I ve never been into motorcycles,or even ridden one but I recently inherited one and have been warming up to the idea of riding it. Although I have a new found interest in motorcycles i m still a little skeptical about riding one. Is all the hype about motorcycles being death traps true? Or is it just as safe as riding a car if done carefully? I know anything is possible but getting some advice from real motorcycle riders would help me out. The bike is a 1974 Honda cb550 and has 50 horsepower. Also, i m in the Los Angeles area if that makes a difference. I ve never ridden a motorcycle, but I for sure plan on getting lessons, protective gear, etc.
Is all the hype about motorcycles being death traps true? No. Or is it just as safe as riding a car if done carefully? No. Motorcycles aren't death traps, but they are dangerous. No matter how careful you are, you can get into a car wreck. Same goes for bikes, except a bike wreck can also kill you. Some of the safest riders, like Lawrence Grodsky, have been killed in accidents that they couldn't have avoided and that would have been safe in a car. That being said, per mile, you are more likely to get into a wreck on a bicycle or walking down the street than on a motorcycle. I don't think the danger of motorcycle riding outweighs the awesomeness of motorcycle riding. I take risks every day. Motorcycle riding is just one more.
Only for the stupid, or the reckless. Some words of advice for a young man with short road experience in a pretty dangerous area: Start with getting licensed, and for you that means the CMSP rider's course. www.chp.ca /programs-services. Park the antique, ride a more modern bike until you gain some skill. That's not meant to be derogatory in any way. The suspension, handling and drum brakes are not up to what every cager rolls in today. (it's why I no longer drive my '71 International) Riding in traffic requires 360 degree awareness at ALL times - you do not get to look at the pretty girl on the sidewalk. Cagers rely on insurance to cover their responsibility. You must rely only upon yourself. Insurance may pay to repairbut neither motorcycles nor humans are the same afterwards. Fixed aint original.
I've been riding since the Johnson administration (that's Lyndon Johnson, not Andrew). I had one serious accident back in 1971, and it taught me to be paranoid of idiots in cars--not to assume they see me, not to assume what they're going to do, just stay out of their way. And that has kept me safe all these years! Statistically you are more likely to get in an accident per mile traveled on a bike than in a car. And of course when you do the consequences are more severe. But, well first of all, I think young guys on hot sportbikes skew the statistics. Secondly, something like half of all motorcycle accidents in involve alcohol or drugs, or some other totally controllable factor. Look at 'motorcycle fails' on YouTube. You'll see that in about 70-80% of accidents it's the motorcyclist who did something wrong, and usually something really stupid! Take the MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation--you find them through the DMV). They don't teach you to ride, they teach you some important safety habits to keep you relatively safe while you learn. If you ride safely, not full-throttle all the time, if you don't take stupid chances and do wheelies and stunts, you're already a lot safer!
