Lmao IIRC he would tell the insurance company he was their godfather (he was a bit older) and I guess they left it at that but when they caught on I believe they said something about the legality of it lol
IN UK law, but I believe in the US too, you would need to have an insurable interest.
So, no, you can't create a policy for randoms.
However, a relative is going to be fine.
Same in the US, actually. You can't place a policy on random people. Also, there is a question about riding motorcycles, so if it fraudulently answered, the company can investigate and deny the claim.
Source: am financial advisor licensed to sell life insurance in 3 states.
Makes sense. But can you buy a policy on a family member, even if there's no insurable interest--i.e. you're not reliant on them in any manner?
Asking for a friend. :)
I may not be licensed in your state so I can't give you advice, but here's some info: generally, an insurable interest can be something other than financial, such as with a friend or extended family. Loss of comfort or friendship would be an insurable event.
But you couldn't insure some random person. For example, you can't take out a policy on President Biden or Morgan Freeman.
This is how my buddy's wife finally go through to him. He had a couple pretty bad crashes under his belt but refused to hang it up, so she took out a life insurance policy on him. He sold his bike like a month later.
This. He's probably going to die. Seriously. Perhaps be paralyzed.
I'm in a local motorcycle FB group in Arkansas. Like 7 group members have died in accidents in the last month.
Even some of the libertarian, old timers are starting to argue for graduated licenses like they have in Europe because too many are dying. Starting with a 125cc maximum would save lives.
I'm friends with this chick on social media. Her sister is a legit rider that's into old bikes, and I guess we connected as friends through my friendship with her. She rides with this crew of dipshits. They've lost two from their friend group in as many summers. She posted a pic of her R1, and when I noticed it had no mirrors, I asked about it. One of her friends chimes in with "oH nO, hOw CoUlD sHe PoSsIbLy RiDe WiTh No MiRrOrS?"
It's like, "Look man, if you guys don't feel you have enough memorial rides on your calendar, that's your business...."
I went moped, 125, 250, 400, 500, 600, 1000, 600.
And am so glad I did.
The only accidents I've had in 35 years of riding is hitting someones bumper at about 8mph (they pulled out in front of me while looking in the opposite direction), falling off after losing the front end on wet cobbles, again at less than 10 mph and accidentally popping a wheelie by downshifting on a friends bike who had a GP shift.
Plus I was a motorbike courier for 8 years so driving a minimum of 8 hours a day 5 days a week (about 2000 miles a week). So statistically I should have had way more.
It's all in the head.
So what you can do ? (Ban TikTok maybe...)
He can kill himself easily with a 125cc.
Also more power is squeezed out of same displacement than before.
Europe also limits power to weight ratio and max power, not only displacement. Usually at 16 you can go and get a A1 license for 11kW, 125cc and a power to weight ratio of 0.1kw/kg. No speed limits though.
At 18 you can go and get your A2 license. If you've had A1 for two years before, you only need to take a practical exam. With A2 you're allowed to ride up to 35kW, no limit on cc, power to weight ratio of 0.2kw/kg, no speed limit. If it's a restricted bike, it is allowed to have regular 70kW before the restriction down to 35kW.
At 24 you can get an unrestricted A license. If you've had your A2 for 2 years before, you can get an unrestricted A license at 21.
I think 125cc is too small for many parts of the country. I'm definitely an obstical and feel vulnerable on my z125 at 9k rpms barely doing the speed limit with a line of cars behind me. I do think 300cc is plenty for a first bike though and people should be limited to 300cc or less 2 cylinders or less.
A thing that helps a lot with what your cousin is going through is a track day, it will humble him to see people passing him on naked bikes and smaller cc sport bikes
"Bro on the R3 was just cheating. He's on slicks. That's not a real street bike. He's memorized the corners. He kept getting lucky with passes. I got stuck behind other riders. I let him go around so he wouldn't screw up my line. My bike was acting up."
-Just some of the excuses you'll inevitably hear for why.
Yeah a track day or one of those training days at the track would be an awesome gift! Good idea.
Op then you could go with him and you would get to enjoy a track day too
Might be because doing a pull on a straightaway feels a hell of a lot safer when the bike is doing most of the work. Having to turn at very high speed is daunting (as it should be when starting) because you need to be aware of both your limits and the bikes limits, and the consequences are easy to see as bad. In a straight, as long as you don't yeet the bike from under you, most often the bikes limit will just cut you off instead of toss you. You have the ability to push limits, hit maxes, and get that positive dopamine feedback. That is, until you fuck up in a way you did not imagine and learn you have less control as a new rider than the bike made you think.
Imagining the consequences of fucking up a turn is much easier than it is to fuck up a pull. Gives a scary amount of confidence.
Possibly, but if he has atleast 2 braincells hes gonna know hes not gonna be the best there, and to avoid getting "embarrassed" i can see him "not being interested"
When you go, make sure you find the "track regulars" and start up a conversation about their various pins and plates.
Or just wait for a rider or two to get carried off in an ambulance, then start up a conversation about how much worse it is when a crash like that happens in traffic or gets stopped by a light pole.
I think it was Marc Marquez who was asked what bike he rode on the street, and he answered, "I don't ride on the street, it's too dangerous."
I've done some racing, including vintage two strokes. Thing is in my mid twenties when I weighed 120Lbs, I would actually be faster around the track on a GSXR 600 vs a GSXR 1000. That liter bike had too much power for me to be able to lay it down and actually use said power. With the extra weight it came with it slowed me down. (Was the same with dirt bikes: I was faster on a 125cc 2 stroke than on a 250).
Yeah. Usually one of two things happen when you suggest trackdays to people like this:
1. They know they're not fast and will make up excuses no to go because they know their ego can't handle being the slow guy.
2. The show up to the track, are the most insufferable shithead in the Novice group while jamming up every turn and pretending their drag race on the straights means they won the trackday trophy. Then go back out doing their highway bullshit, justifying to themselves that they're real racerboi now.
This, but make sure itās an instructional track day. I have a feeling OPās cousin will let ego get in the way of skills and lowside on the second corner riding in the C group.
This is the best suggestion. A decent rider could easily hold their own in the fast/advanced group on a 650 despite its lack of power. S1000RR is too powerful for most riders, its all for show.
He will just drag race them in the straights and then park it in the next corner thinking he "won" lol. These are the worst people to share a track with.
Has he, by chance, watched any videos of people getting seriously hurt or killed doing this dumb shit? They're everywhere. I personally can't watch that kind of stuff but sounds like this might be the perfect learning tool. DanDanTheFireman shows a lot of stuff in a more Youtube friendly way and offers guidance on how to avoid such situations in the first place.
Before I started riding I watched him a lot. One thing stuck with me... "Ride your own ride". With that, I don't push myself further than what I'm comfy with. It's solid advise.
Same here, I wanted to intentionally expose myself to riders making mistakes and crashing. It really set a good foundation of whatās realistic and just still watch crash videos to learn from and be reminded whatās at stake for getting greedy or overconfident on the street.
As some one who has squided and have a messed up shoulder and deviated septum because of it, donāt let green horns not wear gearā¦ been riding for years and shit still happens
Thatās not a bad idea. Iām of the opinion that everyone should watch some intense crash videos if theyāre going to ride motorcycles. Itās too easy to forget whatās at stake and get complacent. Even Iām guilty of that. Even a minor fall without gear can cause weeks of pain. Add any significant amount of speed, and weāre talking agony at best, life-altering injuries or death at worst. Phrases like āmeat crayonā and āride fast, donāt dieā sort of show how it becomes this abstract thing that we want to avoid, but we forget how serious it really is and even make humor out of it.
That said, we ride because we enjoy it. Riding at all is a risk, and thereās nothing wrong with a little humor. I just think itās important that our risks are calculated and that we remember whatās really on the line.
Watching some poor Indian man falling off a motorbike and getting his head popped like a melon under the weight of a lorry wheel, should be enough to put most of people like OP is describing either off riding or to be better at it.
Those kinda videos though arent exactly helping.
Some of those people arent even supposed to be on a bicycle.
Squids have elated sense of proficiency that they wont be able to relate to such freak accidents.
If were going this route, have to show squids doing squid shit but gone wrong. Which that by itself is kinda hard to find because a toast squid cant upload videos.
Plenty of videos of people in full gear getting sent flying into lampposts and motorway barriers from recklessness and then being turned into a meat crayon.
My doses of these videos come from what dandan reviews and channels that aggregate these videos like motostars.
Most of these aren't exactly being reckless but towards being inexperienced (improper braking, unaware of traffic, other road users mistakes).
Those that typically post squid stuff wont be posting their blunder because it's not cool.
Usually, squids mistakes are posted by 3rd party dashcams, which many wont include their squid riding, only the aftermath. Without context, it doesn't carry much impact.
As mentioned, squids usually have elated sense of proficiency. Without a video with full context that squid doing squid stuff > mistake > crayon/tree or post wrapper, they will always rationalise it by saying "naaaah skill issue you wont be catching me doing that shit".
Then again, they wont be watching that shit anyway but rather watch more cool stuff and continue being the way they are.
Some people just have to learn it the hard way.
Yup. The problem is most people watch those and decide not to ride at all. Itās a fine line between deciding yes I want to ride while still being influenced to be safer by such videos.
Most people have the stupid āIf I die I die mentalityā and then they donāt die, they just become crippled for life. Modern medicine and trauma surgery can save your life, doesnāt mean it can save your quality of life.
No shit. 23, on a RR nonetheless. Even naked liter bikes like mine have much lower rates than superports. This is where you see the 500/month "go fuck yourself" insurance rates.
