Motorcycle injury statistics look much better if you throw out four cases.
1) First ride on a borrowed bike
2) No motorcycle endorsement
3) No helmet
4) Some form of intoxication
All are within your control. The first 5k miles on the street will be the steepest learning cuve.
Learning full use of the front brake is helpfull also.
I hope you enjoy every ride as much as I do.
Jim

Agreed. Been riding bikes for 35+ years and had a few accidents. Some were my fault but the really dangerous incidents were caused by the people in cars trying to kill me. Drivers turning left in front of you, not seeing you and changing lanes and so on.

Drove a "fast mover" for many years and got rid of it a while back. Was without a bike for 9 months then bought an antique. Its fun to ride and fast enough to get me in trouble if needed.

You can ride and stay out of trouble. Just takes experience, luck, skill and someone watching over you...

Don't worry, Bob; we can help you learn.;)

Can't emphasise this enough. Back when I learned, it was typically done by just hopping on and trying to figure it out after some cursory instruction from a buddy. Classes were either few and far between or non-existant. It's a miracle any of us survived long enough to get proficient.

I'm watching my older brother go through this right now. He has been riding for almost three years now. He started out taking the MSF classes, then some additional training through his local dealer and HOG chapter. He started out only riding mid-day around his place, when there was little traffic. Then he started taking some longer day rides out in the country. He has been doing this "right", which has eased my fears a great deal.

This can be a safe sport, but one moment's innattention or one bad decision has ramifications so far beyond driving a car. In that car, you have 3000-4000 pounds of steel protecting you; on a bike, it's your sorry ass that is protecting several hundred pounds of steel...

unless you can do the JEDI mind trick on all the drivers around you, it will never be 100% safe.

but with good gear, proper training, and some simple rules you can definately stack the odds better in your favor. only time i crashed and mangled myself, i was riding like and idiot. still the other driver's fault, but i wasnt paying attention perfectly. i was acting the fool.

That's not a miracle. It's called Darwinism. ;)

No, there's no way to make motorcycling safe. Like others have said, you cannot control the inattention and carelessness of others around you. Every rider has got a story of some other buddy--who known as a safety guy--who is now dead from a motorcycling crash. If you look at the trauma statistics, you're anywhere from 10-25 times (depending on who you read) more likely to die, per mile ridden, on a bike than compared to in a car.

But if you're willing to accept those odds and get a bike, I wouldn't recommend a CBR600 as a first bike. A problem exists: as prospective motorcyclists, we're all romanced by the big Harley, top-of-the-line sportbike, high-flying dirtbike, etc. But our skill level is actually at that of some tinny-sounding entry level bike. None of us buy bikes because we need a bike. We buy them because we want a bike. So instead of being realistic and getting something that fits us, often we get what we want--which is too much for us to actually control. Sure there are guys out there who'll brag they bought a GSX-R1000 as a first bike, and have yet to drop it in xxxx miles of riding. But those'll be the guys getting passed by mopeds in anything other than a straight line.

If you can suck up your pride, and pass on the latest edition CBR600RR, you'll probably be better off for it in the long run. Even the F2 and F3 generations are more than enough for a newbie. But if you absolutely have to have a CBR, then those are the ones I'd suggest. Go price a set of plastics at the dealer and you'll see another reason why, too. Like 5axis recommended, a used SV650 is a great way to go. Inexpensive to purchase, no pricey fairings to get cracked up in those inevitable low-speed drops, easy enough to ride regarding weight and power delivery for a newbie, yet also fast enough (with mods) for serious club-level racers.

Most importantly, like everyone else has mentioned (for a reason), don't skip the MSF.

I too would recommend the SV650, but for some reason every new rider we have seen on this board has ignored the recommendation so I don't want to jinx it! ;)

I suggest getting a mid sized dual sport for a first bike and play with it off road before ever venturing on the street. They're cheap, made to be dropped, fairly light, and will teach you how to ride in less than ideal traction conditions. The offroad traing comes in handy when you come around a blind corner covered with gravel. Most of the top road racers started on dirt and are proficient at controlling slides. You can upgrade to a bigger street bike when you are ready.

Do the MSF course. And AGATT.

I got back into riding exactly a year ago after 15 yrs. away from it. I have put 7k miles on my BMW's R1150R and R1200GS in that time. Had a few close calls, none my fault, but then on a bike, you need to assume responsibility for everyone else's mistakes because you are the one who will suffer the most for them. I think the MSF course was woefully inadequate and I was the only one in the class who got a perfect score on my road test. A week later I bought the R1150R in NJ and rode it home to VA. I was terrified. Now I never miss a chance to take the bike wherever I can. I've done one 250 mile trip at night and I think 400 miles was my longest day so far. I hope to ride to AZ when I move there in Jan.

