One statistic you never see is how safe riding skills translates to safe driving in a car . I definitely feel I’m a better driver because of skills I learned as a rider , one being the situational awareness you develop as a good rider . Knowing where other vehicles are and awareness of your surroundings definitely helps in avoiding accidents.
I would also say vise versa and being a good aware car driver 1st will translate to a good aware Bike rider... I learned how to drive manual transmission cars in my teens which helped me learn how to ride a motorcycle... Next time your driving your car you will notice just how many car cages cut in front of you on the regular that it's crazy... You should anticipate that even more now while on a bike. I watched a ton of videos on riding and took my MSF course this year January 2024 and was skilled in the class I must say.... Been riding for 8 months now. Starter bike is an Aprilia RS660 and love riding... Be safe out there everyone 🙏🏿 and good video.
I really don't want to jinx anything by saying this. I want everyone to be safe and practice as much precaution as possible. I do think that car drivers having automatic / no transmission, a bunch of driver aids, and also distractions such as smartphones or infotainment systems makes the roads a lot less safe overall by making drivers less self-reliant on common sense. In simpler times, "operating a motor carriage" was a much more involved activity where mistakes/accidents were either due to skill deficiencies or less advanced mechanical technology; much less so because of risky behaviors by skilled people. Everyone should learn how to be a good pedestrian, go bicycling on the streets, ride mopeds, learn to drive manual transmission on a car, and only be allowed to purchase sports / performance vehicles (inclusive of cars, motorcycles, Slingshots, etc.) if they qualify based on a graduated licensing system. It is insane how much difficulty Americans have with such great infrastructure and orderly society, but places like India with far higher volumes and many more kinds of traffic have proportionally far less trouble with road safety. Bad things happen over there too and sometimes because of people doing dumb things, not following rules, or not even having common sense. But that basic common sense in road use in America could be improved greatly with more formal training / teaching than just relying on basic licensing education, law enforcement, and traffic controls. And just making cars bigger doesn't make them safer - huger masses at greater speeds just carry more momentum so vehicle occupants aren't necessarily much safer inside them. Finally, because younger drivers make up the majority of all violations and accidents, it should be mandatory for new driver education to include some form of performance driving where you either ride along or actually drive a high-capability vehicle on a closed course designed for it - in order to contrast it with regular driving on public roads for plain old transportation. This will teach people all they need to know to enjoy automobiles for the thrill of it and contain that sort of activity within environments designed for it - it might not eliminate street racing or something like that altogether, but it would greatly reduce it because it would also create new business opportunities for people to start building more of those kinds of venues. I guess I would add even one more thing - driver licensing exams should also require and test knowledge of vehicle insurance because far too many people ruin their financial lives because of motoring incidents. Everyone deserves a chance to be safe, have fun, and see all of this wonderful world over a full lifetime of experiences.
This was one of the reasons I felt comfortable getting on a bike despite all the safety hysterics. Not only have I never been in an accident in my 20 years of driving, I haven't even come close. Thanks to being observant, driving defensively and always expecting the unexpected.
I read that motorcycle riders are 23% less likely to get into a head on collision when driving. And as a rider, my situational awareness and ability to judge speed and distance definitely carry over to driving my car
The obvious thing that makes riding a bike more dangerous is the lack of a protective cage around you. What makes this worse, is that modern cars give so much protection to the occupants, that drivers are complacent and less careful to avoid collisions. As a result, if you want to survive riding a bike, you have to do the thinking for the other road users, because you can't rely on them to avoid you. I've survived 54 years on bikes here in England, by riding as if everyone else is an idiot, always expecting them to do stupid things, and being prepared to take the necessary action to avoid it. It doesn't always work, and I have the scars and x-rays to prove it, but at 70, I still use the bikes as my everyday transport all year round and I don't intend to give it up.
It is strange that old motorcyclists who gave up riding due to family pressure died early than those who did not give up. Story after story of old people who stopped riding claim they became healthier when they took up riding again.
i think that you hit the nail on the head with the second thing you said, the roads in 1970 were sooo much safer than they are today, why? because the 1970 cars made you feel like you actually had to pay attention to drive them, modern cars have so much comfort and shit that drivers dont think they even need to have there eyes open to drive, and better yet, they dont even get punished because the cars are so safe that virtually nothing can seriously injure someone in a car unless its a major crash with another car, i recently got hit on my bike by a jeep that came into my lane, the guy told my insurance company that "i dont remember trying to get into the other lane i just felt my car shake and saw the bike flying" a crash that totalled my gsxr and broke my back, the car driver wasnt even effected in the slightest, and doesnt even feel enough remorse to be honest with a judge or my insurance company. people on the roads are ignorant and arrogant, thats what makes the roads unsafe.
What I would like to add is something I learned myself the hard way. Just because an accident isn't your fault, that doesn't mean that there aren't things that you could have done to avoid it.
I rode to the Sturgis motorcycle rally last summer. My 18 year old son rode along side me in a father son trip. While at Sturgis, the morning news gave us the Rally Tally everyday-news of arrests and accidents. Nearly all fatalities involved riders without helmets. There was one crash where they didn’t mention whether they wore a helmet. More than one fatal crash involved excessive speed. The arrests all involved drugs and alcohol. The lessons are easy: slow down, ride sober, wear gear, especially a helmet.
You backup my own observations. If you keep your speed reasonable, avoid the alcohol when riding, and drive very defensively, you greatly improve your chances of riding home. Having said that, I did collide with a 16 Y.O. girl, her first day with a license, on a freeway. She pulled across 2 lanes and across my lane immediately in front of me to reach an exit. It was a thrilling and terrifying moment for me. I was new at hiway riding and was afraid to hit my brake too hard and be hit by following vehicles. So we slapped together, side by side, with some damage to my hand and my bike, but my foot peg ripped a long gash in her passenger door causing much more damage to her vehicle than to my bike. At any rate, I rode the bike down the ramp with a broke shift lever, wondering why I could not down shift.
Always assume gaps in front of you (and in lanes on either side) will fill up. Anticipate that cars will move from 2-3 lanes over to fill the gap. That means monitoring a very wide field of view and accounting for stupid habits of many drivers all the time.
Pro tip (55 years of accident free riding): avoid center lanes on multi-lane highways. By riding in the far right or far left lanes, you give yourself an "out" to stupid car behavior (i.e. you can head for the shoulder).
Think I’m gonna have to call you on this one. You just described a scenario where you were so aware that you saw the car coming at you from the left you then were able to check the traffic behind. You assess the situation and then not used your brakes because you had assessed the situation so well that you knew the drivers behind you would hit you? Instead of just moving to the right with the car and using the shoulder and not getting hit??? I’m pretty sure it’s more likely that you didn’t see it coming and then when you did see it coming out of your peripheral you froze. You probably stared at the car and got target fixated on it. That’s just more likely than you used all of the superpowers that you just described, but still got hit by the car and it’s OK it happens and then when we replay this stuff in our minds, we make up different versions of it to cover our mistakes.
Glad you’re okay! And I’m glad the message resonates. I’m human, but I do my best to gear up and ride defensively and as of now, I never feel in grave danger unless I let myself get too loose. Stay safe out there fellas
Just turned 70,been riding street since 15 on custom Triumphs.Current bike is a 71 Triumph 650 I have had since 1980.I do all my own wrenching.2 lessons I learned in my teens,Even tho the car made a left turn in front of me,I would've been ok if I had been doing speed limit.Another lesson was questioning how much life my tires had left.If you are questioning any component,replace it! Pretty glad I grew up around 1%ers back in the day that pushed me to get manuals and do my own work and get to know every inch of my bike and keep it in shape.
I have a 1972 TR6 - growing up I am 2 years younger than you the Brit bikes were for the old guys over 25 at the time, we wanted 2 strokes RD350s H1s - Now that I am older I really like the mellow stuff. Been listening to audio books on lots of 1% ers pretty good stuff.
MSF RiderCoach here. Trust me when I tell you the MSF courses are about safety and skill, not money. Believe me, we don't get paid jack squat. We coach because we're passionate about motorcycling and saving lives. I can't tell you how many arrogant students show up with riding 'experience', yet they can't pass the BRC written or riding test, our most simple course!!!
Enjoyed my MSF course two years ago ,made me a much better rider. I hadn’t ridden for 31 years. So I needed a serious refresher course. The MSF course that I took were for three wheelers, not two wheelers. I currently own and ride a Can-Am Spyder RTL and really enjoy getting out on the road and on the streets riding around. I miss a lot of fun those years that I didn’t ride.
With all do respect for what you do, American riding (and BTW driving) ed is the worst in the world. I feel much safer riding in Europe than in the States. I wish we had the same or equal requirements for getting the license.
Thanks for the service that you provide. I grew up riding dirt bikes. I took an MSF course when I got a street bike and learned A LOT. The dirt experience is invaluable and supplementing that with the MSF training has helped me stay alive to enjoy riding.
@@chuckwilson2301We have a lot of returning riders and I always enjoy getting them back out there. In many ways, they appreciate the course more than most new riders do! Congrats on getting back out there! Be safe!
I've been riding for 50 years and have developed many skills and strategies to survive. My #1 way to avoid an accident with a car is to take routes that have the least amount of traffic. Even if I have to go many miles out of the way. Also works out good because that way I get to ride longer, and I love to ride!
Every time I hear 'Motorcycles are dangerous. My brother/friend/whatever was killed on a bike' I dig deeper and almost invariably they were riding like an idiot at the time. Like doing 60 in a 30 limit or going round a blind bend at 70. Or riding like this 3:37. Cars are dangerous if you drive like an idiot. The best one I have heard was from my boss at my first job when I was 17. He had a (small capacity) bike and his parents were continually nagging him: 'Motorbikes are dangerous. Get a car.' One day he was out on his bike when he saw a gap between two cars that was closing. So what does he do? Hang back like anyone with half a brain would do? No, he accelerates and tries to beat the gap. The inevitable crash. He then went to his Dad and said 'Look Dad. I've been thinking about what you said and you're right. Motorbikes are dangerous. I'm giving up riding and getting a car.' Being so young and naive at the time I couldn't think of anything to say, but if it happened now I would say 'Hey. Rather than giving up riding how about just giving up accelerating for gaps you can see are closing.' If he had been driving a car instead would he have said 'Cars are dangerous. I'm giving up driving.; Of course not! That's just stupid.
Thrill Seeking! One dirty secret that none of us mention is that motorcycling can attract a fair number of ‘thrill seeking’ personality types. We would never compare the safety statistics for hang gliding with the stats for passengers in an airline. Or rock-climbing accident statistics are not generally compared with normal hiker statistics. If you could design a study to control for the ‘thrill seeking’ personality type, the accident rates for motorbikes would be much more reasonable. Great video!
Most motorcyclists will never admit that they are the problem and will blame everyone else except themselves. It's like trying to tell a drug addict that drugs are bad for them. No buddy its the people making them illegal that are bad not the meth addicts that steal copper, assault people and other stuff to get money for drugs that are at fault. 😂
I just started riding at 63, almost 65 now. My first two wheel choice was a Honda ADV 160 seven years after I went through the MSF course sponsored by HD for Veterans. After watching hundreds of training videos, yes I wanted that bigger bike but felt at my age starting small cc was the proper to begin learning. Maybe another year or two I will upgrade. But for now I'm having the time of my life on my Honda Scooter!
I have a Honda PCX and love it. I have my eye on a 350 ADV if Australia ever gets them. Just started riding at 50, something I’ve wanted to do for 30 years.
And they ALWAYS try to get you on the bigger bike. (I’m looking at you Sportsters are girls bikes guy). I started on a Rebel 300. Had my crash and now I’m on an 1100 Rebel and 300 Kawasaki Versys. I love riding.
@@BeccifromOzI almost bought this bike!😊 but opted for a Yamaha Fazzio (I love it's classic look not too bulky for me) as a beginner bike. I am quickly loving the world of motorcycles and plan to upgrade next year slowly into big bikes. But first hone the riding skills and improve still...and be the best yet safest defensive rider out there🙏 🎉
I tell you what if I was over the hill I would get myself a maxi scooter. Those 500cc automatics are genuinely fast, safe, and easy to ride for older folk. I had one very briefly and I would hit old age with grace if I had one as my daily driver.
I drive the city bus in CA. One morning a co worker of mine was on the 91 freeway (CA) taking his bus to start his route when some “motorcycle dumbassery” occurred when the rider decided to split at 79/80 mph. Well his left handlebar struck a Jeep that was on his left and the motorcycle went down in front of my co worker’s bus. Needless to say he was unalived. I can agree with the motorcycle dumbassery.
Keep in mind that motorbike accident stats can also be attributed to the simple fact that motorcycles are intrinsically dangerous even for the most skilled and careful riders. It's inherent in how the bike itself works, even with no other traffic on the road and 100% crystal-clear riding days the bike itself is prone to steering head oscillation (tank slapper/death wobble) and your front wheel likes to follow ruts/grooves in the pavement. Real-world road conditions are almost never ideal, so you can ride sober & safe for 40 years, then one day come across a groove in the pavement and... Kerplunk! :)
@@devilsoffspring5519 yep that's the biggest reason why I'm not getting a bike. The chance of running into a pothole that isn't visible enough is just too high and not worth
I am a new rider, and I bought my first motorcycle against my parents wishes since they didn't want me getting hurt. I have ridden maybe around 400 miles on my bike and today I almost died. I went for a ride since my college semester just finished and I wanted to relax and have a little fun. I was on my way home after running a couple errands when an old woman pulled out in front of me. I slammed the brakes (and almost locked them) and so did she and I missed her by mere inches. As I passed by her (almost in slow motion) I saw her horrified face and her trying to mouth the words I'm sorry. It felt surreal, I used to think drivers in my area were much more careful and motorcycles are safe, but as I'm writing this, my heart is still racing from it. Stay safe out there
Glad you’re okay man. I hope the message is clear with this video. It’s up to you to make sure you keep yourself in check. We’re all human, but staying disciplined on the bike seems to be key for riding for decades. Stay safe!
It gets even more wild also when you look at how many are single bike accidents. If you also dig into the stats the most dangerous years for responsible riders (helmet not drinking , liscence) is 2-3 year riders. Good enough to feel confident and ride faster but not good enough to avoid other variables. Also riding at night seems statistically mich more dangerous.
'Single bike accident' is one of those stats that's impossible to determine much from. If a car is driving round a corner on the wrong side of the road, but the motorcyclist avoids the head on, at the cost of coming off the road; then because the car was not actually involved in the incident (despite causing it), it can be recorded as a 'single bike accident'. (Wether it does or not will depend on the specific policies of the group recording it; and potentially down to the individuals judgement). That's not to say it's never the riders fault; but it's also clear that it was not always the riders fault either. So, most of the time, there's actually not much that we can determine post hoc from such statistics. That said, I'm confident in the general thesis: motorcycle safety stats are made much worse by a small group of idiots.
That's also a time when riders are often stepping up to a bigger more sporty bike but without being trained in how to handle the difference. They're going from something that's relatively safe to throw around without any risk to something that can break traction at the rear with just part throttle and with brakes that really bite well. The number of accidents you see where on the mildest of corners on a clean road the bike just falls over because they're not acting smoothly on throttle or brake but worse they aren't managing their tyres properly. So many of those accidents are because they tyres are cold due to being the longest lasting tyres they could buy for the cheapest amount possible as opposed to being the tyres with the grip appropriate for the riding they want to do. So when they grab a handful of brake or roll on some throttle there's no forgiveness in the tyre... It just lets go. Even the right tyre with too much pressure can become the wrong tyre.
Well Done !! Took the MSF course at 60, worth it to be a safer rider. Instructor same age. Most impressed with the demonstration of how reflexes slow with age. getting back into riding really juiced my life. I really really try to stay within the posted speed limit. The stakes are pretty high to roll the dice, and I've kind of mellowed out, but hey, I'm still sometimes a knuckelhead for speed. Helmet always, no drugs. Stopping distance always less than the road visible ahead. Practice emergency braking. Never look at the girls when on a motorcycle. That's my own rule. Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls when riding, look at the road.
