"Tripper" (tripe46)
10/28/2016 at 10:51 • Filed to: None
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"Tripper" (tripe46)
10/28/2016 at 10:51 • Filed to: None | 4
| 10 |
Today marks one month since I got a call from my friend Mike that our friend Whitley was killed on his motorcycle on his way to work. I was almost hoping that it was because he was doing something he shouldn’t have been, but it wasn’t. A negligent driver turned in front of him and that’s it.
I’ve thought about him a lot since then, as well as my own mortality. My best friend said “it’s what we signed up for”, when we were at his funeral. To which I responded, “Uh not me, I didn’t sign up for this shit. I signed up for the possibility of serious injury or death because of my own stupidity/negligence, but not to get clipped on my way to work and killed!” However the reality is that stuff like this happens and it’s a part of riding a motorcycle.
A month ago I was thinking that I might trade my car for something cheaper in order to get a really sweet bike. I haven’t been back on the Grom since he died, and I honestly have no desire to. I’m not afraid of it or riding, but I just don’t feel like it. I used to take it out any chance I got, but now I’m like “eh, I’ll just drive.” Riding was meditation for me, and now I can’t even look at a motorcycle, let alone throw my leg over one without thinking about all of the neat life stuff that my buddy won’t get to experience because some dumb bitch couldn’t look before she turned.
After it first happened I told myself that I wouldn’t let it ruin riding for me, I know that Whit would be upset if he knew that his death turned me off of motorcycles. However I was anticipating fear as the deterrent to riding, but it’s motivation. What seemed so fun, just doesn’t seem that fun anymore.
I’m supposed to ride dirt bikes with a friend in the near future and I’m looking forward to that, but I don’t know about commuting anymore. It’s getting cold anyway, so I can see how I feel in the spring.
On a more positive note, all of this has really “re-sparked” cars for me. Not that I ever lost interest, but I was so enthralled with the idea of spending less money for more fun on a motorcycle that cars fizzled for a little bit. In the spring I will decide my future with motorcycles and if there is none. My goal will be to get myself in the drivers seat of a RWD 911 by the end of 2018.
Anyway, happy Friday! I hope everyone has something fun going on this weekend.
404 - User No Longer Available
> Tripper
10/28/2016 at 10:54 |
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I think this is the first time I see a ducktail on a 993. Usually it’s the Turbo wing.
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Tripper
> 404 - User No Longer Available
10/28/2016 at 10:57 |
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Yea I like it and the 997 wheels. I’ve posted so many 911 photos on here that I’m starting to have trouble finding ones that I both like and have not used before haha.
themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> Tripper
10/28/2016 at 11:00 |
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As someone currently hobbling around on a cheap honda CB from the 80s, how is the Grom to ride? I use my bike as a weekend toy to meander around the bck roads and find good fishing spots or putz around lakes and rivers. Can you ride a Grom for more than 30 minutes and not hurt?
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Tripper
> themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
10/28/2016 at 11:04 |
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I can’t say enough good things about the Grom, it really is fun to ride and easy to keep. As for longevity you can ride it for 30 minutes without pain, but right around the 1 hour mark it gets pretty bad. The longest I rode it for was just under 2 hours and I won’t do that again.
MUSASHI66
> Tripper
10/28/2016 at 11:09 |
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Exactly why my wife won’t let me have a bike ever again, unless it is dirt bike for out-of-traffic riding.
She always tells me it is not your riding I am concerned about.
I don’t put a lot of miles on my bikes anyway, so our compromise - a convertible Abarth 500 - works really well for me.
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Tripper
> MUSASHI66
10/28/2016 at 11:19 |
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Man do I wish that there was more dirt near me. I grew up on dirt bikes and prefer it to the road anyway.
My wife has been really supportive, even tried to coax me back on the Grom when she thought that I wanted to be. I’m just not there yet.
bob and john
> Tripper
10/28/2016 at 13:04 |
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Maybe its because I teach and Ive seen this all too often.
Maybe Im just dumb and cynical.
I firmly beleive that 99% of all bike accidents can be avoided by the rider, even if it was not their fault. (head on a swivel, keeping your distance, reading traffic)
Does it suck? absolutely. Ive had it happen to me as well.
Did I flinch about it? not really. its a risk we take. if someone you know gets hit in their car and dies, would you lose your passion for cars? no. you just become that extra little bit vigilent about your driving.
Sorry to be a bit of an ass...but thats just how I see it.
Also, Maybe the honeymoon phase of the grom is over and tgats why you dont want to ride. i rmemeber the novelty wore off about a week into my stint woth a grom. then it was just a dangerously slow bike.
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Tripper
> bob and john
10/28/2016 at 13:48 |
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Honeymoon phase with the Grom is over, and dangerously slow is a great way to describe it especially in the suburban setting in which I ride.
Lots of accidents can be avoided but they happen anyway because people are people. Sure anyone could be killed in a car too, and it’s arguably more likely for people who ride a little and drive a lot. If/when it happens on a motorcycle serious injury is a lot more likely.
I started riding because it is so god damned fun. Now the fun factor is dwindling below the level of acceptable risk for me. That is partially because I’ve outgrown the Grom and partially because I had to see my friend all waxy looking in a coffin. If I already had a real bike it might be a different story. Since I don’t, the motivation to sacrifice having a nice car and spend a bunch of money for a new bike is not as strong as it was.
I would love a dirt bike or a track bike, but that won’t likely happen as I would have to travel far to enjoy either one. I’m not making any rash decisions as I probably wouldn’t have ridden but a few nice days we’ve had in the last month anyway.
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bob and john
> Tripper
10/28/2016 at 14:01 |
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Yea, im thinking the fact that the grom os so slow is holding you back (literally and metaphoricly)
Like I said, Ive put more then my fair share of friends in the ground. you cant let it change you. celebrate their life, learn from any mistakes, and live on.
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Tripper
> bob and john
10/28/2016 at 14:19 |
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Yea I’ve lost a few friends but it’s all been drugs up until now, which I have little empathy for at this point. It might not change me, but I’m sure it will change how I think.