I keep hearing from people that riding a motorcycle is way too dangourous

[MongGrel]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvK17YMZ978

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0UkKEvnVkU

 

[MongGrel]

To be perfectly honest, the OP seems to be a bit young or baiting on many threads.

But still.

I'll just leave that one alone.

 

[michal1980]

Talk about denial!

but the scotter is so light weight, so little mass, it should be the safest thing on the road (using OP's logic)

 

[Murloc]

Do they have medium size motorcycles? And I can go in the right speed limit

god I hope you're trolling, if you're not, don't drive. At all. If you don't grasp the concept of quantity of motion or cinetic energy as opposed to speed, you would just underestimate risk.

 

[sze5003]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvK17YMZ978

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0UkKEvnVkU

My favorite is 2:15 oh man I could not stop laughing at the guy trying to pick his bike up. It looked like only a 250, I've picked up my 650 from knocking it over doing a coolant change and I'm a stick.

 

[Kaido]

ATGATT

Woooooooow that guy sat up at just the right time!

http://i.imgur.com/Bs2cN1k.png

 

[Kaido]

I still have a dream of riding one.

I feel safer on a bike because it's lighter. I get anxiety when I drive a car for the fact that it's really heavy and had a lot do mass

Should I pursue this motorcycle thiing? I never experienced the road, and bikes feel safer to me. Yet people say they are more dangerous. Thoughts?

Bicycles & motorcycles are different things. I can easily hop off the road on my bike if I'm in a panic situation, and I rarely go faster than maybe 20 MPH downhill. When you're on a motorcycle, you're basically playing frogger - you are riding at 60 MPH, surrounded by 2-ton vehicles, without a steel frame, crumple zones, or airbags to protect you. Your leathers & helmet, if you're wearing them, are all that is between you & the road. It's very easy to turn into hamburger if you fall or crash.

The most dangerous thing about motorcycles is other people. All it takes is for someone not to see you & bam, you're either dead or disabled for life. People run red lights all the time. It's bad if you get hit in a car, but it's worse if you get hit on a motorcycle. I do feel unsafe on my bicycle and I had a period of time when I did not ride after a close call - a lady was driving a car & nicked me & lightly hit my friend (he took a tumble) & had NO CLUE because she was busy on a cell phone drinking a latte. When I bike now, I usually go early in the morning & on backroads because I don't trust people to pay attention anymore.

With that said, pursue the course you want. It's a diceroll, but everything is. Riding a motorcycle is inherently more dangerous than say driving a car, but if it makes you happy, do what you need to do. You will die someday, whether it's in your sleep, skydiving, a heart attack, or on a motorcycle. I was on the fence about getting a bike for a long time. I finally started getting serious about it & then one of my wife's good friends hit a gravel patch on the highway & hit a brick wall at 70. That was the end of his tour of duty on earth, sadly. I have since opted to have kids & buy 5-star rated cars.

So basically, be aware there is a risk involved. Ignore the slams you're getting in this thread. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the fact that you're concerned about the safety aspect will make you a better rider than a lot of people I know who don't care at all. Bikes are fun, but there's the risk of getting turned into road hash because of someone else's careless mistake. Or because you make a mistake. Or because a squirrel jumps in front of you.

 

[sze5003]

I usually get home from work with traffic, wait out an hour or two and take the roads that aren't so busy. I go to state parks and relax with friends and we are back by dark when there are less cars on the road.

You can ride like a newbie all the time and be safe but it doesn't matter because it doesn't matter how careful or slow you take a twist or turn, you have no control over the roads or other drivers. I haven't gotten back on my bike since this winter screwed up the roads...holes everywhere.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Bicycles & motorcycles are different things. I can easily hop off the road on my bike if I'm in a panic situation, and I rarely go faster than maybe 20 MPH downhill. When you're on a motorcycle, you're basically playing frogger - you are riding at 60 MPH, surrounded by 2-ton vehicles, without a steel frame, crumple zones, or airbags to protect you. Your leathers & helmet, if you're wearing them, are all that is between you & the road. It's very easy to turn into hamburger if you fall or crash.

