I'd also parrot the beginner's thread recommendation of Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling." He talks a lot about the risks and does an excellent job pinpointing where a lot of them come from and how they can be managed or (in a few cases) removed entirey.
My first day ever on a bike, at the local motorcycle school, I learned the hard way why you're not supposed to break while in a sharp turn and dropped the bike. No serious injury but I was sore for a week, and while there were about ten minutes right afterwards where my brain was reviewing the perks of owning a Honda Civic, the experience was actually sort of liberating in the long run. I'd heard so much about these horrible accidents and the bad things that can happen when you mess up that it hadn't really occurred to me that you typically don't hear about what I imagine are the majority of accidents where nobody is seriously hurt and the worst that happens is some damage to your fairing (in this case, the bike was miraculously fine, and it was the school's "please trash me" bike anyway).
Hello All
1. Can I expect to crash. >Well, maybe... Motorcycling WELL is a learned skill. Some folks pick it up faster than others. Some folks drop their motorcycles while they're first learning and then have no further incidents, ever.
Determination helps. But perhaps most importantly, how's your DRIVING??? If you have had your share of bumps, scrapes and even close calls, then maybe motorcycling is NOT for you. You are at far greater risk of injury in an encounter with a car or stationary object than when driving a car.
If you take a riding class (70% of single motorcycle crash fatalities happen in a CURVE - learning proper technique helps), AND plan to wear full motorcycle gear, then you can reduce your risk of injury. But you will always be at risk.
2. Can I expect that I will get hurt and the best wish for only minor injuries. >>Depends on the speed at which you wreck, what you 'encounter' AND how well protected you are.
3. Should I expect people to tell me I'm going to die everyday because they don't understand. >>Yup. Especially at the beginning. Have a ready response, like "I'm starting with a small motorcycle, I'm signed up for the MSF course and I plan to ride like I'm invisible." Having a response like this pretty much shuts people up cause you've covered most of the 'issues.'
4. Can a person enjoy a accident free motorcycling career or is it just a matter of time before I spill. >>Yes it is possible to have a crash free motorcycling career. We don't use the term "accident" - an accident is getting hit by an asteroid or falling tree. Most crashes can be attributed to one or more of 4 slips: 1)Too much motorcycle for ability. 2)Riding beyond capabilities (pushing the limits). 3)Not paying attention. 4)Riding under the influence.
5. In the end, is riding the most worthwhile thing you guys have done, thus outweighing the risks involved. >>Motorcycling is one of the most rewarding things I have done. I mount up with the understanding that I must take responsibility for my own safety and that I am at great risk on the road. To assume that other drivers see me and will give way or NOT encroach on my space is asking for catastrophe.
Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity - Alice Paul
If you ride properly, then any accident you have will be just that... an accident.
One of the things that I have learned is that when you are on a motorcycle, you have to think for three people: Yourself, the guy in front, and the guy beside. Hopefully the guy behind you is doing his own thinking, because there's puck all you can do about it if he's not!
If you remember what it's like being a driver of a car when you're riding a bike, then the risk taking becomes more measured. Quite simply, I don't ride anywhere that a car cannot drive. People aren't expecting you to be there, no matter what your excuse!
Observe what is called the survival zone, which is simply allowing a three second gap between yourself and the vehicle in front and beside you, watch that you're not in anyone's blind spot, and your chanced of crashing are hugely reduced!