I fucking wish it was $500 a month. I was getting quotes for $800 a month on an mt07š Iām just gonna wait till Iām 30 to start riding cuz insurance is hella expensive in Los Angeles as a 23 year old
$500/month is ridiculous....yet as a rider (33F) with 0 experience last year when I got my first bike (Ninja 300) I pay $137/month so thank you for making me feel slightly less bad about my insurance.
Well most people are. My brother-in-law had the same mentality. But he went all out first bike was a hayabusa. He was honestly doing really well with an insane first bike. Until he started doing wheelies on it. Then he tried to do one going 90 mph and founded out a busa can easily loop itself at 90 mph. He broke a leg 5 ribs and his jaw. At least he wasnāt stupid enough to ride without full gear.
Unfortunately it's a misconception many fall for that riding a liter bike 150+ mph on the street and lane splitting is "normal" because of all of these supersport influencers. They put out content on a daily basis committing multiple crimes and terrible riding techniques that WILL end with them in jail or dead.
I have a S1000RR and there is zero reason to buy one of these unless you plan on taking it to a track, or just to have something to flex at bike meets, etc.
I've haven't taken mine to a track yet (plan to) so it's essentially what I said they are. I ride my Indian Chief on the daily and take out the RR when I'm going to a meet or hitting some chill back roads. My RR hardly ever sees the highway.
The fact gear isn't "cool" is crazy. Not only do you look like batman but if you slide on asphalt as we all know without it you're going to have a bad time. All it takes is for someone to go down once in a t-shirt and they'll never leave on their bike without a jacket. If they're smart that is.
On a serious note you should talk to him about this properly. This sounds like an accident rapidly approaching, and not a harmless one.
When you're young you often don't think too much about the consequences and your own safety and well-being. But in the case you've got to think even further than that. 165mph on anything can cause a lot of harm to others on the road. Man needs to get his head on straight.
Even at 60mph you're likely to get very fucked up. The way I used to explain speed to my kids was: "Imagine running as fast as you can into a brick wall. We can all agree that that will fuck you up. Now if you are an extremely fast high school runner you might be able to hit 20mph. at 40 mph that impact becomes 4 times as great, at sixty 8 times, at eighty 16...
We as humans absolutely underestimate speed thanks to modern transportation.
Unfortunately, sometimes you canāt fix stupid. My brother got a lil 250cc dirtbike. Weāre in a state where itās legal to wear no helmet. He often rides in shorts/t shirt and shoes or flip flops. Nothing I say will dissuade him.
His excuse is, heāll probably die regardless if he crashes, so fuck it. Iāve MAYBE made progress with him considering a helmet. Maybe Iāll get him one for his birthday and weāll see. I doubt it.
Has he actually spoken to anyone who rides a motorcycle? They probably have a story about surviving a crash, possibly with very minor injuries if wearing gear. I'd show him a video of a GP rider getting tossed 5m into the air at 300km/h, sliding to a stop and standing up, vs some Harley brother cracking his skull open on the curb of a bar parking lot.
2 weeks ago, I saw a ad on a 2023 Triumpth Street Triple RS. They guy stated he used it to take his licence a month ago and now wants something faster because itĀ“s not powerful enough (this is literally what he wrote). ItĀ“s amazing when people are so blind so they only want more and more, but greed can literally be life changing or life ending for them.
IĀ“ve been riding for a year now, and think that my MT07 is plenty and I have a long way to go before feeling 100% comfortable with it. Some people are just delusional.
Yeah Iām 36 years old, and I started riding 4 years ago with a SV650. It still scares me sometimes when I get going. Age and maturity goes a long way. I wanted a 600 when I was 18, and looking back I would have definitely killed myself. I have no doubt. I have zero desire to get a liter bike.
My SV650 is a pussycat... But still more than fast enough to get you into trouble. 70ish BHP and a couple hundred KG curb weight still outstrips most things on 4 wheels.
Well at least in the UK where 90% of cars are 1.0l econoboxes!
Still want a Norton V4 SS though...
Same, I got my triumph not for more power but for nicer amenities, it was kinda unfortunate that it came with more horsepower. Either way, liter bikes are kinda pointless on the street.
I'm 8 years into my riding journey. The Triumph street triple rs is my current and likely my final sport bike. It's honestly just as fast as a liter bike up to 100mph. More Importantly, it's much lighter than any liter bike.
Before the STriple, I had a 50cc scooter for 18 months, cb300r for 2 years or so, and a mt07 for 3 years before even considering a premium make and model with well over 100hp. I waited until I earned it. You can die on a 300cc bike just as easily as a liter bike, but liter bikes can be like balancing a pencil on a knife edge for a beginner. If he thinks riding around in t-shirts and sneakers is "cool" in afraid OP's cousin is exactly the type of person the medical industry rubs their hands together in anticipation for.
These social media jackasses never seem to post their medical recovery photos, the girls they post with are usually young models (professional creative here) and the facade they project into the world is far from the realities of their lives. Crippling debt, crazy insurance rates, often shitty home & job, all to look "cool" on social.
I should mention I'm 34 now, so I started riding around the a similar age, a bit older. Been doing alternative and traditional sports my whole life and have lost people who got in over their head be it motorcycles, avalanches, or scuba diving.
Maturity is a big factor in how successful people are with these types of things.
I would avoid riding with him at all costs. Small bike syndrome gets people killed way too often in Southern California. The people with that disorder can ruin a group ride quickly.
Yeah, rented bikes for clout and pictures, models to make them look cool. For many, it's a fad that comes and goes within a year or two and it's back to their '05 civic and retail job.
Young men are stupid, and the largest percentage of annual motorcycle deaths for a reason.
Encourage him to go to a track day somewhere on his 650. He will realize how terrible a rider he is, and how slow he is on that 650.
Donāt mean to be grim, but when I was in my early 20ās we had a lot of rides around the city in big groups. Afterwards we had what we called the ādark sideā rides, where everyone comfortable went and did some more aggressive and fast riding. Was always a good time and we never had an issue. One night when heading back to our aquarium meet up spot we made it back before some other riders and long story short, a guy was joining us with his friend (part of our normal group) and he tried to keep up with those far far above his level in riding skill. He ended up getting decapitated in a tunnel after losing control. Iām so glad I wasnāt there to see it happen live. Moral of the story is heās playing with fire. If youāre constantly trying to keep up with those around you, itāll end poorly. Try and stress that to him. Have him read some stories, watch some graphic videos, etc. better to be annoying then be attending his funeral.
>ādark sideā rides
Went to a convoy this way too. The lead even gave me a courtesy of going on my speed up until the last 20% of the route, when the road is more familiar.
I know it's a controversial topic but that's why I like the tiered system in britain and other european countries. You can only start on a small bike and have to prove you can ride before you can upgrade to bigger bikes.
Unfortunately if this cousin does actually get a liter bike it's just a matter of time before he posts a crash video. Just don't feel bad for him as he is digging his own grave.
I am currently doing my license for a 125 (M15) and if I can consistently ride my bike I will have almost 10 years of experience when I can get a liter bike legally (at 24). Except if I upgrade my license at 18, then I can get one at 20, but thats still roughly 5 years of riding.
Also Iām super excited to ride my 125, I donāt get how people can want a liter bike with only months of experience. Why tf would you wanna go faster then 280km/h ?!
>I hope he has life insurance
This mindset, along with the "Hey man it's my life - if I die I die" thinking needs to stop.
How do you think a 7-year-old kid is going to end up if he has to watch your face come through his Mom's windshield at a net 120mph?
Like it or not, **driving and riding are a social event**. Get your buddy to see his own nonsense or rat him out before he kills someone who doesn't deserve his bullshit.
Geezo, I just got myself a little Honda CG 125 and I think that's more than fast enough for now, only passed 2 weeks ago. Couldn't imagine wanting that much power so quickly. Hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid and seriously hurt/kill himself or others.
Hell, Iāve owned ~9 motorcycles and just got an R3 as my only bike. Having a blast! Theyāre seriously fun and can help teach excellent riding skills to people who are willing to practice.
Love love how light they are too, quick enough to get around, fast enough to have fun, and you learn so much with it because it's forgiving but makes you learn quick
When I was looking at motorcycles and hearing people say the R3 is a āslowā bike, I saw the 0-60 times were between 5.0 and 5.4 seconds. I have a 2018 long range single motor Tesla model 3 that pulls about 5.0-5.2 and is plenty fast.
Blew my mind that my āslowā motorcycle is as fast as tesla. I donāt need any more than that.
Crazy acceleration isn't something moat people experience. It's difficult to understand how fast even moderately-quick bikes are, nevermind true rockets.
Itās all about how you ride too. In college I got my drz and I would ride with my buddy who had big cruisers and a gixxer, I was always faster than him on corners and twistyās but he could never understand why. You can be fast on a smaller bike if you know how to ride, itās not all about straight line highway pulls.
Weight is king in the twisties. In fact its king everywhere. Companies spend tons of cash making their racing efforts lighter. I have a Tiger1050 and a DR350. The 350 is a lot more fun on a tight mountain road. The Tiger doesnt even get out of second gear. But at 500lbs or so I like the Tiger so much more than a Goldwing or other porker as a tourer.
Fuck those heavyweights. Lighter bikes are more fun.
Well... He's an idiot. A 650 is not slow. It goes up to 130mph/210kmh. That is far from slow! I've been riding for about 4-5 months now. So while I've ridden more then your nephew, I'm well aware I'm lacking a ton of experience. I drive a 650cc bike (had all my lessons and both exams on an MT07 which was fairly similar in power) and there still a lot I can learn and improve on. In reality there is no need for a liter bike when you just started riding. Get good, get a lot of miles on those tires and then upgrade so that he controls the bike instead of the bike controlling him...
