Took the day off yesterday and today. Rode up to North Conway NH yesterday and up Mount Washington today. 33* up there and 30 mph winds. It was brisk to say the least.. got 500 miles of therapy in those 2 days. Which I really needed... on the way home we got a text that my friend who went down last weekend..and has been in a coma for the last week...woke up...asked for a cigarette...hoping he has a positive recovery but it's still to soon to know.
Why ride street bikes?
- Thread starter Sigarms
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You had some great weather for it. Are the leaves starting to turn in the mountains yet?
:thumbsup:
atsah
Elite Member
WOW that's awesome..
He was along with you, on that ride...... my best wishes for a continued and smooth recovery :thumbsup:
Rgds, D.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
It is not about fear. It is about looking at the odds as well as realizing that other drivers on the road are a major killer of bike riders and the bike rider cannot control those drivers. I do things that most people would consider risky but the most dangerous thing I do is drive to work. The antics I see at least daily, if not multiple times per day, is scary and I am in big truck. No way in h...ll am I driving one of these small vehicles much less a motorcycle. It is not fear but recognizing risk.
A quick search shows that a motorcycle rider is over 26 times more likely to die in a crash than a car or truck. These are mile driven rates. That is not fear but facts. Now, my semi educated guess is that 2/3's to half of motorcycle deaths are self inflicted, but best case, bike riders are still about 9 times more likely to die on the road vs a car or truck I have to drive to work but putting my family at risk by a factor of 9, much less 26, is irrational.
A bike rider was killed yesterday in Durham when a car driver failed to yield the right of way. There is not squat a bike rider can do in these instances except get injured, some times maimed for life, or die.
Later,
Dan
MossRoad
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There were some comments about the age of those dying probably being young guys on crotch rockets. So I got to thinking, what's the average age of those dying on motorcycles.
Only thing I've found so far is this article. Some very interesting statistics. Give it a read. There's a lot of other stuff in there, too, that's of interest.
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812148
From the article:
"The 40-and-older age group made up 46 percent of motorcyclist killed in 2004 as compared to 55 percent of the motorcyclist killed in 2013. Over the 10-year period from 2004–2013, fatalities among the 40-and-older age group increased by 39 percent (from 1,854 to 2,580). In 2004, the average age of motorcycle riders killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes was 38, whereas in 2013 the average age was 42."
That means the older guys, 40 and up, make up 55 percent of the fatalities as of 2013.
Go figure.
Looking for updated data.
Only thing I've found so far is this article. Some very interesting statistics. Give it a read. There's a lot of other stuff in there, too, that's of interest.
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812148
From the article:
"The 40-and-older age group made up 46 percent of motorcyclist killed in 2004 as compared to 55 percent of the motorcyclist killed in 2013. Over the 10-year period from 2004–2013, fatalities among the 40-and-older age group increased by 39 percent (from 1,854 to 2,580). In 2004, the average age of motorcycle riders killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes was 38, whereas in 2013 the average age was 42."
That means the older guys, 40 and up, make up 55 percent of the fatalities as of 2013.
Go figure.
Looking for updated data.
2LaneCruzer
Super Member
My brother was a fireman in Albuquerque, and he was on the rescue team. His stories about cycle wrecks were very graphic, and not pretty...and often the fault of the rider...like the guy who was going too fast, tried to pass a car and clipped the rear bumper. To each his own; if you like the bikes, go for it. I'll try to look out for you best I can, but I would not allow my girls to get on a bike and they passed that philosophy down to their own kids. A Harley 165 with a rider on the back is not match for a Freightliner...as two of my co-workers found out.
Unfortunately a teenager does not have the physical and cognitive skills of a 40 year old.
Unfortunately a teenager does not have the physical and cognitive skills of a 40 year old.
MossRoad
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Man, there's all kinds of good stats in that article.
bike sizes
blood alcohol content
helmet useage...
"Helmets are estimated to be 37-percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41 percent for motorcycle passengers. In other words, for every 100 motorcycle riders killed in crashes while not wearing helmets, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets."
bike sizes
blood alcohol content
helmet useage...
"Helmets are estimated to be 37-percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41 percent for motorcycle passengers. In other words, for every 100 motorcycle riders killed in crashes while not wearing helmets, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets."