I’m a Jr in high school…I was thinking about how motorcycles could actually be a great alternative to a car when i get to college. Then the thought of parental disapproval, accidents shown in Drivers Ed, and all that hype that driving motorcycles will just get you killed, flooded my mind. What are the statistics of actually getting injured, crashing, or dying due to motorcycle related events. How do motorcycle dealerships stay in business with this mentality in the minds of U.S. Citizens??
LOVE the whole "respect the bike thing." Totally agree with u on that. I , however, do not want a Harley Davidson nor scooter. As you would say " a crotch rocket" is what I want. Not for its speed but just cause the design appeals to me more and has more or an "urban" look. So my final question is that is it a good decision for a college kid to own a motorcycle.
There are those of us that have crashed,and there are those of us that are going to crash.
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Because they are fun to ride. Although out of all the people I know who actually own or have owned a bike only one has not had an accident, but his wife did which totalled the bike and he never got a new one.
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I’ll tell you what I tell everyone that ask me a question like this.
You can get a motorcycle and ride the heck out of it, be a mad man, and ride like you own the frigging road. Go as fast as you can with no thought of anyone else, but yourself. Pop wheelies on the freeway, and act like a complete ass. If this is the way you want to ride then make sure you leave your family with enough money to bury you with.
Most people who ride do it for the enjoyment of it. They ride in a manner that shows they have respect for other people on the road, knowing that a motorcycle and a car do not mix well together.
We ride in a defensive posture at all times. Looking from left to right and down the road in front of us, looking for any type of disaster that may befall us.
If you can find the stats on motorcycle deaths and accidents, I’m sure you will find most are from people who buy motorcycles far beyond their training. Motorcycles that they wanted because they were fast and that’s what they wanted, not knowing how to control them, or ride them properly. Not showing the bike respect for the speed it has. Most of these riders will be the ones riding the crotch rockets. They are light and very fast a dangerous combination.
As for the dealerships, they have enough people who know what it takes to ride and they are the ones who keep coming back. When you have a few million that ride you have no worries about going out of business.
If you do decide to ride, ride with respect and always be safe and know your limitations.
47 years of riding and still whole.
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I bought my first motorcycle when I was 22. In the begining the biggest risk is getting too cocky and doing stupid things that can get you killed. Don’t say you won’t because you will, your young. We all do stupid things when we’re young. It’s human design. As I got older the biggest risk became the other idiots on the road. I almost lost my leg a few years ago when I hit a drunk driver head on that came across into my lane. I almost missed him. I was against the curb when my foot went into his headlight bezel. I lost the use of my left wrist when an other drunk on my left did a right turn in front of me about 18 years ago. When I was young and dumb I crashed in an alfalfa field taking a 25MPH turn at 60, lost control on the freeway at 130MPH,and hit the side of a gully doing jumps on a dirt bike in an unfamiliar area. I have a lot of friends who have never been in an accident, but I have a lot more who have. We all still ride though for the love of the ride. You just can’t beat that.
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Here in NSW our NSW RTA has all the stats broken down on its web site.
There is no question motorcycle riding is a higher risk than driving. And driving is a higher risk than walking. And walking is a higher risk than flying. (jet plane) and staying in bed is safer than flying.
Yet I knew a lady who was in her bed reading a good book, as she was adjusting her pillow she slipped and broke her wrist. So even in bed there is a danger.
If you take up riding and are killed that will be a tragic loss. I cant say one way or the other. Its for you to make the choice.
What I can guarantee is. In about 30 years when your the parent and your 16 year old son comes in and says he is think as you are today, things will appear in a different light.
Please don’t be totally ignorant of your parents fears as there is no replacing you.
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ive only been riding motorbikes for about a month and to be honest after a few goes on one you get used to the controles and the power of the machine. ive had a few crashes, nothink majior or on a road as i ride dirt bikes on felilds ect. Most of the time its because you underestimate the power of the bike or you slip or lose control at high speed. If i was you id definetly get a bike to get about and to collage as its much cheaper than a car and is more ideal for a younger person as it doesent require as much maintenance and money as a car. I advise you to get a road legal dirt bike or somethink along those lines, oviosly dont get a superbike for the ovios reason or a mo-ped as youd look gay and will roin that cred from the birds
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life, riding
The real risks are Having fun and running with a different pack. Keep your wits about you when you ride/drive. It’s when you let your ego and attitude get the best of you that trouble finds you. Ride what you want. Ride smart.
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08 Triumph Bonneville Black
I don’t really approve of people riding motorcycles who don’t really have a strong drive to do it. Each ride really could be your last. You really can die in a nasty way because you chose to ride a motorcycle.
