Questions for Motorcyclists

[deanp]

I always had dirt bikes and ATV's growing up and have some limited street bike experience. Street bikes have always interested me, but I knew I wasn't ready for one. I am at the point where I am smart enought to behave on a street bike and am giving serious thought to picking one up for commuting 72 miles round trip for work. I have the option of secondary roads or highway with little difference in time or distance.

To those that ride frequently -

How frequently are you 'not seen' and have to take emergency action to avoid a collision with another driver? Stories?

[Rot 911]

Always assume all drivers are just waiting to kill you and ride accordingly. Before you buy a bike take a motorcycle safety course.

[id10t]

I dont' ride although I'd like to learn how... only on a closed track for me! I've had 6 friends killed or darn-near-shoulda-been-dead-but-for-the-grace-of-god nearly killed on their bikes. In *every* case, it was always the idiot in the car's fault.

[71T Targa]

Every time I ride. No real stories, but I always assume that the driver doesn't see me and I am usually right.

[RickM]

Unlike driving a car...you must always be a defensive, aware, proactive and alert rider.

If your state offers MC driver's ed to secure your license do yourself a favor and take it.

[legion]

I pay attention to motorcycles because I know other drivers do not. I've seen them nearly run off the road (usually by tall SUVs) about a dozen times in the last 3-4 years, usually in the Chicago area.

Coincidentally, I've almost been run of the road by tall SUVs twice when driving my 951--both times in the Chicago area.

[wcc]

I never had a problem. But I watch others like a hawk. I don't "look" at others but I DO look at there tires at cross streets etc. If those wheels start moving you know they didn't see you even if they are looking your way. Anyways, use the Highway cause there are fewer conflict points therefore reducing the chances of not being seen ultimately lowering your chance of an accident with another vehicle.

On a side note I'm a BIG fan of bright colors. I have a speed yellow Duc and wear a bright orange (construction color) reflective vest most of the time. I do have a black helmet but I'm planning on getting something different this year.

Bottom line is ride like everyone is trying to run you over.

[vash]

i once had a truck drop a round tube, maybe 3" in diameter in front of me on the freeway. talk about puckered. mountian biking skill took affect (at least that is what i tell myself) and i unweighted the bike over it. i was going maybe 65.

then i had some jackass, pull an illegal u-turn in front of me. i let him know i was there by sticking my leg inbetween his steel bumper and car body, and ripping the bumper off! that showed him! i managed to park the bike by dropping it on myself on the side of my non functioning leg. why it couldnt go on the good side, and kickstand side eludes me. when i got to the hospital, the doctor said, "if you were a horse, i would have to shoot you".

things are scary on a bike. never ever check out a hot chick and rear end a car. the girl will point and laugh. having said all of this, i am bike shopping. fuel prices are crazy.

[MotoSook]

It should be mandatory these days for potential riders to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's new rider course.

http://www.msf-usa.org/

[wcc]

Buying a bike to save gas money doesn't make sense to me. By the time you buy the bike, pay the taxes, insurance, helmet, clothes, boots, maintenance, gas, etc. It will take years to recoup that investment. It'll work, but it could take 5-10 years before you'd start to see any savings. Then at that it isn't that much.

Lets just say for argument sake you spend a GRAND TOTAL of $10000 on the bike, equipment, license, insurance, taxes, gas etc. Basically, every thing to get you on the road. At $3 a gal that is 3333 gallons of gas. Lets say your car takes 20 gallons a week you'll go 167 weeks which is more than 3 years just to break even. That is riding your motorcycle EVERY day. So what about the day it rains, or when it's cold out, or when you just don't feel like it, well your 3+ years just went to 5+ years very quickly. I didn't even throw in there the gas for the bike or ANY maintenance or accessories for the bike. That could stretch it out to 7-10 years easily. By that time you'll probably want a larger bike which starts this cycle all over again. You may actually NEVER recoup the costs. Just something to think about.

Now given the distance you have to drive and if you car/suv is a gas hog, then maybe you could recoup the costs quicker. Even at that I'd be surprised if you still see ANY savings before 5yrs. IMO.

[vash]

ok, that and the splitting lanes thing.

you live in michigan, you wouldnt understand.

[Drago]

The two hicks in the beater pickup that saw me at the last freakin' second were enough for me to sell my old GS1100E.

Just assume they're all out to kill you and you'll be fine.

That said, I'd love a BMW R1150GS in blue and white please.

I'd even be willing to ride with JH and the chromosexual set, if they'd have me.

[wcc]

I never split lanes and honestly I don't think I would ever do it. It just looks too dangerous, for me. I don't even know if that is legal here but either way I'm not going to do it. Personally, I'd find another route or move where there isn't as much traffic. But that's me.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally posted by Kurt V
Always assume all drivers are just waiting to kill you and ride accordingly. Before you buy a bike take a motorcycle safety course.

+1.