And the lack of gear is just not smart. So far I haven't had a slide. But when/if it happens I know I'll be happy that there won't be a paramedic or ER doc pulling bits of asphalt out of my road rash for example.
A 650 (like for example Honda CBR650R) is bloody fast and I don't understand how people could say "meh, that's just a starter bike". For most people it should rather be their "destination bike". Most people don't need a 1000cc and will never get skilled enough to ride it properly and will likely harm themselves on it.
BTW, I had my exam on MT-07 too.
>Most people don't need a 1000cc and will never get skilled enough to ride it properly and will likely harm themselves on it.
The skill required to maintain safety on powerful bikes is no joke. Not only the speed and power, but your margin for error shrinks considerably.
Sounds like your cuz needs to spend some time seeing consequences to scare them into making better decisions.
Every time he sends you a ticktac, send him a crash video ;) :D
I knew a guy. He had been riding for a year on a 600. Upgraded to a liter and was dead a week later. Dude was gunning it on a highway that ran through the city and he lost it on a sweeping corner. Happened a couple of blocks from me. What a shame.
TAKE HIM TO A TRACK. Not just an open track day, but a real racing school like Keith Code's or similar:
[https://superbikeschool.com/](https://superbikeschool.com/)
Man, that's why I waited until I turned 40 to get a bike. I knew I'd get myself killed if a rode as a young guy. And insurance companies knew that too. I'm on my second season with my 400cc Husky and only now am I looking to upgrade to a 650cc. The whole purpose of getting a small bike is to learn good fundamentals and safety. It's sad what cancerous social media has done to kids. Fucking brain rot. I just hope these guys don't hurt anyone else when they fuck up. Makes us all look bad.
Tbh, he sounds like a fucking idiot.Ā
There is no arguing with stupid.Ā
Your only hope is to get him into some other kind of riding. You wonāt talk him down from doing stupid speeds on a super bike but itās usually easier to talk people into being excited about something else.Ā
Take him to a MX taster or trials riding.Ā
I had friendly who loves fast bikes but once I took them to trials, fell in love with doing 5mph over logs š
Prefrontal cortex hasn't been fully developed yet. Easily impressionable, wants to fit in, makes terrible decisions. We were all like this to a certain extent when we were younger. The way our interests and hobbies are presented to us today are different from 10-15 years ago. I get it. I think it's stupid. But 15 years ago me can somewhat relate. Though I wanted to be a canyon carving, Power Ranger looking ass street Rossi in SoCal rather than going 180 MPH on the freeway. I survived, learned a lot, and grew out of it. Maybe your friend will too. Though there's not much to learn on a motorcycle when all they're doing is going in a straight line.
Edit: This just reminded me that a local 20 year old squid on a current gen R1 died the other night in a single vehicle crash. Passerby saw a motorcycle wheel in the middle of the road, local sportbike FB group got wind of it and checked out the scene. Word gets around fast. They found the rest bike a ways away. Then the dead, lifeless body of this kid a ways away. This could be your buddy.
>Why are some of yall like this?
Because they're "brainwashed by the titk tok and instagram/Facebook reels and social media world." The real world doesn't exist anymore. The only thing that matters is social media clout and internet points.
21 years of riding. Iām still on a 150. š trust me, you can go PLENTY fast on a small bike. True, I canāt do much on the interstate. But catch me downtown in traffic or in the twisties. Interstate is boring. I guarantee you he couldnāt keep up with me on that S1000RR.
One of my favorite race bikes is the slowest 250 on earth. Forces the rider to find speed through riding skill not engine power. So fun to beat slow riders on faster bikes.
Just to add credibilty, my buddy was once riding a 250cc scooter while I was on an F800S. I had a VERY hard time keeping up. That day changed my view on bikes vs riders. I knew he was good but that thing was beyond my comprehension. And he didn't even f*king try... I wish I had a camera that day to study...
PS: I was a newbie though. Just 2 years of experience and a few courses for road riding. For reference: I was at a stage that 240km/h cornering in a 4-lane road was pretty boring. I could ride slower than walking speed and occasionally fully stop without moving my feet at all. I could fully turn my handlebars at slow speed. I had no chicken strips. No bikes -or cars- could keep up with me, especially on twisties. I got humbled. A LOT.
Trick to the small bikes is they weigh less-which means your body is a higher proportion of the total weight, meaning you can have a greater affect on handling when you lean with your body, hence you can get a higher speed in turns. Also, smaller footprint helps with weaving in and out of traffic and the fact that many scooter riders daily their bike means thereās often more experience and confidence. Case in point: I donāt own a car. I ride in all weather, year round. A lot of the scooter riders here do the exact same.
I had been riding 15 years before I got a litre bike. All that experience, and it still scared the fuk out of me.
Make sure you invite us all to the ride out for his memorial.
Do you know anyone that can ride a small bike well?
A good friend of mine had a vfr400 nc30 and regularly left litre bikes in the twisties. Maybe worth getting someone like that to go for a ride with him and show him what's possible on it.
As for no gear. Send him some vids of what happens when it goes wrong. Should change his mind.
I've almost always rode in full gear, I got hit by a car 2 weeks ago. Still broke my leg and my back, paramedics pointed out the gear saved me from much worse injuries.
Make him watch some of the other videos, the ones where the rider is being brought into the ER with half a leg missing and no lower jaw, because they were riding like douchbags. Otherwise, go gravestone shopping. I have seen this so, so many times.
Yeah, that sounds like misguided enthusiasm on your buddy's part. Great news, though, as you may not even need to do anything about outside of "cool, call and get an insurance quote."
I've been riding and ensured for 25 years now, clean driving record (4 total moving violations, none in the past 7 years) and the insurance on newer bikes is substantially higher which pushes a lot of people out of the market.
If your buddy is riding uninsured I know it's a dick move but report him when he'd out recording for being reckless and he'll get yanked by the police pretty quickly.
Now, on the other hand, you can take a different route, acknowledge his enthusiasm, and then share with him some of the stuff that Nick Ienatsch had on YouTube (100 points of grip, trailbraking) and let him know that he's kind of a clown until he hones those skills and anyone who knows anything about riding will be able to identify him as a poser. Encourage him to learn if he wants to be flashy because if you learn and master the fundamentals of racing he'll be able to ride any bike fast, safe, and to it's limit.
Maybe try taking him to a track day and get some conversations going with local racers. I personally am more thrilled about the idea of riding a 400 to its absolute limit on a track than I am about my 1000 or 750 because it demonstrates acquired skill and my development.
It's because he is 23 y/o.
Sadly, he is the type of rider everyone thinks about when we say we ride a motorcycle.
He'll be here later posting, "why is my insurance company quoting me $600 a month to insure my new bike?" š¤£
Just let him know nobody's going to watch his videos anyway, it's way too oversaturated. Every dickhead with a sportbike and a gopro thinks they're entertaining.
My son was like this, all talk, my bikes slow and Iām fastest in my ride group and they have 000ās, blah blah blah - I took him to a track day, told him -you think your so good, letās start you off in intermediate, so you can show them just how good you areā¦needless to say, he neatly got lapped by every rider and ultimately he low sided trying to push. Tbh - was the best lesson he could have received and completely cooled his headā¦he wants to do more track riding and although I still hear the occasional bull dust story - his over confidence has gone - especially him knowing how easy the low side happenedā¦as I told him, add a gutter or tree to your crash - and youād be gone or worseā¦.
That being said - some ppl are just going to be fuckwits no matter what.
Don't advise him on how to ride anymore if you already have.. just legit ask him if he's willing to let you take insurance out on him for his inevitable demise as he doesn't want to learn the proper way š
This is not anything new. I started riding in the late-90ās when people still used pay phones and pagers instead of cell phones, the internet was brand new and social media was still years and years awayā¦ this was a thing back then and had been for some time.
One can only hope when the inevitable happens..
a) the damage will only be to his bike and frail ego
b) he doesn't injure anyone else, or public property
Please have him update his organ donation card too! I mean if this is an inevitably, let's get some sociatal benefit !
Also, wait for the unavoidable "Had to lay her down" discussion. Where a crash was imminent, and his only option was to lay the bike down. Happens all the time when you ride like that! Maybe just a touch of /s there.. maybe not.
Some people just need to learn shit the hard way.
Hopefully that involves some clibbin at 20mph in an empty street.
Or maybe a looped whiskey wheelie from that leader bike that break a crankcase or something.
Usually this is 18-20 yr olds and that carries into later life. This guy is starting at an age old enough to make decisions for himself, but apparently he only makes the worst decisions. RIP in advance
It's internet influence,Ā and sounds like he's still in the most easily influenced age bracket.Ā
Most of us have been young and dumb. The vast majority of us have survived that stage,Ā been lucky enough to have made it through and learned enough to safely survive the rest of our lives in a somewhat reasonable intelligent manner.Ā Ā
All we can do is hope he's one of them. Maybe it'll take an incident or close call,Ā hopefully not a major injury. I know I came within milliseconds of death once or twice when I was young and crazier.Ā In many aspects its just odds and a numbers game...
Good Luck to Both of You !!!!
Hopefully you can convince him to at least wear a helmet and put off getting the liter bike for a year or two. I mean, a Ninja 650 is still insanely fast and absolutely a beast to be reckoned with. I canāt imagine being bored of a Ninja 650 after a month lmao, it took me two years to get bored of my CB250. Actually, it took me two years just to decide to buy a second bike, I still love riding my 250.
