Drinking & Riding

[Ernie_Taylor]

This Post was started on the Honda Form by Heckler and I thought that we should get in on it

Whats your take on it? Do any of you have friends that drink and ride? and what about somking weed? Maybe we can encourage some safety here.....

[MOmilkman]

I have 2 stories on drinking and riding (Ill keep em short):

the first was a 12 pack and a DR250. I couldnt climb a hill if it was a green on a ski slope.

the second involved a CR500 and no helmet. Lets just say it took off the top of my shoe and leave it at theat. Could have been worse.

I have never touched another drop while riding since.

[ThumperWR450F]

drunk as can be 2:00 AM up in the mountains in PA. crashed. 6 hr car ride home with road rash on my butt !! won't touch another drink while riding again !!

[beezer]

I like a few beers after I put the bike away.

Years ago we were done for the day racing when the promoter announced he was going to have a combined expert money race. A buddy who already had a least 4 or 5 beers went out and raced and got 3rd.

Motorcycles and booze don't mix.

[SMD]

Drinking, riding and mullets......whats wrong with that?

Actually I am amazed how often the obvious has to be reaffirmed. Have not and will not.

[pdx_drz400]

I was surprised how many on the other forum said it was OK to have one or two while out riding. Same goes for smoking weed. Sheesh!

[njracer]

While I'm riding....NO...after...HELL YEAH!!! Yummy!

This goes for the dirt as well as track when I'm racing the GSXR750. More so on the track since were hitting speeds in excess of 150mph....need to be very sober when doing this.

njracer

[Crazythumpin]

It would have to take a complete MORON to drink and ride!!! I see it all the time in my area with alot of quad riders.

I can't even drink the night before I head out. It kinda sucks because it puts a damper on the clubs and parties on the weekends, but my riding means alot more to me.

For smoking pot, to each his own. You'll know whats up when I fly past ya, because you can't get your act together.

In the end it means more trophies for ME!!!

So drink and smoke it up!!! ?

[Chaindrive]

I take the Fifth...

Your fifth, my fifth... it don't matter ?

Bless me father, for I have sinned:

After a long afternoon of turning 1 mile laps on a very hot day, I had hit that stage of "exhausted satisfaction". I had improved my lap times greatly. And my confidence. EXCEPT for one particular double: I cased that puppy every single time I tried it. I would come out of the corner with grim (tense) determination and get lock-wrist or something. It was the only negative of my day.

I sat at the trailer and guzzled 3 cold ones while holding another against my bruised 'nards and just studied that corner and jump...

The track was empty, the sun about to set, everyone is gone... Next thing I know, my evil twin has my bike's throttle pinned coming out of that corner. I'm screaming at him to let me off, but "this is the express and it don't stop, wussy boy"...

I felt embarrassed at how easy that jump really was. What can I say? A little liquid courage; a little more relaxed... I wasn't drunk, it was a private track, my day off, and I had a note from my mommy. Now I can do that double any time I want.

OK. So I am a good example of a bad example... Shame on me, but sometimes it works, 'cause I tend to ride too tense, even though I'm only racing myself.

[mxcowboy]

That's the only reason I bought a hydration system so I would not spill(waste)my beer Glad they came out with a 100oz model, The drink bouy didn't work out as well as I would have liked it to, I just have to much mounted on my handlebars to mount it. LOL

To be honest, I will drink a few after everything is loaded and everybody is setting around bench racing but not to much because there still is the drive home.

[BruceWA]

IMHO a very unwise choice. What bothers me are those who endanger my family an myself while we are riding. This could get very ugly! ?

[Dodger]

I wouldn't condone either to any rider out there, it's plain dangerous to your self and others.

With that said, being 95% trail rider, I'll admit to getting all the way over to Winter Park (or other towns), and having a Corona or two with my burger, so shoot me. You'll never catch me drunk on anything, 2 wheels, 4 wheels, one plank or two.

There's a reason they call it dope. Again, with that said, it's just something that's been part of our riding. But don't chastise me, because I don't expect others to understand, I'm just being honest and I make no concessions. I feel very comforable riding "relaxed" as do the rest of our large group, but it won't be that way for just anyone or everyone, so again in no way am I condoning it, it's a personal decision.

Ultimately, wait until your done, you'll thank yourself for it !!

Peace

Dodger ?

[Pete_Z]

IMHO drinking and riding is a bad idea, but I did find it interesting the comments about liquid courage and a couple of beers relaxing you enough to let you go faster. From experience I can say that it's not uncommon for guys to ride faster, smoother and more fluidly (pun intended) after a beer or two. The lesson in that is the importance of being relaxed while riding. A beer to take the edge off is not the answer, sooner or later it'll be one beer too many and someone will wind up hurt. Being sober, alert and relaxed is far better. Beer after riding is O.K., after the drive home is even better.

