Isnt riding dangerous enough?

[Shaddow]

A friend of mine with whom I started riding with at the same time (ie got Ls and Ps and full license together) has spikes all over his Ninja. He has found on full lock he stabs his hands. He wears a helmet, hornee jeans, boots and occasionally gloves. He also has done less then 3000kms since we have both been riding (as he has had the same bike from new the whole time) and I've done closing in on 45,000kms. Shows the difference of attitude.
He bought a bike for look, pose, coolness factor.
I bought I bike cause I've always wanted one, I enjoy ridding/now addicted to ridding, its cheap transport and it is cooler looking than cars (well some). Reasons are in that order.
Yes I don't mind being a poser occasionally.

[slipperymongoose]

Posing can be fun but not a cool look when your melting. Still would never trade gear for the sake of fashion

[Twisted]

Posing can be fun but not a cool look when your melting. Still would never trade gear for the sake of fashion

I have never had a problem with riding even on the hottest days. I have a mesh jacket for summer and leather for the rest of the year. It is only hot when you stop and that is only for a lil while. But then again I don't commute on a bike so I can not comment to much.

[mister]

Even when it is hot, sitting in the traffic isn't a biggie. It's not like you're doing physical activity while waiting for the lights to change. Suck it up for a minute or so, then ride into the hot air and get semi cooled. All good 

Michael

[scratch]

Riding is the ultimate form of gambling.  The stakes being your life.

[Dr.McNinja]

Riding is the ultimate form of gambling.  The stakes being your life.

If you think riding is a gamble you're probably a horrible rider.

[steezin_and_wheezin]

that is one of the most naive things i've ever read mcninja.. are you just saying this stuff to start drama wars? please stop.

if you really think riding isn't a gamble, i'd hate to see you on a poker table

[mister]

Riding is the ultimate form of gambling.  The stakes being your life.

It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door...



Though I'd tend to think parachuting or base jumping are more of the Ultimate Gamble. Or maybe rockclimbing without ropes or doing like that spiderman dude and climbing buildings without rope. Far more ultimate gambles than hopping on a motorcycle and riding it.

Michael

[kml.krk]

this comment is related to motorcycles being ultimate gamble: my godfather loved motorcycles as much as I do. He died in a car accident...

I am not trying to start the war, all I am saying is that you have to be very careful on the road, and sometimes even if you are careful things just happen. That's life. That's why accidents are called accidents. By the way, my godfather was not driving.

[Shaddow]

Riding is a gamble but the risks are more calculated then say base jumping. You get training in a safe environment, you (well most people) wear safety gear to minimise the risk, you regularly maintain the bike to make it predictable, you hopefully ride in a safe manner to increase the buffer in your calculated risks. It's still a risk (gamble) for the unknowns are the other road users but calculated down to be a lower risk than some other activities.

[Dr.McNinja]

Riding is a gamble but the risks are more calculated then say base jumping. You get training in a safe environment, you (well most people) wear safety gear to minimise the risk, you regularly maintain the bike to make it predictable, you hopefully ride in a safe manner to increase the buffer in your calculated risks. It's still a risk (gamble) for the unknowns are the other road users but calculated down to be a lower risk than some other activities.

A gamble is NOT a calculated risk.

Everyone's argument based on a gamble being a calculated risk are completely invalid.

[PolarBZ]

Gamble -  an enterprise undertaken or attempted with a risk of loss and a chance of profit or success

Calculated Risk - a chance of failure, the probability of which is estimated before some action is undertaken.

**

I think riding is more of a calculated risk than a gamble.  Everyone who rides has at least some idea of what is involved and what the consequences of failure are.  They then make a calculation that the benefit is greater than the risk.

It can also be a gamble, but falls more into the calculated risk category.

[Shaddow]

A gamble is NOT a calculated risk.

Everyone's argument based on a gamble being a calculated risk are completely invalid.

Are you familiar with the English language? GAMBLE is a SYNONYM for RISK.

Gamble and risk while having slight different meanings in application they are still talking about the same thing. Risk being outcome, gambling being the activity.
Your gambling you life based on a calculated risk. Base jumping has calculated risks, you look at the area, work out if there is enough height for your chute to open etc. Everything is still calculated when you go into a casino to bet its just calculated not in your favor but someone has still sat down and down the math and so have you at some level of your thought patterns.
Every day when you gamble with simple things your brain is still calculating the risk to see it is in favor or against. The risk are the outcomes, the gamble is the activity, so in effect the two are inclusive.

[Dr.McNinja]

A gamble is NOT a calculated risk.

Everyone's argument based on a gamble being a calculated risk are completely invalid.

Are you familiar with the English language? GAMBLE is a SYNONYM for RISK.

Gamble and risk while having slight different meanings in application they are still talking about the same thing. Risk being outcome, gambling being the activity.
Your gambling you life based on a calculated risk. Base jumping has calculated risks, you look at the area, work out if there is enough height for your chute to open etc. Everything is still calculated when you go into a casino to bet its just calculated not in your favor but someone has still sat down and down the math and so have you at some level of your thought patterns.
Every day when you gamble with simple things your brain is still calculating the risk to see it is in favor or against. The risk are the outcomes, the gamble is the activity, so in effect the two are inclusive.

Since we're basically trying to create a link between two words that imply one another but carry two whole intrinsically different meanings...

Apparently I'm the only one who understands that gambling implies tremendous risk for very little chance of gain.

That doesn't define motorcycling at all. It's a risk, but a very small one compared to your odds at a casino game. If you think differently, you probably should clear the road for better motorcyclists. Old motorcyclists aren't old by luck. They're old because they developed life-saving skills and strong decision making, neither of which can help you in a true "gamble". Before you do it, don't try to break down each possible event (left-turner, etc) to prove that motorcycling is risky enough to call a gamble. It never will be. Take a peak at casino odds (particularly your odds of losing any given hand), and the odds of you crashing and getting seriously hurt. You'll find the risk of you getting hurt is a few hundred orders smaller than the casino odds.

[mister]

Yes, to paraphrase....

It's a dangerous business, going out your door...



Michael

[PolarBZ]

Apparently I'm the only one who understands that gambling implies tremendous risk for very little chance of gain.

Do you have a source for this statement?  I can't really find anything that seems to even imply that in order for something to be gambling, it has to be high (or even tremendous) risk for very little chance of gain.  That just is not the definition of gambling.

Even at a casino, the house is still "gambling" despite the fact that they have the advantage on odds.

I get what you are trying to say - that riding isn't as dangerous as the phrase "ultimate gamble" makes it sound - and while I agree with that statement, arguing the semantics of "gamble" incorrectly doesn't help your argument at all. 

To me, it sounds like everyone is in agreement here and the only thing being argued about is the definition of what "gambling" is.

[mister]

Oh yeah, gambling is risky business indeed...



Michael

[cyall]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/risk

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gambling

When in doubt RTFM. Even aside from the strict definition gambling has a connotation that implies a level of uncontrollable likelihood of loss not present with the term risk.

[xtelevisionset]

Lol, I was thinking of replacing my bar ends with those spikes, but that's just because they were cheap and the only ones in stock and mine are bent on both sides.

[Shaddow]

@Cyall you have hit the nail with your one comment

Even aside from the strict definition gambling has a connotation that implies a level of uncontrollable likelihood of loss not present with the term risk.

People have added their own meanings and connotations to the words. Its why some believe a gamble doesn't involve risks (hmmm okay) and risks doesn't involve betting (might be not money could be I'm betting my job or license.) I believe I'm agreeing with you just to be sure there.

@Dr.McNinja I'm implying you don't understand the English Language.