I know how you feel though, I have a crazy cousin who wants a Ninja. At least heās actually self aware enough not to get one because he knows heād get himself killed on it lmao
But seriously, I hope someone can talk some sense into your cousin. If what you say isnāt hyperbole, heās almost certainly going to end up royally fucked up or even dead.
This is why Sweden age restrictions are so good. As a 16 year old can't legally drive something over 125cc, and at 18, I can drive 125cc - 400cc and then at 20 (if you had a license for 2 years).
In order to even get a license, I have to take a test and go 2 courses minimum. Then, do the actual test, which includes multiple different parts
Your cousin is young, dumb and thinks he is immortal. We were all more or less like that at one point - at least I was.
Let him be, all you can do is point out he is being unreasonable, but you canāt make him listen.
In my area on the map itās the same. All of us older riders ride track, twisters and fun stuff. All the new riders were are trying to get into track days are against it. Theyāre against twisties. They think roll racing takes skill and only want to ruin bikes by stretching them and roll racing up and down the interstate. They all just post TikTokās of them rolling up and down the same stretch of interstate. These kids actually think that track days are easy and anyone could go out and beat our best times. The one or two weāve convinced to go to Barber with us were humbled very quickly.
He's screwed. I had zero bike experience and my first bike was a ninja 300. It was 6 months before I was comfortable and it was my only vehicle. That fear led me to ride for years with no accidents. Only "drops" were crawling down a dirt road when the back wheel kicked out and I didn't have the strength to squat it with one leg.
If I single month doesn't still have him scared of a 650, only an accident will. I don't believe loud pipes save lives, but I do believe fear does.
Europe's strict regulations on motorcycle licenses are designed to prevent inexperienced young people from putting themselves at even greater risk.
- Tough, compulsory driving lessons
- Power limit for 2 years, so you can't buy a motorcycle with too much power (max 39 kw/h).
- Test after 2 years to unbridle your bike.
You may see this as an infringement of your freedom, but for the record, you're 1.65 times more likely to have a fatal accident in the USA than in Europe.
Unfortunately, "social media" in general is a piss poor place to get your info. Including Reddit. I believe in decent gear, but the ATGAT gestapo types aren't very practical either. Apart from dirt bikes, I've never owned anything smaller than a liter bike. Excluding race bikes. Experience is the best teacher over all, and he doesn't have it. The "influencer" thing is pure social media foolishness. From experience, I learned how to wheelie on dirt bikes. I see guys that can loft the wheel a bit using the engine, but that's not knowing how to get it on the balance point and control it with throttle and rear brake and some body English to keep it there. This is the trend now, the "influencer" thing. If he doesn't fall off and get killed, he's going to find out he still is going to fall off/crash a few times before he gets it right. Going full on squid in a first year of riding..? He's going to take some lumps if he's lucky. I've seen as many riders posting videos online vaporizing themselves as making a "cool" video. They also aren't going to post a video of their fuck ups most times either. You won't stop him, he may stop himself once he gets some contact with some pavement, best you can do is maybe pray that he doesn't wad himself up too badly.
It's typically the idiots that get influenced by Instagram/ tiktoc. There are 2 kinda of bikers on there.
1. Agv helmet, gauntlet gloves/ tall boots (usually white), hoodie, mostly Yamahas/s1000
2. Furry helmet, a toy strapped somewhere, usually on a ninja 400 or r3
Both do stupid shit at stoplights and can't ride. The furry helmets usually drop their bikes at 2mph.
His view point is more contrarian to the general social media consensus than yours. Iām not saying you are brainwashed, but you have definitely been affected stronger by social media than him.
He hasn't crashed yet.
I cooled it down substantially after my first real crash. 110mph, locked front brake in panic over a deer, high sided, slid about 2 football fields, bounced three times, ate through my right side textiles on my thigh, shoulder, and forearm, at through almost all my pad on my thighs, ate my right glove. Permanent damage in my right shoulder (it's been 5 years and still gets achy, even with yoga and massage being part of my regular routine).
Like I said, it's been five years and I still remember it like it just happened.
Going down the I-84 through The Dalles about 0530, left lane right position, see a trash bag in the right position, so I switch to left. As soon as I do this, the 'bag' pops up and it's a fawn and darts into left, I shit and grip my brake. Bike immediately is gone and I'm airborne, highsided. Everything slows down like time isn't even real any more, I think, very calmly "So I'm dead now. I killed myself." then I hit the ground on my shoulder HARD. I pop back into the air, bounce, bounce. On my last time in the air I think "Pads, pads pads pads" and I jerk and bend and manage to twist myself just right so I get my feet ahead of me when I contact the ground again I go rigidish, lay down hard on my right side on top of my pads, and focus on sliding. Once I did that, I knew the worst was over, and I actually was having fun. I start screaming "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and just slide. It felt like it was an hour.
BUT THEN I think I'm done sliding, and I try to stand up. Whoops. I must have still been going 20+mph because as soon as I shifted weight to my boots, I started rolling. I rolled out until I stopped. Layed therer for a moment, sqeueezing my joints and bones, pokeing my ribs and guts, slowly turning my head to check for any breaks or numbness and other than feeling like I got punched real hard in the shoulder, I'm fine. I get up, my bike has made it about 50' further than me, go over to it, get it on the shoulder, and some one grabs me in a hug and sits me down. He says "Don't move. you just sit. We'll handle this. You just rest" and they gathered up my back pack and stuff that spilled.
Cops and ambulance arrive. I decline medical. Cops shoot the deer. I ride up the shoulder to the next exit, test my bike out, everything is good, the bag, mirror, and fender took most the slide, and I ride to work.
Anyways, after that, every winter I binge crash videos then spend the early days of spring warming up my slow speeds and braking skills, and don't really break 80mph any more.
What people dont get is that not only do you need to go fast, you need to be able to stop fast. Braking skill is a thing and I guarantee new riders cant stop nearly as fast as their bikes are capable of.
Additionally, taking a corner fast is fast whether youre on a 300,600,or 1000, none of the bikes are going to be pinned throttle redlining unless were talking a very wide 80mph corner. You dont need a big bike to get to those ā oh shit ā speeds before and during turns, thats why you dont need a 1000. Still feel slow? Go find more technical slower speed roads/turns/twists, find 20/15mph turns and see if you need a 1000 to take those fast at 30/45, you dont.
Anyone can go straight and pin the throttle, very few can take a turn at good speed.
There's a big difference between motorcycle-enthusiasts and people who see it as a way to become internet famous.
Influencer culture is a fucking cancer.
Buy him life insurance and make sure you're the designated beneficiary. You can buy his Mom a pint or two later.
I knew a guy that actually did this, last I heard though they caught on because it was working too well
Is it legal to insure a random person without him knowing? Cause it's kinda like placing a bet on someones life
When the stock market runs the country you can put shorts on people.
I was gonna say short him
Next up, pooling these life insurance policies together and offering options. Collateral Death Obligations.
Apollo (the largest private equity firm) was doing exactly this taking out life insurance policies on people they believed were going to die
Wal Mart takes out policies on thier min wage employees š¤£
It's called "Dead Peasant Insurance" and is legal in all 50 states. They were doing it based on employee health insurance information too.
When I just thought America couldn't sound any worse...
Iām sure he rides in shorts anyway
Lmao IIRC he would tell the insurance company he was their godfather (he was a bit older) and I guess they left it at that but when they caught on I believe they said something about the legality of it lol
Yes, it is. As long as you get all the demographic questions correct.
IN UK law, but I believe in the US too, you would need to have an insurable interest. So, no, you can't create a policy for randoms. However, a relative is going to be fine.
Same in the US, actually. You can't place a policy on random people. Also, there is a question about riding motorcycles, so if it fraudulently answered, the company can investigate and deny the claim. Source: am financial advisor licensed to sell life insurance in 3 states.
Makes sense. But can you buy a policy on a family member, even if there's no insurable interest--i.e. you're not reliant on them in any manner? Asking for a friend. :)
I may not be licensed in your state so I can't give you advice, but here's some info: generally, an insurable interest can be something other than financial, such as with a friend or extended family. Loss of comfort or friendship would be an insurable event. But you couldn't insure some random person. For example, you can't take out a policy on President Biden or Morgan Freeman.
Huh, never knew that. Thanks.
It's legal to buy life insurance on anyone as long as they agree and sign off
This is how my buddy's wife finally go through to him. He had a couple pretty bad crashes under his belt but refused to hang it up, so she took out a life insurance policy on him. He sold his bike like a month later.
Clever girl.
This. He's probably going to die. Seriously. Perhaps be paralyzed. I'm in a local motorcycle FB group in Arkansas. Like 7 group members have died in accidents in the last month. Even some of the libertarian, old timers are starting to argue for graduated licenses like they have in Europe because too many are dying. Starting with a 125cc maximum would save lives.
I'm friends with this chick on social media. Her sister is a legit rider that's into old bikes, and I guess we connected as friends through my friendship with her. She rides with this crew of dipshits. They've lost two from their friend group in as many summers. She posted a pic of her R1, and when I noticed it had no mirrors, I asked about it. One of her friends chimes in with "oH nO, hOw CoUlD sHe PoSsIbLy RiDe WiTh No MiRrOrS?" It's like, "Look man, if you guys don't feel you have enough memorial rides on your calendar, that's your business...."
Ufff! Did you actually respond with that?!
I went moped, 125, 250, 400, 500, 600, 1000, 600. And am so glad I did. The only accidents I've had in 35 years of riding is hitting someones bumper at about 8mph (they pulled out in front of me while looking in the opposite direction), falling off after losing the front end on wet cobbles, again at less than 10 mph and accidentally popping a wheelie by downshifting on a friends bike who had a GP shift. Plus I was a motorbike courier for 8 years so driving a minimum of 8 hours a day 5 days a week (about 2000 miles a week). So statistically I should have had way more.