Very good video and valid points. I have been riding for 52 years all kinds of motorcycles and raced. Many of the supportive comments are spot on. I have also worked in law enforcement, fire service and Medic certified as an accident investigator; responded to may accidents and fatalities in both cars and motorcycles. Have also been trained in police motorcycle riding many decades ago. Basically exercise common sense, wear helmets, gloves, leather/ballistic jackets and over pants over jeans as an additional abrasion/sliding layers to protect you. I also hear there are now inflatable CO2 pants and jackets that act as a personal airbag to protect your body and are reusable-May become a new safety standard. Never, ever drink and drive on a bike--you need to be 100% alert and situationally aware to see, detect, react to the actions of other drivers not paying attention--especially with Cell phones as distracted driving now. Finally, I will also say that no matter how experienced and safe you are, take an MSF advanced riding refresher course, just to test yourself and learn something new. I am doing so and am going to take a civilian level police motorcycle riding course again to refresh my skills. The police motorcycle course was the best course I ever did, it truly makes you one with the machine. There is nothing you can't do on a motorcycle safely after that course trust me! Training become instinctual. It does also transfer to your skills as a vehicle driver as well. Ride Safe, Ride Smart and come back home to ride again.
We need to change the conversation. The context needs to be on the operator of any and every device. So we need to stop saying motorcycles are dangerous, guns are dangerous, etc., and we need to start saying and putting the ownership on the operators, so maybe the conversation would go something like operating a motorcycle without training, education, and mentorship could expose the operator and other people around the operator to unnecessary risk. So start having conversations and identifying risk levels. By saying, something is dangerous it takes away all of the personal responsibility. And we as a culture have been doing this for a very long time. We’ve identified objects as dangerous. And as you can see entire careers and industries, are built around the object, being dangerous, namely, government industry.
In all fairness, guns would be useless if they weren't dangerous. Same with motorcycles. Heck, same with electricity or any device that uses combustion or even nuclear reaction as an energy source. Any device or phenomenon that stores energy and/or uses energy relatively quickly can be considered dangerous in certain circumstances, it doesn't have to be a man-made machine. Just look at a hungry bear for example. Motorcycling can certainly be dangerous but I doubt it's anywhere close to having a pet grizzly bear in your living room, especially if you come home after having forgotten to feed it.
@@devilsoffspring5519 you actually identified an association of danger with lack of understanding. Everything is dangerous when we use it beyond our understanding of it.
An interesting stat that isn't collected would be, for riders of a motorcycle in a fatal crash, did they have access to a usable car too? When my motorcycle was my only option, I rode at night, in the rain, in icy conditions, and even back from drinking a few times. If I had also owned a car I would have used it instead of the bike in those conditions. Now I have a bike and a car, so I only ride when it's nice outside, during daylight hours, on familiar routes, and to places where I can know the cars aren't too crazy (I avoid certain roads and times of day). So my risk on a bike, and my stress over impending doom, went way down when I got a 4-wheeler.
Wtf? Where? I'm in NY and the 2 places closest to me don't have any classes posted for months. One doesn't have a schedule and the other has classes starting in February
I haven't seen a comment about 'the elephant in the room' on this topic, which is that plenty of car drivers actually *target* riders and *deliberately* try to cause harm - a very specific form of road rage. Ride long enough and you will start to notice this, even when it is subtle.
@@mohammede.4500 Of course I am speaking from my own observation and experience in the US. If you don't have this where you are, then count yourself fortunate.
When I was a young novice rider I was constantly having near misses with other vehicles. Dozy myopic car drivers not looking mostly, not to mention suicidal pedestrians. I felt like everyone was out to get me and as a result I had my fair share of sliding down the road, and visits to the hospital accident departments. 40 years later I'm still riding, and as I write I can't remember the last near miss I had. I'm not saying I don't ever encounter idiots, but when I do it never amounts to anything more than having to maybe slow down, or simply change lanes to avoid a hazard. Nothing like the drama I used to experience, when nearly every time I went out something bad would happen. And so I conclude that in my early days of riding, it wasn't other road users that were the problem, it was me.
There's another interesting advantage bikes have for keeping you safe - small footprint. Everything but the largest bikes (and any trikes) have a width that is far smaller than a car. It is reasonable to be able to swerve or fit through smaller gaps. This doesn't happen too often, but it is an advantage. A car surrounded by other cars, will likely just hit the car, but the bike might be able to escape on a shoulder or half a blocked lane, or something.
I want to mention something that impressed me about USA, in Argentina we have limitations in the driver license, 1sr and 2nd year you can have up to 150cc, 3rd to 5th up to 350 and after 5 years its open
That's not a half bad idea, but a much more realistic and reasonable way of doing it is rating the bikes by power output and not displacement. Modifications, especially turbocharging, can allow tiny engines to produce an enormous amount of power!
that s kinda weird, in europe you gotta be 16 to own a 15hp bike, 18 to own a 50hp bike, and 21 with 3 years experience or 24 with no prior experience to be unlimited
@@devilsoffspring5519 it works well in practice because most people won't bother trying to turbocharge a 150cc when that money would be far better spent saving it for a 250-300cc. 150cc bikes are a stepping stone into motorcycle riding, you typically buy one, and if you like it you'll ride it for a year or two, maybe a couple of years, but sooner or later you'll most likely end up selling it and putting a bit more money on top for a more powerful bike. And yes, I'm aware some bikes punch way above their weight in terms of the amount of performance they have for their displacement size, but those bikes aren't sold here, and a typical 150cc will at best do like 110 km/h if you push it really hard and will take a good amount of time to get there. I agree though that doing it by hp would make more sense, but in practice I think it wouldn't really make much of a difference.
@@stargazer162 All very good points. For real diehards though, a 150cc engine can produce 100+ HP if you're crazy enough, spend enough and don't mind an engine life measure in single-digit minutes. I think the world record for specific power from a 4-stroke turbocharged engine is 1,000 HP per litre of displacement, achieved in the late 1970s in Formula One racing. For a little 150cc bike that's 150 HP :)
Speeding = 1mph or more above the speed limit. Very few people on the road never speed. When you say speeding, you need to be more specific. 10 to 15mph over seems to be typical. As far as the danger that exists on the road, it's the 1DI0T drivers that are dangerous because they don't pay attention and care. The reason 1DI0T drivers exists is because the laws are not harsh enough. If you were in danger of losing your driving license, permanently, because you was texting and driving, you would not be as willing to text and drive. The reason those laws will never pass is because the people that make those laws want to text and drive and/or do anything but focus on the road. We really need to have driving training like they do in Finland, AND everyone needs to be aware of motorcycles. I was not taught that when I went to go get my driving license. The government in my area does not make drivers aware like they should. Limiting your engine displacement, limits your options. You can start out on an mt09. I really don't recommend doing that, but you can. What you need more than anything, is DISCIPLINE.
@@samsonsoturian6013 Sounds like you are projecting, and I don't lose girlfriends or collect fines. Nice try Make sure that you are in bed on time tonight, or your mommy will get mad again. It bugs me when we are trying to sleep, and you are up keyboard warrioring, and playing with yourself.
And also being a car driver for a number of years before getting a bike really can help the awareness and other safe driving aspects. I was a truck driver for a bit and had a little corolla for about 6 years before i got my bike at 27 years old(yamaha R6) And the thing is a blast and the learning curve and nerves go away quickly because i know how to drive well already.
Training is definitely a plus, and continuing or advanced training is a plus as well. I took the beginning course twice, once after a 20 year break. Then the Total Control Intermediate Rider course, which improved my cornering skills tremendously.
In a large metro area, I've learned to cruise at speed limit in far right lane with 3-4 car lengths when in most traffic. This enrages the aggressive drivers, turners, and mergers who think they own the road, cut in unsafely, follow to closely and often pass to close on shoulder. A camera is crucial if they wreck your bike. I try to ignore it, but a few times some mirrors were lost. The problem is these bad drivers have nothing to lose and know once they disappear down the road it's over. If the police would use more cameras or accept camera evidence of illegal driving that would help.
You made some great points. There's always more to the story and numbers than what people see and take at face value. You always have to dig deeper through things like the demographics, place of incident, previous driving offenses, etc. Unfortunately, usually these numbers are less in favor of bikers as the average biker we see nowadays is usually on a 600cc or liter sports bike, early 20s male, and always looking to drop a gear for a nice, but reckless dopamine rush. You did a great job bringing that up with the ratio of who was speeding and who wasn't at specific age group related fatalities. On the other hand, your average car driver is middle aged and isn't driving for pleasure, but to commute to their daily job through a mundane route they've driven thousands of times already. If you're responsible on your bike, and ride like you would daily a car aside from the occasional "safe" speeding with low traffic and good road conditions, those statistics don't really apply to you and would be a lot lower if all factors were taken into consideration.
Yep, riding for 7 months now, about 1,000 miles, all city and highway, I started with a Nightster 975, just got an XSR900 to replace it. I went through MSF and couldn't imagine NOT getting that education- I learned so much in 3 days. I surprisingly have much less fear than I'd thought, yeah, it's spooky in traffic sometimes, but especially on the XSR, I can see around me and position myself so I can see and be seen, I stay out of blind spots, anticipate worst case scenarios and only grab a handful of throttle where I know I am safe and nobody can pull out in front of me, I consistently practice honing skills in a safe manner. I wear a good full face helmet, airbag, leather jacket, good gloves and armoured Kevlar jeans, I hope I never go down, but if I do, at least I have a better chance of walking away without serious injury. I'm in my mid 30's now, I am glad to be on two wheels.
Have you driven in rush hour traffic at all? How was the HD as a first bike? Not took heavy / cumbersome? I'm thinking of starting on a 650 class bike for commuting in a bit of rush hour once I get comfortable.
@@samoksner Tampa FL crazy drivers during rush hour yeah- I have yet to ride without heavy traffic. The Nightster feels pretty light and it sat very low so it was easy to ride. The HD was unfortunately immediately unreliable and why I sold it. The XSR is taller, smaller and much easier to ride assertively, and you can see much more around you, so I'm a "standard" bike rider for sure. If you want a cruiser and think you'll like forward controls, the Vulkan S is a perfect first bike and fairly inexpensive. If you want a standard in that size, I'd go for an MT-07, Royal Enfield or a Speed twin (used).
I’ve been riding for just over half a century (52 years) and I’ve always ridden as if EVERYONE else on the road was deliberately trying to end my life. It’s worked pretty well so far. You can’t let your mind wander for even a second! You must be aware of the position of every other vehicle on the road and be watching them carefully. Always have an escape route planned for what the driver may do. The people on bikes that worry me the most are those who think they have more skills than they actually do. Also, riders who ride at or over their level of competence. The surprising fact here in Australia is that the age demographic that tends to have the worst numbers in terms of accidents is men aged between 45 and 55. The reason for this is that many of these guys used to ride when they were young, stopped riding when they started families and when their kids have grown up, they decide to get back on bikes, not taking into account the fact that; they’re out of practice, their reaction times are not as good, bikes are more powerful, and so on. Then there are the myths that many riders believe about bikes; that they can stop faster, corner faster, than cars. The ONLY thing bikes can do faster than cars, is accelerate! Cars can actually stop quite a bit faster than bikes and the same goes for cornering, because a car has four wheels and the weight of the car keeps those tyres in better contact with the road. Good video! I wish more riders would have the same thoughtful approach to riding. Keep riding!
Yes you are right, the reason I think that lots of MC riders think they can do everything better is because most people drive conservatively in 4 wheel vehicles. Also I never thought about the reentry empty nester rider. Schools say that's Red Flags when they hear I used to ride as a kid and I was good.
You can't just generalize like that. A supersport will have better cornering and braking performance than the average car. On asphalt that is. On concrete you lose a lot of grip on a bike.
@@mikehawk1441Completely inaccurate. You are ignoring physics. His statement is 100% accurate. Acceleration is the only advantage any bike has over any car. Even. Pos has more rubber on the road for cornering and breaking. You can experiment any time you like: take the same corner (safe, with enough run-off area) and keep going faster and faster until you slide off. Look up F1 car vs MotoGP bike.
You must be really stressed when you go for a ride, if you assume everyone is DELIBERATELY trying to end you...kind of defeats the purpose of riding a bike How about just pay attention, be ready to react, relax and enjoy the ride?
I also developed the strategy that everyone was out to kill me when riding after the first few months of riding. It keeps me alert and entertained when riding to scan the road and anticipate other driver's movements. If I want to relax, I sit in a recliner. The road, in traffic, isn't really a place for relaxing. It is a place to be alert.
My first accident I cracked my helmet. It saved me. Also, my MSF course has saved my life hundreds of times. I was a motorcycle messenger in the 1980s.
Nice video! I liked your data-based observations which show you have a lot more control than you think as a MC rider if you have some common sense. Also, another point worth mentioning is attending classes beyond the first MSF basic rider course. MC crash and fatalities in the USA are much higher than in European countries such as Germany. There, they require massive amounts of hours of on-bike and in-classroom classes. It takes a year or two of study and a clean driving record to even graduate up to a 500-cc bike. By contrast, here, we can take a one weekend class and ride any bike we want. No one can prove a positive correlation between the number of classes you take and safe riding. However, it’s worth considering. I’m 71 years old, take several classes a year, and consider them to be a life insurance policy. I used to work in risk mitigation, and it can be applied to cycling too.
The way i always explain motorcycle safety is that on a motorcycle - with good skills - it is easier to avoid being in an accident (mostly because you have better visibility and choice of lines rhan in a car), but if you do get in an accident it's going to hurt worse. I'm ok taking that trade-off.
@@noeeon9910 Better in the following ways: 1. To the front and forward angles: no screen and no pillars 2. To the side: no pillars 3. Behind: same as a car (mirrors!), plus any rider that has been trained properly knows to turn their head and do a shoulder-check before accelerating, slowing, or deviating from line (referred to in UK training schools as "doing a life-saver") 4. Most importantly: control road position to maximize view - for example move left in lane when approaching right bends, and right in lane when approaching left bends to see further around the bend. Shoulder-check / "life-saver" is core to basic training in the UK, but I have noticed is not taught in MSF courses in Canada. No experience of the MSF course in the US to comment. Road position to maximize sight-lines (and also to be visible to other road users) is taught on Advanced Rider courses. Just one example where MSF is the bare-minimum to get started riding a bike on the road; not all the training a rider should have.
@@paulclark7637 ok I agree with you on all but 3. I shoulder check naturally after using my mirrors "just in case" but I try not to because I take my eyes away from the road in front of me for a split second. Any thoughts?
@@noeeon9910 If things are so risky in front you don't have a second to look over your shoulder then you probably shouldn't be doing the manoeuvre you're about to do or should wait until you have a second to look? For years I rode a 50 mile round trip into the City of London daily on a bike and have performed thousands of mirror and shoulder checks. I can't count the number of times the shoulder check caught something the mirror didn't that stopped me doing what I was going to do. Only once did I ever shoulder check and end up clipping the rear corner of a vehicle because when I looked back he had slammed on his brakes for no reason and I couldn't accentuate my move hard enough to avoid the newly inexplicably stationery obstacle in front. It was still my fault. I was too keen and get by and too close already and should have chilled out for a second. Either way it was best to check over the shoulder for the dozens of things (including and especially crazy bikers and scooterists) that could slam into you when you change lanes (or whatever your shoulder check is for).
I’m a motorcycle rider myself, but it really depends on the type of rider you are. For me, other people are usually more of a danger to me than I am to them. In most cases, it’s careless drivers or motorcyclists who don’t pay attention to the road that cause accidents. By the way, I live in a country with a lot of motorcyclists, and it’s chaotic at times-some riders are a real danger to others.
Good stuff, my thought is to stack the odds in my favor always. Wearing gear (especially a full face helmet), training, stick to reasonable speeds, and of course not be impaired by anything. It's not a 100% guarantee of avoiding anything, but every little bit helps.
A 65 year old British person here who just wants to say WELL DONE for making this content. It won’t be popular with motorcyclists who don’t want to hear it. And it won’t be popular with non motorcyclists who don’t want to hear it. I rode 8,000 miles around the USA this year. Coming from a continent where helmet wearing is compulsory, I do wonder at the level of “it won’t happen to me” attitudes in evidence. That law is the reason I am here in my kitchen typing this comment. The 18 to 21 yr old me managed to hit my head off one car and the road (pavement) multiple times. While ordinary citizens who have never ridden a bike will never be swayed from their prejudice. Every tragedy is seized upon as “evidence”. So, again, well done for pushing the truth.
