do you ever let mates ride your bikes?

trevor saxe-coburg-gotha · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :

Do you ever let your mates ride your bikes? Maybe it's on a you-bend-it-you-mend-it sort of agreement? They say yeah sure, chuck us the keys, back in an hour. But say the worst happens - not only do they crash it, they also take someone out. Maybe they kill them because of their dangerous riding. Perhaps they had a head cam that captured it all.

Worse still, it turns out they're not insured. At all. For anything!

In this sort of a situation, are you - the owner of the bike - responsible? Is there some sort of onus on you to check that whoever rides you bike has the relevant qualifications and insurance? From a common sense point of view it seems like there ought to be - but I wondered what the actual framing of the law is here.
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chickenstrip · Super Spammer Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Karma :

If you've read my biking life thread, you know this: a mate of mine was killed riding one of my bikes. Nothing wrong with the bike. He just wasn't used to that kind of bike (as far as I'm aware), and maybe got a bit overenthusiastic. I've been very reluctant to lend my bikes or borrow that of others since.

I have always felt the responsibility ever since. That's a heavy weight to be carrying around, and you carry it for the rest of your life.

The insurance and legality thing is not the worst bit if such a thing happens.
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Skudd · Super Spammer Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Karma :

In nearly 40 years of biking only 4 people have ridden my bikes, the first was someone who I had grown up with, gone to birthday parties with, been at school with. I let him go round the school field on my bike, six weeks later he and a few of his other mates decided to pinch it, he even boasted about it. He later became the local drug dealer and shot and killed one of his right hand men for shagging his wife.

Second person, again thought of as a mate, ended up fucking off with my now ex wife.

Third person I had known for a while and let him ride around a dis used factory, turns out he was the mate of the drug dealers right hand man that got shot and killed.

Fourth guy dropped the bike within 10 yards.

No one rides my bikes now.
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MarJay · But it's British! Joined: 15 Sep 2003 Karma :

I have done, and I have ridden other peoples. I only let people I trust ride, and it's not very often.

I have to say I'm not and never have been the turbo nutter b@stard type, and neither have most of my friends. And the ones who are, are skilled enough to handle pretty much anything. Insurance was always there, and there was always the bend it and mend it agreement too.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

If caught with no insurance, the police will give you the option of saying they took it without your permission and do them for taking without consent OR saying they had your permission and do them for no insurance and you for permitting them to drive with no insurance, usually carrying the same penalty.

I do let mates ride my bikes and they ride mine. We're all old and ugly enough that we carry comp insurance which allows us to ride other bikes. We are mates, and so understand that if you bend it, you mend it. I would not however allow some of my mates to ride some of my bikes, mainly because I don't think they have the mechanical sympathy to do so.
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pepperami · Super Spammer Joined: 17 Jan 2010 Karma :

I have only a couple of friends that I would allow to ride my bikes.
If they wanted to use my bikes, I would add them to my insurance.

We all agree that a little spin around the corner and back is just not worth the hassle as we all possess bad luck and are likely to get caught by the filth.
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Riejufixing · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jun 2018 Karma :

hellkat · Super Spammer Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

I have, but not many.
The last two boyfriends both had free reign on whatever bike/s I had.
I might let Anita have a go-round on the Snarley, in the carpark of Tesco's, when she's next here Laughing

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jeffyjeff · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 May 2020 Karma :

trevor saxe-coburg-gotha · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :

A100man · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Aug 2013 Karma :

I'm usually too worried I will cause damage to the vehicle (a wealthy friend of my brothers offered my a go in his spanking new Audi R8 but I settled on a sit in the drivers seat and a blip of the throttle) I did once borrow a 250 SuperDream to run an errand at Uni.. never again!
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Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

No. Never since I lent my almost brand new FJ1200 to a so called friend who dropped it and then refused to get it repaired.

I had to lie to the insurance that I had been riding it to get it repaired myself.
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stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Nobby the Bastard · Harley Gaydar Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Karma :

Not since I got done for aiding and abetting no insurance in the early 90s.
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Fisty · Super Spammer Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Karma :

If they have the correct insurance yes quite happily.

Fretgrinder on here has ridden/borrowed all my bikes at some point. Few weeks ago my mate took the Busa for the weekend at it's a better mile muncher than her TL.

Infact Fret has even used my bikes at Henstridge airfield drag nights.

https://i.imgur.com/8tJdNis.jpg
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Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

Only a very specific few people. Similar mindset to Marge.

In fact he's one of the few people I would let out on my bikes, and I'm ridden a couple of his.

If anyone turns up my house riding like a dick, they aren't getting my keys.

Fisty · Super Spammer Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Karma :

Freddyfruitba... · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2016 Karma :

Nobby the Bastard · Harley Gaydar Joined: 16 Aug 2013 Karma :

Generally, vehicle insurance is 3rd party insuance to ride a vehicle, and not a specific vehicle. I suspect that is to do with the law surrounding 3rd party insurance and not something insurance companies have any control over.

Anything that you do out of their terms will be breach of contract and not criminal matter.
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DJP · Crazy Courier Joined: 11 Dec 2011 Karma :

BigTim · Trackday Trickster Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Karma :

Nobody rides my bike.

I learnt this lesson nearly 40 years ago.

Just got my first bike, thought I'd go and show my mate.

He asked to ride it and like a twat i said yes.

Off he goes down the road, no helmet, comes back into view doing about 30 doesn't slow for the turn into the road and loses it. I'd had it about a week!
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Nov 2012 Karma :

and bum the odd dad or two while your about it - might as well
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Islander · World Chat Champion Joined: 05 Aug 2012 Karma :

I've been bitten once in my teens when I let someone I thought was a mate have a shot on a nearly new bike. Long story short, he dropped it and did a bit of damage, promised to pay for repairs and then refused. I got my own back on him tenfold a few months later.

Since then I've been very careful who I let ride my bikes. Currently there are two people (other than my OH of course) that I would trust both good friends and both utterly reliable.