Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I am a new rider lurking here for a bit now. scheduled my MSF next few weeks.

why is it that inevitable when you tell someone you just got a bike or started riding they HAVE TO share stories of the 'friends brother" or their "coworker" who dumped their bike and had xxxx injuries.

i am a little bit scared to begin with as i live in a very populated area but CMON, give me a break!!

it makes me crazy.

you can pretty much count on someone telling you a horror story or two... depending on who i'm talk to, i'll usually respond with something like, "yeah, it happens." if i'm talking to someone i care about, i usually tell them i try to minimize the risks when i ride and leave it at that...

As a fellow north jerseyan, I know how you feel about riding in this area. Id advise you to not ride on the busy main roads until you have lots of practice on quiet side streets. Also, remember to ride very defensively...they will drill this into your head during MSF course, but it is extra important for riders in crowed suburban areas like us. Also avoid riding at bad times like at rush hour.

As far as the horror stories, I get them from people too and I just take them with a grain of salt. Alot of them are probably exaggerated or they leave out key information. Like the guy who crashed was speeding, or took a curve waay too fast, or was riding at 3am after a few drinks, etc.

Dont get me wrong...riding is definately a dangerous business, but you can minimize the risk by being as careful and cautious as possible. However, you must understand that you can never really eliminate the risk...you could be the safest, most cautious rider on the planet, and there is still the small chance that some idiot might still crash into you.

Complete strangers will do the same when they see you are riding.

Just ignore them. Most of those people have never been on a bike before. I simply tell them that I've done my research and have done everything I can to mitigate the risks.

Like is about risks ... some people are willing to live with more than others. I chose to enjoy my life by taking a certain amount of risk.

Wear the proper equipment, maintain your bike, ride smart and ride safe.

Thomas

welcome. i'm a new rider too and lving it. yeah i've had it too and im sure everyone has. just be safe and pay attention in the MSF classes. they're very well worth it.

Like many others I've done alot to reduce the chances of injury but it will always be there. That's why I hope I never consider myself to be so good that the stat's don't apply to me. Or they will !

What, and the people who are telling you those stories don't know anyone who has died in a car?

RideYourRide wrote:What, and the people who are telling you those stories don't know anyone who has died in a car?

I use a combination of what everyone has said so far. But most of the time when they are really persistant and think i've off my rocker for riding a motorcycle... I bring up the car crash subject material, as rideyourride said

dont be afraid of what will/might some day happen just enjoy it while it all lasts...thats what i do and i have been fine so far..but that doesn't mean i lost all my common sense and jump stairs and speed through traffic.....