I became a biker in the 70s. Had a 350 Honda for a couple of years until I got more adventuresome and moved up to a 650 Yamaha two banger. The Yamaha would cruise an honest 85 on the interstate and was real quick but not a cross country bike. After a couple hundred miles your hands vibrated to sleep. It was this bike that taught me there was no safe way to lay one down. I dropped it once going about 10 mph when my front tire got caught between two railroad tracks. Even a that speed it hurt. I was looking at the "new" 750 Hondas when I started my family. It got to where every time I got on that bike someone tried to run over me or ran me off the road by driving with their head up their a$$. I thought my kids deserved to have a father so I got off and never got back on. I missed it and it was fun and I don't blame anyone who has the nerve to risk it all, but I guess that's part of the thrill? I will never understand how anyone can ride in shorts and no helmet. I have seen a couple of dozen or so fatal or near fatal accidents involving bikes and nearly every fatality the person killed had no helmet on and about half of his/her head was laying on the pavement. I saw one guy that laid his down at about 85 wearing shorts, flip flops and a tee shirt. He ate about a quarter mile of pavement and there was barely a spot on him that had any skin left. He didn't die, but he looked like he had been burned in a fire! A little old lady he was passing decided to change lanes without looking in her 1963 Plymouth Valiant and bumped his wheel just hard enough to put him down. I was two cars back and I didn't think he was ever going to stop sliding. He looked like a rare steak when I got to him and there was nothing I could do for him. Besides the pavement burns he only had a broken leg and nose. No, I don't have a picture!