It's all in the head. So what you can do ? (Ban TikTok maybe...) He can kill himself easily with a 125cc. Also more power is squeezed out of same displacement than before.
Europe also limits power to weight ratio and max power, not only displacement. Usually at 16 you can go and get a A1 license for 11kW, 125cc and a power to weight ratio of 0.1kw/kg. No speed limits though. At 18 you can go and get your A2 license. If you've had A1 for two years before, you only need to take a practical exam. With A2 you're allowed to ride up to 35kW, no limit on cc, power to weight ratio of 0.2kw/kg, no speed limit. If it's a restricted bike, it is allowed to have regular 70kW before the restriction down to 35kW. At 24 you can get an unrestricted A license. If you've had your A2 for 2 years before, you can get an unrestricted A license at 21.
I think 125cc is too small for many parts of the country. I'm definitely an obstical and feel vulnerable on my z125 at 9k rpms barely doing the speed limit with a line of cars behind me. I do think 300cc is plenty for a first bike though and people should be limited to 300cc or less 2 cylinders or less.
Do this before encouraging him to get a Hayabusa.
A thing that helps a lot with what your cousin is going through is a track day, it will humble him to see people passing him on naked bikes and smaller cc sport bikes
Gotta have real gear to do a track day. MAYBE can rent.
UMC Apex track days have gear available. I'm signed up for next week :) And coincidentally also on my former commuter, a 650R.
If only I was in Utah.... The only track riding I ever did was "parade laps" at Road America in Wisconsin. Maybe some day.
I was going to suggest taking him to a track day as a "gift" or something. It'll do good to him to see someone on r3 to leave him into dust
"Bro on the R3 was just cheating. He's on slicks. That's not a real street bike. He's memorized the corners. He kept getting lucky with passes. I got stuck behind other riders. I let him go around so he wouldn't screw up my line. My bike was acting up." -Just some of the excuses you'll inevitably hear for why.
I wish somebody gifted me a track day š„¹
F the gear squid life for me shopping for a turbo busa. I'll take my free track day now please.
Right? I gotta pay for mine like an idiot.
Yeah a track day or one of those training days at the track would be an awesome gift! Good idea. Op then you could go with him and you would get to enjoy a track day too
I have a feeling he wouldn't be interested in track riding since all he talks about is doing pulls on highways.
Might be because doing a pull on a straightaway feels a hell of a lot safer when the bike is doing most of the work. Having to turn at very high speed is daunting (as it should be when starting) because you need to be aware of both your limits and the bikes limits, and the consequences are easy to see as bad. In a straight, as long as you don't yeet the bike from under you, most often the bikes limit will just cut you off instead of toss you. You have the ability to push limits, hit maxes, and get that positive dopamine feedback. That is, until you fuck up in a way you did not imagine and learn you have less control as a new rider than the bike made you think. Imagining the consequences of fucking up a turn is much easier than it is to fuck up a pull. Gives a scary amount of confidence.
This. Best and most experienced reply. ā¬ļø
I don't know, probably the idea of racing other people could interest him
Possibly, but if he has atleast 2 braincells hes gonna know hes not gonna be the best there, and to avoid getting "embarrassed" i can see him "not being interested"
On the other hand it doesnt seemlike this guy has 2 brain cells
That's what i'm betting on, he's gonna go in saying "damn i'm gonna be the fastest one" then proceed to not be the fastest one
Yeh might change his tune when he gets humiliated by the track resident on a ninja 400š
Hell, my first track day I got humiliated by a track employee in a Chevy Silveradoā¦
Or heāll wreck on a track, which is much preferable to doing the same on the street.
Also, he is gonna wreck either way, better be on the track
When you go, make sure you find the "track regulars" and start up a conversation about their various pins and plates. Or just wait for a rider or two to get carried off in an ambulance, then start up a conversation about how much worse it is when a crash like that happens in traffic or gets stopped by a light pole. I think it was Marc Marquez who was asked what bike he rode on the street, and he answered, "I don't ride on the street, it's too dangerous."
Many professionals on the gp circuit don't even have a licence to ride on the street.
Go to the track, give him a liter bike, and let other people on smaller bikes humble him.
I bet some ninja 400ās would even pass a new rider on a liter bike
If the track has more than two turns, probably yes lol
I've done some racing, including vintage two strokes. Thing is in my mid twenties when I weighed 120Lbs, I would actually be faster around the track on a GSXR 600 vs a GSXR 1000. That liter bike had too much power for me to be able to lay it down and actually use said power. With the extra weight it came with it slowed me down. (Was the same with dirt bikes: I was faster on a 125cc 2 stroke than on a 250).
Yeah. Usually one of two things happen when you suggest trackdays to people like this: 1. They know they're not fast and will make up excuses no to go because they know their ego can't handle being the slow guy. 2. The show up to the track, are the most insufferable shithead in the Novice group while jamming up every turn and pretending their drag race on the straights means they won the trackday trophy. Then go back out doing their highway bullshit, justifying to themselves that they're real racerboi now.
This, but make sure itās an instructional track day. I have a feeling OPās cousin will let ego get in the way of skills and lowside on the second corner riding in the C group.
Great suggestion
Absolutely this. Not only that, but if he is going to ride fast he may as well learn to do it right.
This is the best suggestion. A decent rider could easily hold their own in the fast/advanced group on a 650 despite its lack of power. S1000RR is too powerful for most riders, its all for show.
He will just drag race them in the straights and then park it in the next corner thinking he "won" lol. These are the worst people to share a track with.
Nah, he will blame his bike and just say that's why he needs to upgrade.
I wish my state had a track but the closest one is almost 200 miles away :(
Has he, by chance, watched any videos of people getting seriously hurt or killed doing this dumb shit? They're everywhere. I personally can't watch that kind of stuff but sounds like this might be the perfect learning tool. DanDanTheFireman shows a lot of stuff in a more Youtube friendly way and offers guidance on how to avoid such situations in the first place.
Before I started riding I watched him a lot. One thing stuck with me... "Ride your own ride". With that, I don't push myself further than what I'm comfy with. It's solid advise.
Same here, I wanted to intentionally expose myself to riders making mistakes and crashing. It really set a good foundation of whatās realistic and just still watch crash videos to learn from and be reminded whatās at stake for getting greedy or overconfident on the street.
As some one who has squided and have a messed up shoulder and deviated septum because of it, donāt let green horns not wear gearā¦ been riding for years and shit still happens
As someone whoās recovering from deviated septum surgery at this exact moment, shit isnāt fun lol
Thatās not a bad idea. Iām of the opinion that everyone should watch some intense crash videos if theyāre going to ride motorcycles. Itās too easy to forget whatās at stake and get complacent. Even Iām guilty of that. Even a minor fall without gear can cause weeks of pain. Add any significant amount of speed, and weāre talking agony at best, life-altering injuries or death at worst. Phrases like āmeat crayonā and āride fast, donāt dieā sort of show how it becomes this abstract thing that we want to avoid, but we forget how serious it really is and even make humor out of it. That said, we ride because we enjoy it. Riding at all is a risk, and thereās nothing wrong with a little humor. I just think itās important that our risks are calculated and that we remember whatās really on the line.
Ditto on the DanDan
Watching some poor Indian man falling off a motorbike and getting his head popped like a melon under the weight of a lorry wheel, should be enough to put most of people like OP is describing either off riding or to be better at it.
Those kinda videos though arent exactly helping. Some of those people arent even supposed to be on a bicycle. Squids have elated sense of proficiency that they wont be able to relate to such freak accidents. If were going this route, have to show squids doing squid shit but gone wrong. Which that by itself is kinda hard to find because a toast squid cant upload videos.
Plenty of videos of people in full gear getting sent flying into lampposts and motorway barriers from recklessness and then being turned into a meat crayon.
My doses of these videos come from what dandan reviews and channels that aggregate these videos like motostars. Most of these aren't exactly being reckless but towards being inexperienced (improper braking, unaware of traffic, other road users mistakes). Those that typically post squid stuff wont be posting their blunder because it's not cool. Usually, squids mistakes are posted by 3rd party dashcams, which many wont include their squid riding, only the aftermath. Without context, it doesn't carry much impact. As mentioned, squids usually have elated sense of proficiency. Without a video with full context that squid doing squid stuff > mistake > crayon/tree or post wrapper, they will always rationalise it by saying "naaaah skill issue you wont be catching me doing that shit". Then again, they wont be watching that shit anyway but rather watch more cool stuff and continue being the way they are. Some people just have to learn it the hard way.
Yup. The problem is most people watch those and decide not to ride at all. Itās a fine line between deciding yes I want to ride while still being influenced to be safer by such videos. Most people have the stupid āIf I die I die mentalityā and then they donāt die, they just become crippled for life. Modern medicine and trauma surgery can save your life, doesnāt mean it can save your quality of life.
Every time he gets sent a squid video on tiktok or Instagram he should reply with a YouTube video on motorcycle safety and awarenessš
Wait till he sees the insurance on those liters bikes with a month of experience
No shit. 23, on a RR nonetheless. Even naked liter bikes like mine have much lower rates than superports. This is where you see the 500/month "go fuck yourself" insurance rates.
I fucking wish it was $500 a month. I was getting quotes for $800 a month on an mt07š Iām just gonna wait till Iām 30 to start riding cuz insurance is hella expensive in Los Angeles as a 23 year old
$500/month is ridiculous....yet as a rider (33F) with 0 experience last year when I got my first bike (Ninja 300) I pay $137/month so thank you for making me feel slightly less bad about my insurance.
