Are Motorcycles worth the risk?

Question

Iv wanted a motorcyle ever since i was a little kid, its kinnda been a childhood dream of mine. Anywhey im comming on 18 and have just about saved up enouth money.

Thing is one of my best friends brother was killed on a motocycle last month and iv been having doubts about wheither its worth it. He was only 19.

I hear about the dangers of motorcyles all the time, but it wasnt untill someone i knew was effected by it that it really hit me.

Then again i know loads of people who have ridden for years and are perfectly ok.

Just wondered what other people think? Is the love of riding worth the risk?

Answer 1

Absolutely not I know way too many people who are suffering from permanent injury due to motorcycle accidents. if you ride a motorcycle, it is only a matter of time before you have an accident that could cause you permanent problems that get worse as you age. If you are a type who wants to do manual labor for a living, a motorcycle wreck could seriously hamper your ability to earn a living in the future.

Answer 2

Absolutely! You could just as easily get hit by some drunken knobhead in a sports car - don't let your life be ruled by "what if's". Get on your bike and ride!!!!!

Answer 3

[ is anything worth the risk..?....<^><..

Answer 4

any thing can be dangerous,but if it is something you have all ways wanted get it just be responsible.learn how to ride properly and carefully.

Answer 5

I had a friend killed by a stray bullet but that didn't keep me out of Houston.

Answer 6

You could be hit by a bus tomorrow, So why go by what ifs, I am doing my full motorbike test soon and i aint even thinking about what if i get knocked of it or hit by sumthing, I could go out in my car tonight and be hit by a car drunk driver or have crash at 70mph, But i never think about things like that because if you did then you never do nothing, Like what if i go on a plane and it crashes you never go on hoilday,



End of the day i am gonna ride my bike once i get it and enjoy it. I will just be extra carefull and more watchful with other drivers. I am sorry to hear bout your friend. But you cannot be locked away from doing the things you like, I always wanted to ride a bike, I have had friends knocked of them and heard horror storys but that can go for people driving cars, who have to cut out of a car. So in anything you do there gonna be a slight danger.



So my advice is do your test and ride with confidence.

Answer 7

take a course, use common sense and wear a helmet,,,,its not whats on your head, but whats in your head that will help.

Answer 8

I have been riding (legally) since September of 1955 and now own my 40th motorcycle. Have I fallen off, been hurt, sure, but when one loves to ride and enjoys the freedom and joy of it then a few bumps do not matter. Sure, I have known people who were killed and injured, but I have known them who got the same in a car, If You truly love doing something (skiing, mountain climbing, car racing...etc.) you accept the risks and GO FOR IT. Otherwise stay home and play video games, or whatever.

Answer 9

Hmmm, recently in New York a Wal Mart employee was trampled and killed by shoppers. I guess that means you better stop going to Wal Mart.

Answer 10

It takes me twenty minutes to get the fifteen miles to work in the morning.

It takes the wife about forty-five minutes to do ten.



A bike is worth it right there.



I've had three accidents, all minor, all down to screwing up. I also know two guys who can't ride anymore, one because he wrapped himself round a tree and is lucky to be walking, and one who shattered his left ankle by putting the footpeg through it when he lost the back end and went for a slide.

My mate failed his first test when he lost it on black ice.

You still can't get bikes out of the blood, though. The guy with the wrecked ankle rides a trike he built himself. The one with the bad back rebuilds bikes as a hobby.



Yes, bikes can be dangerous; not least because you've only got two bits of rubber on the road and unlike cars you are more likely to land on your buttocks when you skid, and a shunt at thirty will hurt where in a car it'll be a sore neck at the worst.



But I have yet to find any car which can match the sheer enjoyment of belting along a twisty road on a decent sized bike. It's also nice feeling smug while you're nipping through the gap between the cars when they're at a standstill and you know that it's only the bikers who're getting to work on time.

Cars simply do not do it for me. Even right now, when my hands freeze and hurt like hell when they start to warm again, and the road's slippery every morning and full of people who don't know how to deal with that, as well as the usual idiots who appear not to be able to see anything smaller than a bus trying to smear me across the road. It is still more fun than being in a car.