Thank you for the feedback! It’s something I felt compelled to create and I’m glad everyone’s been agreeing (mostly) with the feedback. We need to take more ownership as riders as a whole. Glad you’re still riding and staying safe over the pond!
The thing about drinking and driving is the lowered response times. That is what can get you and being tired from long rides or harsh conditions sort of emulates the effects of alcohol drinking. From personal experience, one that I won't repeat, I went on a hiking trip once and rode to the starting point early in the morning. When I got back to the bike, I was really tired and it was really hot outside. By the time I got home, it felt like I was riding on autopilot, it was sort of like I wasn't present, which could have been accentuated by a mild form of heatstroke. Moral of the story is to avoid riding in an exhausted state where your reaction times are low and can make the difference between getting home safe and crashing because of a misjudged corner or braking too late in case of an emergency.
Great video. As someone who's looking to get in on the scene this helped boost my confidence. I was getting a bit scared because people around me are telling me how dangerous it is. 😅 thank you for this in depth video.
This comment is exactly why I made it. Don’t let others fears stop you from doing what you’re passionate about. Make sure to take the right measures and safety precautions, and accept that bikes will never be as safe as cars. Lmk if you want any bike recs! Excited for you!
The only motorcycle wreck I've ever been a part of was due to the rear tire kicking out on an icy road. The bike was fine. I was fine. I picked the bike back up, went down and around the mountain I was on, and proceeded to do a week of camping. I ride thousands of miles each year. My bike is used almost as much as my car so it's not as if I haven't crashed yet because it is inevitable, or that I haven't ridden enough for it to happen yet. Simply, I employ strategies that minimizes my personal risk.
I recently rode the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam along with Ho Chi Minh City. A quick real world lesson where even an oncoming bus will fill your lane as if you don't exist. Extreme awareness and caution goes a long way on a bike.
@@all4fitz what annoyed me the most while in pattaya was, there are no crosswalks. you can cross street anywhere and you always have to look 5x on the right and left because they drive on the wrong side, so i have no idea where can a car come from
@@pete531 Oh yes! This is the same in Vietnam. They move in all directions. And at intersections you have to merge directly into the flow of bikes as they move around you. The interesting part is that as I go cautiously slow and hyper focused on everything, I feel like I'm drastically improving my safety. I hope that's real...heh.
Hi, great video! I retired a year ago and returned to riding for something else to do. I hadn't ridden in 20+ years and I quickly re-learned that keeping the speed down really helps to get out of bad situations. When checking out you tube videos of crashes I see a common theme. 95 percent of these show the bikers going at speeds well above the speed limits and then hitting corners. About 3% show what must be new riders. The bikers aren't really going too fast, but don't stop when the car in front of them stops, even though they had good spacing and plenty of time to stop. For these riders, I suspect that they have never driven a car either! Stay safe, Cheers! 😁
I've noticed that a lot, I also haven't ridden in years but when a moto crash happens in a video it's almost always because the rider was either oblivious or just plain reckless. A lot of the time they seem to be staring at the speedometer instead of looking at the road & traffic in front of them while wailing along at Mach 2 and approaching an intersection!
Check the research on how much your reflex has slowed down over those 20 years and take it into account how much distance you keep from the vehicle in front. I found that I don't react as fast as I used to 20 years ago.
What ive learned to avoid problems on the highways: ride in fast lane only to avoid rapid lane changes taking you out (usually someone about to miss their exit and goes across multiple lanes of traffic without looking for others) and ride slightly faster than other traffic which prevents you staying in someones blind spot and seems to help people notice your presence.
@@joshdoddadbod 100% Right lane is extremely dangerous when going through a city. I tend to ride one lane from the left and keep my speed up, just like you said. Sometimes I'll ride the far left lane if it makes sense to do so, but I don't make a lot of lane changes until I'm out of the city. Make calculated moves and be predictable. Some people believe in going slow, but going slower than everyone isn't the answer either. They bunch up behind you, eventually they start changing lanes to get around you, and then sooner or later some hothead in a BMW makes a sudden move and you're caught in the middle of it.
Amen to that, especially on the highway I rarely if ever get overtaken there since I know my speed cameras and reduce my time on highway as much as possible
Really good video. When people say to me “It’s the other drivers that are the risk” but my thoughts are that this also applies to you walking next to a road and arguably pedestrians are at more risk with little/no hazard awareness, kit or ability to evade a car
Thanks for this video, I got my bike last week and I want to become a very good rider, I'm afraid of accidents but driving in the safest way possible is the best way you can do to preserve your life.
Riding like EVERYONE is trying to kill me has left me accident-free. Tons of almost daily, near misses (LA, SF) that the Motorcycle Safety Course taught me to look out for when I took it 40 years ago.
Quick 2 cents I live in South Africa so its a little difficult to find and afford courses. My father took me to a strip with grass next to it and i simply felt out the clutch and eventually picked up my feet. Then went to a empty parking lot and rode around for a few hours. Then only did i go on roads with him connected by radios, talking me through everything as i did it. I wouldn't have been prepared to do it on my own. If you can ride with someone more experienced who can teach you the ropes
Almost had two small "accidents" yesterday while driving my car while changing lane and making a turn. Both time I turned my head to see if a car was coming but didn't see one so I made a move and a car almost hit me. It's something that almost never happens when I'm riding my bike because : - a bike (unless it's a very small displacement one) is much faster and agile than a car so I can move quicker - I have a much better visibility since there is no car body to block my view - I'm usually paying much more attention to my surroundings when riding a bike than driving a car
I’m 37, 6’2, 200lbs with a full licence in UK. Still on my Keeway Superlight 125 and a car. I love the slow cruiser feel and enjoyment from going 50mph around country lanes. When I upgrade it’ll be a 500/650 max
Before you ever get on a bike or go to a course I suggest training on a bicycle and learn to ride in a group (preferably race training). Riding at 30mph with your tires a few millimeters from other riders' tires in front or behind teaches you many things. In my opinion it's far more dangerous than anything I've encountered riding a moto. It's the best training for controlling a vehicle with 2 wheels and keeping track of all the variables around you.
Good point! Group riding gives you excellent control. However, I don’t think riding bicycles is ever more dangerous than motorcycle riding in traffic (like you, I do both, but I’m probably not as athletic as you). A 25 mph crash on a bicycle or motorcycle might break a bone but I’ll survive. It’s highway speeds that kill. A fast car hits a bicycle (happened to a friend of mine), or a motorcycle collision at speed.
That is called “ spatial awareness “ . There are other ways to test for that. Fact is operating a vehicle is just not for some. Pointless claiming it to be a right. If one seeks to be a nurse or doctor, but faints at the sight of blood, either learn to deal with that or seek a different profession. Ditto for being an accountant or psychiatrist, one needs to have certain traits, either natural or learned or just accept that those types of skills are beyond one’s “ ability “! Some tasks require agility, other strengths. When one lacks the natural ability it simply is not going to happen!
My sister's boyfriend Art, a lifetime biker, who wears a helmet, wrecked his bike a few weeks ago, when he didn't regulate his distance or speed, running into the back of a Tow truck. It broke his arm, and he is a higher risk patient, so they tried to NOT operate, but his arm didn't heal well, so they did operate. Of course, healing takes quite a while, but then he had a heart attack, and had to have a 2nd operation, a bypass. That took muscle and veins from other parts of his body, and those and/or his arm have gotten infected, so his attempted recovery has been difficult. The older you are, the harder it is to heal from any injury. So, you really can't afford to choose a riskier method of transportation and recreation. He's not currently riding, but of course, like so many, he vows to ride again, as soon as he can. That tells me that despite life threatening injuries, many bikers may not correct their attitude and plans!
Sounds like he might need a can-am if he is insistent on riding, they are a little safer and more visible. Of course, he probably needs to slow down and cherry-pick when and where he rides.
Totally understandable. Riding is like nothing else. Unless you ride a motorcycle, it's hard to appreciate how much it means to people. It's called throttle therapy for a reason.
Unfortunately, fatalities by engine size is useless because we don't know what the population percentages are in terms of number of motorcycles in each range. If 500cc bikes are only 1% of bikes on the road but account for 8% of fatalities, they could be "the most risky" compared to if 50% of bikes on the road fall in 501-1000 and make up 35% of fatalities.
The MSF course I took really did help me with some good tips for safe riding, an awareness of what I need to keep an eye out for on the road, what maneuvers were most necessary to master. Wear a helmet. Full face helmets are safest. Don't drink or get high and ride. Be careful when conditions get weird - rain, snow, etc. Don't be a bad statistic. Ride safe.
Good video. And prob why the most fatalities are on 600 to 1000 CC bikes is bc they're the most common size/class, at least in North America... So, yeah.
Totally agree, I would add making yourself more visible is a good idea on a bike, although most motorcyclists (other than the police) won't wear anything except black! Nice too see new bikes coming out now with better lighting and more colour, and more riders not afraid to break convention.
A lot of research is now showing that dayglo colours aren't always better for visibility (especially in contrast to roadside greenery) and black is even sometimes the best. Apparently the dayglo hot pink is good for most situations. Seriously. Best to just ride assuming people haven't seen you. When someone pulls up to that junction, move toward the centre and slow down until you're sure they've stopped and seen you. I have even stopped on a main road when a truck kept rolling slowly across a junction. He blew his horn at me like he was angry I hadn't passed by like he wanted. If he wanted me to go, he needed to stop.
Good vid! Of those accidents while speeding, I would love to see a breakdown of number of mph above the speed-limit. Curious to see how the numbers look below the allowable 5-10mph over the limit.
Does riding three on a bike have a category .. as a kid. We had two wipeouts in one day. I ride a BMW r1200st at 64. At 22 I put 50,000 miles on a Honda cm400t in Bakersfield CA Long break in between. I was surprised how long it took me to get use to riding again even though the beemer now feels more like a scooter to me. Watch the tires on cars. Know when to roll on the throttle and have fun. Heavy bikes means keeping the front wheel straight at stops. When slowing to a stop use just the back brake at low speed to avoid plunging the front shock. Balance is a big deal. Riding is not to prove anything. It’s a privilege and it’s good for the soul. It can give you a real sense of accomplishment too once you become proficient. Biking is one of those things that you can’t fake until you make it. You got to know and practice it. Older riders take your time in getting back into riding. It took me a couple years of casual riding to feel like I did in my twenties. It will come back to you if you are patient. You can always learn something new too
Great video advocating a sane approach to riding a motorcycle. Take a safety course and don't assume that because you can ride a bicycle you can ride a motorcycle. Start with a small bike, and if you can - start with a dual sport and ride on dirt roads for quite a while so you develop a sense of traction and enhanced awareness of surfaces you are riding on. Wear a helmet and protective gear all the time. If you are a habitual drinker stay with bowling and avoid motorcycles at all costs.
Well, it's your fault for riding it but not necessarily crashing it. I don't think many people ever rode a motorbike with the express intention of crashing it with the possible exception of Evel Knievel, but that guy was a different breed from the rest of us because being a death-defying badass is how he earned a living and not just how he entertained himself. With regards to that sort of deal, let's just say that Mr. Knievel was very committed to his vocation of choice compared to your average Joe brain surgeon or airline captain :)
Wait... whaaat? Can someone ride a motorcycle in the USA, without having a license? In Europe, we go to jail for that. "Make it a fun weekend, take an MSF course"... Mine took two months... It seems to me like in Europe, we take motorcycle safety a bit more serious. Maybe I am wrong.
No you’re absolutely correct, America is full of squids and try hards, literally everyone has a newer R1 or S1000RR…. It’s pretty sad seeing that “monkey see monkey do” mentality over and over again, next bike I’m buying is 10k over all there bikes and looks better (M1000R)
I've been a biker for 20yrs. I was so ready to disagree but after seeing your video I AGREE WITH 100% YOU Great job! I recommend your video to all my biker and would be bikers' friends GREAT JOB!
There are 2 types of motorcycles: the ones that crashed, and the ones that haven't crashed ~ yet. Someday, something WILL happen = a deer, a dog, a grandma, a flat tire, a spill on the road, someone texting, etc. So dress for the slide, not the ride. TL1000 ---> 😼
...the ones that gear up properly and the ones that haven't crashed yet... that's what I say whenever I see somebody without protection gear. Here in Europe is absolutely forbidden to ride without a helmet (the fine is to never forget it) and to drive without a permit is considered a felony. Plus to get your license for a bike over 600 cc (35 Hp) you need 3 exams alongside 6 years (2 in between every intermediate license), so no youngsters will ride a real bike without at least the basic experience... Some friends died, tho...
Forgot to add, I worked at MMI, one student had part time job at Suzuki dealers. One Sunday they sold 3 x GSX-R 750's. None made it more than 5 miles before crashing. 17 yr old who 'rode dirt bikes' for years (80~125cc) didn't even make it out of the parking lot (got roughly 5 feet before bike landed upside down) One made it to the exit but hit sign post, third ended up in a ditch about 5 miles away. Salesman was happy he made a lot on commission, obviously didn't care he was selling wrong bikes to inexperienced riders
Once the unlicensed, untrained, no helmet, at excessive speed, and intoxicated rider is taken out of the equation, the numbers change dramatically. The greatest danger to the rider is the rider. Your point that cars are safer in accidents certainly is true, so accident avoidance is important. Skilled riders riding responsibly can avoid accidents in the first place. A stat I would like to see is how many accidents are from riders that don’t ride often. I know many riders that only ride 1000-3000 over 3-4 months a year, so effectively always a new rider. How does their accident rate compare to riders that ride 10k-30k a year, riding year round. Effectively always with sharp skills. Stay sober, wear your gear, ride responsibly, take courses, drill/practice and enjoy.
@@slimfit767no, it’s a mindset. Someone who thinks it’s fine to ride on streets without a license is probably a more dangerous driver. They are not interested in observing laws. Perhaps there are a few safe but unlicensed drivers.
@@slimfit767 Getting a licence in the USA is a joke compared to some other places like in Europe. If somebody can't even pass in such an easy exams, then you have the right to questionnare their skills. Here in Europe it's like a safety course, for getting a licence, you need to master really slow manouvers, U turns, emergency manueuvers ETC, and you need to do the whole exam without your legs touching the ground(except during the stopping points of course), otherwise it's a fail, and you have only one chance, you can't try it again 10 minutes later, usually you need to wait for weeks for the next occasion. Many USA folks that are flexing in a 1000cc thinking they're such a great riders, would sweat a lot in here trying to pass an exam.
This year there was a lot of bad weather where I live so it took a long time for the seasonal riders to get out and let me tell you, once the nice summer weather started the first 2 or 3 weeks there were daily news reports of riders getting into a fatal accidents. It's like they just forgot how to ride because they get out that little
@@slimfit767 partially it does because unlicensed riders are usually thrill chasers, not saying licensed ones can't be but it's not as likely. As a result their riding style tends to be far more dangerous
I remember reading a similar report back in 2007 or so, maybe also from the NHSTA, but I don't remember for sure, that basically said if you wear a helmet and don't drink alcohol you were like 20x less likely to be involved in an accident. The other useful piece of information I remember from that report was that the majority of motorcycle accidents were single vehicle incidents, in other words there was nobody to blame except the bike rider. I'm not sure how one of my accidents would be classified since I didn't actually hit anybody, but I wouldn't have braked on wet pavement and dumped the bike if the car in front of me hadn't slammed on there brakes. The other one was completely my fault because I didn't set up for a left turn properly, entered it with too much speed, ran wide, and ended up on the sidewalk. Both pretty minor and both taught me good lessons.
7:35 wait a second. What? 79% not speeding when the fatal crash occurred in 55-59 age group? That doesn’t sound right… Wouldn’t that mean that speed plays a secondary role in those crashes?
