Uzis and motorcycles (Hollywood or reality?)

[dustind]

My daily driver is a dirt bike (2002 honda XR400). I am very sure i could fire a handgun or subgun on the highway/interstate. I can easily get one or two hands free for long periods of time, if i installed a throttle lock, it would be really easy. Firing under heavily braking or turning would be very hard, except if i was turning and shooting to the left. Shifting without the clutch is easy to do on a bike, since the gears are always meshed.

For the last part of the orignal post, I would suggest buying used. if you want a sport bike, get a street sport bike. you may not want a race replica if this is your first motorcycle. They are very touchy, you can stand them up in corners or and do a few other bad things more easiliy than on a regular bike. If you want a cruiser, take you pick, and buy what you want, they are pretty easy to drive. Buy and wear leather, helmet (dot and snell rated), gloves, maybe boots. I would find a motorcycle message board and read all of the relevent posts for information.

 

[braindead0]

--- mounting soapbox and flameproof underwear

I'd take the helmet suggestion with a grain of salt. The only study that supports helmets 'saving lives' has been discredited by several other studies. I used to have a rather huge collection of studies and tests which found an increase in cervical spine injuries among helmet users that was far higher than the apparant decrease in head injuries. Search for Goldman and helmet (or was it goldmEn, I forget) for what I believe is the most honest report on the subject.

I had 3 doctors say the following after I got in an accident:

Neurosurgeon: "You would have been dead had you been wearing a helment, the angle you struck would have twisted the helmet (and your head) and the best possible outcome would be paralysis."

Neurophysician: "Brain injuries are always more severe with helmet users, unless you can be brought to a hospital in 5 minutes. In your case having your skill fracture (as it's designed to) relieved the pressure from swelling."

Phsychiatrist (testing for long term damage): "Permanent brain damage is always worse for those who wear helmets as the damage involves an entire hemisphere of the brain and can involve the entire brain if pressure is not relieved. "

---- climbing down from soapbox

 

[AK103K]

I'd take the helmet suggestion with a grain of salt.

You take it any way you want. I know for a fact that my face would look different now if I didnt have a full face helment on when I wrecked. The whole right side was ground down and wore the screws that hold the faceshield off. If I didnt have that helmet on, that would have been my face. You do what you want, I'll wear one. I'll also wear leathers no matter how hot it is. If it wasnt for that coat and pants, I'd have been one big scab!

 

[Penforhire]

My only bone to pick with Hal is how he says the throttle is your friend and the brake is not (will not get you out of trouble). Speed kills. Anything bad that happens to you on a bike hurts less at lower speed. Kinetic energy is proportional to velocity squared! Almost always choose the brakes over the throttle. Brakes are more powerful than the throttle (you will decelerate faster than you can accelerate). One of the only exceptions I can think of is if someone is right behind you (since you both stop and go faster than most cages).

Like others have said, loafing along on my bike in a straight line, say next to a limo or across from that Italian cafe, I could shoot as many rounds as I wanted without any driving difficulty (but I either wouldn't be looking at my targets or not look ahead).

Oh, and take that MSF class! If you are goiung to ride it may be more likely to save your life than your firearm.

 

[braindead0]

I think the reason for relying on throttle to 'get you outta trouble' comes from decades of experience driving in traffic. You are far better off having the danger in front of you than behind you, if there is any amount of traffic, using a motorcycles brakes to their full potential will get you run over by the idiot tailgating.

Perhaps it's a different story in rural areas where there isn't much traffic.

 

[AK103K]

Actually, they both have their uses. I would rather not be where the problem is happening if possible, and a lot of times that calls for throttle. If you have a hole and a clear line, I'd rather go, than to have things start coming apart around me and be stopped or to slow to move. Knowing to down shift all the time so you in a gear to go also helps. Nothing worse than expecting power to roll on and that awful engine lugging feeling is all you get, or worse, a stall. As was mentioned before, you have to drive for yourself and all those around you at the same time. Riding a bike is like carrying a gun, you ALWAYS need to be aware and look for trouble ahead of time. Even when you do, it will still find you. There is no defense for a 10 pointer that just walks out in front of you a couple of yards away.

 

[Penforhire]

The number one cause of two-vehicle motorcycle accidents is some fool turning in front of you (see the Hurt report, still valid). Speeding may or may not get you by them in time but it 100% increases the damage done in a collision.

The throttle has its uses in clearing traffic and responding to scanned threats but not so much in an accident about-to-happen. A lot of the old-timers who advocate throttle-only responses (not necessarily speaking to the posters here) will also say not to use the front brake so much. Total hogwash!

