Current Events > Motorcycle riders of CE, let's have a chat.

(+) Yeah! (+)

What's your ride and how long you been riding?

I just bought a 2010 Ducati Hypermotard 796. I've only been road riding for a few months (been riding dirt bikes for well over 10 years)
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2013 Honda CB500x

This is my fourth riding season
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I don't have a bike but I want o What do you have to do to get a license?
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itachi15243 posted...

I don't have a bike but I want o What do you have to do to get a license?

I think it depends on your state. Here in Indiana I had to get a permit before taking a skills test for my license. I also could have taken a weekend class and gotten my license that way without having to get a permit.
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Quick question for all of you motorcycle riders here:

Why do you think it's okay to mod your bike with a loudener and blast your bike in an urban street? Friends think it's to overcompensate for something else, but you guys can't be that pitiful right?

itachi15243 posted...

I don't have a bike but I want o What do you have to do to get a license?

If you are in the US take the MSF basic rider course. It's like $160, a few hours in a classroom, two days riding (they provide the bikes), and the final test can be used to waive the testing requirement for the license.
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As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself
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APM posted...

Why do you think it's okay to mod your bike with a loudener

To increase the chance of being noticed by other drivers so they don't hit us.

APM posted...

and blast your bike in an urban street?

I don't do that, nor do I think it's okay.
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AlephZero posted...

It's like $160, a few hours in a classroom, two days riding (they provide the bikes)

But you need your own gear, so be ready to buy or borrow.
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Why do you feel the need to go 20 over the speed limit and constantly weave in and out of traffic with non-signaled and dangerous lane changes?
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jackgunney posted...

APM posted...

Why do you think it's okay to mod your bike with a loudener

To increase the chance of being noticed by other drivers so they don't hit us.

I mean with ads like the one below, I doubt it's just for that

Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

Ugh, I want to be volunteer firefighter (hopefully start next year) and I also want a bike, so I don't know how to feel about this!

I know it doesn't really matter regardless, but I just want one to cruise with. Couldn't care less about speed or anything
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APM posted...

I mean with ads like the one below, I doubt it's just for that

Harley... need I say more?

I put an aftermarket/louder exhaust on my bike so people in other vehicles notice me better.
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I am just getting my license, it's a bit of an expensive and lengthy process here in Germany. My uncle has a few bikes and he got a 2002 Harley Sportster which he bought used for like 4.000€. It's a fun bike, even if its small for a Harley. I may end up buying it off him.
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jackgunney posted...

APM posted...

I mean with ads like the one below, I doubt it's just for that

Harley... need I say more?

I put an aftermarket/louder exhaust on my bike so people in other vehicles notice me better.

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous that you had to go out of your way to make sure you don't end up in a fatal accident?
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Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?
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Behaviorism posted...

As a person who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

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CBR300R. Been riding *daily* for 4 years, over all 10 but not consistent, went 3 years without rising at one point and missed a couple other seasons as well.

Use to drive a GSXR1000 when I still lived in Canada, now I live in Thailand and went with something smaller because of the traffic. Next year I'll be buying either a ZX10R or an R6 (comes down to money in the end) for everything but basic commutes around the city.

My bike is my daily commuter year round.
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Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

Wyd in the topic then
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Try_Another___ posted...

Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

Wyd in the topic then

I......don't know
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Why do most motorcyclists drive like assholes?
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jackgunney posted...

AlephZero posted...

It's like $160, a few hours in a classroom, two days riding (they provide the bikes)

But you need your own gear, so be ready to buy or borrow.

What do you need? About how much does it run?
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Behaviorism posted...

Try_Another___ posted...

Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

Wyd in the topic then

I......don't know

Safe travels friend
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itachi15243 posted...

jackgunney posted...

AlephZero posted...

It's like $160, a few hours in a classroom, two days riding (they provide the bikes)

But you need your own gear, so be ready to buy or borrow.

