People are stupid.

[that_guy]

my brother died riding a motorcycle so when people tell me their dangerous i let them know my past and that i fully understand the danger involved.  That usually makes then stfu.. also why i will never ride a GSXR..

[calamari]

my gf already has full instructions about what to do if I die riding:

Take the useful organs and donate them (liver, kidney, corneas, etc. i don't drink/smoke, so they work great), then burn me (at $1000 cremation fee, is the cheapest way to go), because I don't want to rot in the ground, and then take my ashes and use them to grow a plant/tree or something nice. collect insurance money and enjoy 

Long time ago (I was 14 I think) I saw an old guy getting killed while is was riding a very small motorcycle. the car who ran him over was... a police car. the old man had no helmet/jacket/nothing, so he pretty much died on impact. I was some 8 meters away... close enough to dodge debris.

[Jake D]

Amanda: I quote the movie Braveheart to them:

"Every man dies, but how many truly live?"

[RVertigo]

There's always someone there to comment on how many people they know who have died in a motorcycle accident, or how dangerous it is, and how crazy I am.  What do you say to these people??  I know what I would like to say!

If they tell me about someone they know that died, I say the same thing I always say when someone tells me someone or something has dies...  "Man... That sucks."   

If they tell me that motorcycling is dangerous, I tell them about some of the nastiest crash videos I've seen...  I get as detailed as I possibly can... "Dude, you could hear the crack... and his foot was just barely hanging on by this little string of skin...  and he was holding his leg yelling 'It huuuuurts, it huuuurrrrrrrts!!'"  That usually shuts them up 'cause they don't want to hear about another crash.   

If they tell me I'm crazy for riding, I tell them that I always wear my gear...  If they don't understand what I mean, I simply look at them like they're stupid.

[groff22]

Tell them how dangerous it is for people to talk crap to motorcycle riders. Inform them of how many people you have seen injured by running their mouth into your fist

Haha.. no .. 

Lol. I like it!

[500rider]

Something that cage driver's don't understand is that we as motorcycle riders (at least most of us here) are more in tune with what the hell is going on around us on the road and what the consequences are of not paying attention.  It drives me crazy when my wife's drivin on the highway, yackin at me, tailgaiting the car in front and not paying attention to what the hell's going on.  She gets mad at me too when I'm driving the car and didn't hear what she said because I was trying to merge onto the highway and not get killed by a transport truck.  OK .. enough about that.

Almost all the stories I've heard about how dangerous bikes are involves some guy who's about 18, may not even have a licence and crashed into somethin going about mach 2.      This past summer there were a few people around here that died this way.  Oh yeah it's the bikes that are dangerous!!! 

Unfortuneatly I don't have a great comeback for these kind of comments.  I usually say something like "crossing the street's dangerous too".  Sometimes I compare it to bicycling because I used to do alot of that.  I've had more close calls when riding the bicycle than the motorcycle (knock on wood).  Because there is such a big speed differential between bicycles and cars, you are basically a sitting duck on the road while riding a bicycle.

[500rider]

Damn, just what I said ... a quick search revealed this from webikeworld:

Report Conclusions: Findings from the FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) data illustrate possible reasons for motorcyclist fatalities in single vehicle motorcycle crashes:

Helmet use among fatally injured motorcyclists below 50 percent
More motorcyclist fatalities are occurring on rural roads
High blood alcohol levels are a major problem among motorcycle operators
Half of the fatalities are related to negotiating a curve prior to the crash
Over 80 percent of the fatalities occur off roadway
Undivided roadways account for a majority of the fatalities
Almost two thirds of the fatalities were associated with speeding as an operator contributing factor in the crash
Almost 60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities occur at night
Collision with a fixed object is a significant factor in over half of the fatalities
Braking and steering maneuvers possibly contribute for almost 25 percent of the fatalities
More riders age 40 and over are getting killed
Almost one third of the fatally injured operators did not have a proper license

[annguyen1981]

Damn, just what I said ... a quick search revealed this from webikeworld:

Report Conclusions: Findings from the FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) data illustrate possible reasons for motorcyclist fatalities in single vehicle motorcycle crashes:

Helmet use among fatally injured motorcyclists below 50 percent
More motorcyclist fatalities are occurring on rural roads
High blood alcohol levels are a major problem among motorcycle operators
Half of the fatalities are related to negotiating a curve prior to the crash
Over 80 percent of the fatalities occur off roadway
Undivided roadways account for a majority of the fatalities
Almost two thirds of the fatalities were associated with speeding as an operator contributing factor in the crash
Almost 60 percent of motorcyclist fatalities occur at night
Collision with a fixed object is a significant factor in over half of the fatalities
Braking and steering maneuvers possibly contribute for almost 25 percent of the fatalities
More riders age 40 and over are getting killed
Almost one third of the fatally injured operators did not have a proper license

Great Find!!!

