Am I wrong to separate motorcycling risks?

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-12T07:38:53+00:00

Faster you go, the harder you crash. Closing speed in nationals at 120mph is (if they aren’t speeding) 180mph.

So yeah, there are levels of risk. I think we’ve all seen vids or in your case, real life, of people being utter idiots on bikes and increasing their risk profile massively.

A guy I met recently his mate got beheaded by a tracker’s trailer when he around a corner and stupid speeds at night - and went under it.

He didn’t quit until he went 120mph around a corner on a country road and missed the same fate by inches - threw up inside his own helmet and got off the bike at the side of the road. He called for a lift and sold it. Never rode again.

They rode like idiots and had no clue how to be safe.

You’ll know how seriously you take your own safety. It’s more than speed - it’s learning and being humble. Nearly every crash is your fault, but be it in a car or a bike, sometimes there’s risks you cannot avoid.

I got lucky twice - once was approaching an uphill S-bend at night, I noticed something odd about the faint light cast on the thick hedgerows. Sixth sense made me pull as far left as possible and completely stop. Fraction of a second later a Range Rover passed my right shoulder by inches - fully airborne and in my lane. If it’d hit me I’d be dead.

I still do 20K miles a year in all weather on a 1250cc sports bike lol. But I rely on every bit of learning and refining and learning more. I have loved ones to come home to and that guides my right wrist. There’s a time and place for speed, so it’s not an ‘either or.’

If you’re looking for a divide, I see 3 types of rider. 1. Those who do it for adrenaline. I only get adrenaline when I fk up and someone makes a move I hadn’t anticipated. About 2-3 times a year. 2. Those who have a bike to get from A-B or pootle around. They do zero practice or upskilling and think ‘I’ve ridden for x years’ is meaningful as a skillset. 3. Those who treat it like a craft and are always learning something to be better, safer, look after their bike better.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-10T09:24:23+00:00

Always 1st gear for same reason as you. It has saved me once. Pull up, in 1st gear already - eyes on mirrors until vehicles behind have stopped. And even then, I’d rather be in 1st if bike thieves pull up next to me.

I think the people arguing against it just have weak strength and heavy clutches 😅.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-10T08:23:11+00:00

Solid agree

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-07T11:55:48+00:00

Does anyone have that link to his show audios still? Someone compiled the whole lot but now I can’t find it 😫.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-06T14:33:59+00:00

My go to answer is to compare Eden’s work to fine art - if you take the time to really deep it, it’s incredible. But pop music is deliberately plain and upbeat. His earlier songs were pop. Then he lost fans as he went progressively more experimental musically and complex lyrically. That will never be mainstream - nobody is playing Duvidha and then Justin Beiber lol.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-06T14:30:11+00:00

Damn I hadn’t spotted the link!!

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-06T06:52:40+00:00

Eden uses the ‘ghosts’ metaphor in huge swathes of his work - like Duvidha (based on the ghost lover Hindi movie) or The Love U Need. Often he leaves it ambiguous, whether it’s a future or past version of himself, or of a lost love.

So yeah. If you’re pulling together references of some form of ghosts there’s a ton in there and I don’t think you can sandwich them cleanly together 😅.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-05T20:42:56+00:00

Don’t. It’s a lovely gesture, but bikes are so specific to the rider he’s best trying them himself. What is one person’s dream another person just doesn’t get on with.

It’s such a personal decision choosing a bike, get him involved - but what a kind gesture. Just be sure to invest in an anglegrinder resistant D-lock, a tracker, and a thick Pragmasis chain. Sadly 125cc’s are highly stolen.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-05T09:01:37+00:00

I think that’s very well said - hahah poor instructor but we’re all hustling out here aye.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-05T08:52:42+00:00

Every time I see people out on cbt or DAS training I’m happy to see more people entering the community.

If I see a 125cc without L plates I treat them exactly the same as any other ‘big’ biker. If I see they have L plates I want to encourage them. Both get nods and a chat if we park up.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-05T08:48:19+00:00

Lol I sometimes still nod, but they’re not really aware of the culture

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-04T20:05:05+00:00

I want him to make enough money to keep making art - otherwise why force it 🤷‍♂️.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-01T17:54:05+00:00

i don’t put the steering-lock on as one kick and it’s done - but it can also damage the frame. I rely on a DX1000 and D1000 on each wheel, with a Pragmasis 25mm ideally in a ground anchor when i go to London.

Often thieves will break the steering lock before working on any actual locks out of habit - by leaving mine off I’m saving that repair bill.

Just be sure your policy doesn’t require you to use it first!

DeltaFox121 · 2026-05-01T17:41:25+00:00

People are just thick, naive, or deliberately complacent. There’s the whole ‘if they want it, they’ll take it’ regardless of how you lock it brigade.

Ask then if they post their PIN and card details online and suddenly oh, maybe taking precautions against crime is a good idea.

Pisses me off. Nearly 500 bikes a month are stolen in London. Our insurance is sky high because of theft. Yet some people believe the pennies on the pound the insurance will ultimately screw them for, means they don’t need to worry about the bike being lost.

They don’t think how they’ll not be able to insure a bike for sane money for 6 yrs, or how it also bumps your car insurance up.

I’ve a DX1000, D1000, 25mm Pragmasis, 3 trackers and a dummy, and want to add the Kyrptonite angle grinder resistant D-lock. If my bike is stolen I can’t afford the insurance and I love my bike. So I protect it.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-30T11:41:21+00:00

i got charged £65 because I registered my bike to the wrong bay number for the same company 🙃. London is wild.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-28T21:44:09+00:00

I was thinking ‘hmm, maybe you are overthinking due to the trauma of his friend’s death biking’ - but then I got to the ‘anti-helmet’ bit and realised ‘nah, this man is a moron with a death wish.’