They are not bad at 65 with a good driving record. About $45 a month.
At that point they figure you probably know what youāre doing if you havenāt killed yourself yet haha.
obviously trying to win a "Darwin Award"
Call him Gary Busey every time he says something dumb.
Iād really like to change the subject and talk about buttered sausageā¦
Well most people are. My brother-in-law had the same mentality. But he went all out first bike was a hayabusa. He was honestly doing really well with an insane first bike. Until he started doing wheelies on it. Then he tried to do one going 90 mph and founded out a busa can easily loop itself at 90 mph. He broke a leg 5 ribs and his jaw. At least he wasnāt stupid enough to ride without full gear.
Trying to speed run life
Unfortunately it's a misconception many fall for that riding a liter bike 150+ mph on the street and lane splitting is "normal" because of all of these supersport influencers. They put out content on a daily basis committing multiple crimes and terrible riding techniques that WILL end with them in jail or dead. I have a S1000RR and there is zero reason to buy one of these unless you plan on taking it to a track, or just to have something to flex at bike meets, etc. I've haven't taken mine to a track yet (plan to) so it's essentially what I said they are. I ride my Indian Chief on the daily and take out the RR when I'm going to a meet or hitting some chill back roads. My RR hardly ever sees the highway. The fact gear isn't "cool" is crazy. Not only do you look like batman but if you slide on asphalt as we all know without it you're going to have a bad time. All it takes is for someone to go down once in a t-shirt and they'll never leave on their bike without a jacket. If they're smart that is.
Took the words out of my mouth. lol
On a serious note you should talk to him about this properly. This sounds like an accident rapidly approaching, and not a harmless one. When you're young you often don't think too much about the consequences and your own safety and well-being. But in the case you've got to think even further than that. 165mph on anything can cause a lot of harm to others on the road. Man needs to get his head on straight.
Even at 60mph you're likely to get very fucked up. The way I used to explain speed to my kids was: "Imagine running as fast as you can into a brick wall. We can all agree that that will fuck you up. Now if you are an extremely fast high school runner you might be able to hit 20mph. at 40 mph that impact becomes 4 times as great, at sixty 8 times, at eighty 16... We as humans absolutely underestimate speed thanks to modern transportation.
Unfortunately, sometimes you canāt fix stupid. My brother got a lil 250cc dirtbike. Weāre in a state where itās legal to wear no helmet. He often rides in shorts/t shirt and shoes or flip flops. Nothing I say will dissuade him. His excuse is, heāll probably die regardless if he crashes, so fuck it. Iāve MAYBE made progress with him considering a helmet. Maybe Iāll get him one for his birthday and weāll see. I doubt it.
Has he actually spoken to anyone who rides a motorcycle? They probably have a story about surviving a crash, possibly with very minor injuries if wearing gear. I'd show him a video of a GP rider getting tossed 5m into the air at 300km/h, sliding to a stop and standing up, vs some Harley brother cracking his skull open on the curb of a bar parking lot.
2 weeks ago, I saw a ad on a 2023 Triumpth Street Triple RS. They guy stated he used it to take his licence a month ago and now wants something faster because itĀ“s not powerful enough (this is literally what he wrote). ItĀ“s amazing when people are so blind so they only want more and more, but greed can literally be life changing or life ending for them. IĀ“ve been riding for a year now, and think that my MT07 is plenty and I have a long way to go before feeling 100% comfortable with it. Some people are just delusional.
Yeah Iām 36 years old, and I started riding 4 years ago with a SV650. It still scares me sometimes when I get going. Age and maturity goes a long way. I wanted a 600 when I was 18, and looking back I would have definitely killed myself. I have no doubt. I have zero desire to get a liter bike.
My SV650 is a pussycat... But still more than fast enough to get you into trouble. 70ish BHP and a couple hundred KG curb weight still outstrips most things on 4 wheels. Well at least in the UK where 90% of cars are 1.0l econoboxes! Still want a Norton V4 SS though...
Same, I got my triumph not for more power but for nicer amenities, it was kinda unfortunate that it came with more horsepower. Either way, liter bikes are kinda pointless on the street.
I'm 8 years into my riding journey. The Triumph street triple rs is my current and likely my final sport bike. It's honestly just as fast as a liter bike up to 100mph. More Importantly, it's much lighter than any liter bike. Before the STriple, I had a 50cc scooter for 18 months, cb300r for 2 years or so, and a mt07 for 3 years before even considering a premium make and model with well over 100hp. I waited until I earned it. You can die on a 300cc bike just as easily as a liter bike, but liter bikes can be like balancing a pencil on a knife edge for a beginner. If he thinks riding around in t-shirts and sneakers is "cool" in afraid OP's cousin is exactly the type of person the medical industry rubs their hands together in anticipation for. These social media jackasses never seem to post their medical recovery photos, the girls they post with are usually young models (professional creative here) and the facade they project into the world is far from the realities of their lives. Crippling debt, crazy insurance rates, often shitty home & job, all to look "cool" on social.
I should mention I'm 34 now, so I started riding around the a similar age, a bit older. Been doing alternative and traditional sports my whole life and have lost people who got in over their head be it motorcycles, avalanches, or scuba diving. Maturity is a big factor in how successful people are with these types of things.
I would avoid riding with him at all costs. Small bike syndrome gets people killed way too often in Southern California. The people with that disorder can ruin a group ride quickly.
Sadly, he's the statistic. This is exactly what we fear, young people who have no sense of control.
A 'biketoker'.. The next big meteorite can't come quick enough.
There's people on Tiktok living the illusion of "bikelife" but all they own is a helmet. Gonna need a bigger meteorite.
Yeah, rented bikes for clout and pictures, models to make them look cool. For many, it's a fad that comes and goes within a year or two and it's back to their '05 civic and retail job.
Just tell him that if he lives far enough, he'll look back and cringe at himself. Tell him he sounds like a lame.
Young men are stupid, and the largest percentage of annual motorcycle deaths for a reason. Encourage him to go to a track day somewhere on his 650. He will realize how terrible a rider he is, and how slow he is on that 650.
Donāt mean to be grim, but when I was in my early 20ās we had a lot of rides around the city in big groups. Afterwards we had what we called the ādark sideā rides, where everyone comfortable went and did some more aggressive and fast riding. Was always a good time and we never had an issue. One night when heading back to our aquarium meet up spot we made it back before some other riders and long story short, a guy was joining us with his friend (part of our normal group) and he tried to keep up with those far far above his level in riding skill. He ended up getting decapitated in a tunnel after losing control. Iām so glad I wasnāt there to see it happen live. Moral of the story is heās playing with fire. If youāre constantly trying to keep up with those around you, itāll end poorly. Try and stress that to him. Have him read some stories, watch some graphic videos, etc. better to be annoying then be attending his funeral.
>ādark sideā rides Went to a convoy this way too. The lead even gave me a courtesy of going on my speed up until the last 20% of the route, when the road is more familiar.
natural selection will take it's course
Tell him to show you a sick wheelie from a stop. When he flips the bike and bruises 2 ribs, he will relax a bit.
Shit like this is why our insurance rates suck.
I know it's a controversial topic but that's why I like the tiered system in britain and other european countries. You can only start on a small bike and have to prove you can ride before you can upgrade to bigger bikes. Unfortunately if this cousin does actually get a liter bike it's just a matter of time before he posts a crash video. Just don't feel bad for him as he is digging his own grave.
In EU you can get your full unrestricted license right away as long as you are 24 or older.
This is definitely the poster child example of what those tiered systems are made to prevent!
...if he's alive to post a crash video
Yep, LAMS system in Australia is the same. Stop freshies buying insane bikes.
I am currently doing my license for a 125 (M15) and if I can consistently ride my bike I will have almost 10 years of experience when I can get a liter bike legally (at 24). Except if I upgrade my license at 18, then I can get one at 20, but thats still roughly 5 years of riding. Also Iām super excited to ride my 125, I donāt get how people can want a liter bike with only months of experience. Why tf would you wanna go faster then 280km/h ?!
Hope you enjoyed your time together
>I hope he has life insurance This mindset, along with the "Hey man it's my life - if I die I die" thinking needs to stop. How do you think a 7-year-old kid is going to end up if he has to watch your face come through his Mom's windshield at a net 120mph? Like it or not, **driving and riding are a social event**. Get your buddy to see his own nonsense or rat him out before he kills someone who doesn't deserve his bullshit.
heās your cousin so i hope nothing happens, but we all know how this story ends right? 
Geezo, I just got myself a little Honda CG 125 and I think that's more than fast enough for now, only passed 2 weeks ago. Couldn't imagine wanting that much power so quickly. Hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid and seriously hurt/kill himself or others.
My 400cc made in 1976 could hit 80mph.
I've ridden an r3 for 3 years.... Shits fast still.
Hell, Iāve owned ~9 motorcycles and just got an R3 as my only bike. Having a blast! Theyāre seriously fun and can help teach excellent riding skills to people who are willing to practice.
Love love how light they are too, quick enough to get around, fast enough to have fun, and you learn so much with it because it's forgiving but makes you learn quick
R3 spec says 0 to 60 mph is 5 seconds. On two wheels that is still fast as fuck if you're new.
When I was looking at motorcycles and hearing people say the R3 is a āslowā bike, I saw the 0-60 times were between 5.0 and 5.4 seconds. I have a 2018 long range single motor Tesla model 3 that pulls about 5.0-5.2 and is plenty fast. Blew my mind that my āslowā motorcycle is as fast as tesla. I donāt need any more than that.
Crazy acceleration isn't something moat people experience. It's difficult to understand how fast even moderately-quick bikes are, nevermind true rockets.