Answer 11

Is sex worth the risk? You could land up with years of child support. You could land up dead.



Just like sex, motorcycling requires you gain the proper skills, use appropriate protection and use your head (The big one).



Get a bike. You'll love it.

Answer 12

You will get all kinds of answers on this one. I think we all realize that there is a definite risk. The real question is this...does the enjoyment you get from riding outweigh the risk? Only you can answer that question. The amount of risk is relative to the persons experiences they have had with motorcycles, and of course the enjoyment level is different for everyone. If you have never really ridden much you can't really make that decision. I would suggest, as I'm sure others have, that you do the safety course, get you license, and then maybe find somewhere to rent a bike for a weekend or two. If you do buy a bike look for a used one that is inexpensive and you could resale if you don't like it. You will loose your butt on any new motorcycle (even a Harley) if you change your mind and sell it anytime soon. Trust me, just lost my butt on a 2009 Street Glide I wasn't happy with.



Man I didn't realize Ol' Bastard was like 118 years old...pretty impressive that he can even control his bladder long enough to take a ride...or maybe he just wears depends under the chaps?? You go old dude!!

Answer 13

Riding a motorcycle is 100% risk free. Crashing is a different story.



When you crash in a car you have this steel cage around you to protect you. Statistically 50% of automobile accidents result in no injury. When you crash a bike there is nothing around you and you will be hurt, just a question of how bad. Statistically, at 18, your odds of crashing are rather high. Personally I would not feel comfortable riding unless my odds of crashing was next to nil. Seeing as I've been riding since '64 and have never crashed I feel quite safe on my motorcycle.



You might consider holding off a few years to see if you are a safe enough driver. Maybe get a dirt bike so you can learn to handle the bike without worrying about traffic.



On the other hand, if you're going to be an idiot driver and crash into things it is far better for the rest of us that you do so on a motorcycle and kill yourself before you kill others.



As for the love of riding, I wouldn't know. I ride 'cause I can't stand being in a cage.

Answer 14

Are Motorcycles worth the risk?



No one can answer that question for you. The answer to that question is going to depend on the person asking it. The amount of risk assumed by one person isn't the same as the amount of risk assumed by another. How much risk one person is willing to take is different than another.



I have to say that you have taken the first step in realizing that there is risk involved in riding. To start with, think about your level of risk. As an 18 year old, you have a minimum of experience on the road (maybe 2 years of driving experience - in the big picture, very little) You might have a little experience riding a bicycle while hugging the right side of the road - but I'd have to say that it's more likely that bicycling will have given you some bad habits. Think about how you drive, and whether or not you've had any close calls (you have to be honest with yourself, or you're wasting your time). As an 18 year old, with no previous riding experience, you are probably at the extreme high end of the curve risk-wise. Your age bracket is over-represented in accident statistics. You might be exceptional, and have lower risks - most people who think they are, are not. What kind of car do you drive? Do you drive a little faster than you should sometimes? That will tell you a little about the risk as well.



As far as how much risk you're willing to assume, you have to look at your situation. At 18, its unlikely that you have children that depend on you, so that's a plus. Assuming you avoid other dangers, you probably have a long life ahead of you, which could be adversely affected if you seriously hurt, or ended if you kill yourself. Do you have life insurance? How about long-term disability insurance should you become injured? Also, good medical insurance will make a big difference, should something bad happen.



I am a Motorcycle Safety Instructor, and I make money from training people how to ride motorcycles. That being said, I think in almost all cases, it's bad for a teenager to ride a motorcycle. You've already had someone near to you end their life probably just making the dumb kind of mistakes that almost all teens make at one time or another. I know that all of us older people seem to be saying the same thing - it's because we remember what it was like being young. In most cases, the problem is that your brains don't understand mortality yet. Your parents have probably sheltered you from the worst of what life has to offer. It sounds like your friend's death may have given you a glimpse of that. I think it would be a nice tribute to your friend, and give his death a little meaning if you would learn from it.