What do you need? About how much does it run?

Helmet ($120ish for the cheaper ones), any jacket, shoes or boots that cover your ankles
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itachi15243 posted...

jackgunney posted...

AlephZero posted...

It's like $160, a few hours in a classroom, two days riding (they provide the bikes)

But you need your own gear, so be ready to buy or borrow.

What do you need? About how much does it run?

Helmet, jacket, pants (jeans are fine), gloves, and sturdy over the ankle footwear.
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jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?

No because I value my life.

Are you going to answer the question or just deflect again?
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Muffinz0rz posted...

jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?

No because I value my life.

Are you going to answer the question or just deflect again?

If you've never ridden then you won't understand, and you've made up your mind to dislike bikes and riders so I won't waste my time trying to explain.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous that you had to go out of your way to make sure you don't end up in a fatal accident?

A question I struggle with all the time...

I bought a zx10r a few years ago from a guy in west palm (bad idea). It was my first time riding a bike other than the ones they give you when you take the course to get your license (bad idea). Hit 156mph on the highway on the way home (bad idea). The bike could go faster but I was too scared. I got all the way back to Miami and crashed in an intersection a quarter mile from my home. Didn't get run over or hit anything, just went high side at about 25 because I didn't know what i was doing(bad idea). Bad concussion but no broken bones or anything like that.

I repaired the bike and sold it before ever riding it again because I saw it as a warning (good idea). I have been an adrenalin person all my life and push boundaries in everything. The thrill of going that fast on a bike is still the most awesome adrenaline rush I have ever had and I consider getting a bike about once a month since because of that feeling. For now I have decided being alive and able to walk is better though.

People can ride bikes safely. I'm not one of them.
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I had a Harley Dyna for about 6 years. Got swiped twice by texters so I sold it. I had just had my second kid and my wife was pretty worried.

Greetings fellow Hoosier! I got my endorsement last year, took the riders course, currently have a 2006 Honda Shadow.
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whitelytning posted...

People can ride bikes safely. I'm not one of them.

It's good that you recognize that you're unsafe and did something about it. A cousin of mine has gone through 4 bikes, seven broken bones, and a skin graft, but he's still out trying to get another motorcycle.
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jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?

No because I value my life.

Are you going to answer the question or just deflect again?

If you've never ridden then you won't understand, and you've made up your mind to dislike bikes and riders so I won't waste my time trying to explain.

I see you chose to "deflect again."

Plus I never said or implied here that I disliked bikes. I asked a legit question.
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jackgunney posted...

whitelytning posted...

People can ride bikes safely. I'm not one of them.

It's good that you recognize that you're unsafe and did something about it. A cousin of mine has gone through 4 bikes, seven broken bones, and a skin graft, but he's still out trying to get another motorcycle.

That's insane. I've gone down once on my bike. It was at 15kmh and a car clipped me from behind when he pulled off the curb without looking while I was riding a Ninja 250R. Backed up and drove away. I've driven quick and what many people would consider wrecklessly and never came close to going down. Some people really shouldn't ride.
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I'm practicing for my license and I want a 390 Duke but I'll probably get a small FZ

A thing of note, I live... in a place where motorcycles are the dominant form of transport and I learned to hate it for the first 20 years of my life. And part of me still does. But once I started to learn, I started to enjoy

Part of me is still scared shitless. Especially after seeing stuff like this https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/400-current-events/75659665 but I still want one
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Bumpity
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I have a 2012 and a 2015 GSX-R1000, but I rarely ride anymore. The roads in Utah are too dusty/sandy. In fact, my 2012 is at my Grandparent's place in New Hampshire, along with my uncle's GSX-R and my Corvette. Utah's too dangerous for things that slide, and he lives in Florida, so we left our toys back home and go riding together when we all go home for Thanksgiving.

Maybe I'm just getting old, but bikes don't excite me like they did when I was a kid.
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APM posted...

