Mopeds?

[airplanemechanic]

I've been riding for 10 years and have yet needed to "accelerate out of trouble." I've also never spoken to a single rider in 10 years who ever "accelerated out of trouble." That's a crock of crap by people who want an excuse for a motorcycle that can do twice as fast as they ever need to go.

In fact, just the opposite. A smaller bike will be lighter and more nimble and give you more options to swerve around trouble than a larger heavier bike.

 

[Indofred]

I disagree. On occasion, rare as they are, a burst of speed can get you away from a problem.
It isn't an intent to go at silly speeds, just get out of the way of a problem driver, usually by overtaking the car in front, using that car as a buffer between you and the tailgater.
Of course, it's far better to pull over and let him pass, but that isn't always possible. If the overtake option isn't available due to lack of power, it increases the potential danger from a foolish driver.
That and the extra engine capacity makes for less strain on the lump, meaning the bike will probably last a lot longer before major service or replacement.

 

[airplanemechanic]

Ok so you admit you never "accelerated out of trouble" nor knew anyone who did. If you are being tailgated you pull over. You don't speed up. Any motorcycle instructor will tell you that. If you speed up you'll be tailgated at a higher speed. Does that sound safer? If you can't pull over, YOU DON'T SPEED UP. You maintain a steady speed and let them pass or continue to tailgate you put playing cat and mouse will get you killed. You obviously never took an MSF course.

You know what you SHOULD do if being tailgated and you can't speed up? Start meandering in your lane, from one side to another. It makes you look unpredictable and all but the most leadfooted tailgaters will give you space. I've tried it, and it has always worked. That is what they teach you in MSF courses. THAT will save your life, "a quick burst of speed" is likely to get you killed.

I could imagine a scenario where if my bike had wings I could fly over the problem area. I mean, if we're going to get stupid and unrealistic, lets go all the way.

 

[Indofred]

Ok so you admit you never "accelerated out of trouble"

A lie - I just told you of a situation where the extra speed and ability to accelerate, enough to safely overtake a car, got me out of a potential problem.
Yes, the book tells you to pull over, but when that isn't an option?
A bike can often safely overtake when a car has no chance of the same, so the problem is solved, as long as you have enough extra power to complete the overtake safely.
A smaller machine on a highway may not have that power at normal highway speeds.
Lies don't make for a reasonable debate.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I have accelerated out of trouble several times...usually to get past someone trying to merge into my lane on the highway.

 

[airplanemechanic]

That's not accelerating out of trouble. That's not trouble. You're making stuff up. You could just as easily have slowed down to let them in. You don't need to exceed the speed limit to let someone merge into your lane.

Rather than break the law and exceed the speed limit, you ever thought about changing lanes to let them in? Try it, it works.

People like you are why society hates motorcyclists. Rather than remain safe and change lanes, you speed up unpredictably. Hopefully one day a cop will tag you for speeding. Or you lose your license.

Show me someone whose ONLY method of avoiding an accident was exceeding the speed limit. Of course you can make some scenario where you exceeded the speed limit using the excuse "to avoid trouble" but you always have other options. Breaking the law isn't your only one. That's funny, I've been riding for a decade and have avoided hundreds of accidents and not once did I break the law to do so.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Are you trolling, stupid, or do you just not drive? Spend some time on the highways in this area...you frequently CAN'T change lanes due to traffic! I don't go especially fast (I only have 400cc's), but being able to accelerate can be critical.

My wife punched the throttle last fall to dodge a guy running a stop sign...never topped 45MPH, but the power came in handy!

Are you the idiot going 50 in the left lane?

 

[airplanemechanic]

No I'm the idiot trying to fix the damage idiots like you do driving around like fucking morons like you own the road. Cagers don't hate us because of people like me who follow the rules of the road, they hate us because of fucking idiotic stupid morons like you who speed and drive like a fucking road rage idiot. Your wife could have avoided the accident by slowing down as well.

Keep trying to convince yourself that speeding and rapid acceleration is the only solution to a problem. You're the fucking morons that we read about killing themselves and skewing the safety stats of motorcycles. Motorcycles aren't dangerous, idiots like you are.

So I rest my case, a 125 is all you need to cruise all day on the highway. Highway, not interstate.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Ca-rist, you're a fuckin' idiot! I will give you one million dollars if you can point to where I said that "speeding and rapid acceleration is the only solution to a problem." Now go to it!

And no, a 125 is NOT "all you need" to cruise on the highway. Claiming it is not only is wrong, but could result in someone's death.

 

[airplanemechanic]

No, speeding could result in someone's death. If the speed limit is 55 and your bike can do 59, you really don't need bigger do you? I had a 125 and rode on a 55mph highway just fine.

Where did you say that? You said it by sheer lack of saying anything else. You never once talked about slowing down to avoid an accident or maneuvering around one. All you talk about is SPEED SPEED SPEED.

Look man I've been riding maxi scoots far longer than you have. I was riding them back when nobody knew what they were. I now ride a 400 because I needed to go on the INTERSTATE, not the highway. Had I not bought a house so far from work I'd still have the 125. I've had my bike 8 years. You act like a Burgy 650 is something amazing and special. I knew about them long before you did.

 

[Jarlaxle]

God and goddess, it's like talking to a mental patient!

No, speeding could result in someone's death. If the speed limit is 55 and your bike can do 59, you really don't need bigger do you? I had a 125 and rode on a 55mph highway just fine.

Except...the speed limit is usually NOT 55 (65 is the norm in this area), and the speed of traffic is usually 70+.

Where did you say that? You said it by sheer lack of saying anything else. You never once talked about slowing down to avoid an accident or maneuvering around one. All you talk about is SPEED SPEED SPEED.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Stop listening to those voices in your head and respond to what I ACTUALLY POSTED, not what the voices told you I posted!

Look man I've been riding maxi scoots far longer than you have. I was riding them back when nobody knew what they were. I now ride a 400 because I needed to go on the INTERSTATE, not the highway. Had I not bought a house so far from work I'd still have the 125. I've had my bike 8 years. You act like a Burgy 650 is something amazing and special. I knew about them long before you did.

Highway, interstate...different signs, same highway! (Hell, I'm not sure you can even take a 125 on highways in some states.)

You are a truly SPECIAL kind of stupid.

 

[airplanemechanic]

In my state highways here are 55mph, apparently you think an interstate is a highway.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Well, boy, not everyone lives in your state! In the real world, there are 60 and 65MPH (and even 70MPH) non-Interstate highways!