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Glad to see many have taken the time to give that fuknuckle what for.

The Hummer comparison showed up in my response, too....

I'll start with agreeing that speeding is unsafe and illegal.

Going 100+ MPH on a public road is stupid.

However, get bent.

Your flowery spew of 'shocking' statistics meant to cast the Hayabusa in a demonic light is a smear campaign with no justification other than your own misguided opinions.

You compare the horsepower with that of an airplane as if it were some kind of scandalous revelation. Big deal, my Saturn Vue has 250 horsepower, should I now go crowing to my friends it's so much more powerful than a little Cessna puddle-jumper? Not every aircraft is a high performance machine. That Cessna is the 'VW Beetle' of aircraft. You're comparing apples to fishheads to yellow journalists.

Yes, I know it's all about power-to-weight ratios, and the Hayabusa has one of the most intense. Again, so what? It's all about the rider not the bike. Your conclusion that the large amount of acceleration is only used for "road rage" is incorrect! Using that kind of acceleration is FUN, and puts a SMILE on the riders face, not thoughts of harm or damage. Plenty of riders just like having the power there to get out of trouble, not cause it. The trouble, usually caused by someone driving a 4000 pound SUV trying to dial a cellphone, not paying attention.

Here's a fun fact you chose to ignore: a quick survey of responses to the question of fuel economy on a Hayabusa discussion forum indicated the bike gets around 40 MPG. I'll bet in the current energy crisis climate, a lot of people consider 40 MPG downright heroic.

Your list of 'missing' safety equipment is laughable... roll bars, shoulder harnesses, beams, bags, bumpers?? Please, go engineer those items onto a rideable motorcycle, and get back to me when you're done.

You wonder why litigators haven't legislated bikes like this away? Because in this country, you're innocent until proven guilty. Our nation's laws permit such bikes because it is their operators not the bikes themselves controlling whether they're used in a way contrary to public safety. The laws punish the riders who ride so irresponsibly. The intended use of these bikes is TRANSPORTATION, just like an 8600 pound Hummer H2 which, going at it's top speed of 80 MPH, could just as sensationally be disparaged as a "deadly weapon".

Just because you have some vendetta against motorcycles is no reason to vomit up such an ill-informed puddle of vitriol.

How's that for flowery spew?
Here's the non-sequitor auto response:

Ye gods! Thanks for writing to TMQ.

While I don't usually reply, I do read all messages.

May the football gods smile upon you.

Best, Gregg
 
I know this sounds crazy, but I found little concern with his comments.



Motorcycling is still a taboo sport amongst most of society....and while I understand that most people find it dangerous, I cannot stand by and allow someone to group all of us as hooligans.



In my younger years, not too long ago, factually, I have done enough bad things on a bike to aggravate a good many people....so I can say that these comments are not totally unwarranted....but just like drinking, smoking,skydiving, scuba diving, bull riding....and so on, our sport is that of thrill seekers.



I dislike the fact that he bashes the motorcycle just for being a marvel of technology, but he does have a valid point for the most part, it doesnt belong in the hands of many people who posess them. I was 21 riding a ZX12R with 180hp....and in all seriousness, it was silly for the dealership to allow me to even buy it.



i learned a great deal about riding with that bike and now Im not a beginner, not a novice but not yet an expert....so lets just say right under an advanced rider., I, however, differ from many my age...esecially Roethesberger (sp) who stupidly refuses to wear a helmet....especially considering how much money he stands to lose for contract violations.





 
The Great Irony is...

How many Suzuki's did this guy just sell? Considering who reads ESPN, Suzuki should be sending this dude a check. Especially with that mythical 3 seconds to 100 mph. Damn, I've gotta get one of those!
 
This fool, like so many others, is unaware of the basis of our legal system. We are not under Napoleonic law or Sharia. Our legal system descends from English Common Law. Under our system you have the legal right to do anything that isn't forbidden by law. We don't need to govt's "permission" to do anything. According to this fool the only things we can do without the govt's permission are speak, worship and own guns. He has the usual but idiotic idea that the govt confers "rights". What an arrogant moonbat.



If he were treated as cavalierly as he tries to treat motorcyclists he'd be crying ang moaning at the top of his lungs. Typical hypocrite.
 
Excellent point -- English common law thing...
 
"Well, uh, gee, what do you think a federal court (often with a judge who has a lifetime appointment from the executive branch) is going to say. The Constitution is clear; the courts are confused and unaccountable."



I am sure you have some point …



"Your child is statistically much more endangered by thousands of other things besides sportbikes."



Like your opinion pertaining to what is safe or unsafe for my child matters?



"if someone is endangering someone else, we have laws and remedies for it,"



Yes we have. Unfortunately some folks choose ignore those laws.



"but Easterbrook's column is about banning things as a kneejerk reaction based on emotion."



Not sure what the absurdity of a 200mph capable motorcycle for public roads has to do with emotion.



"Not only is it stupid (and ineffectual), it's unconstitutional"



It is very effective, it has been read by many thousands (who do vote) and simply because you consider it your constitutional right to have access to a 200mph capable motor vehicle for use on public roads does not make it so.

