Australia

[J7/11]

Hey guys, I'm down in Tassie. Am doing the K8 GSXR 600 front end and real wheel swap. Still waiting on my Buell 1125CR headlight to turn up, but once I have that I'll post some pics...

[Exhausted]

just curious mates, i know the yank bloke is gonna ruffle your feathers over this one

but are the controls different on your bikes? ie: clutch/shift with right foot brake with left hand?

[kazutora]

Originally Posted by eddiemon

Hi kazutora (Dan), Welcome to SVR.

Have fun and ride safe!

Cheers :P getting more confidence now so riding is becom'n lots of fun haha

[ixlr8]

Originally Posted by Exhausted

just curious mates, i know the yank bloke is gonna ruffle your feathers over this one

but are the controls different on your bikes? ie: clutch/shift with right foot brake with left hand?

Errrm, you might be leg-pulling but same as yours. Except we ride them upside down...





(land down under?)

[Exhausted]

i noticed even in big cities you guys drive better than americans, how safe do you guys feel out on the road during night or out sport riding, is it constantly a rat race to the very finish for bikers or do you get some respect out there on the road as a human being?

[ixlr8]

In Victoria here, we have a fatality rate of 6.4 per 100,000 population. In most US states, it looks like you have 2.2-8 per 100,000 population. A majority of our deaths occur on rural roads so per head of population, the cities are much safer. I'd need to do more research to compare city stats.

Our motorcycle deaths are much higher and skewed towards rural single vehicle accidents (deaths compared with injuries which are more likely to be caused by a car driver).

I guess what I'm saying is that while it seems fellow drivers are rarely aggressive towards us, we feel safer than we actually are.

[Steph]

Depends on which city you're riding in. In Sydney and to some extent Melbourne everybody drives/rides much quicker than other cities. I usually explain it to people that haven't experienced it as, there are 2 positions, on, and off the throttle (as in flat out, or hard on the brakes). I remember the first time I went in a taxi in Sydney that I thought the taxi driver was a maniac, I was actually laughing as he drove, because it was funny to a youngster with little or no fear. When I finally got out and was driving myself, I was amazed at how aggressively everybody was driving, I felt like I was in my element, as I would describe myself as a quick/constantly thinking driver. Anyway, I was sitting at a stop light with traffic about 6 lanes wide, and suddenly I noticed cars shooting through the intersection against the red light, rather than waiting for it to go green, this in itself was a fairly good barometer of the 'mood' of most drivers, as in, go, go, go! My point is, in somewhere like Sydney, you are in more danger than somewhere like Adelaide when you ride your bike.

The big danger of rural roads is that people become fatigued and run off the road, or into oncoming traffic. It's also where alcohol plays a big part in accidents, as country people are more likely to drink and drive, as they can't exactly catch a taxi home

[nissn1]

Originally Posted by Ev-Man

Hola!

Joined after many-a year lurking. Are there many others flying the SVDU flag here?

Ev

yoo hooo

svdownunder site no worky ?

Dont suppose anyone in ozz interested in buying a nice set of brand new pazzos , black shorties with blue adjusters for sv650 , $170 posted to your door :-) SOLD

[Exhausted]

well the reason i consider you guys safer drivers than your american counterparts is that:

a) i've never seen a country with so many rest stops
b)when you get pulled over for driving erratically the police man usually asks if you've been to a rest recently, and then reccommends that you stop again
c)in a restroom on my way to Goldburn i noticed a safety poster for "gearing up" directed towards motorcyclists.

[Currently]

Originally Posted by ixlr8

Errrm, you might be leg-pulling but same as yours. Except we ride them upside down...

(land down under?)

Good one! Thanks for the laugh ...