Quick question for all of you motorcycle riders here:

Why do you think it's okay to mod your bike with a loudener and blast your bike in an urban street? Friends think it's to overcompensate for something else, but you guys can't be that pitiful right?

So the bike I bought already had an aftermarket Muzzy exhaust. Tbh, while it is obnoxious, I really didn't have many cars ever get into my lane in 3 years of daily riding. Whether or not it was causal is hard to tell, but eh.

Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

As a student doctor who has seen a fair share of motorcycle trauma in the ED, I hear you, but at the same time there is a bias in our memory for visceral/gruesome memories. Those examples literally stick out in our head. I poured over the US Highway and Safety administration literature and found the rate of fatal accidents....not that much different from a regular vehicle.

Rather, it was a lot different for brand new riders who did not wear protective gear, rode under the influence of alcohol, or were excessively speeding or weaving in/out of traffic. But if you controlled for riders with safety experience, who obeyed traffic laws, who never drove under the influence of anything, and wore all the gear all the time, the fatal accident rate was about 13/100,000 for cars versus 25/100,000 (+/- 10) for bikes.

So 0.013% versus 0.025%

Either people are really disingenuous with the fact driving their car to work can totally mean they die in a fatal MVA tomorrow, or the difference isn't so much so as to hold the conventional wisdom that it is a death sentence. It's certainly an increased risk, but every single person takes calculated risks every day that they are unaware of. For what joy riding brought me for 3 years, it was a calculated risk. I was vigilant with my riding and I was never caught off guard because I always anticipated the worst.

Muffinz0rz posted...

jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?

No because I value my life.

Are you going to answer the question or just deflect again?

He's right though. The feeling of the sudden acceleration* of my 600cc ZX6R is unworldly. You literally feel godlike going 0-60 in 3-4 seconds. It's just so much raw power, so instant. It's primal.
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I've got a 1997 BMW R850R. Don't ride much, but I got it from my pops almost a decade ago.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

jackgunney posted...

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous

You've never ridden a motorcycle have you?

No because I value my life.

Are you going to answer the question or just deflect again?

He's right though. The feeling of the sudden acceleration* of my 600cc ZX6R is unworldly. You literally feel godlike going 0-60 in 3-4 seconds. It's just so much raw power, so instant. It's primal.

How can he be "right"? He never answered my question.

Regarding your stats - when it comes to something important, like, oh, I don't know, your life, I find it hard to believe that a small adrenaline rush is worth nearly doubling the chances of your own death, regardless of how small the increase actually is in the first place.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

How can he be "right"? He never answered my question.

He's "right" about the fact that unless you've experienced it, you're going to underestimate the visceral nature of riding a motorcycle. To a "layperson", it seems like a reckless risk for very minor benefit.

Truthfully, the "freedom" you feel on a bike is unlike anything I've experienced. And it's difficult to put to words.

I don't blame him for not really being able to describe it. The relationship between how fun you think it would be and how fun it actually is isn't linear. It's logarithmic xD

Muffinz0rz posted...

Regarding your stats - when it comes to something important, like, oh, I don't know, your life, I find it hard to believe that a small adrenaline rush is worth nearly doubling the chances of your own death, regardless of how small the increase actually is in the first place.

See that's exactly my point. You're misleading the statistics. Of course it's double, but double of 0.013% isn't the same as double of 10%. People are really shitty at trying to interpret risk stratification intuitively. The fact that both 0.013% and 0.025% are both ridiculously small risks to begin with means you're drastically underestimating the risk of driving a regular car with respect to something important, like, oh, I don't know, your life.

People die in fatal car accidents every day. In fact, 13 per 100,000 do. What makes you different/not susceptible to that?

And to take your point regarding "risks to your life", do you ever go skiing? More dangerous than a motorcycle per capita. A lot of hobbies or activities people do don't even register as dangerous. A classmate of mine drowned in a lake while hanging out with friends on a boat several years back. Do you personally assess that you might die going boating with your friends?