 
Here is what I wrote



Mr. Easterbrook



When I first read your article I was enraged and frustrated. As a response, I (via a chat room) asked many of my motorcycling brethren to email their opinions to you about your comments about the Hayabusa and motorcycles in general. My first email response attempt failed, and now that I have some time to think about the issue I have calmed down and have become more sad than anything else. I wish you would have done better research before you lambasted high performance motorcycles. It is true that they are dangerous, but no more so than a car of any type or size. Not anyone should be able to buy and operate a Hayabusa or any other type of high performance motorcycle, but by the same logic many people should not be allowed to drive Corvettes or Ferraris, or even a SUV. High performance vehicles require expert abilities, and I don´t think because someone has driven a Honda Civic for 5 years means they can handle a Corvette once they get that big raise. A middle aged man who has been driving a Camry for the last 10 years does not necessarily have the skill as a driver to go out a safely operate a Porsche. I do not know your opinion on this issue, but why wasn´t there more of an outcry about the abuse of sport cars because of the Danny Heatly/Dan Snyder disaster or the bobby Phills accident. In both cases people died. By your article´s reasoning these types of vehicles should be banned as well. I don´t mind your view that high performance motorcycles should be confined to closed course use, and actually our streets would be safer without them, however you cannot intelligently use a type of vehicle (a sports car) as a metric for how unsafe motorcycles are when that vehicle metric is even more unsafe, and then not call for the ban on that vehicle as well. Finally, while Rothlisberger was stupid for not wearing a helmet, the accident was not his fault. He was hit by a woman who couldn´t operate her car safely, and he almost died as a result of it. This would be like blaming the Jews that were killed in the Holocaust for not realizing the danger and leaving Europe when it was still possible for some of them to do so.



Thank you for reading this.



Matthew Elke
 
I saw some idiot in a small Toyota sedan cutting up traffic and speeding away from stop lights.According to Easterbrook's way of thinking , we should ban all small Toyota's?

An idiot will always be an idiot, no matter what they ride or drive.
 
Easterbrook also writes about science and doesn't know much about it. Writes about the entertainment industry and is pretty dumb about that too. http://beldar.blogs.com/beldarblog/2003/10/easterbrook_is_.html

He writes a huge amount on things he doesn't know a lot about but except for the little dust up linked to above it has served him well for within his seeming irreverance and pretense of coolness he is a transmitter of the conventional wisdom as held by the Republican political establishment. Like most all you hear and read it is meant to manufacture consensus.

It's not news that most people are more than happy to hate sport bikers for a few minuets in response to an invitation from the likes of Easterbrook to do so. That said, it doesn't really mean a thing. No draconican laws against bikes are going to comed down the chute. It was just a throw away comment meant to stir the pot. Wrtint him in protest is beyond futile.
 
Ninja Deal Machines (NDM)

The problem may not be "max performance" bikes as much as the emergence of the outlaw sportbiker crowd. Police have no way to stop the behavior, and it's this inability to police the roads that may lead to legislation against the dreaded Ninja Death Machine.

Case in point-- I was coming home from a 700 mile ride this past Sunday when a gang (?!) of sportbikers passed me on the highway in heavy traffic just outside the DC beltway.

They were keeping the revs up, and lane splitting/weaving, etc., etc. These guys can ride with almost impunity because it will be nearly impossible for the police to stop them.

If the police can't stop them, I wouldn't be surprised to see legislation that will.
 
According to Easterbrook's way of thinking , we should ban all small Toyota's?



Really? Can the Toyota top out close to 200mph? No? Oh? Does it out accelerate a Corvette? No? So maybe you’re talking about your interpretation of Easterbrooks thinking. Maybe you need to read the article again …

 
Here is a copy of my e-mail to Dan Easterbrook,



OK Dan, I guess you don't like motorcycles. I am 53 years old, and although I do not own a Hayabusa, I do own a motorcycle with a significantly better power to weight ratio than a Corvette. Since we are on the subject of Corvettes, I guess that they should be banned along with a number of Ferraris, Porsches, Maseratis, and any other high performce automobile or motorcycle.

The Hayabusa exists for exactly the same reason as the Corvette. However, the average person can get 4 Hayabusas for the price of one Corvette. I agree that the Hayabusa does not have all of the safety equipment that the Corvette has, but neither does a moped, a bicycle, or my daughter's horses, and I don't think you have an issue with them.

I do not ride motorcycles in order to behave in an antisocial manner. If Dan Rothlesberger, or me, or anyone else chooses to ride a motorcycle, it is none of your business. Personally I think the idiot tailgating my family car in his 6000 pound SUV is just as antisocial as the motorcyclist zooming by at excessive speed or the Harley with loud exhaust pipes.

I guess I will stop watching ESPN until you nolonger work there. That is a shame, because I enjoy ESPN coverage of some sports.

f my e-mail to ESPN:
 
Re: Which views he expressed are ignorant?

"No need to wonder, the government (either state or federal) will make..."

This sounds like you are endorsing the government deciding what is "sensible."

How will I have a motorcycle accident if I can't ride one? Obviously this question needs no answer.

I hope that the imbeciles you speak of do moderate their behavior, or better yet, that the imbeciles who endorse legislating away irresponsiblity lose their ability to enact or enforce legislation.
 
But... but... but.... it's for the children! I mean, if it will save just one life! And if it will protect our borders.......
 
Big Ben didn't crash His Hayabusa because he was speeding or driving recklessly. He crashed due to an inattentive car driver making an illegal left turn directly into His path. Let's ban moronic car drivers instead. Freakin' idiots...
 
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