Thanks for looking at actual data that compared M/C accident rates with other vehicles. Yes, lack of experience, speeding, alcohol, road conditions, etc. can all have an effect on increasing M/C accident rates. Motorcyclists are often higher risk takers, and can be their own worst enemies. Yes, your personal safety is mostly determined by HOW you ride. An interesting aside: - You advised people to get MSF Training, which of course is good advice. HOWEVER, my brother was a riding instructor in Toronto with an approved community college Riding School. Once a representative from our Ontario Dept. of Transportation came in and did a presentation to the instructors. One of the key findings in their report was that there was no significant difference in accident rates among those who took the courses and those who did not. They concluded that having passed the course gave some riders more confidence in their abilities, and they seemed more inclined to take more risks as a result. Effectively, they had some of the knowledge, but lacked real-world experience to keep them out of trouble when they took more risks. While riders with no training, knew they had less skill and knowledge, and road more cautiously... I've ridden for over 55 years accident free. Yes, I've taken risks and luckily gotten away with it. But mostly I have a sense for situations where the risks increase, and I choose to drive more defensively when in those. You failed to mention how other vehicles are frequently to blame for M/C collisions. Turning in front of a rider is the biggest problem. Again, this is something where we can reduce our risk by how we drive in traffic. High beams make you more visible, as does bright riding gear. (All the gear, all the time goes without saying...!) Being extra vigilant approaching intersections helps too. Lane splitting at speed past other vehicles is just stupid. In fact, the best riding is away from traffic, and the best roads are there too. That's where I choose to do most of my riding... Sometime sh!t happens, and you need to try to prepare for it. One example, I was following my brother on a two-lane highway, and a car was waiting to turn onto the highway from our right. We were following a dump truck which pulled over to the right to turn at that intersection. However, it was blocking the view of us to the driver making the turn onto the highway, who assumed the way was clear, and pulled onto the road turning across our path. Fortunately my brother just missed being hit by that driver. You have to assume drivers will do stupid sh!t, and ride accordingly if you want to survive...
I think most of those stats can be taken with a grain of salt for us living in the rest of the world. Especially stuff like a helmet is required, a proper license is required and same with inspection and so on. It's baffling how the laws and rules can change from one state to another within the same country. Where I'm from, they released some statistics where, in accidents between a car and a motorcycle, the car was responsible for about 70% of the cases. And they raise the insurance on motorcycles "because of the statistics" whether or not the motorcycle is responsible or not and even if the rider is driving spotless year after year. So definitely not perfect here neither.
biggest inference from engine size is definitely type of bike. most major sport/naked bikes fall into the 501-1000cc category. especially for younger people this is the type of bike with more of a culture of speeding/stunting/reckless riding. also dig into the stats for age range and type of bike owned. the age range with the most fatal crashes has a higher rate of sport bike ownership. correlate the cost to the engine size, bikes with 1000+ cc engines tend to be more expensive, older/more experienced people tend to be more likely to afford them. the engine size stats are certainly interesting. but they are absolutely driven by factors that are not directly related to the engine itself.
I recall magazine articles from the 70s and 80s that reviewed the data and highlighted that middle aged touring riders with experience had a fatality rate not much higher than the cars of the day.
Great video man! I don’t drink, don’t speed much if ever, always wear a helmet, and I’m licensed. Just gotta get myself a DRZ400SM now, and I should be good to go! 😊 in all seriousness, really good information!
Thanks for the video, being in SoCal myself I like to take an unofficial poll of why more people don't ride especially in the LA area. Most say it's to dangerous in LA we have great weather and you can lane split since the beginning of Motor transport, as you know we also get better than Handicap parking. I pass cars and trucks lots of times and see the MC stickers with only one driver. Best advise cover brake and clutch be really careful in the intersections, and when the light turns green look both ways before going through the intersections and slow down in neighbourhoods.
Such a great point to bring up with SoCal. I lived in NYC area for some years and zero chance I’m ever riding with the amount of potholes they have from salted roads and harsh conditions. It absolutely blows my mind we only have CA as a state to lane split. It can be done safely
I had a similar accident in South Africa as a very new rider. I was passing two cars at the same time on a Honda 360 and the front car turned as I was coming down the opposing side. I hit the car with a glancing blow and punched a hole in the rocker panel below the doors with my foot peg. The bike was still rideable because I had to follow her home to make payment arrangements as I didn't have insurance. All I got was two tiny little scratches on my wrist, A broken spark plug on the bike and that was about it. As well as a lifetime lesson learned..
An important note about speeding. Drivers around you are conditioned to timing turns based on everyone going the "normal" speed for that area. Speeding drastically increases the chance of someone pulling in front of you because they think they have time based on your location and their past experience with that junction.
The MFS Course saved me from alot of stuff. For me number one is it help me be a better defensive rider! Just being aware & still enjoy my ride. I've had plenty of accidents some my fault.. most wasn't. All under the speed of 20mph or less. I thank God for that. Dress & be prepared for the slide also. Thank SoCal!👍🏾😎
When I started riding in the 1980s, British Police motorcyclists were the road user group with the lowest accident statistics in the UK. Sort of confirms the fact that if you want to be safe, you can be.
Helmet, gloves, boots and jacket are a must. The value of gloves are often overlooked. When a rider comes off there is a natural reaction to use the hands to break the fall.
I agree starting off most people need the basic handling/ MSF corse. But in NZ and AUS there is 2-4 years before you are allowed to ride unrestricted bigger cc bikes and thats ridiculous. I ride outside my licance conditions but if I had gone through the licance system I would not be any better of a rider or have ridden anymore then I have. licance means nothing once you know the basics and have spent some time on the road
Great video man! !00% agree with every point you made. I actually feel safer on the highway than riding in the city. The only way I ride is imagining that every car on the road wants to crash into me. Time of day is very important as well. Anyway loved your video and stoked to see more!
Thanks - great information. I live in Canada (on the Pacific coast) and I assume the stats are pretty similar other than we have helmet laws coast to coast. As well as the beginner coarse for all, for us old people I highly recommend doing some refresher training.
I always disagree with the idea that low cc = safer. Yes, you have less capacity for trouble, but you want the extra acceleration power to escape from a developing scenario. Especially a car merging over and not seeing you. At highway speed, you can slow down, but at slower speeds that won't save you, You want that bit of power to get away safe.
I don't see why slowing down won't save you, if anything it's the best option. Besides bikes overall have pretty damn good acceleration regardless of engine size, sure a 100hp bike will pull faster than a 30hp bike but people act like you need 100hp to accelerate out of some random situation like a car not stopping behind you, even a your average 125 gets to 30mph in about 5 seconds and if that's not fast enough to move 10 feet to the side then sorry to disappoint you but most people can't launch their high power bikes well enough to get out of there faster anyway. When on the move more power is easier because you might not have to shift down but there's very few situations where just accelerating is the only thing that can save you
10:09 I think it's probably a good message that less experienced riders will be safer on smaller bikes, but we don't know anything about how safe a class of motorcycle is from this data alone. So what I mean is, in this data, 35% of motorcycle fatalities are on bikes in the 501-1000cc range, but this is also a very popular class of bike, so they might make up more than 35% of the motorcycles on the road. If that's true, that would mean they're safer than average. Likewise, small displacement bikes probably aren't as popular, especially as people tend to get them as beginner bikes and grow out of them. If small displacement bikes make up less than 8% of the total motorcycles on the road, then this might suggest they're actually less safe on average, though I think that would probably be more a function of rider inexperience than anything directly concerning the bike. All this to say, it's hard to say anything for sure about which classes of motorcycle are more dangerous just from the share of accidents they hold.
It would be nice to see the most current data on fatalities comparing bikes with ABS and traction control. Older data with the Hurt report showed groups with highest representation of fatalities were crashes occurring in the early morning hours of Saturday and Sunday. If you are a licensed rider, have taken a MSF course, don’t use drugs or alcohol when riding, wear proper gear, don’t speed, and don’t ride those dangerous weekend hours after the bars close a Venn diagram would show you are in a very low probability of being in a fatal crash. (The Hurt report also showed women were overrepresented in fatalities). Another issue is how motorcycle salesmen will sell a bike that is way too powerful for a new rider. In Europe newly licensed riders are restricted from higher displacement bikes until experience is attained.
Yeah, I've been in 3 car collisions, first one was my fault, was 17 years old on 2010, second and third were in my 30s and I got rear-ended in both. Now my motorcycle collisions? From 2018 - present I have no accidents and the closest things to an accident I had was dropping my first bike twice because I forgot to put up the kickstand. The main reason for crashes is exactly what this video stated, just be careful, keep your head on swivel, don't be stupid, and it'll be as normal as anything with wheels. Overly cautious is better than being overly dead.
I've been wanting to ride for a few years now, and I don't talk about it at all with my family (Except my dad sometimes) because all I get back is reminders of how dangerous they are. I know they love me and just want what's best for me, but It's like they think I don't know all of that already, like I'd have to be stupid to want to ride a motorcycle. Yes I'll always have a helmet, yes I'm going to take a class. I just wanna talk about something I'm passionate about with them.
That’s tough, sorry that’s been the experience. They obviously do care and that’s a great silver lining, but if it’s something you really want to do, maybe take baby steps towards it to be as safe as possible. There’s always a high amount of risk in this hobby, but I’d rather do it than live a life avoiding things out of fear
Comment from Sweden: Cars are for transportation and are used all year around. When it's cold, slippery and dark few rides a motorbike, but let's say five times faster a sunny and clear summerday. Bikes are fun and bring smiles! Actually, I'm surprised the figures are not greater. (Confession: The way I throttled and wheelied when I was young... I'm glad to be alive... at 60+.)
How do they define speeding in the study? Going over the posted limit, or going faster than trafffic? Where I ride, freeway traffic usually goes 15 or more over and if you go the speed limit people will zoom by you aggressively- so you have to speed. Plus add to the fact that you want to be going slightly faster than traffic and not sit in peoples blind spots and you’re easily going 85 in a 65.
I would also say being a good aware car driver 1st will translate to a good aware Bike rider... I learned how to drive a manual transmission cars in my teens which is now a lost art,, which helped me learn how to ride a motorcycle... Next time your driving your car you will notice just how many car cages cut in front of you on the regular that it's crazy... You should anticipate that even more so while on a bike. Do the right speeds... I watched a ton of videos on riding and took my MSF course this year January 2024 and was skilled in the class I must say.... Been riding for 8 months now. Starter bike is an Aprilia RS660 and love riding... Yes, dont drink and ride and Be safe out there everyone 🙏🏿 and good video.
Looking at “injuries per miles” horse riding and snow sleds top the list. People always told me, “but you’re a doctor! You should know better!” As a doctor I would treat elderly people who tried to live the “safest” life possible and ending up breaking their hip walking from the living room to the kitchen. They gave up a lifetime of enjoyment so they could end up in a wheelchair in a nursing home.
I had this thought about Harley guys today. To be frank, I’m not a fan of Harley culture, but my thought was just the fact that they ride a motorcycle, and they’re not dead yet implies a certain base level of intelligence. I think that ties into what you’re saying here. It’s kind of a filter.
I’ve ridden for the past 4 years + worked at 3 motorcycle dealerships at the time, sad to say I will be giving up motorcycles for a bit because I don’t have fun with them anymore especially the mental battles on the road 🙄 it’s too much stress to worry about getting hit all the time, it was cool when I was 23 but now I’m 28 and rather have a nice car tbh
Extensive dirtbike experience in conjunction with extensive driving experience does translate well, at least it did for me. The MSF course (which I did take before hitting the pavement, for the record) was helpful in getting me to consciously think about a couple things, but that was about the extent of it. The only thing I struggled with having never ridden on the street was doing a tight u-turn with my feet on the pegs, since that’s something unique to street riding, but even then I didn’t have any issues once I was doing actual u-turns with an actual, physical location to aim for instead of trying to stay within a painted boundary on the ground. I wouldn’t recommend anyone ride unlicensed, but I’d bet that unlicensed riders with dirbike experience are the minority of that statistic, and that it mostly represents young men with no experience buying a bike after riding a buddy’s a couple times and not taking the MSF. I like the prospects of someone who grew up dirtbiking riding unlicensed better than those of someone whose only experience is the 2-day basic MSF; there’s no substitute for real practice.
You left out one major thing. The TYPE of bike. BY FAR the type of bike that gets crashed the most are crotch rockets. These things are not designed for street riding. They are designed for the track. Where there is no unpredictable traffic, no stop and go traffic, no intersections. They are designed to go fast. They serve no other purpose. They are worthless for cruising, touring, or just plain commuting. Pretty much EVERY crotch rocket I see is being ridden recklessly, irresponsibly, and illegally. They fly down the freeway at 120+ mph doing wheelies. They ride between lanes of traffic at those speeds. That is after all what they are designed for. Which is why they are the bike of choice for mostly younger, reckless, irresponsible riders. Most of the idiots that ride that type of bike do wear helmets. Usually expensive replicas of helmets worn by professional roadracers. Because that is who they are trying to copy. But without the skills, judgement, or common sense. If you watch the motorcycle crash videos all over TH-cam, you will quickly notice that 90% or more of the crashes involve crotch rockets being ridden very recklessly and irresponsibly. I am 65 years old. I started riding at age 10 on a 100cc dirt bike. I got my license and my first street legal bike at age 16, which was a well used 250cc dual sport bike (street legal dirt bike) There was no such thing as motorcycle riding classes back then, and I have never been to one. I have since owned 37 motorcycles, including the five I currently own. Most of them were cruisers, two were what I would call standards, four dual sport bikes, and a couple of Goldwings. Long distance touring is my favorite type of riding, followed by trail riding. I have ridden over a million miles without a single accident. I ride responsibly, I do not break the speed limit (you have to be careful when following the speed limit, because nobody else does, and you can easily get run over by a speeding distracted driver) I wear a full face helmet, I do not drink and ride. Not a single one of my bikes has been a crotch rocket, or a "sport bike" of any type. I did try to ride one once (Suzuki GSXR) that belonged to someone else. It was absolutely miserable. I made it about 10-12 miles before pulling into a parking lot, getting off, calling the owner, and telling him to come and get the damned thing, because no way was I riding it back. I was in pain for days afterward. My current collection of bikes are a 1993 Honda Goldwing 1500, a 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, a 2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, a 2006 H-D Sportster 1200L, and a 2009 Suzuki DR650. No phones stuck on the handlebars, no stereos, no helmet communicators. I always ride alone. I ride to get away from all the garbage I have to put up with day to day, not bring it with me.
Great post, yeh, no classes when l started on a 100cc also. That 2-3 minute list of tips and off ya go son..... See ya at dinner time. Great selection of bikes there in your shed Gerald. Ride safe, ride sober, make it home tonight so you can do it again tomorrow. Kindest Regards and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
If you have lasting pain for days after riding a sport bike for 10 miles, you should definitely invest into your overall fitness because that shouldn’t be a thing.
One statistic you never see is how safe riding skills translates to safe driving in a car . I definitely feel I’m a better driver because of skills I learned as a rider , one being the situational awareness you develop as a good rider . Knowing where other vehicles are and awareness of your surroundings definitely helps in avoiding accidents.
I couldn’t agree more! It’s a massive skill transfer.
I would also say vise versa and being a good aware car driver 1st will translate to a good aware Bike rider... I learned how to drive manual transmission cars in my teens which helped me learn how to ride a motorcycle... Next time your driving your car you will notice just how many car cages cut in front of you on the regular that it's crazy... You should anticipate that even more now while on a bike. I watched a ton of videos on riding and took my MSF course this year January 2024 and was skilled in the class I must say.... Been riding for 8 months now. Starter bike is an Aprilia RS660 and love riding... Be safe out there everyone 🙏🏿 and good video.
I really don't want to jinx anything by saying this. I want everyone to be safe and practice as much precaution as possible. I do think that car drivers having automatic / no transmission, a bunch of driver aids, and also distractions such as smartphones or infotainment systems makes the roads a lot less safe overall by making drivers less self-reliant on common sense. In simpler times, "operating a motor carriage" was a much more involved activity where mistakes/accidents were either due to skill deficiencies or less advanced mechanical technology; much less so because of risky behaviors by skilled people. Everyone should learn how to be a good pedestrian, go bicycling on the streets, ride mopeds, learn to drive manual transmission on a car, and only be allowed to purchase sports / performance vehicles (inclusive of cars, motorcycles, Slingshots, etc.) if they qualify based on a graduated licensing system. It is insane how much difficulty Americans have with such great infrastructure and orderly society, but places like India with far higher volumes and many more kinds of traffic have proportionally far less trouble with road safety. Bad things happen over there too and sometimes because of people doing dumb things, not following rules, or not even having common sense. But that basic common sense in road use in America could be improved greatly with more formal training / teaching than just relying on basic licensing education, law enforcement, and traffic controls. And just making cars bigger doesn't make them safer - huger masses at greater speeds just carry more momentum so vehicle occupants aren't necessarily much safer inside them. Finally, because younger drivers make up the majority of all violations and accidents, it should be mandatory for new driver education to include some form of performance driving where you either ride along or actually drive a high-capability vehicle on a closed course designed for it - in order to contrast it with regular driving on public roads for plain old transportation. This will teach people all they need to know to enjoy automobiles for the thrill of it and contain that sort of activity within environments designed for it - it might not eliminate street racing or something like that altogether, but it would greatly reduce it because it would also create new business opportunities for people to start building more of those kinds of venues. I guess I would add even one more thing - driver licensing exams should also require and test knowledge of vehicle insurance because far too many people ruin their financial lives because of motoring incidents. Everyone deserves a chance to be safe, have fun, and see all of this wonderful world over a full lifetime of experiences.
