When I told my parents I wanted to ride a bike when I grew up they told me that I will have an accident, lol and that every biker has at leastonecrash. Is this true or if you are sensibleall the time will you never have one?

 

Well they saying goes, there are two types of riders. Those they have gone down and those who will.

It's not really true, but the odds are you will crash some time or another. Especially if you ride a lot.
Too many cage drivers just don't see bikes.

Now I don't count crashing while dirt bike riding. That's just a given. But on the street I've only crashed
once. Last April I went down. Nobody's fault, just a freak accident. Hit something slick going into a turn
and the bike slid around and I hi sided. Anyway, my first wreck after riding for 30 years. I've been riding
since I was 15, with a little break through the 90's.

All I can say, and most everyone here will agree, take the MSF course, start out on a bike that is easy for you
to ride. Don't go out and buy the best, baddest, fastest R1GXSRZX10 on the block. Get something a few years
old. Don't need new right now. When it falls over, and it will, it won't hurt so much to fix.

Ride like you are invisible. Make sure you get out of cars blind spots. Do what you can to be seen.

I hope this helps you and your parent decision.

 

cool, thanks for the advice I was hoping to start out on a 125 bc I can't ride anything bigger till im 21. Do u know if they do the MSF course in the UK, if not could you describe it so I can see if theres anything similar.

Thanks alot

 

I agree that during some point of your riding career, you will go down. I have not yet, and don't really look forward to that day, but I'm sure it will eventually happen. The best thing you can do is dress for the crash. i.e., wearing a good jacket, boots, pants, helmet, and gloves. Someday all that gear will save your skin, and maybe even your life.

 

thanks marki'll definatelyinvest in some quality gear. Someone I know had an accident only on a 50 andbroke his collarbone and that looked painfulenough.

 

I did, once on everybike cept for my Buell. Nothing serious cept one time on the DC beltway. I was on TV! hit and run by a 16 yo kid who was joyriding in mommy's car. He hit my rear tire and kept on coming. He was caught two hours later when a DC metro cop stopped him cause a motorcycle license plate was sticking out of the grill. HA!

 

^^^wow!^^^ sounds pretty wild!

 

MSF, Motorcycle Safety Foundation is basically a rider school. They teach you like you know nothing about motorcycles. The very basics. I'm sure you can find something of the sort in the UK.

Personally, I wish the states would do the tiered licence sytem like Europe does. As it is here, anybody can go into a shop and buy the latest R1GXSRZX10 without any experience. The dealerships are more than willing to sell the lastest R1GXSRZX10 because they want to get the sale. I think the newbie needs to start small and work his or her way up.

JMHO.

 

im sure most will have a few close calls. i wont ever go down ive got moto gp style skills.

 

Well the truth is, you have to ride for everyone on the road, if you catch my drift.Very few car drivers actually look out for bikes. and as Mark said, dress for an accident. I learned this the hard way. I have just turned 19, and have been riding 2 years, and i have had 2 accidents, and so many close calls i cant count them. Just be careful, and ride to your ability, not the bikes ability. I also agree with KevyzToyz, in that i believe all riders should start small, and work their way up slowly.

Also, HickTown, That is not the attitude to be riding with. Experience cant necessarily stop people from screwing it up for you. You might have skills beyond other bikers, but that attitude will most likely get you in an accident.