[budget speed demon]

i put it like this . most motorcycle accidents are cars hitting bikes .. so whos the carzy one ? the car drive if you ask me . these ppl that die cuz they where doing a wheelie at 100 miles an hour .. or deside hey lets see if i can ride this wheelie around in circles  on this 18 wheeler . (i have heard of guys doing this .. can you say pshyco? ) but  they do what they love .. when they go down and out for good they knew what they where putting them selfs at . just like the guys that join the army . and there moms and dads go crazy there son had to die for there country and there like " this is not right its not right i'm gonna go to bushes ranch and protest" one word . they choose what they did and they stuck with it and rode it out . they did what they where gonna do and you cant change it now .

That is easily the best thing I've heard about this topic.

Most people just right off these guys that do 100 mph wheelies as morons, witch they may be, but people tend to not look deeper into it. It's exactly as you said
"they do what they love .. when they go down and out for good they knew what they where putting them selfs at"
And the comparison to kids going to war is spot on.
Although there are those who would say that those kids have been manipulated by modern society and media into feeling a need to fight for a meaningless cause and defend themselves against a threat that is only threatening because of past actions that their country has taken. But I won't get into that. Especially because I don't agree with all the that "brain washing" "conspiracy" B.S. I think its just like you say; "they choose what they did and they stuck with it and rode it out . they did what they where gonna do and you cant change it now"

[weaselnoze]

well i think to each their own.  i'll tell u that i've had the most fun in my life while on a motorcycle, but is it putting myself at more risk? of course.  some people are happy not taking risks.   its their decision, but they shouldnt rag on people who need a lil extra 

[DMac]

I agree with weaselnoze. To each his own, however I do feel a lot of riders are tricking themselves into some security about driving a bike.
Driving a motorcycle is taking more of a risk than driving a car, you're doing the same thing (on the same roads) with far less protection. Squids doing wheelies at 100mph are not the only ones who die on bikes . And I know people will respond w/ "we can out accel, handle or brake anything out there" this arguement is kinda out of date (esp due to cars braking now a days.)

Other claims about the lack of others attention in cars concerning cell phones or loud music or whatnot I can't see being that convincing either. Okay maybe they aren't paying attention but we are on the same roads as them are we not? They have a steel cage and many protection devices to help them survive their mistake, a helmet w/ leathers doesn't compare.
I got my GS this year as my 1st bike, and against the wishes of everyone I know (except 1 friend who has an SV) and it is common to hear stories about other bike crashes and deaths, I lost a friend due to a bike crash this year as well, and he was in his lane, in the right when a car came out of no where. Police said if he were in a car he would have survived.

We all ride here for whatever reason we choose and accept the responsibilites and risk involved with it, however personally I don't think people should take it lightly and always find excuses for why someone got into the wreck and how it couldn't/wouldn't happen to you. Hopefully it never does but I don't think people should kid themselves for a second that it can't happen or you can avoid 100% of crashes.

Just my thoughts.

[that_guy]

another point on that note is that people die all the time with helmets and leathers on just the same as squids.  They help but don't ever insure no, or even lessened injuries..

[phire]

i put it like this . most motorcycle accidents are cars hitting bikes .. so whos the carzy one ? the car drive if you ask me . these ppl that die cuz they where doing a wheelie at 100 miles an hour .. or deside hey lets see if i can ride this wheelie around in circles  on this 18 wheeler . (i have heard of guys doing this .. can you say pshyco? ) but  they do what they love .. when they go down and out for good they knew what they where putting them selfs at . just like the guys that join the army . and there moms and dads go crazy there son had to die for there country and there like " this is not right its not right i'm gonna go to bushes ranch and protest" one word . they choose what they did and they stuck with it and rode it out . they did what they where gonna do and you cant change it now .

Man you couldn't have said it better. It's not like people are allowed to ride a motorcycle on the street when they're 10 and don't fully understand the risks, yet. When you're 18+ you start thinking about what you're doing I don't care who you are. You might still do things that seem dumb to others and maybe even yourself, but at least it's a calculated risk and you're more carefeul about it.

[Badger]

To each his own, however I do feel a lot of riders are tricking themselves into some security about driving a bike.