But you are an adult, and you can make your own decisions now. Go take a motorcycle safety class (whether you're going to ride or not) - it will make you a safer driver, even if you don't ride. The best things in life are worth waiting for. Even if you don't start riding for several years, you'll still have a long life of riding ahead of you.

Answer 15

I am an ex-motorcyclist though have not ridden one for 30 years now. I had a deal with my son as he approached 16, NO motorcycles and i will buy you your first car.



Why? My best friend was killed on a motorbike, another friend escaped lightly but put his sister who was on the pillion into a wheelchair for life, one cousin and an uncle died on motorbikes.



I took the hint when i woke up one day at the side of a heavily trafficked ring road, just cuts and bruises and very mild concussion, the bike was a mangled wreck 50 yards down the road and witness' said i must have had a guardian angel looking over me (not likely as i am not at all religious!) as i shot on my back between 2 or 3 fast moving vehicles without them touching me, before ending up on the soft shoulder. I have never been astride a motorbike since that day.



Do you read Motorcycle magazines? I was reading one out of interest a few months back and in one article the journalist had written "when you have your accident" - not IF, when. Scary!

Answer 16

I'm 56 and I love the bike thing and I ride a Harley cruiser



I am well aware of the risks and I ride with as much of that knowledge in the very front of my mind. I know that it will not preserve me but I hope that it will keep me alert a bit more and even just a little safer



I am not fussed on the sport style of bike myself but respect others opinions on them. They are very nice machines but can be lethal in the wrong hands



For me and this is only my opinion I will continue to ride. I take the attitude that every other road user is out to get me and I ride with that clearly in mind. I have been got a couple of times. Maybe I had my guard down a bit but one crept up from behind.



If you do decide to ride either a sport of a cruiser please ride it safely and not like one of those idiots that give motorcycling a bad name. Hopefully you will then not become just another statistic and an organ doner. If that sounds harsh then it was supposed to. I enjoy my passtime and I wish to continue to and do not want the authorities to seize any oportunity to restrict it in any way. Believe they will take any oportunity to do so



So ride and enjoy but above all ride safe

Answer 17

I've only been riding for about 6 months but i can honestly say that i don't think motorcycles are the death traps that everyone makes them out to be. Sure, if you're stupid you can get into serious trouble VERY quickly and you can always be unlucky and get caught by somebody else's stupid action but, on the whole i've found other road users way better than expected. If you can control your right wrist while you build up experience there's no reason why you'll get hurt unless you're just unlucky. But let's face it, you could be unlucky crossing the street or walking down the stairs.



My opinion - It's well worth the risk.

Answer 18

GSXR or R1 is not greater a appropriate motorbike than my kawasaki GT550, its no longer the motorbike its the rider that makes the motorbike. The motorbike is in simple terms as risky because of the fact the rider. Ive been driving almost 20yrs and in all that factor ive made 0 insurance claims, had none against me, in simple terms as quickly as went to the GP to have a shoulder harm checked. by the years ive had infinite vehicles do a great form of daft issues, some i laugh off others quite annoy me... yet none have made me think of that motorcycling is risky. i detect the subject is with alot of people who're fascinated in motorcycles like those you reported. maximum would desire to be banned- complete provide up, some lack the education and ability, 'born-agains 'seem o be yet another group of thrill seakers who quite for my section would desire to stay off the line, as a real biker wouldnt provide up for paranioa,peer stress, kinfolk or the different reason!!. my approach is ' love me - love my motorcycles!!. i think of im a diffrent breed of biker compaired to three( present day power activities riders)- i learnt to experience to get to and from artwork- its no longer a activity to me yet a sort of delivery and delight. My motorbike is a workhorse, solid and handles nicely. it may carry something from weekly paying for to bike areas ( physique, wheels - engines ). I do ninety 9% of my own artwork on it to maintain funds.

