The Real Story BBC1 19/7/04

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Did anybody see 'The Real Story' on BBC1 last night, a short article about the accident rates on bikes.

Good article that gave the message that there is a time and a place for fast, knee down riding.

IT'S ON THE TRACK, NOT THE PUBLIC ROADS.

They also brought up the subject of a lot of the bike press encouraging people to ride like a racer on the road, and how irresponsible this is considering the skills/ability of some of the riders trying to ride like this and killing themselves.

Please discuss.

NSR125-Kid-UK · Attention Whore Joined: 03 May 2003 Karma :

Personally I think that instead of this silly arsed "the roads should be neutered and sterile with vehicles being computer controlled" etc crap, they should come up with another more realistic point of view.

1. The roads are dangerous.
2. Ride beyond your abilities and you'll crash.
3. That's life.
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Sadie · World Chat Champion Joined: 14 Jul 2004 Karma :

I didn't see the programme, but I agree with the fact that too many riders of PTWs ride too fast and have too little experience (yes, I know you need to ride to get experience, but you also need to be alive to ride).

It amazes me how many riders try to race on the roads. This morning I had a guy on a Ninja trying to race me on my Bandit. The Bandit is not made to race, so on a straight quarter mile, the Ninja should win. However, on the streets of London, a more experienced rider (me) will probably read the traffic better, and therefore get there first.

I could have beaten this guy on my Virago, ffs!
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NSR125-Kid-UK · Attention Whore Joined: 03 May 2003 Karma :

I raced a 125 ped through rotherham if that counts - it was about 7pm though so there wasn't too much traffic Very Happy

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MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

I wrote to the Real Story a few months ago about a blatently misreported feature they did on people who ride "at 200mph on the road". They had a gentleman called "Sammy" (who conveniently had his identity protected) he claimed to have done "two hundred and eight miles an hour on't bypass."

Balls. No bike can do that speed, and if you did it on a public road you would be dead, as simple as that. They also showed a guy who was in a wheelchair who started saying that if he had known what was going to happen when he rode his VFR750 then he would never have bought it. They never mentioned wether he was wearing protective gear during the accident. They never mentioned wether he was speeding or messing about before the accident, and they said that he broke a vertebra on a raised manhole cover. Not wanting to sound bad, but that just sounds like an unfortunate accident and NOT a symptom of 'mad bikers carving up the countryside'.

Nor really a LOT of information in the argument against bikes.

IMO, someone at the BBC has something against bikes and/or has nothing better to report. FFS no one that I know races on the road. No one that I know rides at 110mph (or faster even) on the road.

And I know LOTS of people with fast bikes.

Yeah, so people do knee down on the road... usually on a pretty car free roundabout. They also pull off of the roundabout when a car does come. Its not hurting anyone, so why should we be demonised by the press?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

I guess they may have a vague point about the bike press encouraging the 'nutter' side, but it makes for more entertaining reading. Just like Top Gear consists mostly of supercars going sideways - it's not real, it's entertainment.

Anyone stupid enough to go out and ride like a dick just because PB, FB or SB says that they should deserves to be wiped out, it's just a shame they mess up the accident statistics for those of us with a little more brain capacity.

I'm a great advocate of trackdays but in the real world most of us can't afford to do one every weekend so quick road riding is not going to go away and I don't see the harm - there will always be people who take the piss but that's life.

Likewise going down some industrial estate to 'play' - I'm sure the old bill could do you for an infinite number of offences if they caught you pulling a wheelie, doing stoppies, scratching round the roundabout dozens of time but what harm are they doing? If the bikers are causing a nuisance, a danger, whatever but most aren't, they're just having fun in a safe and quiet spot.

I maintain that I'd rather the time/effort was spent getting the real dangers like uninsured and unsafe drivers off the road and that the government get their noses out of our business and stop trying to prevent people from having FUN.

Harold_Shand · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Karma :

If you did see this last night, what about the clip of a feller knee down on a big left hander, car coming. Hang on, just had a thought. The bike was also on the wrong side of the road. So, bike on wrong side of road, oncoming car ( on his left ) knee down, lifts his knee away and misses car by an inch or two, but his shoulder really smacks the cars wing mirror. Don't know if it was spot on judgement or a plonker. Either way, good telly.
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Harold_Shand's theory might be the best explanation.

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Mr C · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Karma :

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Mr C.

"Sammy" must have known that 208 was an erroneous figure. It didn't stop him from speaking to the BBC. It didn't stop the BBC from believing him blatently without any sort of research.

I don't know if they mentioned this before, but they replied to my letter with the following;

fuzz · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Steve H · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Karma :

I saw the 'Real Story' article Marjay, totally agree with your comments.

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

I satisfy myself with not personally riding like an offensive twat. I don't read bike magazines, my insurance is cheap, I don't see that many people riding like idiots, I use the small amount of sway I may have on this forum to advise people to be safe... and I leave it at that.

Maybe I should champion the cause, but I don't.

Lunchtime. See you after pizza. Smile

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

I have to admit, I am a member.

However, can I just point out that I don't pay my membership fee to have people campaign agains the helmet law! Rolling Eyes

What is with that? Question

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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Robin · Scooby Slapper Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Harold_Shand · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Jun 2004 Karma :

carnislick · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 17 May 2004 Karma :

Clanger · Stirrer Joined: 27 May 2004 Karma :

Mr C · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Karma :

he's almost right

only a handful of bikes in this country

guessing but probably less than TWENTY "road legal" bikes could do 208mph genuine speed, all turbos or supercharged

it would only be possible on the road on at least a two mile stretch of motorway with no kinks in it

you need this width of road because the impact of crosswinds can be enormous

you need a motorway because you MUST be tucked into the bubble and visibility is almost zero apart from that tiny window immediately ahead - it's this fact that makes it more dangerous than anything on the road, you get no warning of anything in the way, you are covering a mile every 17 seconds or so

but 208mph on the speedo is NOT 208mph in reality is it?

still far too quick for the roads but NOT over 200mph
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187.3bhp = 201mph