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24 Posts
I hope I don't get hammered for posting this here, but I think I could use some logical talk. It's been about 15 years since I've ridden - and that was much younger college age years when I was afraid of nothing. I rode sport bikes mostly (like a bat out of hell) - and luckily lived to tell about it with no serious crashes. The few drops I did have were results of my doing some really dumb things.
Most all my life I've done something fairly extreme on 2 wheels starting with BMX, motocross, then sport bikes. I've taken the MSF Beginner's course and consider myself quite competent on a bike. I consider myself a very good driver with no accidents (knock on wood), hates unattentive drivers, yada yada yada. I consider myself to be a much better than average motorist.
Well - recently I got the itch for a bike and finally pulled the trigger on a Fat Boy - and now I've got myself all friggin scared! I'm sure many of you know the drill - they hear you are getting a bike and here come the damn horror stories... A guy in my office who had a nasty crash 30 years ago reminds me on an hourly basis that "i'm going to die" because of his crash, my father remembering a guy from my high school years who died on a bike at age 16, the neighbor who knew a guy who will never be the same... on and on. Unfortunately it's taking its toll on me!
I'd like to ask you all with semi-modern, real world, day to day experience what you'd say to me? Am I nuts or being a pansie? I live on the edge of town and for the most part would ride my bike on the country roads only... I'd never use it to commute or ride in heavy traffic of any sort. I'd ride on perfect riding days only. Full gear (yup - even a full faced helmet), responsibly, stone cold sober. I'd even take another riders course with the new bike just to freshen up.
What are the harsh truths and untruths for riders like me? I've spent the last 2 days reading report after report of crash and death statistics and while I do not want to be bliss, I must say there's a long list of "rider types" that frankly I feel I have better odds. I'd appreciate any input.
Most all my life I've done something fairly extreme on 2 wheels starting with BMX, motocross, then sport bikes. I've taken the MSF Beginner's course and consider myself quite competent on a bike. I consider myself a very good driver with no accidents (knock on wood), hates unattentive drivers, yada yada yada. I consider myself to be a much better than average motorist.
Well - recently I got the itch for a bike and finally pulled the trigger on a Fat Boy - and now I've got myself all friggin scared! I'm sure many of you know the drill - they hear you are getting a bike and here come the damn horror stories... A guy in my office who had a nasty crash 30 years ago reminds me on an hourly basis that "i'm going to die" because of his crash, my father remembering a guy from my high school years who died on a bike at age 16, the neighbor who knew a guy who will never be the same... on and on. Unfortunately it's taking its toll on me!
I'd like to ask you all with semi-modern, real world, day to day experience what you'd say to me? Am I nuts or being a pansie? I live on the edge of town and for the most part would ride my bike on the country roads only... I'd never use it to commute or ride in heavy traffic of any sort. I'd ride on perfect riding days only. Full gear (yup - even a full faced helmet), responsibly, stone cold sober. I'd even take another riders course with the new bike just to freshen up.
What are the harsh truths and untruths for riders like me? I've spent the last 2 days reading report after report of crash and death statistics and while I do not want to be bliss, I must say there's a long list of "rider types" that frankly I feel I have better odds. I'd appreciate any input.