I think he was riding the wrong brand...

I'd say that the shop definitely has some responsibility if his rear brake wasn't working due to their work but "forced to utilize the front brake"? C'mon, learn to ride.

I go thru a little routine everytime I get on my bike. Especially when it is warming up. However the other day I go through my routine and get on the bike. Wife and son are there and I am talking. Say goodbye and pull out of the drive way. I did not know it but I have left the kickstand down. Right turn out of the drive, right turn at the end of the street, then to route 42 another right, then one final right to my favorite twisting road. I lean to the left...suprise it aint leaning. I correct up and go straight into a field on the side of some farmers house. Slow down kick it up and continue with my a-hole puckerd up back to the road where I clean off the weeds that have collected under the bike. I feel like a Jack Ass but I did get to reassure myself that under a bad situation I can still make the correct decision. It can happen to the best of us. I had an old rigid Triumph that had no front break on it at all. It is hard to say how a new rider might react if a car pulled in front and had to break. Both breaks get applied and one doesn't work. I think reflexes would kick in and one might pull up pretty hard on that front one if there were no outs right and left. Experience and training are the best tools. I bet he doesn't make that mistake again....Russ

I don't defend the shop, but every rider, every driver has the responsibility to make sure the vehicle they are operating is working in all aspects. You should check lights and brakes everytime you go to start your bike or car.

In this case the rider is responsible for riding a vehicle with a defective rear brake (and operating a vehicle with no brain) - and should be ticketed as such.

Kawickrice wrote:

Stupid Hurts

Amen!

Apparently the facts aren't all in yet:

Information is scanty. Apparently, James dropped off his 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 to have the rear tire repaired or replaced.

IF the rear tire was indeed replaced and the shop didn't instruct him to be cautious for at least the first 100 miles, then they're obviously at fault.
But if the rider simply ignored their cautioning and had the rear tire slide out from under him while he tried stopping (while turning perhaps?) using ONLY the rear brake, then he's a victom of himself.
= they said vs he said.
The burden of proof is what's going to sway the verdict.

IMHO though, it's time the courts (and greedy lawyers) start making people take responsibility for their own stupid actions instead of sucking up my tax dollars and trying to place the blame elsewhere.

That is a very good point.
JMKZHI wrote:

Supposedly, the guy was "forced to utilize the front brakes,". If that quote is accurate, then he probably doesn't know how to do a panic stop anyway. Novice or not, he apparently didn't check the bike over before going on his merry way.

Ok I didn't read any specific info either but I do know my friend has a Kawasaki Vulcan too. The rear brakes apparently have some kind of flaw. Maybe this is beyond the shops fault. Kawasaki might have some blame in the matter. I do know that when we rode to Sturgis my friends bike had a problem with the rear brake. He didn't get in to an accident but it's because he noticed right away the brake wasn't working right. Some other guy was saying the same about his bike too, same problem. Hmmmm.... Anything is possible. We all do stupid things from time to time when we are distracted. I did two in a row yesterday and one involved losing my rear brake do to oil from the crankcase spitting out because I was in a hurry to get on the road and checked the oil in my bike, filled it appropriately but being that it was early my sister said something to me as I was about to put the cap back on and voila! Second time in 22 years I have done that. I forgot to put the damned thing back on. I was thinking about that brain fart all day and when we got back home late another stupid mistake. I either forgot to put the kickstand down or I did but it somehow didn't fully engage and I went down with it in my garage.:blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: :blush: Stupid ass! I should have been more careful. I have never ever done that in the 22 years of riding. EVER! I think that maybe I went to put it down and felt it but then my foot slipped off. Who knows? Mistakes happen. How many times have you been riding and broken a clutch cable? Happened to me a few times. Thank God I wasn't involved in traffic where I would have had to panic stop or there would have been trouble.:blink: We shouldn't be so quick to judge. There are too many variables to know exactly what happened unless one of us actually witnessed this incident. But a lot of people like to use only the rear brake? Why I don't know or care to know. I have heard many people say this and of course I tell them they obviously are completely confused and that the front brake carries more of the brunt than the rear but if they like to be stuck thinking dangerous ideas it's on them but don't say I didn't tell them so. Even taking the test they mention that as one of the questions.
RetroRiceRocketRider wrote:

Kawickrice wrote:

Stupid Hurts

Amen!

Apparently the facts aren't all in yet:

Information is scanty. Apparently, James dropped off his 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 to have the rear tire repaired or replaced.

IF the rear tire was indeed replaced and the shop didn't instruct him to be cautious for at least the first 100 miles, then they're obviously at fault.
But if the rider simply ignored their cautioning and had the rear tire slide out from under him while he tried stopping (while turning perhaps?) using ONLY the rear brake, then he's a victom of himself.
= they said vs he said.
The burden of proof is what's going to sway the verdict.

IMHO though, it's time the courts (and greedy lawyers) start making people take responsibility for their own stupid actions instead of sucking up my tax dollars and trying to place the blame elsewhere.