But I need to know death is near to live. When the stakes are high life is more precious.
I had already saved for my first bike a Triumph Bonneville by age 15, and my dad couldn’t say a thing about it because he had been bragging about having a Harley as a teenager all that time. 14 bikes and too many years later I now ride a Honda Interceptor and a Suzuki DRZ.
I never thought of myself as the kind of person who wouldn’t have a motorcycle. But I see people on here who obviously don’t really have the physical confidence to go ride motorcycles and they approach it in a timid way. You can’t survive riding motorcycles being timid. You can’t ride with the same mentality that you drive a car.
Get a motorcycle only if you have a need to ride motorcycles. There are lots of great bikes out there but start with something reasonable like a 250 ninja or a dual sport bike or even a nice standard. Stay away from vtwin crusiers, dollar for dollar, pound for pound, cc for cc, the most underperforming class of bike, why ride a motorcycle if it dosn’t accilerate or corner like a motorcycle.
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NOTHING wrong with wanting a "crotch rocket" or japanese bike man!
I love american muscle cars, i ONLY buy american cars.
But for some reason, i just LOVE japanese bikes……..
(not really into the whole "wannabe badass" thing with Harleys.)
But there’s a risk with EVERYTHING in life…..not just bikes.
You could step out your front door today and get hit by a car or shot…..that’s just life.
The "problem" with bikes isnt really with bikes…..it’s One of Two things.
1.) Rider Inexperience.
2.) Other drivers DONT see a bike coming down the road.
over 75% of the time, it’s OTHER DRIVERS that are the problem….even though the DMV wants you to believe it’s YOUR fault for simply riding a bike…..this is BS!
Take a MSF course, and you are essentially taking a defensive driving course for motorcycles….plus they give you an exemption form so you just take it to DMV and get your license right there on the spot.
(you dont gotta take a road test at the dmv if you take MSF class.)
But like i said 99% of the time, the problem is "cages" which basically means "cars or trucks"….anything that ISNT a motorcycle.
They DONT see you alot of the time, so YOU have to constantly be watching EVERYTHING around you and be ready to have an escape plan incase some shithead cuts you off or does something stupid.
There’s NO second chance with bikes…..you get "nudged" once….you’re eating the fucking gravel….period!
You dont see a pot hole or a spot of dirt? You might be eating dirt…..
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Motorcycle ARENT dangerous alone…..it’s the Rider.
All you have to do is PAY ATTENTION, and CONSTANTLY watch what’s going on around you…and RELAX.
And you will be fine…….
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Remember, there’s NO such thing as an accident……there are only "human errors".
If you just relax, pay attention, dont do anything stupid….you’ll be perfectly fine!
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You’re in Jr. High. Getting on dirt bikes would be a great way to start. Shifting is the same, and you would be in much better shape when you get a street bike.
Dealers stay in business because besides the risk, it’s awesome to ride. My wife sold her car and drives mine, because if I’m on my own, I’m taking the bike.
She even ended up getting a bike of her own. I did everything I could to scare her to make sure she wanted to ride for her, and not just to share something else to do with me. She loves it, and we go out riding frequently.
The truth is that over 75% of motorcycle accidents are related to other riders. From being a member of the bike riding community, I’d say that stat is much higher. Horrible truth, but it is what it is. You can minimize it by paying attention, but it’s always a possibility. The other problems are dangerous spots (gravel, potholes, engine coolant and oil), rider error (people pushing it too much, not being proficient enough for the speeds they are trying to maintain), and mechanical failure (a flat front tire, or an oil leak that goes under your rear tire will end your day rather quickly and brutally).
Read the Hurt Report that I’ve provided. It’s a little old, and we’re trying to get more studies done, but this one is referenced frequently because of it’s accuracy and thoroughness.
With all of this, it’s still the love of riding that keeps me into it. I’ve had friends who’ve had accidents and were more focused on getting back on than how they are, and I’ve had some who’ve had a "meeting with Jesus" accident, and were done. As an ER nurse I’ve seen my share of wrecks, and I’d say 2/3 AT LEAST would have walked away unscathed, or with a broken bone or two if they had the proper gear on at the time of their accident.
Sorry it’s so long winded, but it’s such a great experience that besides the risk, I’d recommend it to most people. Good luck.
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http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/Documents/dhighwaysafety/CTDOT_Hurt.pdf
I rode and raced my motorcycle in college. I can’t think of a better way to get to class or to amuse yourself on weekends.
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There are those of us that have crashed,and there are those of us that are going to crash.
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Been there.
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