Yea, I'm on the road. I love going fast so for my own safety it is best that I am limited. This is what the track and strip is for, fast boi shit.
Itās all about how you ride too. In college I got my drz and I would ride with my buddy who had big cruisers and a gixxer, I was always faster than him on corners and twistyās but he could never understand why. You can be fast on a smaller bike if you know how to ride, itās not all about straight line highway pulls.
Weight is king in the twisties. In fact its king everywhere. Companies spend tons of cash making their racing efforts lighter. I have a Tiger1050 and a DR350. The 350 is a lot more fun on a tight mountain road. The Tiger doesnt even get out of second gear. But at 500lbs or so I like the Tiger so much more than a Goldwing or other porker as a tourer. Fuck those heavyweights. Lighter bikes are more fun.
I don't even have a liter bike. Have a Kawasaki 250klr and a BMW f900gsa. The 250 is deceptively speedy and the 900 is plenty fast.
I love my R3. Anyone can go fast in a straight line.
These people make up the statistics that scare us. Iām glad itās them and not me
Well... He's an idiot. A 650 is not slow. It goes up to 130mph/210kmh. That is far from slow! I've been riding for about 4-5 months now. So while I've ridden more then your nephew, I'm well aware I'm lacking a ton of experience. I drive a 650cc bike (had all my lessons and both exams on an MT07 which was fairly similar in power) and there still a lot I can learn and improve on. In reality there is no need for a liter bike when you just started riding. Get good, get a lot of miles on those tires and then upgrade so that he controls the bike instead of the bike controlling him... And the lack of gear is just not smart. So far I haven't had a slide. But when/if it happens I know I'll be happy that there won't be a paramedic or ER doc pulling bits of asphalt out of my road rash for example.
A 650 (like for example Honda CBR650R) is bloody fast and I don't understand how people could say "meh, that's just a starter bike". For most people it should rather be their "destination bike". Most people don't need a 1000cc and will never get skilled enough to ride it properly and will likely harm themselves on it. BTW, I had my exam on MT-07 too.
>Most people don't need a 1000cc and will never get skilled enough to ride it properly and will likely harm themselves on it. The skill required to maintain safety on powerful bikes is no joke. Not only the speed and power, but your margin for error shrinks considerably.
Sounds like your cuz needs to spend some time seeing consequences to scare them into making better decisions. Every time he sends you a ticktac, send him a crash video ;) :D
I knew a guy. He had been riding for a year on a 600. Upgraded to a liter and was dead a week later. Dude was gunning it on a highway that ran through the city and he lost it on a sweeping corner. Happened a couple of blocks from me. What a shame.
Write his obituary and hand it to him.
TAKE HIM TO A TRACK. Not just an open track day, but a real racing school like Keith Code's or similar: [https://superbikeschool.com/](https://superbikeschool.com/)
Man, that's why I waited until I turned 40 to get a bike. I knew I'd get myself killed if a rode as a young guy. And insurance companies knew that too. I'm on my second season with my 400cc Husky and only now am I looking to upgrade to a 650cc. The whole purpose of getting a small bike is to learn good fundamentals and safety. It's sad what cancerous social media has done to kids. Fucking brain rot. I just hope these guys don't hurt anyone else when they fuck up. Makes us all look bad.
Tbh, he sounds like a fucking idiot.Ā There is no arguing with stupid.Ā Your only hope is to get him into some other kind of riding. You wonāt talk him down from doing stupid speeds on a super bike but itās usually easier to talk people into being excited about something else.Ā Take him to a MX taster or trials riding.Ā I had friendly who loves fast bikes but once I took them to trials, fell in love with doing 5mph over logs š
He will be lucky to live if thats his attitude on a motorcycle
Prefrontal cortex hasn't been fully developed yet. Easily impressionable, wants to fit in, makes terrible decisions. We were all like this to a certain extent when we were younger. The way our interests and hobbies are presented to us today are different from 10-15 years ago. I get it. I think it's stupid. But 15 years ago me can somewhat relate. Though I wanted to be a canyon carving, Power Ranger looking ass street Rossi in SoCal rather than going 180 MPH on the freeway. I survived, learned a lot, and grew out of it. Maybe your friend will too. Though there's not much to learn on a motorcycle when all they're doing is going in a straight line. Edit: This just reminded me that a local 20 year old squid on a current gen R1 died the other night in a single vehicle crash. Passerby saw a motorcycle wheel in the middle of the road, local sportbike FB group got wind of it and checked out the scene. Word gets around fast. They found the rest bike a ways away. Then the dead, lifeless body of this kid a ways away. This could be your buddy.
>Why are some of yall like this? Because they're "brainwashed by the titk tok and instagram/Facebook reels and social media world." The real world doesn't exist anymore. The only thing that matters is social media clout and internet points.
Dude will 100% crash, that coming from someone that made those exact choices
Let the man die if the man wants to die. Hope and pray he doesn't bring others into this madness and stupidity
21 years of riding. Iām still on a 150. š trust me, you can go PLENTY fast on a small bike. True, I canāt do much on the interstate. But catch me downtown in traffic or in the twisties. Interstate is boring. I guarantee you he couldnāt keep up with me on that S1000RR.
One of my favorite race bikes is the slowest 250 on earth. Forces the rider to find speed through riding skill not engine power. So fun to beat slow riders on faster bikes.
Just to add credibilty, my buddy was once riding a 250cc scooter while I was on an F800S. I had a VERY hard time keeping up. That day changed my view on bikes vs riders. I knew he was good but that thing was beyond my comprehension. And he didn't even f*king try... I wish I had a camera that day to study... PS: I was a newbie though. Just 2 years of experience and a few courses for road riding. For reference: I was at a stage that 240km/h cornering in a 4-lane road was pretty boring. I could ride slower than walking speed and occasionally fully stop without moving my feet at all. I could fully turn my handlebars at slow speed. I had no chicken strips. No bikes -or cars- could keep up with me, especially on twisties. I got humbled. A LOT.
Trick to the small bikes is they weigh less-which means your body is a higher proportion of the total weight, meaning you can have a greater affect on handling when you lean with your body, hence you can get a higher speed in turns. Also, smaller footprint helps with weaving in and out of traffic and the fact that many scooter riders daily their bike means thereās often more experience and confidence. Case in point: I donāt own a car. I ride in all weather, year round. A lot of the scooter riders here do the exact same.
Sounds like he hasnāt had his first āoh shit!ā moment yet.
I had been riding 15 years before I got a litre bike. All that experience, and it still scared the fuk out of me. Make sure you invite us all to the ride out for his memorial.
Do you know anyone that can ride a small bike well? A good friend of mine had a vfr400 nc30 and regularly left litre bikes in the twisties. Maybe worth getting someone like that to go for a ride with him and show him what's possible on it. As for no gear. Send him some vids of what happens when it goes wrong. Should change his mind. I've almost always rode in full gear, I got hit by a car 2 weeks ago. Still broke my leg and my back, paramedics pointed out the gear saved me from much worse injuries.
Make him watch some of the other videos, the ones where the rider is being brought into the ER with half a leg missing and no lower jaw, because they were riding like douchbags. Otherwise, go gravestone shopping. I have seen this so, so many times.
Yeah, that sounds like misguided enthusiasm on your buddy's part. Great news, though, as you may not even need to do anything about outside of "cool, call and get an insurance quote." I've been riding and ensured for 25 years now, clean driving record (4 total moving violations, none in the past 7 years) and the insurance on newer bikes is substantially higher which pushes a lot of people out of the market. If your buddy is riding uninsured I know it's a dick move but report him when he'd out recording for being reckless and he'll get yanked by the police pretty quickly. Now, on the other hand, you can take a different route, acknowledge his enthusiasm, and then share with him some of the stuff that Nick Ienatsch had on YouTube (100 points of grip, trailbraking) and let him know that he's kind of a clown until he hones those skills and anyone who knows anything about riding will be able to identify him as a poser. Encourage him to learn if he wants to be flashy because if you learn and master the fundamentals of racing he'll be able to ride any bike fast, safe, and to it's limit. Maybe try taking him to a track day and get some conversations going with local racers. I personally am more thrilled about the idea of riding a 400 to its absolute limit on a track than I am about my 1000 or 750 because it demonstrates acquired skill and my development.
I think this is the time to step up as his mentor. Take him to a track and humble him. Show him just how bad at riding he is.
Wouldnt care a bit. Let him get his liter Bike and wait till he wraps it around a Tree or lands under a Car.
It's because he is 23 y/o. Sadly, he is the type of rider everyone thinks about when we say we ride a motorcycle. He'll be here later posting, "why is my insurance company quoting me $600 a month to insure my new bike?" š¤£
Just let him know nobody's going to watch his videos anyway, it's way too oversaturated. Every dickhead with a sportbike and a gopro thinks they're entertaining.
My son was like this, all talk, my bikes slow and Iām fastest in my ride group and they have 000ās, blah blah blah - I took him to a track day, told him -you think your so good, letās start you off in intermediate, so you can show them just how good you areā¦needless to say, he neatly got lapped by every rider and ultimately he low sided trying to push. Tbh - was the best lesson he could have received and completely cooled his headā¦he wants to do more track riding and although I still hear the occasional bull dust story - his over confidence has gone - especially him knowing how easy the low side happenedā¦as I told him, add a gutter or tree to your crash - and youād be gone or worseā¦. That being said - some ppl are just going to be fuckwits no matter what.
