Old Riders...
My guess is that you take two demographics and weigh them and come up with an idea who is suceptable to what.
Young (new) riders go in to a motorcycle dealer and look over the floor for a bike....what are they likely to pick off hand...? A sportbike 2 to 1, something to release testosterone, something athletic, something fast and flashy. They are after all concerned with peer presure, looking cool and the thrill of power and speed.
An older rider (senior) will go into the same motorcycle dealer and look the floor over and see the sportbikes, have a fiew 'what if's' and then likely go over to the cruisers to contemplate one as it's likely to be more comfortable and have gadgets and ergonomic enhancements making it a far better choice. That same 'Old' guy/girl, will probably pass through the isle of power cruisers, of which there are now a fiew, for example... Honda VTX 1800C or the Suzuki M109 Boulevard, or the Meanstreak even Yamahas Roadstar Warrior. Mabe due partly to not wanting to show their age with the choice of a dedicated Cruiser, thought of more as bikes for old duffers. And thats sad really that these bikes tend to be viewed as such.
Of the two types, sport verses cruiser, the likely one to cause irresponsable riding practices, is as we all know, is the sportbike hands down. After all, to back this supposition, look at the rates of both bikes when you go for insurance. Always you will find greatly inflated pricing on your typical sportbike verses the cruiser. Thats one thing us FZ1 riders have found out conpared to say, insuring an R1 instead of an FZ1. Much higher...
Older riders are more likely to do a walk-around of the bike before taking off as well, their likely to be in less of a hurry or hasty. It's not likely that something needs to be addressed, but the time spent looking indicates a more responsable riding style. A deliberateness to the methodology of riding. Older riders have had more re-runs of daily life, thuss many more riding experiances to recall situations from, and how to deal pre-emptivly with situations that come up, thuss are given the edge in cautious riding and the things Cagers might throw in their way, and mabe the younger riders a bit too trusting of Cagers actions, and less likely to plan for an eventuallity or mistake they might initiate.
As for agility, the youth win hands down of course, it's just biology. You have your exceptions, but they are just that......exceptions! What the older rider lacks in agility is likely to be made up for in knowledge, riding knowledge. The younger rider is more likely to feel indestructable and thuss take many more chances which is illistrated in their riding styles and risks taken while riding. Also, between the two with their choices of bikes, the cruiser is less capable of tripple didgit than a sportbike and less likely to get one in over their skill level or ability. Drama at 140 is assuredly different than drama at 70.
So who's right here...? age and wisdom, or youth and agility? It's your call, how responsable do you want to ride, how much time wil you spend doing something you know better than doing? How many times will luck be with you? I'd say it's about 50/50:tup:
