Due to the enormous rash of high-power superbikes falling into squidly
hands
& subsequently being crashed or used for utter-stupidity, US lawmakers
have
put heavy pressure on the manufacturers to enact some sort of applicant
screening to prevent this.
The Japanese manufacturers (Italian's claimed their bikes were too
expensive
for most squids & declined to participate), came up with this
qualification
exam which will be given to anyone considering purchasing a new or used
4-cyclinder streetbike over 600cc. Statistics have shown that squids
usually
shy away from most twins. Based upon the scoring of the exam,
prospective
bike owners will be able to purchase only those bikes they qualify for.
The
state DMV is also considering enacting such an exam to further put a
stop
to
unnecessary squidly behavior.
I am pretty sure this topic could/will start a very long thread on this
list, but here goes....
I for one, am in agreement with the lawmakers that a inexperienced rider
(regardless of age and/or riding time years before), should not be
allowed to purchase the fastest production bike on the planet.
Case in point in Calgary last month. A young male rider was showing off
on his new ZX7, with all his buddies watching. The first thing he did
wrong was not wear a helmet, second was that he had no idea of how to
ride the bike, third was the parked car he hit in the rear while doing a
wheelie and fourth, he killed himself.
I rest my case.
My .02.
Grant Gall
PS - A message from a friend of mine who has a sticker on her helmet
"Don't ride faster than your angels can fly".
