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BooRadley · 04-24-2003, 10:12 PM

About motorcycle safety,

I enjoy talking about bikes alot but don't have the cash for one, therefore, do not own one. I am not qualified to tell you how safe/unsafe they are to ride based on skill. I seriously want one, but I don't believe they are in anyway "safe" as compared to a car. On a related note, I don't feel too particularly safe in a car either, not because of my own abilities, but because of others.

Why do I feel unsafe in cars? I could drive technically perfect and some idiot could still wreck into me and severely injure me in a car. There is alot of people who walk away from nasty car wrecks, but when it comes to motorcycles, statistically more people get severely injured when getting hit by a car than when two cars collide. Simple physics. The best driver in the world could be t-boned going through a green light, and the best motorcyclist in the world could also. Skill makes no difference when it is someone elses terrible error.

Getting pitched off because of a lack of skill is one thing and I can probably ( I don't know yet because I don't ride ) accept that risk , but getting severely hurt/killed by someone elses complete lack of attention/skill is something that I don't know if I can accept.

When it comes time for me to buy a bike, I will have to heavily weigh in on the risks and whether street riding is for me, or stick to offroad only riding instead. The risk of injury is still there, but it is whether you would like to put the risk in your hands or someone elses.

Bikes are not as safe as cars, period, simply because of their inherant instability . They have less than half the rolling resistance of cars and a quarter of the mass. Once again, simple physics.

I am not saying this as a biased idiot who completely disrespects bikes, I am saying this as a reasonable person, and hope the motorcyclists on this board will agree with me.

I would encourage anyone else to make similar considerations if they do go through with getting/riding a bike and to read beginnerbikes and other newbie forums, as it only seems reasonable because these machines are NOT to be taken lightly.

I can't tell you how safe they are. I don't know the exact answer. I hope I have given you some thoughts to lead you in the right direction.
I/the MSF/other board members/your friends are not responsible for what you do related to motorcycles, YOU are.

04-24-2003, 10:12 PM	#21 (permalink)
BooRadley Insane Location: Kentucky	About motorcycle safety, I enjoy talking about bikes alot but don't have the cash for one, therefore, do not own one. I am not qualified to tell you how safe/unsafe they are to ride based on skill. I seriously want one, but I don't believe they are in anyway "safe" as compared to a car. On a related note, I don't feel too particularly safe in a car either, not because of my own abilities, but because of others. Why do I feel unsafe in cars? I could drive technically perfect and some idiot could still wreck into me and severely injure me in a car. There is alot of people who walk away from nasty car wrecks, but when it comes to motorcycles, statistically more people get severely injured when getting hit by a car than when two cars collide. Simple physics. The best driver in the world could be t-boned going through a green light, and the best motorcyclist in the world could also. Skill makes no difference when it is someone elses terrible error. Getting pitched off because of a lack of skill is one thing and I can probably ( I don't know yet because I don't ride ) accept that risk , but getting severely hurt/killed by someone elses complete lack of attention/skill is something that I don't know if I can accept. When it comes time for me to buy a bike, I will have to heavily weigh in on the risks and whether street riding is for me, or stick to offroad only riding instead. The risk of injury is still there, but it is whether you would like to put the risk in your hands or someone elses. Bikes are not as safe as cars, period, simply because of their inherant instability . They have less than half the rolling resistance of cars and a quarter of the mass. Once again, simple physics. I am not saying this as a biased idiot who completely disrespects bikes, I am saying this as a reasonable person, and hope the motorcyclists on this board will agree with me. I would encourage anyone else to make similar considerations if they do go through with getting/riding a bike and to read beginnerbikes and other newbie forums, as it only seems reasonable because these machines are NOT to be taken lightly. I can't tell you how safe they are. I don't know the exact answer. I hope I have given you some thoughts to lead you in the right direction. I/the MSF/other board members/your friends are not responsible for what you do related to motorcycles, YOU are.