This was one of the reasons I felt comfortable getting on a bike despite all the safety hysterics. Not only have I never been in an accident in my 20 years of driving, I haven't even come close. Thanks to being observant, driving defensively and always expecting the unexpected.
I read that motorcycle riders are 23% less likely to get into a head on collision when driving. And as a rider, my situational awareness and ability to judge speed and distance definitely carry over to driving my car
The obvious thing that makes riding a bike more dangerous is the lack of a protective cage around you. What makes this worse, is that modern cars give so much protection to the occupants, that drivers are complacent and less careful to avoid collisions. As a result, if you want to survive riding a bike, you have to do the thinking for the other road users, because you can't rely on them to avoid you.
I've survived 54 years on bikes here in England, by riding as if everyone else is an idiot, always expecting them to do stupid things, and being prepared to take the necessary action to avoid it. It doesn't always work, and I have the scars and x-rays to prove it, but at 70, I still use the bikes as my everyday transport all year round and I don't intend to give it up.
Space and visibility.
From Ontario, Canada, I agree 100% with your comment. I ride since 1966 and never had an accident. Be aware of the danger, which is everywhere....
It is strange that old motorcyclists who gave up riding due to family pressure died early than those who did not give up. Story after story of old people who stopped riding claim they became healthier when they took up riding again.
@@tagagogon6308yes it’s physical activity and therapy all in one. Mental and physical therapy basically
i think that you hit the nail on the head with the second thing you said, the roads in 1970 were sooo much safer than they are today, why? because the 1970 cars made you feel like you actually had to pay attention to drive them, modern cars have so much comfort and shit that drivers dont think they even need to have there eyes open to drive, and better yet, they dont even get punished because the cars are so safe that virtually nothing can seriously injure someone in a car unless its a major crash with another car, i recently got hit on my bike by a jeep that came into my lane, the guy told my insurance company that "i dont remember trying to get into the other lane i just felt my car shake and saw the bike flying" a crash that totalled my gsxr and broke my back, the car driver wasnt even effected in the slightest, and doesnt even feel enough remorse to be honest with a judge or my insurance company. people on the roads are ignorant and arrogant, thats what makes the roads unsafe.
What I would like to add is something I learned myself the hard way.
Just because an accident isn't your fault, that doesn't mean that there aren't things that you could have done to avoid it.
Better be healthy than right.
I'd rather be alive , then dead right!
@@oshel5793 Everybody is alive then dead.
I'd rather be alive than dead.
Also, the laws of physics don't give a damn.
I rode to the Sturgis motorcycle rally last summer. My 18 year old son rode along side me in a father son trip. While at Sturgis, the morning news gave us the Rally Tally everyday-news of arrests and accidents. Nearly all fatalities involved riders without helmets. There was one crash where they didn’t mention whether they wore a helmet. More than one fatal crash involved excessive speed. The arrests all involved drugs and alcohol. The lessons are easy: slow down, ride sober, wear gear, especially a helmet.
Rode alone to Sturgis this year, 2300 miles, safe and loved it..best trip!
Father son trip that’s awesome, that’ll be me and my dad soon! Congrats dude and careful when riding 👌🏻😎
Working on the boy for his license. Now daughter wants a trike!
You backup my own observations. If you keep your speed reasonable, avoid the alcohol when riding, and drive very defensively, you greatly improve your chances of riding home. Having said that, I did collide with a 16 Y.O. girl, her first day with a license, on a freeway. She pulled across 2 lanes and across my lane immediately in front of me to reach an exit. It was a thrilling and terrifying moment for me. I was new at hiway riding and was afraid to hit my brake too hard and be hit by following vehicles. So we slapped together, side by side, with some damage to my hand and my bike, but my foot peg ripped a long gash in her passenger door causing much more damage to her vehicle than to my bike. At any rate, I rode the bike down the ramp with a broke shift lever, wondering why I could not down shift.
Glad there wasn't too much damage, and you made it home, eventually....
Always assume gaps in front of you (and in lanes on either side) will fill up. Anticipate that cars will move from 2-3 lanes over to fill the gap. That means monitoring a very wide field of view and accounting for stupid habits of many drivers all the time.
Pro tip (55 years of accident free riding): avoid center lanes on multi-lane highways. By riding in the far right or far left lanes, you give yourself an "out" to stupid car behavior (i.e. you can head for the shoulder).
Think I’m gonna have to call you on this one. You just described a scenario where you were so aware that you saw the car coming at you from the left you then were able to check the traffic behind. You assess the situation and then not used your brakes because you had assessed the situation so well that you knew the drivers behind you would hit you? Instead of just moving to the right with the car and using the shoulder and not getting hit??? I’m pretty sure it’s more likely that you didn’t see it coming and then when you did see it coming out of your peripheral you froze. You probably stared at the car and got target fixated on it. That’s just more likely than you used all of the superpowers that you just described, but still got hit by the car and it’s OK it happens and then when we replay this stuff in our minds, we make up different versions of it to cover our mistakes.
Glad you’re okay! And I’m glad the message resonates. I’m human, but I do my best to gear up and ride defensively and as of now, I never feel in grave danger unless I let myself get too loose. Stay safe out there fellas
Just turned 70,been riding street since 15 on custom Triumphs.Current bike is a 71 Triumph 650 I have had since 1980.I do all my own wrenching.2 lessons I learned in my teens,Even tho the car made a left turn in front of me,I would've been ok if I had been doing speed limit.Another lesson was questioning how much life my tires had left.If you are questioning any component,replace it! Pretty glad I grew up around 1%ers back in the day that pushed me to get manuals and do my own work and get to know every inch of my bike and keep it in shape.
I have a 1972 TR6 - growing up I am 2 years younger than you the Brit bikes were for the old guys over 25 at the time, we wanted 2 strokes RD350s H1s - Now that I am older I really like the mellow stuff. Been listening to audio books on lots of 1% ers pretty good stuff.
AGREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The best way to have a safe rife is to SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MSF RiderCoach here. Trust me when I tell you the MSF courses are about safety and skill, not money. Believe me, we don't get paid jack squat. We coach because we're passionate about motorcycling and saving lives. I can't tell you how many arrogant students show up with riding 'experience', yet they can't pass the BRC written or riding test, our most simple course!!!
Enjoyed my MSF course two years ago ,made me a much better rider. I hadn’t ridden for 31 years. So I needed a serious refresher course. The MSF course that I took were for three wheelers, not two wheelers. I currently own and ride a Can-Am Spyder RTL and really enjoy getting out on the road and on the streets riding around. I miss a lot of fun those years that I didn’t ride.
With all do respect for what you do, American riding (and BTW driving) ed is the worst in the world.
I feel much safer riding in Europe than in the States. I wish we had the same or equal requirements for getting the license.
Thanks for the service that you provide. I grew up riding dirt bikes. I took an MSF course when I got a street bike and learned A LOT. The dirt experience is invaluable and supplementing that with the MSF training has helped me stay alive to enjoy riding.
@@FxRiderSTI totally agree! 💯 I know the process in England and wish it was the same here for cars and motorcycles!
@@chuckwilson2301We have a lot of returning riders and I always enjoy getting them back out there. In many ways, they appreciate the course more than most new riders do! Congrats on getting back out there! Be safe!
I've been riding for 50 years and have developed many skills and strategies to survive. My #1 way to avoid an accident with a car is to take routes that have the least amount of traffic. Even if I have to go many miles out of the way. Also works out good because that way I get to ride longer, and I love to ride!
Makes for a more enjoyable ride anyway!
Every time I hear 'Motorcycles are dangerous. My brother/friend/whatever was killed on a bike' I dig deeper and almost invariably they were riding like an idiot at the time. Like doing 60 in a 30 limit or going round a blind bend at 70. Or riding like this 3:37. Cars are dangerous if you drive like an idiot. The best one I have heard was from my boss at my first job when I was 17. He had a (small capacity) bike and his parents were continually nagging him: 'Motorbikes are dangerous. Get a car.' One day he was out on his bike when he saw a gap between two cars that was closing. So what does he do? Hang back like anyone with half a brain would do? No, he accelerates and tries to beat the gap. The inevitable crash. He then went to his Dad and said 'Look Dad. I've been thinking about what you said and you're right. Motorbikes are dangerous. I'm giving up riding and getting a car.' Being so young and naive at the time I couldn't think of anything to say, but if it happened now I would say 'Hey. Rather than giving up riding how about just giving up accelerating for gaps you can see are closing.' If he had been driving a car instead would he have said 'Cars are dangerous. I'm giving up driving.; Of course not! That's just stupid.
The problem is that people who buy big displacement bikes drive fast...it's the only reason to buy this kind of bikes
@@aletrip642 Well they certainly don't buy them ride at 40...
Thrill Seeking! One dirty secret that none of us mention is that motorcycling can attract a fair number of ‘thrill seeking’ personality types. We would never compare the safety statistics for hang gliding with the stats for passengers in an airline. Or rock-climbing accident statistics are not generally compared with normal hiker statistics. If you could design a study to control for the ‘thrill seeking’ personality type, the accident rates for motorbikes would be much more reasonable. Great video!
You are an insightful soul. I see sportbike operators acting more recklessly than any other class of motor vehicle licensees.
It's great idea
💯
And this is exacerbated by all of society declaring motorcycles to be dangerous all the time. It attracts people who are attracted to perceived risk.
Most motorcyclists will never admit that they are the problem and will blame everyone else except themselves. It's like trying to tell a drug addict that drugs are bad for them. No buddy its the people making them illegal that are bad not the meth addicts that steal copper, assault people and other stuff to get money for drugs that are at fault. 😂
I just started riding at 63, almost 65 now. My first two wheel choice was a Honda ADV 160 seven years after I went through the MSF course sponsored by HD for Veterans. After watching hundreds of training videos, yes I wanted that bigger bike but felt at my age starting small cc was the proper to begin learning. Maybe another year or two I will upgrade. But for now I'm having the time of my life on my Honda Scooter!
I have a Honda PCX and love it. I have my eye on a 350 ADV if Australia ever gets them. Just started riding at 50, something I’ve wanted to do for 30 years.
I’m 17 and a year ago for my first vehicle I got a Honda adv 160 it’s great as a daily rider and I love it
And they ALWAYS try to get you on the bigger bike. (I’m looking at you Sportsters are girls bikes guy). I started on a Rebel 300. Had my crash and now I’m on an 1100 Rebel and 300 Kawasaki Versys. I love riding.
@@BeccifromOzI almost bought this bike!😊 but opted for a Yamaha Fazzio (I love it's classic look not too bulky for me) as a beginner bike.
I am quickly loving the world of motorcycles and plan to upgrade next year slowly into big bikes. But first hone the riding skills and improve still...and be the best yet safest defensive rider out there🙏
🎉
I tell you what if I was over the hill I would get myself a maxi scooter. Those 500cc automatics are genuinely fast, safe, and easy to ride for older folk. I had one very briefly and I would hit old age with grace if I had one as my daily driver.
Right on.
Based on crash data, roughly 80% of motorcycle fatalities can be attributed to "rider dumbassery".
I drive the city bus in CA. One morning a co worker of mine was on the 91 freeway (CA) taking his bus to start his route when some “motorcycle dumbassery” occurred when the rider decided to split at 79/80 mph. Well his left handlebar struck a Jeep that was on his left and the motorcycle went down in front of my co worker’s bus. Needless to say he was unalived. I can agree with the motorcycle dumbassery.
Keep in mind that motorbike accident stats can also be attributed to the simple fact that motorcycles are intrinsically dangerous even for the most skilled and careful riders. It's inherent in how the bike itself works, even with no other traffic on the road and 100% crystal-clear riding days the bike itself is prone to steering head oscillation (tank slapper/death wobble) and your front wheel likes to follow ruts/grooves in the pavement.
Real-world road conditions are almost never ideal, so you can ride sober & safe for 40 years, then one day come across a groove in the pavement and... Kerplunk! :)
@@devilsoffspring5519 yep that's the biggest reason why I'm not getting a bike. The chance of running into a pothole that isn't visible enough is just too high and not worth
I am a new rider, and I bought my first motorcycle against my parents wishes since they didn't want me getting hurt. I have ridden maybe around 400 miles on my bike and today I almost died. I went for a ride since my college semester just finished and I wanted to relax and have a little fun. I was on my way home after running a couple errands when an old woman pulled out in front of me. I slammed the brakes (and almost locked them) and so did she and I missed her by mere inches. As I passed by her (almost in slow motion) I saw her horrified face and her trying to mouth the words I'm sorry. It felt surreal, I used to think drivers in my area were much more careful and motorcycles are safe, but as I'm writing this, my heart is still racing from it. Stay safe out there
Glad you’re okay man. I hope the message is clear with this video. It’s up to you to make sure you keep yourself in check. We’re all human, but staying disciplined on the bike seems to be key for riding for decades. Stay safe!
Glad u r ok. Beware: There will be more!Situational Awareness must be 360° at all times.
It gets even more wild also when you look at how many are single bike accidents. If you also dig into the stats the most dangerous years for responsible riders (helmet not drinking , liscence) is 2-3 year riders. Good enough to feel confident and ride faster but not good enough to avoid other variables. Also riding at night seems statistically mich more dangerous.
'Single bike accident' is one of those stats that's impossible to determine much from. If a car is driving round a corner on the wrong side of the road, but the motorcyclist avoids the head on, at the cost of coming off the road; then because the car was not actually involved in the incident (despite causing it), it can be recorded as a 'single bike accident'. (Wether it does or not will depend on the specific policies of the group recording it; and potentially down to the individuals judgement). That's not to say it's never the riders fault; but it's also clear that it was not always the riders fault either. So, most of the time, there's actually not much that we can determine post hoc from such statistics.
That said, I'm confident in the general thesis: motorcycle safety stats are made much worse by a small group of idiots.
That's also a time when riders are often stepping up to a bigger more sporty bike but without being trained in how to handle the difference. They're going from something that's relatively safe to throw around without any risk to something that can break traction at the rear with just part throttle and with brakes that really bite well. The number of accidents you see where on the mildest of corners on a clean road the bike just falls over because they're not acting smoothly on throttle or brake but worse they aren't managing their tyres properly. So many of those accidents are because they tyres are cold due to being the longest lasting tyres they could buy for the cheapest amount possible as opposed to being the tyres with the grip appropriate for the riding they want to do. So when they grab a handful of brake or roll on some throttle there's no forgiveness in the tyre... It just lets go. Even the right tyre with too much pressure can become the wrong tyre.
This is called "ownership" and it will set you free in life. It can be applied to everything we do the same way as you are applying it to motorcycles
Well Done !! Took the MSF course at 60, worth it to be a safer rider. Instructor same age. Most impressed with the demonstration of how reflexes slow with age. getting back into riding really juiced my life. I really really try to stay within the posted speed limit. The stakes are pretty high to roll the dice, and I've kind of mellowed out, but hey, I'm still sometimes a knuckelhead for speed. Helmet always, no drugs. Stopping distance always less than the road visible ahead. Practice emergency braking.
Never look at the girls when on a motorcycle. That's my own rule. Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls Never look at the girls when riding, look at the road.
Very good video and valid points. I have been riding for 52 years all kinds of motorcycles and raced. Many of the supportive comments are spot on. I have also worked in law enforcement, fire service and Medic certified as an accident investigator; responded to may accidents and fatalities in both cars and motorcycles. Have also been trained in police motorcycle riding many decades ago.
Basically exercise common sense, wear helmets, gloves, leather/ballistic jackets and over pants over jeans as an additional abrasion/sliding layers to protect you. I also hear there are now inflatable CO2 pants and jackets that act as a personal airbag to protect your body and are reusable-May become a new safety standard.
