south of Nakhon Sawan where there are a series of lights several KM apart. The first light was red and I worked my way to the front with panniers, tent ++, but no pillion... Double checked cross-traffic and red lined through 5 gears as the gap ahead was huge - could not see the cars ahead... Some punk kid in an Accord wound it up to 160 and pulled up to me as we approached the next light which was also red. I saw him coming, moved to lane 2 from 3, to his 4, and watched in dismay as he pulled over to 6 inches to my right to make his point. I made to repeat the move as the lights set to change, and let him leave, pulled across the junction then to the side and took 5 mins to check my strapping and have a mouthful of water.

I ride for my pleasure and try to ensure that it is at the expense of nobody else - that includes inciting douche-bags to drive stupidly nearby...

[guzzi850m2]

Yes very good point, DualSportBiker.

Do not race on a public road, ever.

2 young Thais were killed in a Honda car in Pattaya less than a week ago, they were racing with another car and they suddenly encountered a Thai bike and they ended up hitting an electric post. The Thai bike was hit as well but no serious injury to the rider, thankfully as he had nothing to do with the race.

http://pattayadailynews.com/car-crashes-electric-pylon-causing-fatalities-2/

Racing on public roads looks cool in the movies but is a killer in real life and often involving innocent people which is very sad and completely unnecessary.

[wilcopops]

No, it was genuine, hand on heart answer. What's facile about it?

You are going on about some of us riding at unsafe speeds (one poster even went as far as to say that some of us dangerous pricks endanger the lives of others). I put it to you that by going at the speeds that we do, we remove ourselves from the dangerous situations that arise when idiotic drivers catch up to scooters and slower bike riders travelling at 60-80 kph. That's when the danger exists.

The danger that exists for riders like us are as follows:

- poor road condition (gravel, sand, oil etc) - that's why we choose the time and place

- oncoming overtaking traffic in our lane - at higher speeds (as oppose to pottering along), our minds are more focused and concentrated on all potential hazards

- intersections / U turns - that's why we slow down and move over to the right or left depending on the intersection

- kids running out onto the roads - we don't speed through urban and built up areas

- slower vehicles pulling out in front of us - when focused on the ride, the mind calculates changes in direction of other vehicles in a split second (look at taninthai's video where he "undertook" a pickup

Anyway, let's face it. Most of the motorcycle accidents in Thailand happen to slower and smaller cc bikes as opposed to those of us that occasionally go past 160 kph.

It would appear I'm a far better informed motorcyclist than you are - but please don't let me stop you either mis-reporting my comments or parading your ignorance on the subject.

i have got my knowledge and experience of both motorcycles and road safety by both experience and study....I suggest that you are in need of a lot of learning to get up to speed on the issues you think you know about.

It seems like you are losing the plot here wilco. First off, the subject is about riding in Thailand and doing so safely. It seems that you don't even ride in Thailand in the first instance. Riding a 110cc step thrudown to the local 7/11 is not the kind of riding referred to in this thread.

Instead of making a sweeping, unjustifiable statement about your superior knowledge and experience (you sound like another poster who claimed to have ridden over 700,000 kms but has not been heard of since), why not dissect and rebut points one by one? Which of my points are factually incorrect or show poor judgement or constitute bad advice?

Have done that - don't underestimate someone's riding experience either......i learned from experience, study and reason - something that seems to have eluded some bikers here.

the saddest part is you don't seem to realise how facile you post is....if you have a problem with something I'[ve posted, why not argue against that. What you have done is used an ad hominem attack as if it can support or negate any point i've made - the truth of the matter is you can't disagree with a PERSON you have to disagree with an argument - which is something you have patently failed to do.

Edited January 10, 2015 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

[liddelljohn]

My dad is 85 and his favourite sayings are that you never stop learning about life and things ,,,,, even dying will be a new experience ,,,

sadly there are also many people who live long lives but never seem to learn from experience ,,,

[garryjohns]

^

Errr, i know some members here who do this in Thailand. But it doesnt need 250 to kill yourself. Imo everything above 200 is a death wish in Thailand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t05RQvAwGbk

The rider in this video has balls. Not because he is going at such speeds, but for sharing this video with the public

Agree there.

He was so close to being taken out by that pick up truck.

IMO he wasn't giving it the attention it warranted from the moment it appeared on the left.

If he saw it early he didn't react until near 4 seconds later, at the last possible second, when it crossed his bows.

