TIME FOR A NEW TOPIC...HOW ABOUT DEATH?

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Death has often been brushed upon and glossed over on this site, but we have not yet confronted the subject directly.

It is a Hayabusa subject because, all other things being equal, the Hayabusa rider is closer to Death than the rider of any other bike...except of course a Harley chopper.

MY TAKE: Death makes an excellent passenger. Weightless. Eggs you on at every opportunity. Waits without complaint while you fill your tank and stuff your yap with a Hershey bar. Never ever gets upset at near misses. Doesn't need to be fed or fucked. Zero mass or Cd so does not slow you down.

My only reservation about Death being a passenger on my Busa...the scythe bangs on my helmet...no! The Grim Reaper gives me a low grade angst about the way I ride and spoils the experience slightly.

I find the only way to make that angst go away is to drop the hammer. For those few moments I'm rid of the bastard.

How do YOU handle him, her, whatever?

[This message has been edited by Dirty Pete (edited 13 September 1999).]

 

[OB_Turbo]

Dirty Pete, The only ones interested in this topic are members of the Dr. Kervorkian Riding Club

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Do they need a patch or anything?

 

[Guest]

Living in Los Angeles area means dealing with Death every day, either riding or not. Your chances of making it back home safe are 50/50, heck! you’re not even safe at home. I don’t see Death riding with me, WHILE RIDING, I see him around the corner, on the car ahead, behind, or the one next to me, or at the stop light! Death has many faces, be it a “cute girl with the short skirt up the kneeâ€￾ (Aerosmith), an old lady/man in a big Cadillac or some sugar who thinks they can beat you in their little rice rocket. The Hayabusa gives you lots of power to get away as far as you can from them. The way I see it the ‘Busa is another weapon against Death, just handle it with care and point it in the right direction. Years of riding and common sense provides you with that seventh sense of knowing when something may happen. Besides, when your time comes you will know, just be ready to meet your maker and have that policy up to date.

 

[OB_ducmanic]

Pete-
Your choice of topics is very apropos. Often i have joked that i ride for death. "What club you with"? Death. "Who you ride with"? Death. The grim reaper should be painted on the side of my bussa' Fast Bikes style. I have found that when the ego is removed, with it goes the fear of death. You put it very well when you said something about "No man fears death, only the fear of dying" or some thing close. Certain Entheogns allow one to pass trough and check it out. Sort of like the ultimate test ride. Its actually quite pleasant. When you can look back several thousand years, or generations and feel your genetic encoding firing off your synapses. To sum up your thought, Some of us are have practised the dance longer than others. These "First Bike" types will be signing on real fast.

ducmanic
Los Angeles

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Ducmanic; I have no fear of the stroke of death. I have as you say, passed through and checked it out. Several times.

The first time, at 15 years young, I was racing an outboard hydroplane when a competitor cut across my path at 90 degrees and sliced my boat in half, one foot behind me, at 60 mph. I sank instantly, but was unharmed.

As he was coming at me in the air, one second from impact, when I "knew" I was going to die, I glanced ahead at the trees and said to myself (you know how you talk quicker in your mind than with your mouth) "That was nice."

I was referring to my life up until then.

Since that event, I have had no fear of death or the stroke of it.

I sense from your words that you understand that attitude.

 

[viol8r]

Been walking the line since my early teens, never thought I'd make 25, now over 43 and not even close to done yet.

 

[Frank Adams]

peter are you that bored?

i think it's time you find an additional hobby.
some times you tend to get strung out or something.
i'm curious? do you do anything other than talk on these boards?
do you have a life beond your computer?
don't take all this the wrong way but i just notice that you spend alot of time replying to ALOT of these topics...

why would anybody want to talk about the subject of *death*?

it makes me sad to think about death. why would i want to talk about it....frank

 

[Guest]

Death don't bother me much anymore, I've seen quite alot of it. Everything from suicides, homicides, auto and m/c accidents to just plain natural old age stuff.
But what really gets to me is telling the familes about their loss, death really sucks.

No comment, FF-O

 

[OB_VegasDude]

Im going to live forever...................or die trying..........

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

GARY, I almost blew my coffee out my nose when I read that you don't want your organs in a Harley rider.

I very promptly revised the Living Will (organ donor card) I carry in my wallet to reflect your wise recommendation.

Can you imagine waking up after death as a kidney inside a 370 pound gorilla on a "Soft" Tail?

Can imagine the kind of piss you'd be expected to purify?

 

[OB_GSXRTURBO1]

Speed, that rider in OK had suspected heart failure. See dragbike.com for details

 

[OB_Cisco San Jose]

Thou I walk through the shadow of death I will fear no evil and Amazing Grace is always on my mind when I ride my motorcycle.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

I often feel very lucky to be alive, and this is epecially true after a busy ride on my new Busa.

Feeling lucky to be alive is a feeling you can only get if you put your life a little bit at risk from time to time.

Citizens (cagers, straights, whatever) almost never get this feeling. They feel it's their right to be alive and they want it only to be long, not good and long.

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

Police Officer: the 3rd most dangerous profession in this Country. Five-O is correct. we see Death just about Every Tour of Duty.

161 ®

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

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[This message has been edited by Dirty Pete (edited 14 September 1999).]

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

FRANK, I don't know how to respond to your personally insulting post above. I wouldn't have expected it from you.

Yes, I start a lot of new topics and try to keep the pot boiling with my sometimes unusual points of view. People join in and often get passionate about the discussions, as is the case in this topic about death.

People were equally interested and involved in my threads on ram air modification, cornering, braking technique, tire choice, good cops, chain cleaning and riding in no-speed-limit zones. Have you ever posted a new topic Frank?

About half of my posts are technical/mechanical, half are "soft" subjects relating to the Hayabusa or motorcycling in general, and the remaining half are just meant to be fun.

Yes Frank, I know there's no such thing as three halves. I notice you never join in light-hearted conversations. Do you have any sense of humor?

To answer your little questions about the quality of my life, I have a very rich and busy life, with young kids and a beautiful wife, a fun business, great friends with and without bikes, my very own Busa that I love and take out to dates to the track, I fly planes, teach my children how to make crocodiles out of Lego, canoe, party a lot and I enjoy writing in all kinds of forums.

I particularily enjoy exchanging ideas and jokes with some of the guys in this forum...it's an exceptional gathering of like-minded, intelligent people. Sorry, but I'm normal Frank.

I suspect, Frank, that the only conversations you feel are worthwhile are about nuts and bolts and dyno printouts. I have nothing but respect for your mechanical knowledge in the area of dragging, but there's more to motorcycling than extended swingarms.

If you don't like my posts and consider them to be just "talk,' then skip them.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

I find Pete's posts interesting to read, personally. Sounds like an interesting guy...not offending anyone.

Personally, I fear failure far more than death.

 

[techwood]

You cannot ride a motorcycle without risk. We all know it - it's what separates us from the cagers out there.
It's why we (some of us) wave to other passing cyclists. The odds are against us, but we ride, anyway.
I've told my family, if I die on my motocycle, don't say if he only hadn't bought that F**king cycle, I was doing something I loved.
Don't get me wrong, though. I want to manage the risk and die peacefully of old age.

 

[Guest]

I've enjoyed your topics DP. Sometimes a bit philosophical for my taste but entertaining none the less. I'm glad we have you here to prevoke some thought.
(and a few complaints too! )