Answer 19

my mate was killed on a back rd ,a car creamed him,killed him instantly,he was riding a bike since he was 16,he was in his mid twenties when he died.



my bike has been lying up in my garage ever since,its not that im scared its more i feel im disrespecting his memory if i get on it.

know the rules of the road,start with a small engine and practise before you take it out on the road

but in saying all that yes there is nothing like ridin a bike on the open road.just be carefull just because your been safe doesn mean other road users are

expected the unexpected

Answer 20

The way I look at it, there is risk involved in everything. That would be like asking if a trip to Mexico is worth the risk of a plane crash. I just got a bike this year and I am 35. It is a blast to ride, and I wish I would of bought one years ago.

Answer 21

I LOVE bikes. My dad has a Suzuki GSX-R750 presling with a slingshot engine and I love it. It is risky but if its your time you will go. I pray protection on my family all the time. Why not only ride on the track? Its mostly the cars that cause the danger. Bikes are great and fun but maybe best as a hobbie rather than a form of getting around.

Answer 22

OK ,ur dream is a new Mercedes XXX.

Get a loan for the rest of ur life,sign the papers and drive off.

2 blocks later ur making a left to pick up ur girl and an 18 wheeler smashes u into next year.

Feel an better?

Answer 23

Oh yes. When you get on your first bike and ride then you will understand.

Just treat every car driver like they are out to kill you, and don't be afraid to use your horn and you won't go far wrong.

Spend as much as you can afford on helmet and safety gear, and if your bike starts to slide LET GO OF IT !

Also when faced with a hazard, look at the gap, not the object you are about to hit, your bike will follow your eyes, not like a car.



Ride safe, and good luck !

Answer 24

i guess that is up to you. the problem with motorcycles is if you get hit by another car you have nothing to take the impact as you would in a car, you take the whole lot which is why the dangers of motorcycles is such a big deal to people. but if you really want one then i guess life is too short not to. think about it carefully. n if you do get one, make sure u r safe.

Answer 25

Two parts to my answer; A - In UK a biker is 25-30 times more likely than a car driver to be killed or seriously injured, B - Yes.

Answer 26

yes they are dangerous either because of the low riding skill of the rider, or car and truck drivers failing to see and respect motorcycles on the road.

take a safety motorcycle riding course

ride in groups with other motorcycles

avoid heavy traffic roads and intersections

Answer 27

Motorcycles are totally worth the risk! They are so much fun and so convenient. But you have to be smart when you ride a motorcycle. (Don't try riding when its icy out, be extra cautious-if you get in an accident, you will be road kill, wear a helmet and leather, don't consume ANY alcohol before you ride, etc)

Answer 28

take a MSF course if you like that then totaly get one.



Pros

1 great gas mileage

2 fun as hell

3 meet all kinds of people



Cons

1 no respect from cagers

2 very dangerous if abused

3 no heater!!!!!!!!

Answer 29

if you are careful don't speed do stupid stuff, always vigilant and aware of your surroundings and understand your bike, and cautious of other drivers(not necessarily other bikers) and also aware of hazards, then you will be fine and should be safe on the roads, most bikers have accidents like many other drivers due to no care or attention and also other drivers not seeing the biker or misjudgement.



so in a "nutshell" be careful don't do anything stupid and understand that other drivers are and are unpredictable.

Answer 30

Of course it is.....go out an give it a go...its my key to freedom and i could never do without my ride.......enjoyyyy

Answer 31

if you have to ask yourself, and have doubts, you should not get a bike.

my personal point of view.

if you stand there, look at it, and think to yourself "god damn, what if i get on this bike and die on the next red light, what will happen next?" and stuff like that..

stick to your car

Answer 32

Motorbikes and their riders are safe its the ignorant car drivers that are the problem.

Answer 33

I have a lot of mates Cabbaged/DEAD/Legless and lifelong suffering due to bikes!! The odds these days for getting injured or killed are pretty high!!

Your choice at the end of the day but i couldn't let my views pass mate...

STAY LUCKY :)

Answer 34

well worth the risk....sorry to hear about your mate though....when riding i Always expect the unexpected.....

Answer 35

Yes, at least to me.

Answer 36

only if your life is boring and and worthless