It's squid season

Ssky0078

Ssky0078

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So, it is starting to warm up here in AZ. It hit close to 80 the last couple of days and I've noticed that more bikes are coming out. On top of that it seems that squid season has begun. I saw my first t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops guy yesterday. Also saw a guy with no helmet, tank top and jeans on.

I get so annoyed when I see these guys. I can't imagine taking the risk because I know the consequences personally from my own crashes and professionally from treating injured riders.

Does anybody have a positive mantra other than "ride safe" for these morons?
 
I've seen them too. Gotta get a battery for the bike to enjoy this nice weather. I have nothing to say to them cause they won't listen. I just shake my head and stay away from them.
 
Squid:

A young motorcyclist who overestimates his abilities, boasts of his riding skills when in reality he has none. Really slow in the corners, and sudden bursts of acceleration when a straight appears. Squids wreck alot. Derived from 'squirly kid'
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:poke: :poke:
 
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Dustin said:
:poke: :poke:
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Dustin you would have had a heart attack if you were along for the ride I took yesterday. I was with some seriously experienced/expert riders. I kept up, only because the Fz1 can scream on the straights but continuously got left behind on the corners. Put in almost 500 miles for the day with only a 100 being super slab.

Not to jinx myself but I've got 3600 miles without incidence since Jan 5th.
 
Giving you something to think about is why I post in the first place. It's what this forum is great for

I'm glad you're riding the hell out of that bike despite having smashed it on day one. You're riding a hell of a lot more than I have been lately as you could probably see on my Fuelly :D
 
I definitely do think about it.

You have been kind of limited on your riding lately looking at Fuelly. You only have what, 2 more months to really get out of there on a regular basis without inclement weather. I remember when I lived in Seattle the sun could not get there soon enough.

On the thread topic, do you get a bunch of dudes riding around up there without gear on?

I know it starts to feel really toasty around here when it gets in to the 70s, I'm really not looking forward to the 100s.
 
Up here I consider March to November pretty decent for pleasure riding. It's really only the coldest months that I don't get out for long pleasure rides, just rips up to Whistler and back. I hate being cold but we live in a pretty temperate place so it's just dandy most of the time. Rain ain't so bad

And yes, there are dumbfuck squids everywhere during the 'riding season'. The first warm, sunny Sunday of the season is a day I absolutely do not ride. It's better to just go for a bicycle ride or hang out with your mates than get caught up in the tornado of people crashing, speed traps, traffic helicopters and traffic jams :gaming:
 
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Ssky0078 said:
Dustin you would have had a heart attack if you were along for the ride I took yesterday. I was with some seriously experienced/expert riders. I kept up, only because the Fz1 can scream on the straights but continuously got left behind on the corners. Put in almost 500 miles for the day with only a 100 being super slab.

Not to jinx myself but I've got 3600 miles without incidence since Jan 5th.
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This is why I don't ride in groups .... too much temptation to keep up with more skilled, or faster, riders. If you kept up by wringing the FZ1 on the straights you were probably overreaching your skill level and ability. Let them ride at their pace and you ride at yours.
 
I like to ride in groups because it gets me out and they like to go places I haven't been before. We also have a saying of "ride your own ride" meaning don't try to keep up if it is above your heads. We also make sure to do frequent stops to allow everyone to stay together at major stops or turns. Most of the rides I have been on seem to split into three groups and no one heckles the slower group.

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Just as a side note: I have met and ridden with a few people off this forum. Every single one has been awesome. Three cheers for us

I tend not to ride with strangers and I avoid the big group rides as well. I prefer riding in small groups and at my own pace. I don't mind waiting for others to catch up and I don't mind playing catch up with faster guys
 
I stayed with the middle of the pack. I know the temptation but I am pretty calm and rational when it gets down to the moment when my brain tells me don't do that or you might die. I just find I push my self and try to utilize all my skills by riding with better riders. My favorite portion was following this guy on an Aprilia RSV4. He had pretty good body position and lines so I found if I mirrored him I actually was going faster and not trying as hard.
 
Can't go 1/2 mile without seeing a squid some days. Whatever, though. Just stay away from me. Ironic as it is, the two things I love about riding are the camaraderie, and the independence. I love just riding 400-500 miles all on my own, inside my helmet, with only myself to answer to. I also love that when I meet someone else on a ride, they're usually cool. People with bikes always seem happy to check out other bikes and chat about riding. I just try to avoid the extremely squidly ones and keep true to myself, ride because I like to ride, not because I look cool riding. Fact is, riding only looks cool from a distance. Up close, guys and girls on bikes smell bad, are covered in dead bugs and other road grime, and are usually too stiff and sore to begin to think about looking or acting cool. If you meet someone on a bike who has good hair and doesn't stink, odds are they don't know $hit about bikes; they're just in it for the image.
 
Squids are everywhere. I always recommend wearing protective gear and I'm "almost" ATGATT (I'll occasionally go out with jeans instead of my riding pants).

That said, I feel that my responsibility ends with making sure that people are informed about the benefits of wearing gear. After that, they make their own decision. I try to be a little more adamant with new riders, since the potential for ignorance is higher.

I don't think I'll ever understand the guys who wear beachwear to ride in. I saw a guy last year riding his touring bike in just a pair of shorts. No shirt or shoes of any kind. I just shake my head and continue on my way. They're not the ones you're going to "educate" on gear. Recommending gloves to a co-worker (I'm in IT) with the justification that they make their living with their hands is much more likely to affect some change than calling a guy in flip-flops a squid.

When it comes to group riding, I try to make sure everyone understands the "Ride Your Own Ride" mentality. A week-night cruise to dinner with a few friends is one thing. For more "technical" riding, I always recommend and do my best to follow "The Pace." I ride with a pretty diverse set of bikes (FZ1, R1200R, Harley Road King, Yamaha V-Star, BMW K1600, Victory Vision, Crossroads, etc.) on a regular basis and abilities vary widely on those weekly rides. Because I want everyone to be safer and more skilled, I try to organize group training classes every year for those who are interested in improving their skills. Making education accessible is the first step in improving the "average" skill of the group.
 
Clyde said:
When it comes to group riding, I try to make sure everyone understands the "Ride Your Own Ride" mentality. A week-night cruise to dinner with a few friends is one thing. For more "technical" riding, I always recommend and do my best to follow "The Pace."
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Thank you for the article link. It makes sense and is a good way at looking to have a spirited ride yet stay within a reasonable safety margin.
 
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