There is a sub-culture of drinking while riding ATV's up here, and it's a bad scene. While out riding it's commonplace to come across groups of ATV riders on the trail that are literally too drunk to walk. Nature of the beast I suppose, compared to a bike it really doesn't take too much skill or co-ordination to keep an ATV rubber-side down, and I guess that it probably seems lot more exciting riding a four wheeler while hammered. These guys are ruining their sport, and ours too as off-road riders are often tarred with the same brush. When a couple of drunken a-holes on 700 Sportsmans shod with 28" Mudzillas leave a trail of beer cans and destruction behind, we all get blamed.

The same sort of attitude towards drinking and riding used to be the norm with snowmobilers as well, but that got cleaned up out of necessity. The general public viewed sledders as a bunch of drunken hooligans and it was hurting the sport. Drinking and riding a snowmobile now is almost universally frowned upon, and the sport is far, far better for it.

I know a few guys that smoke and ride, which is a bad idea too, although they usually seem to ride slower but appear to be having a great deal of fun ? . Personally I don't think that pot is any better or worse than alcohol, and just like booze is better left for after the ride or race.

Just my 3 1/2 cents.

Peace Eh - P.Z.

[SPUTTER]

Drinking can leave you dead real fast - makes for poor judgement, I guess. I went riding at Hollister Hills about 10 years ago - in the evening. Hooked up with a couple of guys at the motocross track - raced a little, then BS'd. They went back to their trucks for a break..then we were going to meet at another track in a few. Well, nobody showed so I went over to where they were parked. On the way a ranger was working hard on a rider down on the road. It was the guy I had been riding with. He had taken his buddy's bike for a run down the main park road, lost sight of a sign post in the setting sun, hit it and died right there. He didn't put his helmet on. Why? Don't know for sure, but he and his buddy were drinking hard stuff. You tell me.

He had a wife and kids. His buddy flipped out - kept yelling "this isn't happening" over and over. I just looked at the bottles.

And not to make anyone mad or anything, but drinking to make you ride smoother? That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. What makes you smoother is conditioning and practice - that's how you get confidence too - being able to ride is a wonderful thing, but people who don't work at it don't seem to last long in the sport. At least that's my experience, but hey, maybe it'll be different for you.

[kev426]

you guys dont have a bottle holder on your handel bars?

and a icechest mount on the rear fender? ?

[wr250rr]

I drink and ride some times. I don't get tanked, but after a few good laps, I may or may not have a few beers and have another lap or two. I never drink when I race because it affects my stamina. I dont drink and try to show off and get all cocky and do stupid stunts or anything like that. Actually I will turn it back a few knotches. Seat time is seat time. But a few beers after a few laps is all good.

You don't have to be drinking to be hurt or killed while riding. As far as the weed goes, well its not for me. I know people who wake and bake, burn and ride. I know a sponsered pro road racer the smokes serious crippie before every race, and a couple AA sponsered hare scramble racers that do it too. Bottom line is if your experienced and not foolish, its O.K. If you don't drink very often and go get hammered and ride something, your gonna either kill yourself or someone else.

[TallJohn]

Lots of beer and cider lead to three up on a Suzuki GSX550 without helmets around the streets of London when at College - wasn't a good idea then, still isn't now!

[Ernie_Taylor]

Haveing a nice cold beer in the cooler when you get back from the days ride is OK but most of the time I pull out the poweraid that is covered in ice beside the beer.AS to smoking a J no thank you, I don't smoke so if I shared a J I would spend the hole day laughing my head off by the truck then I would have to find FOOD..

['00_in_Calgary]

Having been on both sides of both those options, I'd have to say that if you want to keep up or beat your buds you'd better be clean. I have no problems with a brew or puff after the ride but it does distort reality and if you ride impaired, obviously you're not at that top of your game. It might be different on a track, but in a scramble or where I ride where I don't always know what's around the next corner.. you want your reflexes to be at the potential best.

For those pro riders having a puff before their race.. you just have to wonder how they'd be if they were straight. If it were me, without a doubt I'd be faster. Lots of times they are unsure of how they'd ride straight 'cause they just haven't done it for so long. You have to think the clearer thinking would equate to faster times.

[lewichris]

yea that is real good to admiting you smoke weed. LOL with 10,000 members dont you thing the wrong person could see that. Guess it Made you dumber then you previously thought. Guess that is why it IS illegal. Murphey's Irish Stout my Brothers. Unfotunately not tll i get home.