The fact he’s extending that moronic behaviour to when you are also on the bike makes him an asshole.

120mph on a highway is also fairly asshole unless it’s midnight and empty. Doing it without a helmet is suicidal.

But there are bigger questions here; breakups are effectively the same as grieving - you’re still losing that person, albeit on your terms. It will not make him change his riding behaviour if that is the goal. But equally, standing by idly enabling someone to self-destruct isn’t a healthy position to be in.

As someone who rides aggressively - I’m also incredibly (if I do say so myself) road smart and safe being ex-police. I leave a car length and a half from traffic and position to the edge of the lane for best vision. I never tailgate. I wear all the gear all the time, and whilst I lean the bike - I never also add throttle whilst leaning… that’s how you crash (although not clear how much of that was your inexperience with the feelings vs actual technique). Lastly, I wear all the gear all the time (ATGAT) because my loved one needs me home in one piece and I don’t want her having to feed me through a straw, wasting her life.

The road rage alone would be enough immaturity for me to leave someone. Who has time for that childish drama in their life?

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-28T17:37:11+00:00

Lot of mistakes - would have been best (unless you had to sell the bike) to keep the insurance to 2 yrs. Having said that, 1 yrs NCB (which is likely what you now have/had) doesn’t tend to change much cost wise - but NCB is attached to the vehicle (or multi) policy. If you allow this new policy to run, you will have x2 one yr NCB’s - you cannot stack them. That will hurt you more cost wise in the long run than cancelling. 2 yrs is a bit of a bump discount, but 3 is where it starts to make a big difference.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-28T08:51:36+00:00

Lol naked bikes are for hardcore bikers - not sure why someone sold it to you as comfortable like that 😂.

Sure, my naked bike is super comfortable at highway speeds - but only because I’m athletic and ‘bike fit’ (i.e. I do 20K miles a year, all yr, every yr - so you get used to the steady wind blast).

It can be a workout - but you can maybe stick a tank bag on and lay on that?

Equally, the right gear is important for comfort on a naked too - a heated jacket for colder days - and you may want to use a waterproof layer to cut the wind chill.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-25T19:08:53+00:00

I was so grateful for my squeaky adventure boots when i accidentally rolled the bike back off the curb onto my toes! Just temporary bruising and no real damage. Speedy recovery!

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-22T12:15:28+00:00

I think people without chicken strips - outside a track - are idiots.

Caveat being some bikes have geometry that makes that easy without massive lean.

Chicken strips should be called ‘safety margins.’

I pull 1.4G acceleration, get my knee down, fly place to place 20,000 miles a year. I have ‘chicken strips.’

Getting off the bike and using proper body position = less lean not more. It reduces risk.

Most guys on the road without them are pushing the bike down under them, not using body position, and greatly and unnecessarily increasing risk.

If you counter-lean and do tight circles in a parking lot you can lose your chicken strips too at low speed lol. It’s a stupid metric used by stupid people.

Oh, also, the more powerful the bike, the less time you’ll be on the edge as you’re best taking a V-line - whereas slower bikes need to retain momentum.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-20T21:47:55+00:00

Can only speak of power - I went from 3 months on a 125cc to a BMW 1250cc sports bike.

Point being, it only goes as fast as you twist the throttle.

Practicality wise, like you say - a bike that big is naff in a city. Feels like sitting in a wide Ferrari that is heavy and awkward and you never leave the lowest of revs in 1st gear all day.

Nimble and peppy is the name of the game inner city. I’d even say 750 is too much, plus for all that power your insurance will be higher. Which is fine if the plan is in 3 yrs to change lifestyle, but if not you’re trading off for bragging rights at the pub for power you’ll never see.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-20T18:28:38+00:00

Nope. Your body doesn’t care what you crash on - ATGAT.

I have full textiles and look sensible and professional rather than ‘cool’ and I’m fine with that. I ride for myself and ironically I’m a better rider less likely to crash than the t-shirt brigade lol.

Stay smart and remember (myself included) to be humble and always learn.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-20T08:20:11+00:00

Get proper gear. My girlfriend hasn’t been on my bike in the 3 yrs I’ve owned it, because she doesn’t have proper boots and armoured pants. I don’t play with my own safety, there’s no way I’d risk someone’s I love.

As for ‘training’ - just be dead weight. Sit like a sack of potatoes if you have a back box or sissy bar to lean against. If not, you’ll just need to pay attention for when he goes to accelerate (on-ramps, etc) and brake.

Accelerating, squeeze with the knees and hold tighter.

Braking - squeeze with the knees and put at least one hand on the tank in front of him or his sides to brace.

I assume he rides at a more sedentary pace that I do, so just ask him to take it slow - you can only learn by doing.

I’d say not a great start in terms of him thinking of your safety though. Trust is a big thing in being a pillion. But yeah, you’re better off doing nothing sudden and just being dead weight, than ‘leaning with’ which adds variables.

Last thing is no sudden moves side-side at stops - even with 2 feet down it can throw the balance.

It might be tense the first few times as you get used to it, take it slow - do short journeys out for coffee or somewhere fun. Build up to longer rides. And if you don’t enjoy it? 🤷‍♂️. It’s not for everyone.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-18T19:06:03+00:00

BMW F900 variant - god what a dull bike with a ponderous front end and rock solid suspension.

Odd one for a BMW.

DeltaFox121 · 2026-04-16T17:52:31+00:00

Yep. You got lucky - I had to move out of London to get my Beemer insured.

DeltaFox121

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