Why is it that, some freak out about how dangerous riding motorcycles are.?

A lack of knowledge and irrational fear. When presented with the facts about motorcycle accidents and injuries they just don't believe you. My sister is one of them. It's like they all think you will surely get a head injury if you crash your bike. The number one injury in bike crashes is the shoulders, second is the arms, third is the feet.

I've been riding motorcycles for decades. But even to me, the idea of riding is really scary. It's scarier to think about than actually to do! If I plan a long trip, maybe a weekend ride with friends, I get all packed up the night before and then lie in bed thinking "This is crazy! 500 or 600 miles, over all kinds of roads, traveling as fast as 70 or 80 mph! I'll get killed for sure!" It's just hard to imagine, even though I've done it for so long.

Once I'm on the bike, though, I feel much better. I feel in control. I keep enough distance between myself and cars, etc. I end up having a really good time.

But people who don't ride, they only have that picture of flying through the air at 80 mph on two little 1" patches of rubber. You have to admit, it's scary to think about if you don't do it.

My last serious accident was in 1971. I broke a couple of teeth and I had to walk with a cane for a couple of months. Everyone asked what happened to me, and when I told them, everyone had some story about a friend or nephew or uncle who got killed on a motorcycle. I got tired of hearing them.

I wouldn't say cars are more dangerous to drive, but they certainly are the most dangerous thing for motorcycles.

It was beautiful here today, warm and sunny. I could have gone for a ride but I was busy. It's going to be like this all week though. 8^)

Its really a good point.

GENERALLY motorcyles arent the problem.

It's the LACK of rider skill, or DRIVER in the Car or SUV in the lane next to them.

I worked circuit courses for a while, and I will say, motorcycles can DEFINATELY be dangerous.

I routinely watched Advanced Class Riders crash and wreck EVERY day....so no matter how good you THINK you are, you're never a match for gravity and the other laws of nature.

But that's the problem....some dumbass thinks he's superman, does 60mph around a 25mph turn, next thing he knows, he's waking up in the hospital with his face shattered.

I've seen so many accidents on bikes RIGHT in front of me, I don't know if I could ever race someone while on a bike....it's just TOO easy to screw up.....one split second decision or lack or judgement and its all over.

And it's mainly stuff like THAT but on the streets, that gives motorcycles a bad name.

Naturally they ARE more dangerous for obvious reasons....900cc bike, rider maybe gets TOO routine with the bike, lets out the clutch alittle too quick or flinches his wrist ALITTLEBIT too much, and hes laying under his bike 1 second later.

I saw a guy almost do that RIGHT next to a dump truck at a 4 way intersection.....this dude LITERALLY almost got ****** tossed under a dumptruck AS it was taking off....

And this guy WASNT trying to show off, he was being completely respectfull,etc.....he just got SLIGHTLY distracted and looked down for a second, he looked up and the light was Green and TONS of traffic around, so he revved up and hes squiggling all over the lane, and almost lost control.

I was 2 cars behind him, i saw and heard it.

Im talking MAINLY about import motorcycles BTW....not Harleys or Cruisers.

I think most people freak out about motorcycles because instead of being on 4 wheels, you're on 2. A lot less stable compared to a car, and also on a motorcycle, if you do to have some nasty accident, you don't have a "protective cage" around you to shield some of that impact.

But regardless, I'm still going to get a motorcycle later on in life. I hate to be paying for that much just to get me around town or to work. The hell with paying for high gas prices on a minivan or truck. Anybody here remember those days when high gas prices were surging to 4-5-6 dollars a gallon here in the states? Screw that!

This a little off subject, but I wonder if no one considered motorcycles the least bit dangerous would as many people still want them. I know that sounds a little weird, but I think the idea of danger is what draws many to motorcycles and I think it certainly adds to the "cool factor". Many of us that have ridden most of our lives probably have forgotten what fascinated us about motorcycles in the first place. I know for me Evel and other dare devils not to mention racers like Roger D and the danger surrounding what they do was a big part of the appeal for me.

The unknown is always scary to most people and most people have never ridden a motorcycle. It just seems scary and unsafe to them. To them, its like doing a hundred mile per hour on the hood of their car. It just sounds unsafe. As for myself, I got my first Honda Q50 when I was six years old and I have been in the wind ever since. If I had a sixteen year old son who has never been on a motorcycle before that went out and bought a CBR900 and killed himself on it, I would probably try to find something besides ignorance to blame it on too. Just my guess.

Good point made and the same applies to horses. Horses injure lots of people every year. Canadian research showed that 40% of all livestock related deaths are cause by people either being kicked or falling off of a horse. Unlike motorcycles, people didn't want to ban horse riding after Christopher Reeve was paralyzed. Double standards it seems.

Hold on. I am still confused...you can't have sex on the back of a bike?

If you want to add to your statistics, remember that about 2/3 of all 'motorcycle' accidents are caused by inattentive people in 4 wheeled vehicles. They usually say, "I didn't see the motorcycle.'

People fear what they don't know. No matter what you are driving you take that chance of getting hurt. People just need to chill and not be so paranoid about things. You are right, people get hurt more in cars then on motorcycles. Hi Thor. How are you?

Mostly ignorance.