Never, ever drink and drive on a bike--you need to be 100% alert and situationally aware to see, detect, react to the actions of other drivers not paying attention--especially with Cell phones as distracted driving now.
Finally, I will also say that no matter how experienced and safe you are, take an MSF advanced riding refresher course, just to test yourself and learn something new. I am doing so and am going to take a civilian level police motorcycle riding course again to refresh my skills. The police motorcycle course was the best course I ever did, it truly makes you one with the machine. There is nothing you can't do on a motorcycle safely after that course trust me! Training become instinctual. It does also transfer to your skills as a vehicle driver as well. Ride Safe, Ride Smart and come back home to ride again.
We need to change the conversation. The context needs to be on the operator of any and every device. So we need to stop saying motorcycles are dangerous, guns are dangerous, etc., and we need to start saying and putting the ownership on the operators, so maybe the conversation would go something like operating a motorcycle without training, education, and mentorship could expose the operator and other people around the operator to unnecessary risk. So start having conversations and identifying risk levels.
By saying, something is dangerous it takes away all of the personal responsibility. And we as a culture have been doing this for a very long time. We’ve identified objects as dangerous. And as you can see entire careers and industries, are built around the object, being dangerous, namely, government industry.
Accountability for the person and ownership of that. 100% agree 🤝
In all fairness, guns would be useless if they weren't dangerous. Same with motorcycles. Heck, same with electricity or any device that uses combustion or even nuclear reaction as an energy source.
Any device or phenomenon that stores energy and/or uses energy relatively quickly can be considered dangerous in certain circumstances, it doesn't have to be a man-made machine. Just look at a hungry bear for example. Motorcycling can certainly be dangerous but I doubt it's anywhere close to having a pet grizzly bear in your living room, especially if you come home after having forgotten to feed it.
@@devilsoffspring5519 you actually identified an association of danger with lack of understanding. Everything is dangerous when we use it beyond our understanding of it.
An interesting stat that isn't collected would be, for riders of a motorcycle in a fatal crash, did they have access to a usable car too? When my motorcycle was my only option, I rode at night, in the rain, in icy conditions, and even back from drinking a few times. If I had also owned a car I would have used it instead of the bike in those conditions. Now I have a bike and a car, so I only ride when it's nice outside, during daylight hours, on familiar routes, and to places where I can know the cars aren't too crazy (I avoid certain roads and times of day). So my risk on a bike, and my stress over impending doom, went way down when I got a 4-wheeler.
I am taking my rider class this weekend! Thanks for this video!
Wtf? Where? I'm in NY and the 2 places closest to me don't have any classes posted for months. One doesn't have a schedule and the other has classes starting in February
10:39 the stats on deaths by engine size aren’t hugely useful without knowing what proportions those bikes are on the road.
I haven't seen a comment about 'the elephant in the room' on this topic, which is that plenty of car drivers actually *target* riders and *deliberately* try to cause harm - a very specific form of road rage. Ride long enough and you will start to notice this, even when it is subtle.
Only in America
They want to know if you can use your brakes.
@@mohammede.4500 Of course I am speaking from my own observation and experience in the US. If you don't have this where you are, then count yourself fortunate.
@@mohammede.4500Im in SE Asia and i can assure u they blatantly do it here out of sheer nastiness, and it happens very regularly.
That's a fact.
When I was a young novice rider I was constantly having near misses with other vehicles. Dozy myopic car drivers not looking mostly, not to mention suicidal pedestrians. I felt like everyone was out to get me and as a result I had my fair share of sliding down the road, and visits to the hospital accident departments. 40 years later I'm still riding, and as I write I can't remember the last near miss I had. I'm not saying I don't ever encounter idiots, but when I do it never amounts to anything more than having to maybe slow down, or simply change lanes to avoid a hazard. Nothing like the drama I used to experience, when nearly every time I went out something bad would happen. And so I conclude that in my early days of riding, it wasn't other road users that were the problem, it was me.
There's another interesting advantage bikes have for keeping you safe - small footprint. Everything but the largest bikes (and any trikes) have a width that is far smaller than a car. It is reasonable to be able to swerve or fit through smaller gaps. This doesn't happen too often, but it is an advantage. A car surrounded by other cars, will likely just hit the car, but the bike might be able to escape on a shoulder or half a blocked lane, or something.
I want to mention something that impressed me about USA, in Argentina we have limitations in the driver license, 1sr and 2nd year you can have up to 150cc, 3rd to 5th up to 350 and after 5 years its open
That's not a half bad idea, but a much more realistic and reasonable way of doing it is rating the bikes by power output and not displacement.
Modifications, especially turbocharging, can allow tiny engines to produce an enormous amount of power!
I was riding 500cc Buell Blast on my MSF. I'm currently looking at RE Meteor 350. Either that or Kawi Eliminator 450.
that s kinda weird, in europe you gotta be 16 to own a 15hp bike, 18 to own a 50hp bike, and 21 with 3 years experience or 24 with no prior experience to be unlimited
@@devilsoffspring5519 it works well in practice because most people won't bother trying to turbocharge a 150cc when that money would be far better spent saving it for a 250-300cc. 150cc bikes are a stepping stone into motorcycle riding, you typically buy one, and if you like it you'll ride it for a year or two, maybe a couple of years, but sooner or later you'll most likely end up selling it and putting a bit more money on top for a more powerful bike.
And yes, I'm aware some bikes punch way above their weight in terms of the amount of performance they have for their displacement size, but those bikes aren't sold here, and a typical 150cc will at best do like 110 km/h if you push it really hard and will take a good amount of time to get there. I agree though that doing it by hp would make more sense, but in practice I think it wouldn't really make much of a difference.
@@stargazer162 All very good points. For real diehards though, a 150cc engine can produce 100+ HP if you're crazy enough, spend enough and don't mind an engine life measure in single-digit minutes. I think the world record for specific power from a 4-stroke turbocharged engine is 1,000 HP per litre of displacement, achieved in the late 1970s in Formula One racing. For a little 150cc bike that's 150 HP :)
Speeding = 1mph or more above the speed limit. Very few people on the road never speed. When you say speeding, you need to be more specific. 10 to 15mph over seems to be typical.
As far as the danger that exists on the road, it's the 1DI0T drivers that are dangerous because they don't pay attention and care. The reason 1DI0T drivers exists is because the laws are not harsh enough. If you were in danger of losing your driving license, permanently, because you was texting and driving, you would not be as willing to text and drive. The reason those laws will never pass is because the people that make those laws want to text and drive and/or do anything but focus on the road. We really need to have driving training like they do in Finland, AND everyone needs to be aware of motorcycles. I was not taught that when I went to go get my driving license. The government in my area does not make drivers aware like they should.
Limiting your engine displacement, limits your options. You can start out on an mt09. I really don't recommend doing that, but you can. What you need more than anything, is DISCIPLINE.
Something tells me you lose girlfriends as fast as you collect fines
@@samsonsoturian6013 Sounds like you are projecting, and I don't lose girlfriends or collect fines. Nice try
Make sure that you are in bed on time tonight, or your mommy will get mad again. It bugs me when we are trying to sleep, and you are up keyboard warrioring, and playing with yourself.
And also being a car driver for a number of years before getting a bike really can help the awareness and other safe driving aspects.
I was a truck driver for a bit and had a little corolla for about 6 years before i got my bike at 27 years old(yamaha R6)
And the thing is a blast and the learning curve and nerves go away quickly because i know how to drive well already.
Training is definitely a plus, and continuing or advanced training is a plus as well. I took the beginning course twice, once after a 20 year break. Then the Total Control Intermediate Rider course, which improved my cornering skills tremendously.
In a large metro area, I've learned to cruise at speed limit in far right lane with 3-4 car lengths when in most traffic. This enrages the aggressive drivers, turners, and mergers who think they own the road, cut in unsafely, follow to closely and often pass to close on shoulder. A camera is crucial if they wreck your bike. I try to ignore it, but a few times some mirrors were lost. The problem is these bad drivers have nothing to lose and know once they disappear down the road it's over. If the police would use more cameras or accept camera evidence of illegal driving that would help.
You made some great points. There's always more to the story and numbers than what people see and take at face value. You always have to dig deeper through things like the demographics, place of incident, previous driving offenses, etc.
Unfortunately, usually these numbers are less in favor of bikers as the average biker we see nowadays is usually on a 600cc or liter sports bike, early 20s male, and always looking to drop a gear for a nice, but reckless dopamine rush. You did a great job bringing that up with the ratio of who was speeding and who wasn't at specific age group related fatalities.
On the other hand, your average car driver is middle aged and isn't driving for pleasure, but to commute to their daily job through a mundane route they've driven thousands of times already. If you're responsible on your bike, and ride like you would daily a car aside from the occasional "safe" speeding with low traffic and good road conditions, those statistics don't really apply to you and would be a lot lower if all factors were taken into consideration.
Yep, riding for 7 months now, about 1,000 miles, all city and highway, I started with a Nightster 975, just got an XSR900 to replace it.
I went through MSF and couldn't imagine NOT getting that education- I learned so much in 3 days.
I surprisingly have much less fear than I'd thought, yeah, it's spooky in traffic sometimes, but especially on the XSR, I can see around me and position myself so I can see and be seen, I stay out of blind spots, anticipate worst case scenarios and only grab a handful of throttle where I know I am safe and nobody can pull out in front of me, I consistently practice honing skills in a safe manner.
I wear a good full face helmet, airbag, leather jacket, good gloves and armoured Kevlar jeans, I hope I never go down, but if I do, at least I have a better chance of walking away without serious injury.
I'm in my mid 30's now, I am glad to be on two wheels.
Have you driven in rush hour traffic at all? How was the HD as a first bike? Not took heavy / cumbersome? I'm thinking of starting on a 650 class bike for commuting in a bit of rush hour once I get comfortable.
@@samoksner Tampa FL crazy drivers during rush hour yeah- I have yet to ride without heavy traffic.
The Nightster feels pretty light and it sat very low so it was easy to ride.
The HD was unfortunately immediately unreliable and why I sold it.
The XSR is taller, smaller and much easier to ride assertively, and you can see much more around you, so I'm a "standard" bike rider for sure.
If you want a cruiser and think you'll like forward controls, the Vulkan S is a perfect first bike and fairly inexpensive.
If you want a standard in that size, I'd go for an MT-07, Royal Enfield or a Speed twin (used).
stay safe!😺👍
I’ve been riding for just over half a century (52 years) and I’ve always ridden as if EVERYONE else on the road was deliberately trying to end my life. It’s worked pretty well so far.
You can’t let your mind wander for even a second! You must be aware of the position of every other vehicle on the road and be watching them carefully. Always have an escape route planned for what the driver may do. The people on bikes that worry me the most are those who think they have more skills than they actually do. Also, riders who ride at or over their level of competence.
The surprising fact here in Australia is that the age demographic that tends to have the worst numbers in terms of accidents is men aged between 45 and 55. The reason for this is that many of these guys used to ride when they were young, stopped riding when they started families and when their kids have grown up, they decide to get back on bikes, not taking into account the fact that; they’re out of practice, their reaction times are not as good, bikes are more powerful, and so on. Then there are the myths that many riders believe about bikes; that they can stop faster, corner faster, than cars. The ONLY thing bikes can do faster than cars, is accelerate! Cars can actually stop quite a bit faster than bikes and the same goes for cornering, because a car has four wheels and the weight of the car keeps those tyres in better contact with the road.
Good video! I wish more riders would have the same thoughtful approach to riding.
Keep riding!
Yes you are right, the reason I think that lots of MC riders think they can do everything better is because most people drive conservatively in 4 wheel vehicles. Also I never thought about the reentry empty nester rider. Schools say that's Red Flags when they hear I used to ride as a kid and I was good.
You can't just generalize like that. A supersport will have better cornering and braking performance than the average car. On asphalt that is. On concrete you lose a lot of grip on a bike.
@@mikehawk1441Completely inaccurate. You are ignoring physics. His statement is 100% accurate. Acceleration is the only advantage any bike has over any car. Even. Pos has more rubber on the road for cornering and breaking. You can experiment any time you like: take the same corner (safe, with enough run-off area) and keep going faster and faster until you slide off. Look up F1 car vs MotoGP bike.
You must be really stressed when you go for a ride, if you assume everyone is DELIBERATELY trying to end you...kind of defeats the purpose of riding a bike
How about just pay attention, be ready to react, relax and enjoy the ride?
I also developed the strategy that everyone was out to kill me when riding after the first few months of riding. It keeps me alert and entertained when riding to scan the road and anticipate other driver's movements. If I want to relax, I sit in a recliner. The road, in traffic, isn't really a place for relaxing. It is a place to be alert.
My first accident I cracked my helmet. It saved me. Also, my MSF course has saved my life hundreds of times. I was a motorcycle messenger in the 1980s.
Nice video! I liked your data-based observations which show you have a lot more control than you think as a MC rider if you have some common sense. Also, another point worth mentioning is attending classes beyond the first MSF basic rider course.
MC crash and fatalities in the USA are much higher than in European countries such as Germany. There, they require massive amounts of hours of on-bike and in-classroom classes. It takes a year or two of study and a clean driving record to even graduate up to a 500-cc bike. By contrast, here, we can take a one weekend class and ride any bike we want.
No one can prove a positive correlation between the number of classes you take and safe riding. However, it’s worth considering. I’m 71 years old, take several classes a year, and consider them to be a life insurance policy. I used to work in risk mitigation, and it can be applied to cycling too.
The way i always explain motorcycle safety is that on a motorcycle - with good skills - it is easier to avoid being in an accident (mostly because you have better visibility and choice of lines rhan in a car), but if you do get in an accident it's going to hurt worse.
I'm ok taking that trade-off.
Better visibility? How? Can only see out the visor of my helmet. Can't see behind my bike only the sides..
@@noeeon9910 Better in the following ways:
1. To the front and forward angles: no screen and no pillars
2. To the side: no pillars
3. Behind: same as a car (mirrors!), plus any rider that has been trained properly knows to turn their head and do a shoulder-check before accelerating, slowing, or deviating from line (referred to in UK training schools as "doing a life-saver")
4. Most importantly: control road position to maximize view - for example move left in lane when approaching right bends, and right in lane when approaching left bends to see further around the bend.
Shoulder-check / "life-saver" is core to basic training in the UK, but I have noticed is not taught in MSF courses in Canada. No experience of the MSF course in the US to comment.
Road position to maximize sight-lines (and also to be visible to other road users) is taught on Advanced Rider courses. Just one example where MSF is the bare-minimum to get started riding a bike on the road; not all the training a rider should have.
@@paulclark7637 ok I agree with you on all but 3. I shoulder check naturally after using my mirrors "just in case" but I try not to because I take my eyes away from the road in front of me for a split second. Any thoughts?
@@noeeon9910 If things are so risky in front you don't have a second to look over your shoulder then you probably shouldn't be doing the manoeuvre you're about to do or should wait until you have a second to look?
For years I rode a 50 mile round trip into the City of London daily on a bike and have performed thousands of mirror and shoulder checks. I can't count the number of times the shoulder check caught something the mirror didn't that stopped me doing what I was going to do.
Only once did I ever shoulder check and end up clipping the rear corner of a vehicle because when I looked back he had slammed on his brakes for no reason and I couldn't accentuate my move hard enough to avoid the newly inexplicably stationery obstacle in front.
It was still my fault. I was too keen and get by and too close already and should have chilled out for a second.
Either way it was best to check over the shoulder for the dozens of things (including and especially crazy bikers and scooterists) that could slam into you when you change lanes (or whatever your shoulder check is for).
I’m a motorcycle rider myself, but it really depends on the type of rider you are. For me, other people are usually more of a danger to me than I am to them. In most cases, it’s careless drivers or motorcyclists who don’t pay attention to the road that cause accidents. By the way, I live in a country with a lot of motorcyclists, and it’s chaotic at times-some riders are a real danger to others.
Good stuff, my thought is to stack the odds in my favor always. Wearing gear (especially a full face helmet), training, stick to reasonable speeds, and of course not be impaired by anything. It's not a 100% guarantee of avoiding anything, but every little bit helps.
A 65 year old British person here who just wants to say WELL DONE for making this content. It won’t be popular with motorcyclists who don’t want to hear it. And it won’t be popular with non motorcyclists who don’t want to hear it.
