Controversial Opinion: Motorcycles Aren’t All That Dangerous

Here's why and some advice from my twenty-five years on the road. Ride long and prosper!

Full disclosure and background

I’m a European motorcyclist and have been riding since I was fourteen. I have never had a severe accident, either with a car or with a motorcycle, and I’ve always spent a lot of time on the road. I’m also not a slow rider in general, and I had a turbulent transition into adulthood that even I wonder how I survived. I must have accumulated about a million kilometers by now. I also grew up with many motorcycle friends, and my whole family rides heavy motorbikes. All without a serious accident, all still in one peace, all still alive. I don’t count fender benders and slips with hardly anything to show for it in this statistic. All of us also have families and still ride when we can. My preferred form of travel is on the back of a motorcycle. 

Is this a miracle? Do I have a guardian angel with superpowers? How can this be?

Looking toward the south and east, we notice that people generally use motorcycles a lot more often than we do. Climate, affordability, and traffic all attribute to this factor. Then we must acknowledge that almost none of them have any protection to speak of and ride their four kids on mopeds daily, in absolute lawless chaos-filled roads, and things become interesting. In the meantime, I can’t drive my baby girl to kindergarten without her specialized and approved seat in my car.

To be honest, I don’t have all the traffic accident data, but somehow, I doubt every other motorcyclist dies in those countries, despite there being absolute chaos on the roads and them having completely technically inadequate motorcycles and gear.

But how is this possible? They should all have been dead by now! Right? Well…

Motorcycles are dangerous is a similar topic to “guns are dangerous.” Sure, in the wrong hands, they are. As are knives, hammers, cars, trucks, hot water, saws, roller blades, bicycles, and just about anything one can use in a stupid self or other harming way. Hint - guns don’t kill people, and neither do motorcycles. They are both just tools. Tools that people use in various ways. In reality, the topic is screamed chiefly about by people who don’t know anything about or like either guns or motorcycles. The opposite of “experts.”

Bicycles are more hazardous than motorcycles.

In the summer, we like to drive our bicycles, the three of us, and I have to admit, I feel like an endangered species on a bike with my little girl behind me. I feel a million times safer on a motorcycle, any motorcycle, in any situation. You laugh because you don’t understand. Perhaps you believe that motorcycles have a will of their own, and as soon as you sit on one, you’re flying at 200 km/h and are playing Russian Roulette with your life. Let me help you with this.

When riding my bicycle, I’m the slowest and most exposed participant on the road. Everyone is faster and stronger than me. This means that I am an obstacle everyone must avoid and overcome. I’m at the mercy of other drivers. A position I despise on account of decades of experience. You all suck as drivers, look at your phones more than on the road, and think drinking and driving is a fun game. There is practically nothing I can do except make myself as visible as possible to ensure my safety. I have no control. Therefore, I feel endangered and very unsafe.

When I ride my motorcycle, I’m the one in control. 

Not of everything, sure, but of the immediate surroundings. Who I overtake, how fast I ride, and in 99.99% of anything that can go wrong, I can be the one who prevents it by being extra careful, prepared, and skilled. I am the master of my destiny, not an obstacle pissing everyone off as he cycles snail-paced on the road. 

I can be an idiot and abuse that power. 

Many people do. I can ride like a bat out of hell, search for my limits, tempt my fate, unleash my frustration through my bike, and overtake trucks in blind corners, to mention just a few, or I can be smart about it. I can slow down, take a few more precautions, and follow my number one rule when riding motorcycles.

The margin of safety

I enjoy speed and taking corners with as much speed as my inner wimp will allow, but I always account for some extra percentage I call a safety net. Yes, it’s a bit less fun, a few kilometers slower, and a few percentages less lean, but it will ensure I get home in one piece and get to do it all over again tomorrow. Perhaps fewer smiles per mile, but a heck of a lot more miles with smiles!

Motorcycles aren’t the problem.

They never are. It’s the riders who are at fault. Yes, bad things can and do happen, but most can be avoided by being smart. Yes, people will drive ahead of you out of the blue from time to time. Yes, there will be surprises around the corner. It’s life. Inherently unpredictable and ever-changing. Shit happens to everyone.

There’s no point blaming the world for being as it is, nor does it do anyone any good to pretend it isn’t so. Consider it, prepare to the best of your abilities, and have the longevity of riding as your priority over momentary pleasures, and you’ll be just fine. 

If you’re arguing with me in your head about this point, think of it this way.

• If I ride my motorcycle like you ride your bicycle, who is safer?

• If I ride my motorcycle in the same manner and speed as a regular car, what is causing this additional danger factor you’re dreaming up?

• Where's the danger coming from if I ride behind a large truck in front of me, way below the speed limit? 

As you can see, the motorcycle is not the issue. It’s the rider.

By the way, I can be an idiot rider on a bicycle, scooter, or car (and have been, unfortunately). If I drive my car like my motorcycle, the chances of something terrible happening on the road are about equal.

Yes, but you're protected by a steel cage, seat belts, and airbags!

True, but I am wearing protective gear worthy of a seasoned royal knight, and I’m incomparably more nimble, so there’s that. Do you know how much the things above help at, say, 100 km/h? For example, a head-on collision or a fly off the road into a chasm? Zero! All of those are only effective until about 50 km/h. After that, your inner organs turn to soup upon a sudden stop. At the speeds you’re usually driving, you and I are both equally dead should something terrible happen. 

I suggest focusing on what you control - the active part. 