Should people only do hobbies that are in a padded room? What is the acceptable cut off for risk? 0.01%? 0.001%? 0.00000001%?

Nothing is entirely without risk. My assessment of motorcycle riding is that, while increased risk, not so much of an increased risk as other activities. When I compare the risk/benefit analysis of what riding provided me in enjoyment/fulfillment, but also as a financial incentive (cheaper MPG, faster commutes, etc) it was a good decision for me. It's not a good decision for everyone.

But man, if you don't live a little, you're gonna miss out on your life without even realizing it.
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Soviet_Poland posted...

I don't blame him for not really being able to describe it. The relationship between how fun you think it would be and how fun it actually is isn't linear. It's logarithmic xD

I think you meant exponential https://people.richland.edu/james/lecture/m116/logs/log2.gif

And motorcycles are 37 times more dangerous than cars iirc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle
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awesome999 posted...

I think you meant exponential https://people.richland.edu/james/lecture/m116/logs/log2.gif

Good lookin' out mate. I guess I could bullshit my way through that by saying "it's a quick uptick in enjoyment, but let's be real there's a ceiling." xD

But yeah we'll go with exponential.

As for the 32x, I mean it depends where you get your statistic. Mine was from the US Highway and Safety administration if you want to check out the primary literature. As for my number, I had to do a bit of inferring because the 32x statistic does not control for riders who don't wear a helmet.

If you actually go through the results section, all the increased incidents are with brand new riders (<1 year of experience), riders who excessively speed (So like going 20mph faster than rest of traffic), riders who ride under the influence of alcohol, and riders who do not wear protective gear. They estimate that a little over half of riders don't wear a helmet (55%~) and that helmets prevent 33%~ of fatal accidents.

So when you reduce the risk by 33% in half of the riding population, and also stratify the risk if you're someone who took a motorcycle safety course, isn't a dickhead while riding like some popular YouTube videos portray, always wears their safety gear, and never drinks and rides, I'd say a conservative estimate is half of that risk.


So WITHOUT controls, the rate of motorcycle fatalities is closer to 60/100,000 (contrasted with closer to 13/100,000 in cars). Take into account my "safe rider" population, a conservative estimate is 30/100,000. I think it's closer to 25, but we'll go with 30. 0.030% guys. Nevermind "32x risk" of infinitesimally small incidence is still SMALL. But if you really pay attention to the data, there are really only high-risk subsets of riders who inflate the numbers. And anyone who rides knows of that jackass in flip flops and shorts who buys a brand new liter bike with no experience and goes on the freeway attempting to do wheelies.

That's just natural selection mate. It's not accurate to assume I'm the same risk as that person. I wore a full face helmet, kevlar reinforced leathers, and riding boots even in 100F+ weather, I was that committed to safety.

Disclaimer: my numbers are a guesstimate from memory. I have the relative magnitudes in mind, but I might be slightly off here and there. And of course different studies will have different results. I'm making an assessment here, it's my opinion after all. Feel free to agree or disagree.
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Soviet_Poland posted...

He's "right" about the fact that unless you've experienced it, you're going to underestimate the visceral nature of riding a motorcycle. To a "layperson", it seems like a reckless risk for very minor benefit.

Truthfully, the "freedom" you feel on a bike is unlike anything I've experienced. And it's difficult to put to words.

I don't blame him for not really being able to describe it. The relationship between how fun you think it would be and how fun it actually is isn't linear. It's logarithmic xD

Muffinz0rz posted...

He never answered my question.

Soviet_Poland posted...

See that's exactly my point. You're misleading the statistics. Of course it's double, but double of 0.013% isn't the same as double of 10%. People are really shitty at trying to interpret risk stratification intuitively. The fact that both 0.013% and 0.025% are both ridiculously small risks to begin with means you're drastically underestimating the risk of driving a regular car with respect to something important, like, oh, I don't know, your life.