I think people need to understand that motorcycling in itself is not inherently dangerous, but it is unforgiving of inattentiveness or carelessness.  It is far more important to be aware of your surroundings on a motorcycle than it is in a car simply because the consequences are far more severe.  Getting sideswiped by a car when you're in a car is annoying and expensive, but if you're on a motorcycle it can be fatal.  It is important to understand how traffic flows, recognize people who don't, and use that knowledge to predict what other people are going to do.  It is important to be aggressive and assertive (but not reckless), and to be able to use the motorcycle's size and maneuverability to your advantage.  It's important to always have a plan, and to recognize developing dangerous situations long before they become real danger.

Whenever anyone confronts me about the danger of riding a motorcycle, I point this stuff out.  I also tell them that I strive to be as safe as I possibly can be, that I don't take unnecessary risks, and that the benefits justify the risks.  I also point out that I'm a pilot, and that I put the same focus on motorcycle safety, practice, and awareness as when I'm in an airplane.

Then I ask them if they ever use their cell phone while driving...

[TarzanBoy]

Well said, Badger.

I have seen a few posts in this thread that I disagree with.    I think that motorcycling *is* dangerous in this country (USA), and I think that the many friends & relatives who mention this to riders are correct.   That being said, it should be noted that motorcycling is dangerous because of the other cars on the road, directly stemming from the poor driver training and driving habits/attitude of the people who live in this country.

I think that most people will agree that the other cars on the roads/highways pose a much more clear and present danger than any gap in my riding skill or hazard on the road.

Its just like Chris Rock said (albeit paraphrased)... "when i get on the road[go to the ATM], I ain't looking for dangers[the media], i'm looking for CAGERS!!![expletive deleted]"

[okayf00l]

I agree with you on this.  So many people are quick to tell me how dangerous motorycles are etc.  Well that is kind of obvious dont you think?  I dont need to be told be every person with an opinion.  Then there are the people who ask me about my bike and who are really into it.  I think the good comments outweight the stupid ones.  I really like it when someone strikes up a conversation about my bike and asks me legit questions about and and doesnt jump at the opportunity to tell me how dangerous riding is.  I think we all know the consequences and have thought about them long and hard.  Its not like we dont know the dangers of bikes.

Today I was riding and I pulled up to a dude on a bandit 1200.  He asked me what year my bike was and said it was pretty sweet.  He said he was going to upgrade to a hayabusa 

I have no problem with people who wanna talk about bikes I actually like it.  I do however have a problem with people who think they need to give me their opinion on how dangerous bikes are.  Do they actually think we havent heard it before and that we dont know about the dangers?  I think some people are just jealous that they dont have a bike!

[RVertigo]

I think I'm going to start replying with:

"Really?"     "I've never heard that before...  Maybe I should walk home."

[monopoly]

Oh god how many times have i Been haggled about how im going to drop it and hurt myself blah blah blah ill myself yadda yadda!!! at least 20 people have said that in less than 4 months

Tobe honest i dont really care if i hurt myself so be it...Thats just the way things go sometimes but i ALWAYS wear full protection and common sense! thats key

my brother died riding a motorcycle so when people tell me their dangerous i let them know my past and that i fully understand the danger involved.  That usually makes then stfu.. also why i will never ride a GSXR..

Have you ridden a GSXR before? Ive ridden a 600 and a 1000 both almost brand new...Ill tell ya i felt damn uncomfortable on them b/c they arent mine but i love the 600 so much!!! I just wish i could afford the insurance...But I loved every second of it. the bike feels a lot lighter than the GS and feels a little more comfortable to me...Sure there damn fast but thats what I love 

I also think heavy cruisers are a lot more dangerous than sport bikes b/c of there weight and not-so good cornering. Altho they do feel more stable, i just dont feel comfortable sitting with my legs spread open ...and having a 650+lbs bike fall on your leg is not a fun experience! just my $.02

[500rider]

I also think heavy cruisers are a lot more dangerous than sport bikes b/c of there weight and not-so good cornering. Altho they do feel more stable, i just dont feel comfortable sitting with my legs spread open ...and having a 650+lbs bike fall on your leg is not a fun experience! just my $.02

The guy who works on the Honda "come ride with us" event says that they have more problems with cruisers crashing than sprotbikes.  I think it's because the guys who are looking at the cruisers used to ride a bike 20 years ago and are now getting on a bike for the first time since.  They don't want a sportbike cause they heard they're so dangerous.  And they look uncomfortable too.

[Slowe30]

my brother died riding a motorcycle so when people tell me their dangerous i let them know my past and that i fully understand the danger involved.  That usually makes then stfu.. also why i will never ride a GSXR..

I'm sorry about your brother.  I've got 4 and I don't know what I'd do without 'em.