The most dangerous thing about motorcycles is other people. All it takes is for someone not to see you & bam, you're either dead or disabled for life. People run red lights all the time. It's bad if you get hit in a car, but it's worse if you get hit on a motorcycle. I do feel unsafe on my bicycle and I had a period of time when I did not ride after a close call - a lady was driving a car & nicked me & lightly hit my friend (he took a tumble) & had NO CLUE because she was busy on a cell phone drinking a latte. When I bike now, I usually go early in the morning & on backroads because I don't trust people to pay attention anymore.

With that said, pursue the course you want. It's a diceroll, but everything is. Riding a motorcycle is inherently more dangerous than say driving a car, but if it makes you happy, do what you need to do. You will die someday, whether it's in your sleep, skydiving, a heart attack, or on a motorcycle. I was on the fence about getting a bike for a long time. I finally started getting serious about it & then one of my wife's good friends hit a gravel patch on the highway & hit a brick wall at 70. That was the end of his tour of duty on earth, sadly. I have since opted to have kids & buy 5-star rated cars.

So basically, be aware there is a risk involved. Ignore the slams you're getting in this thread. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the fact that you're concerned about the safety aspect will make you a better rider than a lot of people I know who don't care at all. Bikes are fun, but there's the risk of getting turned into road hash because of someone else's careless mistake. Or because you make a mistake. Or because a squirrel jumps in front of you.

I commuted by bicycle for 2+ years and honestly I had more close calls on the bicycle than I have on the motorcycle. You are going way slower than traffic on a bicycle and as such you are exposed to more cars over the same miles plus you are even less protected than a motorcyclist is (one wearing gear of course).

Motorcycles don't just crash for no reason. They are very stable on the freeway and it is pretty easy to avoid someone changing lanes if you stay alert. If you ride within your limits, get your M endorsement and never drink alcohol before you ride you have gone a long way toward ensuring your survival on a bike.

 

[Midwayman]

I remember from my rider course that you're something like 23 times more likely to be killed on a motorcycle than in a car. Its silly dangerous. Worse if you're riding in urban area with lots of inattentive drivers and cross traffic. If I ever get one again, I'll probably trailer it out to where it's fun to ride anyways. Riding in traffic just plain sucks.

 

[WilliamM2]

I remember from my rider course that you're something like 23 times more likely to be killed on a motorcycle than in a car.

Sounds like a huge risk...until you actually look at your odds of dying in a car crash.

It's much more likely you will die from heart attack, stroke, or cancer.

 

[angminas]

Let me get this straight. You want to get a motorcycle...so you can be safe?

Don't get a motorcycle.

 

[Railgun]

Take a MSF course, if available in your area. You'll get an idea.

Take the MSF course, they will have you on 250cc bikes and as long as you pay attention and do what the instructor tells you, you should be fine.

The hardest part of the test is the box test. You should pay attention and try your best to make the figure 8 as close as possible.

Unless MSF changed something, that's not going to teach anyone anything. The MSF gives you basic control and low speed handling instruction. I rode to their class myself on my CBR. Regardless of what they teach you in a parking lot, it's not going to prepare you for the road.

The figure 8 is a joke. You can fail that part and pass the class. Not to mention it's a useless test anyway IMHO.

The tests here in the UK are in two parts. The first is the same as the MSF thing, but it's a full pass/fail. No in between. There are a couple additional things with the test too, but generally the same. The second part is a riding test for about 30-45 min where they follow you around and ensure you're doing things correctly, and confidently.

That said, sure, take the MSF class, but do something more involved and advanced if you're not sure about riding in general.

 

[sze5003]

They also have an advanced riding course you can take afterwards where you use your own bike.

It's a faster pace than the first and you do some maneuvers like wide and sharp turns at speed and so on.

