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Have to agree with you and then I still have to think about it. My nephew dropped his bike on the highway and skidded a good distance. Tore his hands up and his leather jacket. Never bumped his head but.... he damn well could've he had his new helmet on and no scratches. He should have told me about the little detail that he was planning on riding the bike home from Mich. instead of putting it in the back of the truck like he told me he was going to do. I should have whooped his arse for doing a stupid no brainer type of thing like that. He messed up his new looking ride that he could have learned how to ride before he took it such a long distance.
We ride (without seat belts) and if we get in to an accident no matter what we are going to seriously be hurting. I feel the same. Helmets protect your noggin so that is it. Broken neck, broken back helmets don't. Common sense and extreme defensive riding will save you from getting in to an accident in the first place. Helmets just make people feel safer when riding unsafe to begin with. But they sure are nice when it's cold outside or raining. lol

Oh by the way I am seriously thinking of coming out on Friday. Guess the weather and me getting my polished wheels with new tires and polished forks on the bike by Thursday will be the deciding factor. Wanna come up and check out the car/bike show in St. Louie and do some riding with you guys. So I am gonna get that done hopefully by tomorrow. My thumbs from sanding the lip and flatsides of the spokes will for sure be a little on the sore side but hopefully I can get them to shine really nice. Hopefully some of the guys in my club will ride up too.

BeeSting wrote:

Where are you in Illinois? I'd like to link up with some riders around here. (who dare to NOT ride a friggin Harley...)

Bee Sting I am in Chicago and these guys are near to St. Louis and if you were up for a weekend of going down there you could meet me here and we could ride down there with a couple of guys that ride kzs and if it doesn't rain this weekend they have a car/bike show in St. Louis. If it does rain then any other given weekend is game.

Hey... Can I get in on this?
After all I started the thread.
You guys come on down and at least a couple of KZ's will meet up with you to enjoy the ride along the great river road in Illinois or into the Missouri wine country down Hwy 94 in Missouri.You will have to wear your helmet when you go into Missouri, but for some of us that's not such a big deal. I wear mine all the time. I took it off once for a poker run with some Ill. guys a few weeks ago, but on the last poker run I did with them I was the only one wearing a helmet out of about a hundred bikes. It didn't seem to bother anyone that I had it on. It may not save you in a high speed wreck, but a slow speed collision with some idiot that didn't see you until the last second it just might save all your marbles. It's supposed to be a wonderful day down here on saturday we'll be out for sure.
Where is the car and bike show you guys were talking about? P.S That's Riverroad in the pic standing behind my COP KZ. [img size=150][/img]

Yeah! Well I was talking with Steve and we had mentioned meeting up and riding with all of you guys so that is where I was coming from and as it stands I have one guy for sure that will ride down with me. He has an Indian if that's ok with you guys. The car show is supposed to be in St. Louis on the bridge this weekend and has bikes as well.
I would really love it if all you Kaw guys that ride all the time could get together this Saturday especially if it will be beautiful that day. Like Kawabunga dude. lol So it looks like this is going to happen this weekend. If it rains then not good but I think if not this weekend there may not be another chance.
I will be wearing a helmet for sure on the ride down there as bugs and possible road rocks and maybe even a little bit of rain don't feel too good at 75mph. I hope this works out and we can all ride together. As for BeeSting I don't know him but if he would like to ride from Mich. It's on.

Well then it's a go I'll make sure nothing gets in the way of my being there and I know Don (riverroad) will be there and you already have Steve on board which means that Jeff will probably come along too so we will have at least a few bikes to make up the group. Where will you be staying at Friday night? We need to figure a time and place to meet. I'll probly go over to Grafton to meet up with Don and then we'll head towards the rendevous with Steve and anyone else that wants to go along.

Absolutely no idea as to where. Never been down that way before unless it was just passing through. If you have any suggestions let me know. I know that for sure there will be two of us and most likely everyone else will shy out as it's such a long ride for all the girls in our club to partake in. The other guy who I ride with all the time has a business that he works on kzs and rebuilds them. He really wanted to come down and check it out but can't leave until 3p saturday so I think there may be a part two coming before winter. He does some really nice work on the bikes. We were going to ride to Springfield last weekend but something came up and we didn't go. I will let you guys know for sure by Thursday as to who will be coming down but I don't really think anyone else save the two of us although some of the guys were interested I think they can't get away or don't have the resources to make it go.

We'll put our heads together and come up with someplace that you might stay and let you know before the trip. there are a lot of small motels all over the place and I'm sure we'll come up with one to recomend.

okeledokeleB)

Sax, there's a few places here in Grafton you can stay, but you need to call them right away to see if you can get in anywhere.
I'm not real familiar with any of them, but I can say that Pierre Marquette Lodge is the biggest, but probably not the best. Pretty nice though.
OTOH, Tara Point Inn, is probably the best. They do have the best views. But getting in there without a lot of notice might be next to impossible. Probably not cheap either.
The only other one I know anything about is the Ruebel right downtown. It's a very old hotel built back in the 1800's. Never stayed in it but I've heard the rooms are small.
There's also some more standard motels down in Alton. Don't know anything about them.
www.grafton.il.us/business.asp

I'll be honest about the place. Doesn't matter where it is. Could be a shack as long as it is clean and sanitary. I will only be sleeping one night and my girl is going to stay and watch the dogs so it won't matter. I plan on riding and having a good time out of doors.
I will check on the rooms that you mentioned and thanks for letting me know. Hopefully it won't be a big deal but either way I might just, depending upon the hour of departure, stay halfway point and then wake up bright n early to ride the rest of the way. This all revolves around the other guys if they want to go. Some of them work a little late.

There's alot more riders here in Illinois from what I can tell. Is it because of Harley? Finances? Gas prices? Or maybe people riding because they don't need a helmet?


The fact is, you do need a helmet to be safe and smart at the same time. when I see people without them I just think - "wow, isn't it childish to NOT wear a helmet just because there's no law that says you must"


Everyone can find a story about someone who was saved by NOT wearing a seatbelt, too. That doesn't make it smart, safe, reasonable, or a good idea.

Not protecting yourself is childish at best. It would be at least mildly comforting to know that everyone who "chose" not to wear one was very heavily insured and that their orphans wouldn't end up wards of the state.

When I see two-up riders without helmets I pray that they haven't bred yet.