Yes, you can ride smart. No, it is not "safe."

I'm starting very, very small. Vintage Vespa scooter.

Just riding on familiar roads, not at night, not (much) in rain, not in heavy/fast traffic, only when I'm feeling alert, always wearing protective gear, etc.

I'll only upgrade to a real motorcycle if I've "earned" it after a year of safe riding, learned good habits, not doing stupid things, etc.

Great response, and is why I don't anymore either...

My first bike was a '72 Honda CB 200, which my brother bought for $25. We took it apart and put it back together again while our Dad went on vacation with his then girlfriend. It was alot of fun. I had only a few close calls, but the worst was when I did go too fast around a turn and ran off the road. Getting an older bike like that will help you appreciate almost anything newer. I rode an early 80's BMW bike after that and it was soo smooth and powerful. I can only image how nice the newer bikes are now...

Yes, you can ride smart, but motorcycling is inherently dangerous, so don't do it unless you can a) accept the risk and b) accept that you need to ride prepared for anything. This means all the gear, all the time-not just pants and a jacket, but real boots, real leathers with armor, real gloves etc. I'm at the point now where I wear a CE certified level 2 back protector most of the time.

Someone upthread said it well-motorcycling is a sport, and like any sport, it requires some study and has a learning curve.

I consider myself a very safe rider - over 50,000 miles riden in and around SoCal traffic with only one minor incident. I will say this - you can be the safest, most aware rider out there and there can STILL be a situation that comes up where you're doomed. When you get on a bike you inherently put certain things out of your control. If that's an acceptable risk and you do everything you can to minimize those "beyond your control" elements from getting the best of you, you'll generally be fine. It's simple risk management.

Remember the two most important rules.
1) You are invisible.
2) Everyone out there IS trying to kill you.

I wear an Olympia flourescent green/yellow jacket and all the proper other gear, LED brake light, reflective tape on the backs of my bags, etc. I find that most cagers try to be a little more courteous to me than when I'm in the 993. But riding a bike, it's amazing what else you see out there - women putting make up on, reading the newpaper, texting, even saw a guy eating a bowl of cereal - all on my morning commute.

and to make a point..this snipped comment by Rick illustrates the kind of awareness you need to ride a bike. If you're not seeing stuff like this, you are not paying enough attention.

Start small, go slowly and if possible do some dirt riding first.

:) I bought a vespa, this way I know for sure I can't go that fast... and just ride around the neighborhood for fun...

be careful out there... fast bikes can be dangerous for first time riders..

Crashing (once..or more) is an accepted part of motorcycle riding.
I did, both my brothers have and virtually everyone I know who rides has dropped it once.
One of those things. There are more dangerous things in life.

My take on it
 

I had a few bikes over the last 18years. Really crappy ones and lately better ones.

You should just understand that it takes time to become a good rider. This time you have to be very careful!

A few things will protect you:

- Personality: make sure you are a responsible person that values physical integrity. Don't let your competitive side take control!

- Bike: get something fun and cool! No sports bike I'd say, cause they are just too demanding with regards to precision - even the smaller ones.
Get a Supermoto - they are amazing fun, cool, forgiving and when you get good at it, you'll kick quite some literbikes' ass in windy turns. They'll make you a good rider! (this is an excellent forum to get some idea: www.supermotojunkie.com)
If you have any sense of performance - like being a good rider - don't get a Harley.

- Equipment - get good stuff. And please some very good boots - I have seen too much badly injured feet/ankles - remember, most of the time it will be wrist and/or ankle. Forget the open helmet thing - last year a buddy of mine fell with an open face helmet and broke his jar 4 times. His face wasn't pretty either!

SPEED COMES WITH SMOOTHNESS
NEVER LOOSE YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT



And look how good my Husqvarna Supermoto looks next to my 911 (and don't I look happy?) ;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1192589517.jpg

i have quite a bit of fun tooling around the neighborhood on a '66 Honda 50. Even have to shift (no clutch lever but still more fun than an auto).

the call of big bikes is strong but i continue to resist. vintage stuff would surely be a blast to play with on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

To make it safer just play in the dirt or off the road on race tracks. I have been riding on the dirt for about 30 years and rode my bike to work for about 2 months. Nearly got killed about 4 times on the road and just a few bumps, bruises and sprains from the dirt. You generally go slower and often whatever you hit is softer than road ashpalt or a truck!

A whole new set of risks occur once cars and other 1.5 tonne metal objects you do not have any control over are bought into play. If you must ride on the road do a safety course (I did not) as some of my friends tell me they teach you things you would not normally think of.

If you do go onto the road be defensive out there.