I rode 8,000 miles around the USA this year. Coming from a continent where helmet wearing is compulsory, I do wonder at the level of “it won’t happen to me” attitudes in evidence. That law is the reason I am here in my kitchen typing this comment. The 18 to 21 yr old me managed to hit my head off one car and the road (pavement) multiple times.
While ordinary citizens who have never ridden a bike will never be swayed from their prejudice. Every tragedy is seized upon as “evidence”.
So, again, well done for pushing the truth.
Thank you for the feedback! It’s something I felt compelled to create and I’m glad everyone’s been agreeing (mostly) with the feedback.
We need to take more ownership as riders as a whole. Glad you’re still riding and staying safe over the pond!
The thing about drinking and driving is the lowered response times. That is what can get you and being tired from long rides or harsh conditions sort of emulates the effects of alcohol drinking.
From personal experience, one that I won't repeat, I went on a hiking trip once and rode to the starting point early in the morning. When I got back to the bike, I was really tired and it was really hot outside. By the time I got home, it felt like I was riding on autopilot, it was sort of like I wasn't present, which could have been accentuated by a mild form of heatstroke.
Moral of the story is to avoid riding in an exhausted state where your reaction times are low and can make the difference between getting home safe and crashing because of a misjudged corner or braking too late in case of an emergency.
Great video. As someone who's looking to get in on the scene this helped boost my confidence. I was getting a bit scared because people around me are telling me how dangerous it is. 😅 thank you for this in depth video.
This comment is exactly why I made it. Don’t let others fears stop you from doing what you’re passionate about. Make sure to take the right measures and safety precautions, and accept that bikes will never be as safe as cars.
Lmk if you want any bike recs! Excited for you!
The only motorcycle wreck I've ever been a part of was due to the rear tire kicking out on an icy road. The bike was fine. I was fine. I picked the bike back up, went down and around the mountain I was on, and proceeded to do a week of camping.
I ride thousands of miles each year. My bike is used almost as much as my car so it's not as if I haven't crashed yet because it is inevitable, or that I haven't ridden enough for it to happen yet. Simply, I employ strategies that minimizes my personal risk.
I recently rode the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam along with Ho Chi Minh City. A quick real world lesson where even an oncoming bus will fill your lane as if you don't exist. Extreme awareness and caution goes a long way on a bike.
going bike touring in asia is brave. in thailand no one respects the law. i rode a scooter there in the city mostly
@pete531 That's right! Bikes are riding on the sidewalks and against traffic in any direction with no rules.
@@all4fitz what annoyed me the most while in pattaya was, there are no crosswalks. you can cross street anywhere and you always have to look 5x on the right and left because they drive on the wrong side, so i have no idea where can a car come from
@@pete531 Oh yes! This is the same in Vietnam. They move in all directions. And at intersections you have to merge directly into the flow of bikes as they move around you. The interesting part is that as I go cautiously slow and hyper focused on everything, I feel like I'm drastically improving my safety. I hope that's real...heh.
Hi, great video! I retired a year ago and returned to riding for something else to do. I hadn't ridden in 20+ years and I quickly
re-learned that keeping the speed down really helps to get out of bad situations. When checking out you tube videos of crashes I see a common theme. 95 percent of these show the bikers going at speeds well above the speed limits and then hitting corners. About 3% show what must be new riders. The bikers aren't really going too fast, but don't stop when the car in front of them stops, even though they had good spacing and plenty of time to stop. For these riders, I suspect that they have never driven a car either!
Stay safe, Cheers! 😁
An interesting point. Congrats on retirement and thank you for your feedback! Cheers
I've noticed that a lot, I also haven't ridden in years but when a moto crash happens in a video it's almost always because the rider was either oblivious or just plain reckless. A lot of the time they seem to be staring at the speedometer instead of looking at the road & traffic in front of them while wailing along at Mach 2 and approaching an intersection!
Check the research on how much your reflex has slowed down over those 20 years and take it into account how much distance you keep from the vehicle in front. I found that I don't react as fast as I used to 20 years ago.
@@piotrmajerski1110 The longer you've been alive the more distractable your mind is. You correct for it by increasing your following distance.
What ive learned to avoid problems on the highways: ride in fast lane only to avoid rapid lane changes taking you out (usually someone about to miss their exit and goes across multiple lanes of traffic without looking for others) and ride slightly faster than other traffic which prevents you staying in someones blind spot and seems to help people notice your presence.
Great point!
I’m always in far left or right. Never like sitting in middle lanes.
@jonasbaine3538 right lane can be dangerous in my opinion for the reason I stated. I've been cut off by people merging and exiting in the right lane.
@@joshdoddadbod 100% Right lane is extremely dangerous when going through a city. I tend to ride one lane from the left and keep my speed up, just like you said. Sometimes I'll ride the far left lane if it makes sense to do so, but I don't make a lot of lane changes until I'm out of the city. Make calculated moves and be predictable. Some people believe in going slow, but going slower than everyone isn't the answer either. They bunch up behind you, eventually they start changing lanes to get around you, and then sooner or later some hothead in a BMW makes a sudden move and you're caught in the middle of it.
Amen to that, especially on the highway
I rarely if ever get overtaken there since I know my speed cameras and reduce my time on highway as much as possible
this video was a lot more measured and balanced than i thought it would be, kudos
That means a lot - thank you!
getting my first bike soon I am 56. have been doing lots of research as this is what I do. you have good info thanks keep it up,
Really good video. When people say to me “It’s the other drivers that are the risk” but my thoughts are that this also applies to you walking next to a road and arguably pedestrians are at more risk with little/no hazard awareness, kit or ability to evade a car
Thanks for this video, I got my bike last week and I want to become a very good rider, I'm afraid of accidents but driving in the safest way possible is the best way you can do to preserve your life.
Riding like EVERYONE is trying to kill me has left me accident-free. Tons of almost daily, near misses (LA, SF) that the Motorcycle Safety Course taught me to look out for when I took it 40 years ago.
Quick 2 cents
I live in South Africa so its a little difficult to find and afford courses. My father took me to a strip with grass next to it and i simply felt out the clutch and eventually picked up my feet. Then went to a empty parking lot and rode around for a few hours. Then only did i go on roads with him connected by radios, talking me through everything as i did it. I wouldn't have been prepared to do it on my own. If you can ride with someone more experienced who can teach you the ropes
Almost had two small "accidents" yesterday while driving my car while changing lane and making a turn. Both time I turned my head to see if a car was coming but didn't see one so I made a move and a car almost hit me. It's something that almost never happens when I'm riding my bike because :
- a bike (unless it's a very small displacement one) is much faster and agile than a car so I can move quicker
- I have a much better visibility since there is no car body to block my view
- I'm usually paying much more attention to my surroundings when riding a bike than driving a car
I’m 37, 6’2, 200lbs with a full licence in UK. Still on my Keeway Superlight 125 and a car. I love the slow cruiser feel and enjoyment from going 50mph around country lanes. When I upgrade it’ll be a 500/650 max
3:20 its law in EU that you have to wear helmet if you are riding motorbike
True, but helmet ain't gonna help you if you go 150 kph in 50 corner where most of EU bike fatalities happens
Before you ever get on a bike or go to a course I suggest training on a bicycle and learn to ride in a group (preferably race training). Riding at 30mph with your tires a few millimeters from other riders' tires in front or behind teaches you many things. In my opinion it's far more dangerous than anything I've encountered riding a moto. It's the best training for controlling a vehicle with 2 wheels and keeping track of all the variables around you.
Good point! Group riding gives you excellent control. However, I don’t think riding bicycles is ever more dangerous than motorcycle riding in traffic (like you, I do both, but I’m probably not as athletic as you). A 25 mph crash on a bicycle or motorcycle might break a bone but I’ll survive. It’s highway speeds that kill. A fast car hits a bicycle (happened to a friend of mine), or a motorcycle collision at speed.
That is called “ spatial awareness “ . There are other ways to test for that. Fact is operating a vehicle is just not for some. Pointless claiming it to be a right. If one seeks to be a nurse or doctor, but faints at the sight of blood, either learn to deal with that or seek a different profession. Ditto for being an accountant or psychiatrist, one needs to have certain traits, either natural or learned or just accept that those types of skills are beyond one’s “ ability “!
Some tasks require agility, other strengths. When one lacks the natural ability it simply is not going to happen!
My sister's boyfriend Art, a lifetime biker, who wears a helmet, wrecked his bike a few weeks ago, when he didn't regulate his distance or speed, running into the back of a Tow truck. It broke his arm, and he is a higher risk patient, so they tried to NOT operate, but his arm didn't heal well, so they did operate. Of course, healing takes quite a while, but then he had a heart attack, and had to have a 2nd operation, a bypass. That took muscle and veins from other parts of his body, and those and/or his arm have gotten infected, so his attempted recovery has been difficult. The older you are, the harder it is to heal from any injury. So, you really can't afford to choose a riskier method of transportation and recreation. He's not currently riding, but of course, like so many, he vows to ride again, as soon as he can. That tells me that despite life threatening injuries, many bikers may not correct their attitude and plans!
Sounds like he might need a can-am if he is insistent on riding, they are a little safer and more visible.
Of course, he probably needs to slow down and cherry-pick when and where he rides.
Totally understandable. Riding is like nothing else. Unless you ride a motorcycle, it's hard to appreciate how much it means to people. It's called throttle therapy for a reason.
I see people on phones, even going around a turn, and that scares the crap out of me
Unfortunately, fatalities by engine size is useless because we don't know what the population percentages are in terms of number of motorcycles in each range. If 500cc bikes are only 1% of bikes on the road but account for 8% of fatalities, they could be "the most risky" compared to if 50% of bikes on the road fall in 501-1000 and make up 35% of fatalities.
Very valid point. In hindsight, definitely should’ve validated those numbers
The MSF course I took really did help me with some good tips for safe riding, an awareness of what I need to keep an eye out for on the road, what maneuvers were most necessary to master. Wear a helmet. Full face helmets are safest. Don't drink or get high and ride. Be careful when conditions get weird - rain, snow, etc. Don't be a bad statistic. Ride safe.
Good video. And prob why the most fatalities are on 600 to 1000 CC bikes is bc they're the most common size/class, at least in North America... So, yeah.
Totally agree, I would add making yourself more visible is a good idea on a bike, although most motorcyclists (other than the police) won't wear anything except black! Nice too see new bikes coming out now with better lighting and more colour, and more riders not afraid to break convention.
A lot of research is now showing that dayglo colours aren't always better for visibility (especially in contrast to roadside greenery) and black is even sometimes the best.
Apparently the dayglo hot pink is good for most situations. Seriously.
Best to just ride assuming people haven't seen you.
When someone pulls up to that junction, move toward the centre and slow down until you're sure they've stopped and seen you.
I have even stopped on a main road when a truck kept rolling slowly across a junction. He blew his horn at me like he was angry I hadn't passed by like he wanted. If he wanted me to go, he needed to stop.
Good vid! Of those accidents while speeding, I would love to see a breakdown of number of mph above the speed-limit. Curious to see how the numbers look below the allowable 5-10mph over the limit.
Does riding three on a bike have a category .. as a kid. We had two wipeouts in one day.
I ride a BMW r1200st at 64. At 22 I put 50,000 miles on a Honda cm400t in Bakersfield CA
Long break in between.
I was surprised how long it took me to get use to riding again even though the beemer now feels more like a scooter to me.
Watch the tires on cars. Know when to roll on the throttle and have fun.
Heavy bikes means keeping the front wheel straight at stops. When slowing to a stop use just the back brake at low speed to avoid plunging the front shock. Balance is a big deal.
Riding is not to prove anything. It’s a privilege and it’s good for the soul. It can give you a real sense of accomplishment too once you become proficient. Biking is one of those things that you can’t fake until you make it. You got to know and practice it.
Older riders take your time in getting back into riding. It took me a couple years of casual riding to feel like I did in my twenties. It will come back to you if you are patient. You can always learn something new too
Great video advocating a sane approach to riding a motorcycle. Take a safety course and don't assume that because you can ride a bicycle you can ride a motorcycle. Start with a small bike, and if you can - start with a dual sport and ride on dirt roads for quite a while so you develop a sense of traction and enhanced awareness of surfaces you are riding on. Wear a helmet and protective gear all the time. If you are a habitual drinker stay with bowling and avoid motorcycles at all costs.
There is an old saying, "If you crash on a motorcycle, it's your fault!" It's an over generalization, but sort of makes your point.
Well, it's your fault for riding it but not necessarily crashing it. I don't think many people ever rode a motorbike with the express intention of crashing it with the possible exception of Evel Knievel, but that guy was a different breed from the rest of us because being a death-defying badass is how he earned a living and not just how he entertained himself.
With regards to that sort of deal, let's just say that Mr. Knievel was very committed to his vocation of choice compared to your average Joe brain surgeon or airline captain :)
Wait... whaaat? Can someone ride a motorcycle in the USA, without having a license? In Europe, we go to jail for that. "Make it a fun weekend, take an MSF course"... Mine took two months... It seems to me like in Europe, we take motorcycle safety a bit more serious. Maybe I am wrong.
No you’re absolutely correct, America is full of squids and try hards, literally everyone has a newer R1 or S1000RR…. It’s pretty sad seeing that “monkey see monkey do” mentality over and over again, next bike I’m buying is 10k over all there bikes and looks better (M1000R)
I've been a biker for 20yrs. I was so ready to disagree but after seeing your video I AGREE WITH 100% YOU Great job! I recommend your video to all my biker and would be bikers' friends GREAT JOB!
There are 2 types of motorcycles: the ones that crashed, and the ones that haven't crashed ~ yet.
Someday, something WILL happen = a deer, a dog, a grandma, a flat tire, a spill on the road, someone texting, etc. So dress for the slide, not the ride.
TL1000 ---> 😼
...the ones that gear up properly and the ones that haven't crashed yet...
that's what I say whenever I see somebody without protection gear. Here in Europe is absolutely forbidden to ride without a helmet (the fine is to never forget it) and to drive without a permit is considered a felony. Plus to get your license for a bike over 600 cc (35 Hp) you need 3 exams alongside 6 years (2 in between every intermediate license), so no youngsters will ride a real bike without at least the basic experience...
Some friends died, tho...
Forgot to add, I worked at MMI, one student had part time job at Suzuki dealers.
One Sunday they sold 3 x GSX-R 750's.
None made it more than 5 miles before crashing.
17 yr old who 'rode dirt bikes' for years (80~125cc) didn't even make it out of the parking lot (got roughly 5 feet before bike landed upside down)
One made it to the exit but hit sign post, third ended up in a ditch about 5 miles away.
Salesman was happy he made a lot on commission, obviously didn't care he was selling wrong bikes to inexperienced riders
Once the unlicensed, untrained, no helmet, at excessive speed, and intoxicated rider is taken out of the equation, the numbers change dramatically. The greatest danger to the rider is the rider. Your point that cars are safer in accidents certainly is true, so accident avoidance is important. Skilled riders riding responsibly can avoid accidents in the first place. A stat I would like to see is how many accidents are from riders that don’t ride often. I know many riders that only ride 1000-3000 over 3-4 months a year, so effectively always a new rider. How does their accident rate compare to riders that ride 10k-30k a year, riding year round. Effectively always with sharp skills.
Stay sober, wear your gear, ride responsibly, take courses, drill/practice and enjoy.
What does having a license have to do with anything? U think having a license makes one a better rider?
@@slimfit767no, it’s a mindset. Someone who thinks it’s fine to ride on streets without a license is probably a more dangerous driver. They are not interested in observing laws. Perhaps there are a few safe but unlicensed drivers.
@@slimfit767 Getting a licence in the USA is a joke compared to some other places like in Europe. If somebody can't even pass in such an easy exams, then you have the right to questionnare their skills.
Here in Europe it's like a safety course, for getting a licence, you need to master really slow manouvers, U turns, emergency manueuvers ETC, and you need to do the whole exam without your legs touching the ground(except during the stopping points of course), otherwise it's a fail, and you have only one chance, you can't try it again 10 minutes later, usually you need to wait for weeks for the next occasion.
Many USA folks that are flexing in a 1000cc thinking they're such a great riders, would sweat a lot in here trying to pass an exam.