I have at least one "holy *****" moment every day I commute. You get used to it after a while.

[fastpat]

Originally posted by phred68
Every time I ride. No real stories, but I always assume that the driver doesn't see me and I am usually right.

Yep, ride like that; but do take the MSF safety course first. It will lower your insurance rates, then take their advanced course later after you meet the experience requirement.

I'd also recommend Keith Code's books. They're explanation of motorcycle dynamics is second to none.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

I've heard the MSF course isn't as good as what it used to be. I still recommend it but I'm thinking about taking it again to see if the rumors are true.

[tobster1911]

I have been riding for about six years and have never droped any of my street bikes. Been down plenty on the dirt bike of course. I have had a few close calls but like everyone has said, the risk is poportional to your attentiveness.

There are sometimes that there is nothing you can do (happened to my brother), but MOST of the times you can avoid an accident by being hyper-alert.

Someone mentioned this but I will say it again. WATCH THE VEHICLES not the people. By watching the vehicles you will know thier intentions almost before they know themselves.I don't know how many times I have seen that a car was going to make a lane change (into me) by the fact that the car starts to drift to the center line. You can spot this before they even start their move.

The responsiveness of a bike makes it very easy to get out of potential problems if you act and act fast.

As for the gas savings, if this is your only reason don't bother. But if you enjoy motorcycles it does help. It can lower your gas bill in the nice months I can get well over 40mpg in town.

[Overpaid Slacker]

"I am at the point where I am smart enought[sic] to behave on a street bike..." Wow... you must be ooooollld. Riding as I do, I'll never live long enough to be that smart.

Cagers are out to kill you. The blithe oblivion with which people "pilot" thousands of pounds of automobile is never more evident than when you're on a bike. I'd say that conservatively 45% of the folks on the road have no business driving. And you'll find all of them over the course of a few months riding. More so than getting into an accident in which I'm hurt, I'm afraid of getting into an accident in which I'm not seriously hurt and then slaughtering the pinhead that could've killed me, right there on the side of the road.

I second the hi-viz comment, and there are gizmos you can get to modulate your headlight during the daytime (from high to low to high, etc) to help your visibility, and to make your brake lights flash quickly a few times when you start to brake.

Personally, I find that Buicks are the most dangerous vehicles on the road; given the demographic that owns them, probably. Kia's are a close 2nd... and then EVERY single SUV comes in 3rd.

Here's a story from a week ago. Since moving back to the 'Cuse, I've become an EMT and working toward a paramedic ticket. We get toned out on a diabetic emergency just down the road; a 67y/o gentleman with a known history of diabetes had, while driving his Jeep Cherokee, gone severely hypoglycemic (in the 30's) and sideswiped his jeep along a guard rail. He had pulled into some random driveway and a samaritan blocked him in until the police showed up. When we arrived, this guy was stuporous. After a couple of oral glucose, his sugar came up and he was "normal" with no recollection of what had happened (which is pretty typical for diabetics).

The police officer on scene (whom I know and who is also a paramedic) recommended to this guy that he NOT get a report written up for the damage b/c they'd have to put on the report that it was diabetic/medical related and then he'd have to go to his insurance company and/or the DMV and prove why he should still be driving.

To me, that would be a GOOD ****ING THING, frankly. This guy can't control his blood sugar and has a license? Are you G_DD_MN KIDDING ME?!?

Did I say something to the cop? No. Not yet. I will, but that was not the time/place to do so. I like this cop and I don't want to start any inter-departmental strife; however, the Police Chief is a family friend for years, so I might have a discussion with him about it on a no-names basis.

The paramedic with me on that call is diabetic and a motorcyclist ... so I asked him if, as a diabetic, he was OK with somebody who is obviously not careful about their blood sugar not having to face any consequences for it ... unless or until such person kills someone (who could quite possibly be a motorcyclist). "No," he said, "absolutely not. He could've easily killed me or you or anybody else. He should have his license pulled." A-freaking-men.

Long and short of it is, whether it's DWI, DWA, Nonagenarians, Soccermoms or the chemically imbalanced (due to their own "fault" or not) EVERYBODY out there is a menace.

JP

[MotoSook]

I had a thought this morning as I was riding to work.

Could you prosecute a driver for attempted murder when they cause an accident involving a motorcyclist. Hmmmmm

Could the same thinking be applied to pedestrians who are hit by a vehicle.


See where I'm going with this?


Regardless, as a rider, your main task when on the bike is to minimize risk. Minimize......you will never eliminate risk, on two wheels or 4-wheels. So you minimize.

Thinking of yourself as a constant target is a good start, then start to minimize risk. Leave yourself a window of escape. Make yourself visible (I ride with my high beams on during the day, I also make sudden movements within my lane space when coming to an intersection to attract the attention of drivers at the intersection....just a couple of examples).

[BlueSkyJaunte]

It's called vehicular homocide, isn't it?

The ones you really gotta worry about are vehicular sodomy.