Philjet - I think you make a good point, expounding that he will likely grab a foot full of rear brake, which could force a lower speed low side, perhaps the less of 2 evils. Guess we'll find out soon enough.
The Nighthawkers get torqued about that kind of thread because they know that bike's days are numbered. It will be tossed in the trash very soon cause you can't ride it. And then there will be one less nighthawk available for the world to enjoy (with 999,999 left, how will they cope?). I get that - it's a great bike if left mostly in stock form. I put 25,000 miles on a couple of them and really wish I had another 700s. Then there's the other side that says "it's his bike - let him do what he wants!!". I get that too.
For me, I want the guy to become a biker. A real biker. I want him to learn how to ride the right way, and then find his place in motorcycling and enjoy it. If that place is with the cruiser crowd - great. But do it the right way.
I guess I'm more of a practical pragmatic, which is a nice way of saying that, whether I like it or not, I'm quickly migrating to the ranks of the "OLD FARTS". At this particular juncture in my life, I call it like I see it. Somehow - I feel a need to share my experience. And even though I know many people don't give 2 squirts about my advice, I'm still gonna give it. A wise man (long dead) once told me "Son, never pass up a perfectly good opportunity to shut your pie hole!" I should consider that more.
Which brings me to my soapbox yesterday (and now today). I've ridden with every kind of rider there is. You name the bike - I've probably ridden with them. Riding with a new friend for the first time makes me cautious, but if they are experienced, then I'm not scared (Edit - except if it's a bunch of squids). But riding with a NEW RIDER scares the crap out of me cause I know that the stuff I posted on the NH forum is gonna happen. And I know first hand that falling hurts - a lot. I really think that everyone should start motorcycling on a well maintained, dinged and scratched, less than 500cc UJM. Just enough power to learn how to ride, form good riding habits, and then learn where you fit in the motorcycling world. Within a year, you can then sell it for $100.00 less than you paid for it, and move on.
Most people take this too personally, though. Shoot, one of my best riding buddies rides a H/D Switchback. Not my cup of tea, but a great m/c in it's own right. And it suits his riding style to a tee. On occasion, when I'm not much into carving, I'll join his group (add 2 H/D Street Glides and a softtail), and the 5 of us will let me lead (fastest bike in the front) and we have a ball riding places and eating things. Of course, we inevitably wind up at the V-2 biker bar, where I'm usually at the tail end of a few well pointed (albeit very ignorant) jokes about the correlation of exhaust sounds and performance, the definition of the term "REAL BIKE", and the like. That's no problem, as seeing the effects of gravity under the underwire, as well as a few stretched and faded tramp stamps reminds me that some decisions are forever.
But In reality, most newbies buy way over their head, and then splatter themselves quickly and if they live to tell about it, quit the hobby all together.
Enough foaming at the keyboard frm Pants....
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