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Wearing a bright yellow/orange jacket with reflective stuff would probably be the safest, but sometimes a little too much color for some- including me. But the other day I saw a guy riding a dark red bike, he had a black jacket on and black helmet, BUT he had a bright orange backpack on easily visible from behind the bike as well as the orange straps across his front side. I thought it was highly noticeable, but looked a lot less bright and semi-obnoxious than the full color jackets.

Here is the thing, most of our research shows that accidents happen in front of bikes, not behind. In particular, junctions. The age old excuse "I did not see you"

White helmet, hi viz jacket, HID headlight, I believe might reduce my risk and if it ever goes to court,

well that might not stand up unless he was legally blind

So instead of going full dork you went . Well done!

Yeah- with my law abiding nature equipped with a full dianese jacket, pants and gloves with sidi vortice air boots, $3k in my suspension, taken the BRC, ERC, ARC-ST, MSRC, SRC, Steps sidecar class, Cornerspin, cornerspeed, cornerspeed 2, stayin say, lee parks total control I and II, Keith Code Superbike School levels 1-3, Keven Schwantz Superbike school, AMOS course and a few clinics under my belt... I'm the definition of squid?

I'm pretty much a neon/reflective vest + white helmet kinda guy, although this is interesting actually:

storysunfolding wrote:They notice me.... and think I'm a hooligan so stay the hell away from me. That fear factor, while maybe not helping the motorcycle rider stereotype, allows me to enjoy more room than I've ever experienced in the DC metro area.

Someone should conduct a real research study to see if riders that look like hooligans are more likely to be noticed and avoided. Can't imagine how you could define, measure, and control the variables though.

storysunfolding wrote:Yeah- with my law abiding nature equipped with a full dianese jacket, pants and gloves with sidi vortice air boots, $3k in my suspension, taken the BRC, ERC, ARC-ST, MSRC, SRC, Steps sidecar class, Cornerspin, cornerspeed, cornerspeed 2, stayin say, lee parks total control I and II, Keith Code Superbike School levels 1-3, Keven Schwantz Superbike school, AMOS course and a few clinics under my belt... I'm the definition of squid?

I think that makes a lot of the rest of us wanna-be squids!

Of course, what you are and what you look like are two different things. Well, alright maybe not in my case - looks like a dork - is a dork, what can you do!

storysunfolding wrote:Yeah- with my law abiding nature equipped with a full dianese jacket, pants and gloves with sidi vortice air boots, $3k in my suspension, taken the BRC, ERC, ARC-ST, MSRC, SRC, Steps sidecar class, Cornerspin, cornerspeed, cornerspeed 2, stayin say, lee parks total control I and II, Keith Code Superbike School levels 1-3, Keven Schwantz Superbike school, AMOS course and a few clinics under my belt... I'm the definition of squid?

You wear the mohawk, you're a squid... Sorry bud, just how it is... I don't make the rules!

Pssh. Wishing won't make it so Ryan.

Urban dictionary:
A young motorcyclist who overestimates his abilities, boasts of his riding skills when in reality he has none. Squid bikes are usually decorated with chrome and various anodized bits. Rear tyres are too wide for their own good, swingarm extended. Really slow in the corners, and sudden bursts of acceleration when a straight appears. Squids wear no protection, deeming themselves invincible. This fact compounds intself with the fact that they engage in 'extreem riding'--performing wheelies and stoppies in public areas. Squids wreck alot. Derived from 'squirly kid'

Murtle Beach Bike Week website
So what does SQUID really stand for? It’s an Acronym, SQUirrely kID: 1. In reference to younger motorcycle riders with little respect to posted speed limit laws, self safety or safety of others. 2. Inexperienced newcomer, someone trying to ride beyond his skill level with arms flailing (like a squid) to try not to fall. This may be just a Southern term. 3. Stupidly Quick, Underdressed, Imminently Dead. 4. Any SportBike Rider -- seems this term got twisted along the way and has many meanings. 5. Sportbike riders who wear tennis shoes or flip flops, shorts, T-shirts, etc. on their nice shiny new sport bikes. 6. Anyone who rides without all proper gear, rides recklessly or rides beyond his limits.

I've looked a few places. I have yet to find "Over trained rider, rides within his and legal limits, but happens to wear a mohawk"

storysunfolding wrote:Yeah- with my law abiding nature equipped with a full dianese jacket, pants and gloves with sidi vortice air boots, $3k in my suspension, taken the BRC, ERC, ARC-ST, MSRC, SRC, Steps sidecar class, Cornerspin, cornerspeed, cornerspeed 2, stayin say, lee parks total control I and II, Keith Code Superbike School levels 1-3, Keven Schwantz Superbike school, AMOS course and a few clinics under my belt... I'm the definition of squid?

Very well trained squid.

I hate you all