This year there was a lot of bad weather where I live so it took a long time for the seasonal riders to get out and let me tell you, once the nice summer weather started the first 2 or 3 weeks there were daily news reports of riders getting into a fatal accidents. It's like they just forgot how to ride because they get out that little
@@slimfit767 partially it does because unlicensed riders are usually thrill chasers, not saying licensed ones can't be but it's not as likely. As a result their riding style tends to be far more dangerous
I remember reading a similar report back in 2007 or so, maybe also from the NHSTA, but I don't remember for sure, that basically said if you wear a helmet and don't drink alcohol you were like 20x less likely to be involved in an accident. The other useful piece of information I remember from that report was that the majority of motorcycle accidents were single vehicle incidents, in other words there was nobody to blame except the bike rider. I'm not sure how one of my accidents would be classified since I didn't actually hit anybody, but I wouldn't have braked on wet pavement and dumped the bike if the car in front of me hadn't slammed on there brakes. The other one was completely my fault because I didn't set up for a left turn properly, entered it with too much speed, ran wide, and ended up on the sidewalk. Both pretty minor and both taught me good lessons.
7:35 wait a second. What? 79% not speeding when the fatal crash occurred in 55-59 age group? That doesn’t sound right… Wouldn’t that mean that speed plays a secondary role in those crashes?
Thanks for looking at actual data that compared M/C accident rates with other vehicles. Yes, lack of experience, speeding, alcohol, road conditions, etc. can all have an effect on increasing M/C accident rates. Motorcyclists are often higher risk takers, and can be their own worst enemies. Yes, your personal safety is mostly determined by HOW you ride.
An interesting aside: - You advised people to get MSF Training, which of course is good advice. HOWEVER, my brother was a riding instructor in Toronto with an approved community college Riding School. Once a representative from our Ontario Dept. of Transportation came in and did a presentation to the instructors. One of the key findings in their report was that there was no significant difference in accident rates among those who took the courses and those who did not. They concluded that having passed the course gave some riders more confidence in their abilities, and they seemed more inclined to take more risks as a result. Effectively, they had some of the knowledge, but lacked real-world experience to keep them out of trouble when they took more risks. While riders with no training, knew they had less skill and knowledge, and road more cautiously...
I've ridden for over 55 years accident free. Yes, I've taken risks and luckily gotten away with it. But mostly I have a sense for situations where the risks increase, and I choose to drive more defensively when in those. You failed to mention how other vehicles are frequently to blame for M/C collisions. Turning in front of a rider is the biggest problem. Again, this is something where we can reduce our risk by how we drive in traffic. High beams make you more visible, as does bright riding gear. (All the gear, all the time goes without saying...!) Being extra vigilant approaching intersections helps too. Lane splitting at speed past other vehicles is just stupid. In fact, the best riding is away from traffic, and the best roads are there too. That's where I choose to do most of my riding...
Sometime sh!t happens, and you need to try to prepare for it. One example, I was following my brother on a two-lane highway, and a car was waiting to turn onto the highway from our right. We were following a dump truck which pulled over to the right to turn at that intersection. However, it was blocking the view of us to the driver making the turn onto the highway, who assumed the way was clear, and pulled onto the road turning across our path. Fortunately my brother just missed being hit by that driver. You have to assume drivers will do stupid sh!t, and ride accordingly if you want to survive...
I think most of those stats can be taken with a grain of salt for us living in the rest of the world. Especially stuff like a helmet is required, a proper license is required and same with inspection and so on. It's baffling how the laws and rules can change from one state to another within the same country. Where I'm from, they released some statistics where, in accidents between a car and a motorcycle, the car was responsible for about 70% of the cases. And they raise the insurance on motorcycles "because of the statistics" whether or not the motorcycle is responsible or not and even if the rider is driving spotless year after year. So definitely not perfect here neither.
biggest inference from engine size is definitely type of bike. most major sport/naked bikes fall into the 501-1000cc category. especially for younger people this is the type of bike with more of a culture of speeding/stunting/reckless riding. also dig into the stats for age range and type of bike owned. the age range with the most fatal crashes has a higher rate of sport bike ownership. correlate the cost to the engine size, bikes with 1000+ cc engines tend to be more expensive, older/more experienced people tend to be more likely to afford them. the engine size stats are certainly interesting. but they are absolutely driven by factors that are not directly related to the engine itself.
I recall magazine articles from the 70s and 80s that reviewed the data and highlighted that middle aged touring riders with experience had a fatality rate not much higher than the cars of the day.
Great video man! I don’t drink, don’t speed much if ever, always wear a helmet, and I’m licensed. Just gotta get myself a DRZ400SM now, and I should be good to go! 😊 in all seriousness, really good information!
Thanks for the video, being in SoCal myself I like to take an unofficial poll of why more people don't ride especially in the LA area. Most say it's to dangerous in LA we have great weather and you can lane split since the beginning of Motor transport, as you know we also get better than Handicap parking. I pass cars and trucks lots of times and see the MC stickers with only one driver. Best advise cover brake and clutch be really careful in the intersections, and when the light turns green look both ways before going through the intersections and slow down in neighbourhoods.
Such a great point to bring up with SoCal. I lived in NYC area for some years and zero chance I’m ever riding with the amount of potholes they have from salted roads and harsh conditions.
It absolutely blows my mind we only have CA as a state to lane split. It can be done safely
I had a similar accident in South Africa as a very new rider. I was passing two cars at the same time on a Honda 360 and the front car turned as I was coming down the opposing side. I hit the car with a glancing blow and punched a hole in the rocker panel below the doors with my foot peg. The bike was still rideable because I had to follow her home to make payment arrangements as I didn't have insurance. All I got was two tiny little scratches on my wrist, A broken spark plug on the bike and that was about it. As well as a lifetime lesson learned..
thank you. Well done. The preamble is so long that I eventually lost image and switched, as interested as I was in the subject matter.
An important note about speeding. Drivers around you are conditioned to timing turns based on everyone going the "normal" speed for that area. Speeding drastically increases the chance of someone pulling in front of you because they think they have time based on your location and their past experience with that junction.
The MFS Course saved me from alot of stuff. For me number one is it help me be a better defensive rider! Just being aware & still enjoy my ride. I've had plenty of accidents some my fault.. most wasn't. All under the speed of 20mph or less. I thank God for that. Dress & be prepared for the slide also. Thank SoCal!👍🏾😎
When I started riding in the 1980s, British Police motorcyclists were the road user group with the lowest accident statistics in the UK. Sort of confirms the fact that if you want to be safe, you can be.
Helmet, gloves, boots and jacket are a must. The value of gloves are often overlooked. When a rider comes off there is a natural reaction to use the hands to break the fall.
I agree starting off most people need the basic handling/ MSF corse. But in NZ and AUS there is 2-4 years before you are allowed to ride unrestricted bigger cc bikes and thats ridiculous. I ride outside my licance conditions but if I had gone through the licance system I would not be any better of a rider or have ridden anymore then I have. licance means nothing once you know the basics and have spent some time on the road
Great video man! !00% agree with every point you made. I actually feel safer on the highway than riding in the city. The only way I ride is imagining that every car on the road wants to crash into me. Time of day is very important as well. Anyway loved your video and stoked to see more!
Appreciate the support man! Glad you enjoyed, more to come 😎
Thanks - great information. I live in Canada (on the Pacific coast) and I assume the stats are pretty similar other than we have helmet laws coast to coast. As well as the beginner coarse for all, for us old people I highly recommend doing some refresher training.
I always disagree with the idea that low cc = safer. Yes, you have less capacity for trouble, but you want the extra acceleration power to escape from a developing scenario. Especially a car merging over and not seeing you. At highway speed, you can slow down, but at slower speeds that won't save you, You want that bit of power to get away safe.
I don't see why slowing down won't save you, if anything it's the best option. Besides bikes overall have pretty damn good acceleration regardless of engine size, sure a 100hp bike will pull faster than a 30hp bike but people act like you need 100hp to accelerate out of some random situation like a car not stopping behind you, even a your average 125 gets to 30mph in about 5 seconds and if that's not fast enough to move 10 feet to the side then sorry to disappoint you but most people can't launch their high power bikes well enough to get out of there faster anyway. When on the move more power is easier because you might not have to shift down but there's very few situations where just accelerating is the only thing that can save you
10:09 I think it's probably a good message that less experienced riders will be safer on smaller bikes, but we don't know anything about how safe a class of motorcycle is from this data alone. So what I mean is, in this data, 35% of motorcycle fatalities are on bikes in the 501-1000cc range, but this is also a very popular class of bike, so they might make up more than 35% of the motorcycles on the road. If that's true, that would mean they're safer than average. Likewise, small displacement bikes probably aren't as popular, especially as people tend to get them as beginner bikes and grow out of them. If small displacement bikes make up less than 8% of the total motorcycles on the road, then this might suggest they're actually less safe on average, though I think that would probably be more a function of rider inexperience than anything directly concerning the bike. All this to say, it's hard to say anything for sure about which classes of motorcycle are more dangerous just from the share of accidents they hold.
It would be nice to see the most current data on fatalities comparing bikes with ABS and traction control. Older data with the Hurt report showed groups with highest representation of fatalities were crashes occurring in the early morning hours of Saturday and Sunday. If you are a licensed rider, have taken a MSF course, don’t use drugs or alcohol when riding, wear proper gear, don’t speed, and don’t ride those dangerous weekend hours after the bars close a Venn diagram would show you are in a very low probability of being in a fatal crash. (The Hurt report also showed women were overrepresented in fatalities).
Another issue is how motorcycle salesmen will sell a bike that is way too powerful for a new rider. In Europe newly licensed riders are restricted from higher displacement bikes until experience is attained.
Yeah, I've been in 3 car collisions, first one was my fault, was 17 years old on 2010, second and third were in my 30s and I got rear-ended in both.
Now my motorcycle collisions? From 2018 - present I have no accidents and the closest things to an accident I had was dropping my first bike twice because I forgot to put up the kickstand.
The main reason for crashes is exactly what this video stated, just be careful, keep your head on swivel, don't be stupid, and it'll be as normal as anything with wheels. Overly cautious is better than being overly dead.
I've been wanting to ride for a few years now, and I don't talk about it at all with my family (Except my dad sometimes) because all I get back is reminders of how dangerous they are. I know they love me and just want what's best for me, but It's like they think I don't know all of that already, like I'd have to be stupid to want to ride a motorcycle. Yes I'll always have a helmet, yes I'm going to take a class. I just wanna talk about something I'm passionate about with them.
That’s tough, sorry that’s been the experience. They obviously do care and that’s a great silver lining, but if it’s something you really want to do, maybe take baby steps towards it to be as safe as possible. There’s always a high amount of risk in this hobby, but I’d rather do it than live a life avoiding things out of fear
Comment from Sweden: Cars are for transportation and are used all year around. When it's cold, slippery and dark few rides a motorbike, but let's say five times faster a sunny and clear summerday. Bikes are fun and bring smiles! Actually, I'm surprised the figures are not greater. (Confession: The way I throttled and wheelied when I was young... I'm glad to be alive... at 60+.)
How do they define speeding in the study? Going over the posted limit, or going faster than trafffic? Where I ride, freeway traffic usually goes 15 or more over and if you go the speed limit people will zoom by you aggressively- so you have to speed. Plus add to the fact that you want to be going slightly faster than traffic and not sit in peoples blind spots and you’re easily going 85 in a 65.
I would also say being a good aware car driver 1st will translate to a good aware Bike rider... I learned how to drive a manual transmission cars in my teens which is now a lost art,, which helped me learn how to ride a motorcycle... Next time your driving your car you will notice just how many car cages cut in front of you on the regular that it's crazy... You should anticipate that even more so while on a bike. Do the right speeds... I watched a ton of videos on riding and took my MSF course this year January 2024 and was skilled in the class I must say.... Been riding for 8 months now. Starter bike is an Aprilia RS660 and love riding... Yes, dont drink and ride and Be safe out there everyone 🙏🏿 and good video.
Looking at “injuries per miles” horse riding and snow sleds top the list. People always told me, “but you’re a doctor! You should know better!” As a doctor I would treat elderly people who tried to live the “safest” life possible and ending up breaking their hip walking from the living room to the kitchen. They gave up a lifetime of enjoyment so they could end up in a wheelchair in a nursing home.
I had this thought about Harley guys today. To be frank, I’m not a fan of Harley culture, but my thought was just the fact that they ride a motorcycle, and they’re not dead yet implies a certain base level of intelligence. I think that ties into what you’re saying here. It’s kind of a filter.
I’ve ridden for the past 4 years + worked at 3 motorcycle dealerships at the time, sad to say I will be giving up motorcycles for a bit because I don’t have fun with them anymore especially the mental battles on the road 🙄 it’s too much stress to worry about getting hit all the time, it was cool when I was 23 but now I’m 28 and rather have a nice car tbh
Extensive dirtbike experience in conjunction with extensive driving experience does translate well, at least it did for me. The MSF course (which I did take before hitting the pavement, for the record) was helpful in getting me to consciously think about a couple things, but that was about the extent of it. The only thing I struggled with having never ridden on the street was doing a tight u-turn with my feet on the pegs, since that’s something unique to street riding, but even then I didn’t have any issues once I was doing actual u-turns with an actual, physical location to aim for instead of trying to stay within a painted boundary on the ground. I wouldn’t recommend anyone ride unlicensed, but I’d bet that unlicensed riders with dirbike experience are the minority of that statistic, and that it mostly represents young men with no experience buying a bike after riding a buddy’s a couple times and not taking the MSF.
I like the prospects of someone who grew up dirtbiking riding unlicensed better than those of someone whose only experience is the 2-day basic MSF; there’s no substitute for real practice.
You drive a car like their life depends on it, you ride a bike like your life depends on it.
You left out one major thing. The TYPE of bike. BY FAR the type of bike that gets crashed the most are crotch rockets. These things are not designed for street riding. They are designed for the track. Where there is no unpredictable traffic, no stop and go traffic, no intersections. They are designed to go fast. They serve no other purpose. They are worthless for cruising, touring, or just plain commuting. Pretty much EVERY crotch rocket I see is being ridden recklessly, irresponsibly, and illegally. They fly down the freeway at 120+ mph doing wheelies. They ride between lanes of traffic at those speeds. That is after all what they are designed for. Which is why they are the bike of choice for mostly younger, reckless, irresponsible riders. Most of the idiots that ride that type of bike do wear helmets. Usually expensive replicas of helmets worn by professional roadracers. Because that is who they are trying to copy. But without the skills, judgement, or common sense. If you watch the motorcycle crash videos all over TH-cam, you will quickly notice that 90% or more of the crashes involve crotch rockets being ridden very recklessly and irresponsibly.
I am 65 years old. I started riding at age 10 on a 100cc dirt bike. I got my license and my first street legal bike at age 16, which was a well used 250cc dual sport bike (street legal dirt bike) There was no such thing as motorcycle riding classes back then, and I have never been to one. I have since owned 37 motorcycles, including the five I currently own. Most of them were cruisers, two were what I would call standards, four dual sport bikes, and a couple of Goldwings. Long distance touring is my favorite type of riding, followed by trail riding. I have ridden over a million miles without a single accident. I ride responsibly, I do not break the speed limit (you have to be careful when following the speed limit, because nobody else does, and you can easily get run over by a speeding distracted driver) I wear a full face helmet, I do not drink and ride. Not a single one of my bikes has been a crotch rocket, or a "sport bike" of any type. I did try to ride one once (Suzuki GSXR) that belonged to someone else. It was absolutely miserable. I made it about 10-12 miles before pulling into a parking lot, getting off, calling the owner, and telling him to come and get the damned thing, because no way was I riding it back. I was in pain for days afterward.
My current collection of bikes are a 1993 Honda Goldwing 1500, a 1997 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, a 2005 Royal Enfield Bullet 500, a 2006 H-D Sportster 1200L, and a 2009 Suzuki DR650. No phones stuck on the handlebars, no stereos, no helmet communicators. I always ride alone. I ride to get away from all the garbage I have to put up with day to day, not bring it with me.
Great post, yeh, no classes when l started on a 100cc also. That 2-3 minute list of tips and off ya go son.....
See ya at dinner time.
Great selection of bikes there in your shed Gerald.
Ride safe, ride sober, make it home tonight so you can do it again tomorrow.
Kindest Regards and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
If you have lasting pain for days after riding a sport bike for 10 miles, you should definitely invest into your overall fitness because that shouldn’t be a thing.
The type of bike has nothing to do with it tbh. Its all about the rider."Crotch rockets" are perfect for the street.