People die in fatal car accidents every day. In fact, 13 per 100,000 do. What makes you different/not susceptible to that?

You're not exactly groundbreaking with that stat. Anyone smart enough to get a driver's license knows that a car is one of the most dangerous places to be. The difference is that a car is necessary to my way of life. Of course I know the risk. Of course I'm susceptible to the risk. But there's a point where necessity and desire separate. I need a car to get to work so I can feed myself and pay for a roof over my head (inb4PublicTransportation). But I don't need that car to be a motorcycle.

You need to get to work. Assuming you're driving, that risk is already there. Why bother increasing it at all? And be honest, in any typical urban/suburban area, there's absolutely no way you're using that 0-60 acceleration on a regular basis. The only real scenario would be twice a day, when you merge onto the highway. And even then, I'd like to think you'd be more focused on not dying, rather than how fast your crotch rocket goes (and that's all assuming there is no rush hour traffic). And unless you're going on a highway, the commute to work's highest speed limit is probably 40-45. Which means stoplights. Which means, to use that acceleration, you have to be at the front of a red light line, which doesn't exactly happen every day.

My point is, it's very, very silly to take that sort of risk at all. A fender bender in cars is unlikely to hurt anyone. A fender bender in a car vs. a motorcycle could be straight-up fatal for a motorcyclist.

Soviet_Poland posted...

do you ever go skiing? Do you personally assess that you might die going boating with your friends?

A vast majority of people do not ski or go boating on a regular basis. You can't deny that. Using those is irrelevant compared to something done multiple times a day.

Soviet_Poland posted...

So WITHOUT controls, the rate of motorcycle fatalities is closer to 60/100,000 (contrasted with closer to 13/100,000 in cars). Take into account my "safe rider" population, a conservative estimate is 30/100,000. I think it's closer to 25, but we'll go with 30. 0.030% guys.

Two things

1.) You can't just take out dangerous motorcyclists while not taking out dangerous car drivers.

2.) I'd like to see some stats on injuries. Like I said, a fender bender will likely be inconsequential for two car drivers, but clipping a motorcyclist at 20mph can end in broken limbs or even paralysis.
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Do any of you riders wave to scooters/mopeds? They sometimes wave at me so I wave back to be polite, but I never initiate the wave.
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jackgunney posted...

Do any of you riders wave to scooters/mopeds? They sometimes wave at me so I wave back to be polite, but I never initiate the wave.

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous that you had to go out of your way to make sure you don't end up in a fatal accident?

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Muffinz0rz posted...

jackgunney posted...

Do any of you riders wave to scooters/mopeds? They sometimes wave at me so I wave back to be polite, but I never initiate the wave.

Muffinz0rz posted...

Is the "thrill" of riding a motorcycle really worth the risk of something so dangerous that you had to go out of your way to make sure you don't end up in a fatal accident?

Why are you still posting in this topic? You don't ride and you don't want to ride. Yes the risk is worth it in my opinion.
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jackgunney posted...

Yes the risk is worth it in my opinion.

Thank you for answering the question.

jackgunney posted...

You don't ride and you don't want to ride.

I never said either of those things.

jackgunney posted...

Why are you still posting in this topic?

Just giving my opinion.
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Behaviorism posted...

As a firefighter who has seen tons of motorcycle crashes, injuries and deaths, I will NEVER get one for myself

As someone who was rammed by a car at the highway and was left with a lifetime shoulder injury, I won't risk buying another.
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Not a rider, but bikers are generally good conversation. So tag.
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I think @Muffinz0rz should learn riding, just to expand his horizons, y'know? I never thought I'd enjoy it as much as I do and I haven't even properly learned yet

It's cool if he doesn't want to though, I respect that everything isn't for everyone

I mean, "it's not the years in your life, it's the life in your years"
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