How dangerous are sport bikes really?

[nyk438]

Just gettin some of your well respected thoughts on this, because I know some of you guys have bikes as well as cobras. I'm turning 18 in a few months and would love to learn how to ride a bike and eventually own one as a daily drive. Just wondering but how dangerous are they really? I mean if you drive them responsibly and only do your racing at the track how bad are they? :shrug:


Just curious, b/c bikes are cheaper than cars and can easily feed my addiction to speed :beer:

 

[RRTX]

I've known 3 super experienced riders that have died in bike accidents so far this year. Only one was due to the way he was riding at the time, the other 2 happened due to the carelessness of drivers around them. Also, bikes may be cheaper than cars but for an 18 year old the insurance will kill you.

 

[03DOHC]

Bike's aren't necessarily dangerous. Other people make riding a bike dangerous, along with immaturity and inexperience.

My first motorcycle was a Suzuki GS-1150E. I had 3 bikes. Two GS-1150E's and a GS-550E. Never laid any of them down. Got clipped by a car mirror, which the driver did on purpose, but that's about it.

 

[CrazyCanuk]

Well they are lots of fun..... but hurt allot when you go down....

I had a 01 gixxer gsxr 1000.... very nice very fast.... I was on my way home and got ran off the off ramp.... concussion... lots of bruses.... but other than that I was really lucky....

If you do get a bike get good gear... Arai/shoei (always spell these wrong) helmet.... alpinstar gp+ gloves and a very good jacket either leather or textile..... boots to if you'll ware them.....

Be sure to get a insurance quote befor you buy.... could be very expensive given your age....

also look into a motorcycle safety course.... good..... some are done on a race track and you'll learn allot about the bike and the way it handles....

After my accident I just can understand why anyone would ware a half helmet..... freek'n nuts if you ask me....

 

[LIGHTNING LARRY]

Just remember,
It's not will you go down. It's when?

 

[Booyah]

Bikes are like guns. It's the person or yourself that's not paying attention that gets you killed.

 

[2F2F]

Do what you want to do.

 

[C_Record]

>>How dangerous are sport bikes really?<<

They're as dangerous as you want to make them. But that goes for any bike, not just crotch rockets. It's just more tempting to twist the wick on a fast Jap bike than it is on a cruiser bike. And if you plan on going out there with the mindset that everyone will or should see you, or exercise every rightaway condition just because it's law(as opposed to riding defensively), then you really shouldn't buy any kind of bike.

 

[MightyMo]

takes a lot of self control !! how many times have you gotten angry behind the wheel? If you do decide to ride, wear all the gear..
Arai is simply the best helmet in the world and Joe Rocket has the best jackets.
First bike and considering your age.. Get something with low horsepower, is light and easy to handle yet can still get up to highway speeds. I have crashed once and am here today because of my helmet.
Personal safety is priority 1

that also means watching out for vehicles around you at all times
they do not look for motorcycles, they look for big square things..
sounds stupid? It does and thats just the tip of the iceburg
take a safety class and earn an insurance discount and become a better driver too
I own a Honda 929RR Erion Edition and have it for sale, looking to get a Harley.. good luck

 

[KevinB120]

I had two friends of mine killed on sport bikes, BOTH were stopped at the time and hit by other people. I only ride off-road these days, at least i know im making the decisions on how dangerous something is or is not.

 

[FlatZ28]

Isn't it something like 4 out of 5 accidents involving a motorcycle in which the motorcyclist dies?

 

[Cobra03]

VERY DANGEROUS

Bikes are not dengerous in and of themselves in the hands of a skilled and responsible driver.

However, on the street they are as dangerous as other people are stupid. Which is to say extremely dangerous. I had a Suzuki GS1100 and a Yamaha Virago when I was in school. I got blindsided on the Suzuki by a 19 year old girl making a u-turn out of a parallel parking space on a five lane road. There was nothing I could do about this bit of idiocy except get hit by a big car driven by a stupid person. I was spared but the bike was destroyed. Guess I had a get out of death free card.