Maybe he assumed it would just slide out and stay in the left lane instead of crossing

A split second misjudgement like this is possible at any time, by any of us.

Comes down to luck in the end and the old " not his time to go yet"

He was very lucky.

[seedy]

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

And some people admit that they limit their riding in Thailand to a 110cc bike, yet STILL post on topics that by their own admittance they know nothing.

Maybe time to give a rest pops.

[RubberSideDown]

^^

You've got to give that rider (who we know well here) credit for keeping his cool and nicely getting around the truck- a lot of people would have target-fixated on it and that would have been that. I'm not saying it was his finest hour, but getting yourself into a tight spot is easy- getting out of it is hard.

Edited January 10, 2015 by RubberSideDown

[garryjohns]

^^

You've got to give that rider (who we know well here) credit for keeping his cool and nicely getting around the truck- a lot of people would have target-fixated on it and that would have been that. I'm not saying it was his finest hour, but getting yourself into a tight spot is easy- getting out of it is hard.

As i said earlier he was very late in identifying a potential threat and only at the last split second taking evasive action.

He was simply very,very lucky to have got away with it.

[wilcopops]

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

And some people admit that they limit their riding in Thailand to a 110cc bike, yet STILL post on topics that by their own admittance they know nothing.

Maybe time to give a rest pops.

you might as well try to teach your grandmother to such eggs.

your ad hominem attacks show not only you don't have a proper argument but you are painfully aware of how inadequate it makes you look. You have failed to counter coherently a single point I've made.

Edited January 10, 2015 by wilcopops

[wilcopops]

I think some posters here need to read the aptly named Hurt report. Published in 1981, it is to motorcycling what Kinsey was to sex.

There have been studies since but none so thorough or wide-ranging.

It should be noted that in the States, the general trend for motorcycle deaths has been upwards over the last 2 decades, only in the last couple of recorded years has there been a slight drop.

There are some interesting observations on speed in the report too....... although "Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and motorcycle size", low speed is little to no protection against death or injury on a motorcycle..

(to get an idea imagine falling head-first of a small step onto concrete - that's at ZERO mph!)

“The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph-“

Whereas the actual figures may have changed slightly now, the principle was established by this report..

a glance over this and the MAIDS report (EU 2000) might also give the lie to some of the nonsense posted on this thread

Edited January 10, 2015 by wilcopops

[RubberSideDown]

^^

You've got to give that rider (who we know well here) credit for keeping his cool and nicely getting around the truck- a lot of people would have target-fixated on it and that would have been that. I'm not saying it was his finest hour, but getting yourself into a tight spot is easy- getting out of it is hard.

As i said earlier he was very late in identifying a potential threat and only at the last split second taking evasive action.

He was simply very,very lucky to have got away with it.

Obviously he made poor decisions that led to the close encounter- the point is that when the moment arrived where a lot of bikers would have panicked, he managed to avoid the truck. Lucky, sure, but skillful as well.

[duanebigsby]

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

And some people admit that they limit their riding in Thailand to a 110cc bike, yet STILL post on topics that by their own admittance they know nothing.

Maybe time to give a rest pops.

Earlier in this thread someone did ask the opinions of us Wave riders. Doesn't mean we know nothing about big bikes because we've opted for the little one.

In Canada I had a BSA Lightening, a Honda 650-4, and a Norton 850 Commando.

There is a strategy to be safe on the smaller bikes, and a different one for the bigger machines.

To suggest that one can't be safe on a 125 on the highway is wrong, it's just a different approach.

I still maintain speeds in excess of 160 kph on public roads as people are suggesting is not safe regardless of your ability.

[H1w4yR1da]

^

Errr, i know some members here who do this in Thailand. But it doesnt need 250 to kill yourself. Imo everything above 200 is a death wish in Thailand.

The rider in this video has balls. Not because he is going at such speeds, but for sharing this video with the public

And your opinion counts for squat.

The rider in the video, who's a riding buddy, made a mistake. But does he continually need to be bashed over the head with it? Especially by some halfwit on a scooter who doesn't have the desire, ability, skill or yes, balls, to ride a big bike here.

some people of course ride their bikes for years and years....and learn nothing!

And some people never ride. Edited January 11, 2015 by H1w4yR1da

[wantan]

^
uhhhh, the highwaytroll is back. A big welcome, i missed your valuable input so much