Take the MSF classes. Looks at the braking distance versus speed charts. Take the basic class and after some riding take the Advanced class. Read some of David Hough's books (highly recommend a title I think is "Proficient Motorcycling").

Buy good protective gear. You'll keep the gear longer than your first bike. Dead cow (leather) is indeed the best material to have between you and the road (jacket AND pants) but if you won't wear it on a hot day then consider the Cordura/Kevlar suits. I wear mine in all weather, which I can't say for my old leather jacket on a 100 degree day.

 

[Moondancer]

If you're looking for Sportbike info, the only place to go is:

www.motozine.com

as this used to be www.sportbikeworld.com (which will still get you there). There are to sportbikes what TFL and now THR are to guns. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

I second or third or whatever the "helmet and leather" crowd. After working LEO (reserve) and EMT (part time) I quickly found out there there ain't very many middle-of-the-road bike accidents. They are either the bumps and bruises and roadrash type or they are the "lights and siren" ambulance kind, but not much in between.

MSF class ASAP.

And to second what's already been said: the two things to remember are these -

You are almost 100% invisible.
Those few drivers that do see you hate bikes and are going to try to kill you with their cars.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Back to the shooting/riding thing, my wife and I share an Aprilia Scarabeo that we ride around the city. And yes, the same question occured to me also and I concluded that it would have to be a two person deal.

Now let's go totally Mad Max; would a shell deflector/catcher be needed for, say, the rider/'gunner' if they were firing an AR type rifle? Because the empties dinging off the drivers helmet would get annoying I think.

 

[Penforhire]

'twould be funny to see someone (in a movie) stop, rattle off a few clips worth, and then dump the bike on the pile of empty brass...

 

[Kharn]

Now let's go totally Mad Max; would a shell deflector/catcher be needed for, say, the rider/'gunner' if they were firing an AR type rifle? Because the empties dinging off the drivers helmet would get annoying I think.

If they're firing it right handed, over the driver's shoulder, I would think not, the shells would fly away from both persons. Same thing with the sidecar, the shells from most rifles would fly away from the shooter. Now a 1919 or other bottom-eject machine gun could get interesting in the sidecar. I'd go for full-length leather pants that go over the tops of my boots in that situation. Hot brass between the legs, not cool, absolutely not cool.

Kharn

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I was thinking more of the rider/gunner firing to the left of the bike, with their torso sort of twisted so the strong arm is elbow down between them and the driver.


Ok I can see where this is going.

I'll see if I can post pictures tomorrow. And no we won't leave the garage.

 

[jimbo]

Recoil from pistol ammunition would have no affect on the stability of a moving motorcyle. A motorcycle at speed is inherently stable due to the high RPM spinning of the wheels.

With some skill and much practice, I am sure the better marksman could easily fire a UZI or such gun from a moving motorcycle.

 

[CB900F]

Yohan;

Contrary to some opinions, my belief is that the first rule of survival on a motorcycle is: The ability to out-think your own right wrist. You can indeed accelerate 'faster' than you can brake. A coupla things help. Learn to ride with two finger of each hand on the brake & clutch levers. Cuts way down on the reaction time to release from the bar(s), get a grip & then squeeze. And get instruction in the fine art of counter-steering.

As for the bike itself, if you are indeed a raw beginner, my first suggestion is learn in the dirt before Dodge-em - pun intended - on the street. If that, for some reason, is not possible, I'd think about at least trying a 4-stroke single cylinder, dual purpose such a DR200 by Suzuki. They can be a lot easier to get moving because of the broader torque curve at lower rpm. The suspension will also do a better job of absorbing some of the city potholes that can make life miserable & dangerous for bikes.

As for the contention that not much can be done while riding except riding, that's true up to a point. That point does exist, but not for the vast majority of riders. Besides, if you can find a place to practice shooting from a bike that won't disturb anybody, it's the same place you should be learning to ride your dirt bike.
CB900F

 

[Monte Harrison]

Disclaimer: I don't know what I'm talking about, because I have yet to actually ride a motorcycle. At 40 years old. Yes, that's pathetic. I will some day, though!

Check out http://www.beginnerbikes.com/ .

The Ninjette comes recomended, but general consensus is that it is a bike quickly outgrown. I'm looking at a Honda Shadow 600, because anything bigger may be too much bike for me, and Harleys are too expensive and heavy to lay down. Maybe after the kids are gone, and I've outgrown the Shadow, I'll get the Softtail Standard that lives in my dreams.

 

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Ok well that didn't work.

My wife, for some reason, thought that trying out different potential shooting positions, on the motorcycle, while parked in our garage, was *silly*.


Oh well.