Don’t get into an accident by being in top shape, focused, equipped, and by slowing down. Here are some of my rules for safe riding. Steal them, write them on your helmet, or tattoo them on your forehead. 

Rule number 1: Always remember that people are blind, unfocused idiots and assume they are trying to kill you at every moment. 

Considering this fact, I always expect the worst around every corner and from every road user I encounter. I’m continuously checking to meet their eyes, to be sure they see me. Are they checking their mirrors? Do they acknowledge I have the right of way? Are they going to stop at the lights? What can I do if they open their doors suddenly as I ride past? 

I monitor their behavior, and if anything is even slightly off, I either back off the throttle and hug the brake or accelerate past the wandering idiot. Again, I have options. I’m in control. On a bicycle, that same wandering idiot is usually behind me and has to complete the unbelievably difficult maneuver of overtaking me without running me off the road. 

Rule number 2: Never allow thoughts of an accident to enter your mind! Block, reject, deny! Clear your mind!

Whenever I sit on my motorcycle, I always visualize coming back in one piece, happy, tired, but joyful. And I always do. Fear is a powerful magnet, dear friends. The things you fear and think about the most are the things that are going to come visiting into your experience. 

I’ve had a few friends who admitted they got afraid of riding their motorcycle and sure enough, it never took longer than a few weeks before they were involved in an accident. Nothing serious, luckily, but don’t let those thoughts enter your mind. Take this literally and with absolute dedication! No reading news, no watching pictures, no visualizing falling. If you feel scared, stay home! If you’re frightened when riding, practice in a safe environment. 

Rule number 3: Never ride when mentally or physically compromised.

This includes being tired, sick, drunk, or emotionally compromised. Don’t even look at your motorcycle after your girlfriend has left you. Don’t drink and drive. One beer won’t kill you, but anything more adds unnecessary risk to the equation. If you’re angry, the road is not the place to release your frustrations! 

Realize that you're not the same rider after a long pause in riding. Every spring, start slow. If you’re not 100%, avoid riding entirely, but if you must, take account of it and slow down, increase your safety distance, and so on. 

Rule number 4: Always ensure your motorcycle and gear are in perfect condition.

You’d be surprised how many things can go wrong if your bike or gear isn’t perfect. Check the tires, chain, brakes, and lights. Make a visual inspection of your motorcycle before every ride. It takes only a minute, but it can prevent some very unpleasant consequences down the road. 

Also, don’t ride without your protective gear. The bare minimum is a helmet, motorcycle jacket, boots, gloves, and pants. I feel naked riding without just one of these and overly exposed. Even a silly little drop in place can cause a lot of damage to your skin and bones if you’re not protected. You know, like on a bicycle.

Rule number 5: Leave the ego behind and be fully present and focused on the ride.

This is especially important when riding with friends. We all like a little competition, but the road is not the place for that. In a group, the fastest rider rides last because he has the most catching up to do and will have to be fastest in any overtaking scenario. The newest riders ride in the middle, protected by more experienced riders from all sides. Speed should always be adapted to the weakest link among you, not the fastest! You’ll live if you’re a bit bored. They won’t if they push beyond their limits. Keep each other safe. Ego is the enemy!

Focus on the road and what you’re doing at all times. Observe your surroundings, the state of the road, signs, speed limits, and other drivers. I always check how much grip the road has when I’m in doubt (by sliding my boots on the asphalt or braking hard). If the road or your tires are cold or wet, slow the hell down. If you’re riding on an open road in the evening, be weary of wildlife. If riding in a busy city, expect the unexpected from cars, buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and eco-warriors trying to save a single penguin by jumping in front of your wheels. Stay focused on the road!

Also, keep in mind the limits of your motorcycle and your own skills. Exhilaration is not fear. If you’re afraid of riding the speed you’re traveling with, slow down! If you’re in doubt in any regard, slow down. If you’re unsure of the conditions of the road, slow down. You get the point.

Did you know that most heavy accidents happen within two kilometers of your home? 

That’s when we’re most careless. As we believe we know the road, we feel familiar and are at our most courageous. We don’t ride fully protected, and we push our limits carelessly. It’s also where all the weekend warriors, who aren’t all that skilled or practiced, ride. 

I often ride on unfamiliar roads and conditions in foreign countries; believe it or not, that is when I feel safest. I’m calm, careful, and especially aware that I’m not on my home turf. Even the slightest mistakes would be a headache to remedy, as I’m all alone.

To conclude, motorcycles are no more or less dangerous than any other form of individual transport. Bad things can happen to you on a bicycle, in a car, or on a motorbike. If you encounter many close calls on the road, stop blaming others, but look within. 

I used to flirt with Mrs Death on every ride when I was a young idiot. Always too fast, always too brave, always too confident. Pushing the limits, stroking my ego. I am older now, hardly ever encounter problematic situations, and I ride ten times more than I used to. Faster, too, ironically. Skills and experience are something you can only get with time. Give yourself enough time to get there, and you’ll be riding long into your old age. 

I plan to be one of those old bikers who must be removed from their steel horses with a fork, as they refuse to stop riding long into their nineties! I read about a 94-year-old biker from Switzerland. He went to the Croatian coast (about a thousand miles) for holidays with his old Moto Guzzi each year. He said that the moment he can’t ride anymore, they can just bury him in a coffin! I tend to agree.

In short, it’s not the tool. It’s the user. Stay safe out there, but don’t let fears stop you from living your life. Adventure is always a bit scary as you venture into the unknown, especially on a motorcycle. That’s what makes it so exciting and rewarding. 

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