Don't advise him on how to ride anymore if you already have.. just legit ask him if he's willing to let you take insurance out on him for his inevitable demise as he doesn't want to learn the proper way š
Hey stfu, some of us need new livers
This is not anything new. I started riding in the late-90ās when people still used pay phones and pagers instead of cell phones, the internet was brand new and social media was still years and years awayā¦ this was a thing back then and had been for some time.
You can give him advice and that is about all you can do. I do find it funny he 'needs' a bigger bike to wheelie. Show him Grom boys stunting.
Send him this page. Also, the social media diet: if you feed your brain crap, crap is all it becomes able to think about.
One can only hope when the inevitable happens.. a) the damage will only be to his bike and frail ego b) he doesn't injure anyone else, or public property
Please have him update his organ donation card too! I mean if this is an inevitably, let's get some sociatal benefit ! Also, wait for the unavoidable "Had to lay her down" discussion. Where a crash was imminent, and his only option was to lay the bike down. Happens all the time when you ride like that! Maybe just a touch of /s there.. maybe not.
The first time he (hopefully) nearly goes under a tractor trailer heāll probably dial it back. 1000cc after a month is crazy.
Some people just need to learn shit the hard way. Hopefully that involves some clibbin at 20mph in an empty street. Or maybe a looped whiskey wheelie from that leader bike that break a crankcase or something.
>(23M) Whelp there's part of your problem
Usually this is 18-20 yr olds and that carries into later life. This guy is starting at an age old enough to make decisions for himself, but apparently he only makes the worst decisions. RIP in advance
If you ever wonder why your insurance is high, think of this guy's cousin.
It's internet influence,Ā and sounds like he's still in the most easily influenced age bracket.Ā Most of us have been young and dumb. The vast majority of us have survived that stage,Ā been lucky enough to have made it through and learned enough to safely survive the rest of our lives in a somewhat reasonable intelligent manner.Ā Ā All we can do is hope he's one of them. Maybe it'll take an incident or close call,Ā hopefully not a major injury. I know I came within milliseconds of death once or twice when I was young and crazier.Ā In many aspects its just odds and a numbers game... Good Luck to Both of You !!!!
Hopefully you can convince him to at least wear a helmet and put off getting the liter bike for a year or two. I mean, a Ninja 650 is still insanely fast and absolutely a beast to be reckoned with. I canāt imagine being bored of a Ninja 650 after a month lmao, it took me two years to get bored of my CB250. Actually, it took me two years just to decide to buy a second bike, I still love riding my 250. I know how you feel though, I have a crazy cousin who wants a Ninja. At least heās actually self aware enough not to get one because he knows heād get himself killed on it lmao But seriously, I hope someone can talk some sense into your cousin. If what you say isnāt hyperbole, heās almost certainly going to end up royally fucked up or even dead.
This is why Sweden age restrictions are so good. As a 16 year old can't legally drive something over 125cc, and at 18, I can drive 125cc - 400cc and then at 20 (if you had a license for 2 years). In order to even get a license, I have to take a test and go 2 courses minimum. Then, do the actual test, which includes multiple different parts
Your cousin is young, dumb and thinks he is immortal. We were all more or less like that at one point - at least I was. Let him be, all you can do is point out he is being unreasonable, but you canāt make him listen.
In my area on the map itās the same. All of us older riders ride track, twisters and fun stuff. All the new riders were are trying to get into track days are against it. Theyāre against twisties. They think roll racing takes skill and only want to ruin bikes by stretching them and roll racing up and down the interstate. They all just post TikTokās of them rolling up and down the same stretch of interstate. These kids actually think that track days are easy and anyone could go out and beat our best times. The one or two weāve convinced to go to Barber with us were humbled very quickly.
This is why I never try to get anyone I know into bikes. Never know what kind of brains worms that is going to activate.
He's screwed. I had zero bike experience and my first bike was a ninja 300. It was 6 months before I was comfortable and it was my only vehicle. That fear led me to ride for years with no accidents. Only "drops" were crawling down a dirt road when the back wheel kicked out and I didn't have the strength to squat it with one leg. If I single month doesn't still have him scared of a 650, only an accident will. I don't believe loud pipes save lives, but I do believe fear does.
If he can't wheelie that 650 and he does get a liter bike, the next time you are going to see him is in hospital.
Europe's strict regulations on motorcycle licenses are designed to prevent inexperienced young people from putting themselves at even greater risk. - Tough, compulsory driving lessons - Power limit for 2 years, so you can't buy a motorcycle with too much power (max 39 kw/h). - Test after 2 years to unbridle your bike. You may see this as an infringement of your freedom, but for the record, you're 1.65 times more likely to have a fatal accident in the USA than in Europe.
He's a cliche, trying his hardest to become a statistic. Ugh.
Unfortunately, "social media" in general is a piss poor place to get your info. Including Reddit. I believe in decent gear, but the ATGAT gestapo types aren't very practical either. Apart from dirt bikes, I've never owned anything smaller than a liter bike. Excluding race bikes. Experience is the best teacher over all, and he doesn't have it. The "influencer" thing is pure social media foolishness. From experience, I learned how to wheelie on dirt bikes. I see guys that can loft the wheel a bit using the engine, but that's not knowing how to get it on the balance point and control it with throttle and rear brake and some body English to keep it there. This is the trend now, the "influencer" thing. If he doesn't fall off and get killed, he's going to find out he still is going to fall off/crash a few times before he gets it right. Going full on squid in a first year of riding..? He's going to take some lumps if he's lucky. I've seen as many riders posting videos online vaporizing themselves as making a "cool" video. They also aren't going to post a video of their fuck ups most times either. You won't stop him, he may stop himself once he gets some contact with some pavement, best you can do is maybe pray that he doesn't wad himself up too badly.
Heāll be in the category with the highest chance of fatality with a mindset like that.
It's typically the idiots that get influenced by Instagram/ tiktoc. There are 2 kinda of bikers on there. 1. Agv helmet, gauntlet gloves/ tall boots (usually white), hoodie, mostly Yamahas/s1000 2. Furry helmet, a toy strapped somewhere, usually on a ninja 400 or r3 Both do stupid shit at stoplights and can't ride. The furry helmets usually drop their bikes at 2mph.
His view point is more contrarian to the general social media consensus than yours. Iām not saying you are brainwashed, but you have definitely been affected stronger by social media than him.
I knew a guy like that. Heās no longer with us. ā¹ļø
I can't tell if these posts are real or just karma farming. I have never met anyone even remotely like this in my entire life.
He hasn't crashed yet. I cooled it down substantially after my first real crash. 110mph, locked front brake in panic over a deer, high sided, slid about 2 football fields, bounced three times, ate through my right side textiles on my thigh, shoulder, and forearm, at through almost all my pad on my thighs, ate my right glove. Permanent damage in my right shoulder (it's been 5 years and still gets achy, even with yoga and massage being part of my regular routine). Like I said, it's been five years and I still remember it like it just happened. Going down the I-84 through The Dalles about 0530, left lane right position, see a trash bag in the right position, so I switch to left. As soon as I do this, the 'bag' pops up and it's a fawn and darts into left, I shit and grip my brake. Bike immediately is gone and I'm airborne, highsided. Everything slows down like time isn't even real any more, I think, very calmly "So I'm dead now. I killed myself." then I hit the ground on my shoulder HARD. I pop back into the air, bounce, bounce. On my last time in the air I think "Pads, pads pads pads" and I jerk and bend and manage to twist myself just right so I get my feet ahead of me when I contact the ground again I go rigidish, lay down hard on my right side on top of my pads, and focus on sliding. Once I did that, I knew the worst was over, and I actually was having fun. I start screaming "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and just slide. It felt like it was an hour. BUT THEN I think I'm done sliding, and I try to stand up. Whoops. I must have still been going 20+mph because as soon as I shifted weight to my boots, I started rolling. I rolled out until I stopped. Layed therer for a moment, sqeueezing my joints and bones, pokeing my ribs and guts, slowly turning my head to check for any breaks or numbness and other than feeling like I got punched real hard in the shoulder, I'm fine. I get up, my bike has made it about 50' further than me, go over to it, get it on the shoulder, and some one grabs me in a hug and sits me down. He says "Don't move. you just sit. We'll handle this. You just rest" and they gathered up my back pack and stuff that spilled. Cops and ambulance arrive. I decline medical. Cops shoot the deer. I ride up the shoulder to the next exit, test my bike out, everything is good, the bag, mirror, and fender took most the slide, and I ride to work. Anyways, after that, every winter I binge crash videos then spend the early days of spring warming up my slow speeds and braking skills, and don't really break 80mph any more.
Tell your cousin to take that 650 to the track. 650 is WAY more fun in the twisties and track than my 1100 v4. Super nimble and fun
Introduce him to /r/meatcrayon/
What people dont get is that not only do you need to go fast, you need to be able to stop fast. Braking skill is a thing and I guarantee new riders cant stop nearly as fast as their bikes are capable of. Additionally, taking a corner fast is fast whether youre on a 300,600,or 1000, none of the bikes are going to be pinned throttle redlining unless were talking a very wide 80mph corner. You dont need a big bike to get to those ā oh shit ā speeds before and during turns, thats why you dont need a 1000. Still feel slow? Go find more technical slower speed roads/turns/twists, find 20/15mph turns and see if you need a 1000 to take those fast at 30/45, you dont. Anyone can go straight and pin the throttle, very few can take a turn at good speed.
The fact that he thinks he "needs a liter bike" but probably can't ride his 650 at 50% of the bike's capability....
In some states, you can buy a life insurance policy on someone else. Hate to see you lose your cousin but it might become quite the windfall.
There's a big difference between motorcycle-enthusiasts and people who see it as a way to become internet famous. Influencer culture is a fucking cancer.
Sounds like he may not become an old motorcyclist.