 

[silicon]

I still have a dream of riding one.

I feel safer on a bike because it's lighter. I get anxiety when I drive a car for the fact that it's really heavy and had a lot do mass

Should I pursue this motorcycle thiing? I never experienced the road, and bikes feel safer to me. Yet people say they are more dangerous. Thoughts?

if you are unable to see the inherent dangers of riding a motorcycle in traffic, where drivers cut you off or cannot see you, then stick to riding a bus or using taxis.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Let me get this straight. You want to get a motorcycle...so you can be safe?

Don't get a motorcycle.

But he wants a medium size one, and will only go under the speed limit, and has anxiety issues in cars.

There is probably a reason why OP keeps hearing from "people" it's too dangerous.

 

[sze5003]

What's a medium size bike a 500cc? If you have anxiety issues in a car then I don't know how you would feel driving next to cars on a bike.

I live in Philly and when I take my bike out I'm always in traffic. It's not safe to be around all those cars not to mention drivers that don't really pay attention.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Unless MSF changed something, that's not going to teach anyone anything. The MSF gives you basic control and low speed handling instruction. I rode to their class myself on my CBR. Regardless of what they teach you in a parking lot, it's not going to prepare you for the road.

The figure 8 is a joke. You can fail that part and pass the class. Not to mention it's a useless test anyway IMHO.

The tests here in the UK are in two parts. The first is the same as the MSF thing, but it's a full pass/fail. No in between. There are a couple additional things with the test too, but generally the same. The second part is a riding test for about 30-45 min where they follow you around and ensure you're doing things correctly, and confidently.

That said, sure, take the MSF class, but do something more involved and advanced if you're not sure about riding in general.

Which is a good place to start if you've never ridden a motorcycle before. It is far far better than no instruction at all which is exactly the amount of training many new riders get.

 

[JulesMaximus]

And this is a perfect starter bike for you.

Christ that looks ridiculous...

Make sure you get a German WWII half helmet to complete the Das Busa look.

 

[sze5003]

Christ that looks ridiculous...

Make sure you get a German WWII half helmet to complete the Das Busa look.

I would be very uncomfortable riding or even sitting on that. It also weighs a lot!

 

[Railgun]

Which is a good place to start if you've never ridden a motorcycle before. It is far far better than no instruction at all which is exactly the amount of training many new riders get.

Maybe...but when's the last low speed accident you've seen that was the rider's fault?

 

[Sheep221]

Motorbikes are dangerous especially if you are going first and incoming car is not yielding to you, that is almost always deadly or with life long injuries.
Although I love when I sit in the car in some long jam and I see motorcyclist just passing by us like nothing .

 

[Midwayman]

Unless MSF changed something, that's not going to teach anyone anything. The MSF gives you basic control and low speed handling instruction. I rode to their class myself on my CBR. Regardless of what they teach you in a parking lot, it's not going to prepare you for the road.

Its far better than the prep most people get. It also encourages some people to not ever do it on the street after their first experience in a safe environment. Those are the folks that you see wiping out on their first turn out of the dealership. I sort of wish something like the MSF course was required to get a license.

 

[sze5003]

Its far better than the prep most people get. It also encourages some people to not ever do it on the street after their first experience in a safe environment. Those are the folks that you see wiping out on their first turn out of the dealership. I sort of wish something like the MSF course was required to get a license.

We had a guy give too much throttle when learning the walk with the bike motion when we took the class a year or so ago. I was slowly turning my bike around and practicing smooth clutch...I hear a vrooom and look to my left and the guy is on the ground with the bike next to him.

He was taken to the hospital and had a broken thumb, and I think twisted his arm too.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Maybe...but when's the last low speed accident you've seen that was the rider's fault?

Well, think what you want but the fact remains that we really don't require any training at all in this country or even a valid motorcycle endorsement to buy even the fastest of motorcycles so the MSF is at least a good place to start and I highly recommend it for all riders starting out.