Okaaaaaaaay, here we go. Me and one of my fellow riders are heading off to the post office and then for about a 15 mile quick trip to purchase a cell phone. We are actually doing the speed limit when (in two lane traffic) the entire right lane slams on their brakes. I'm just inside the right lane and my fellow rider is on the outside of the right lane. As I downshift and swerve to the left to get into the left hand lane, another car (two cars up) pull out in front of me. I'm burning Michelin Pilot Power rubber like its cool to bring my '01 929RR to a halt. I barely bring my bike to a halt when it hits me...........................look into your rear mirror...and there it was, almost like the matrix...my fellow rider sliding across the intersection on his back and his bike catching hang time. Hoooooly $#!T. Another vehicle had pulled out in front of him after the second car pulled out in front of me. He had not taken the MSF course yet and it showed. His bike ('05 CBR 600RR black/tribal design) is tore up on one side...front signal, ferring scratched up, engine oil cover scratched, upper rear ferring, front break lever, throttle bar end, and rear brake lever all scratched up. Full coverage is soooooo lovely. He'll be okay. I only made the right actions because of God and the fact that I took the MSF course and have had about 5 years experience. He bought his bike brand new about a month ago and is scheduled to take the course this Thursday...better late than never but the bike is tore up. I want you all to take away from this....the MSF course will help and never hurt you. If you need to wait to get on that new beautiful bike of yours...oh well do it. Stay safe and stay up.

 

It's good to hear that your friend is okay and only slightly worse for wear. That is an excellent story for all those knuckle heads out there that think they are too cool to take that course. In the Navy we are required to take the course in order to ride our bikes on base. I have been riding for many years and I thought it would be a joke, but I actually learned some new and valuable things while taking the MSF course. Safety courses and equipment are made for a reason.

 

That's why he was slated to take the course...we are Marines on CP in NC.

 

It is definitely good to hear your friend is ok. I took the course over a year ago and have been riding since. I started with a 250 then bought my 6. Two weeks later, I got cut off by a car bad and went down. The guy broke up the bikes to make an exit. There was nothing that I could have done - well maybe not panic. Sometimes you just forget what to do when things like that happen. Now I'm a different rider and it's both a good and a bad thing. Just make sure you watch for everything and in desperate times: clutch in & use both brakes.

 

Freakin' 4-wheeled bullies!!!

 

Exactly, but we are in that group too. We can't always ride. I sometimes protect the bikers, but bully the cars. LOL

 

I do the same...whether they know it or not...I do the same. There should be some way to let bikers know that you are a rider as well and are looking out for them....like a sticker or something.

 

I agree! Maybe we should make one up.

 

I got one. When you are driving your cage use your turn signals and check your blind spot before you try to share lanes with a bike.
And don't drive a foot off the rear wheel of the bike in front.

 

I admit I've been riding on my permit since November (no winter MSF courses around here) but I'm signed up for next month. I'm trying to attach the bumper sticker I'm getting for our car, so this is an experiment to see if I've figured out how to attach an image.

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