That day I decided only to participate in dangerous activities where I might be killed, but not in dangerous activities where I might be horribly mamed and live through it. On a bike you probably have a better chance of being paralyzed for life than being killed, and not because of anything you did. On a bike any idiot who does somethign stupid can kill you, or worse horribly mame you for life.

Finally if you do ride a bike wear a helmet. My get out of death free card would have been useless without mine. I would probably be in bed somewhere drooling on myself if I had not been wearing it.

Anyway just my two cents. I stick to ridiculously fast covertibles today. Almost as much fun with a fraction of the risk.

Good luck

 

[DEADEYE]

A fender bender in a car = a bent fender. On a bike, it could = death.

 

[faylo]

I have always said, "Motorcycles are only as dangerous as the person operating it." This is not an absolute truth but it has been a good yardstick for my years of riding.

I believe the number one thing to do if you are thinking of learning to ride is to get a small motorcycle first and really learn to ride it. I'm talking like a 250 - 400 cc street or enduro bike. If you go straight to a 600 cc or greater sportbike, you will learn to operate it but I believe you won't learn to really ride it. You also don't want to do your parking lot fallovers on a nice expensive bike. That just looks bad.

In my 30 years involvement in the motorcycle industry I have seen a few deaths and serious injuries. I can't think of one where the rider was totally not at fault. In each case there was something like carelessness, alcohol, drugs, inexperience, or just plain stupidity impairing the rider.

I am sure that there have been instances where a motorcyclist has been run down and killed by a car, but I also believe that in many instances, the rider could've avoided the if they had been anticipating.

The number one thing to do when riding a motorcycle down the street is to presume that the car/truck drivers do not see you and to 'anticipate' them doing the absolute worse thing for you. That way you are prepared for any eventuality and you'd be surprised how well you react when you expect something to happen.

You have to anticipate when you ride down the street. And, if you carry it over to the car, you will be a safer driver. In fact you can practise your anticipation technique as you drive down the street in your car.

I apologize for the length of this message.
Have great and safe day!
-jim

 

[Ghoust]

i think the bottom line here is...dont be stupid and you will live a longer happier life

 

[Cobra03]

I have to stongly disagree with faylo. Every motorcycle rider I know has a horror story about either a mistake they made or more often a mistake someone else made. Bikes are very unforgiving of even small mistakes - unlike cars. And extremely unforgiving of stupid moves made by others.

How many people here have had accidents in a car that were not their fault? Was it because you did not take the proper action? Or because someone else put you in a situation you could not avoid? Every one of those accidents potentially results in death on a motorcycle. To say that no one has accidents caused by other stupid people that could not have been avoided if the rider were paying attention is irresponsible and false. How was I supposed to avoid a person who whips a u-turn out of a parallel parking space without any signal or indication whatsoever? I did not know there was even anyone in the car. Many others have the same stories.

The bottom line is in a car when someone else does something stupid you get a smashed car and maybe some broken bones. Sometimes you die. On a bike you lose a lot of skin at the very least, and usually die or worse. And there are worse things than dying.

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by faylo
.......The number one thing to do when riding a motorcycle down the street is to presume that the car/truck drivers do not see you and to 'anticipate' them doing the absolute worse thing for you. That way you are prepared for any eventuality and you'd be surprised how well you react when you expect something to happen.....

That's great advice. I use to say that I rode like there was a conspiracy by everyone else to kill me on my bike. There is no way you can see everything all the time, but learning to anticipate what others are doing or are going to do takes experience and I believe will help you live longer. This also applies to driving a car, but the consequences are more harsh on a bike.

 

[Cobra03]

Originally posted by 03DOHC
That's great advice. I use to say that I rode like there was a conspiracy by everyone else to kill me on my bike. There is no way you can see everything all the time, but learning to anticipate what others are doing or are going to do takes experience and I believe will help you live longer. This also applies to driving a car, but the consequences are more harsh on a bike.

I totally agree here but sooner or later someone is going to do something so stupid that you could never anticipate it.

Never underestimate the power of stupidity.

 

[4camV8]

don't just drive defensively... don't just plan for what others MIGHT do, act as if they are TRYING to hit you... if you look at other cars on the road that way, you'll do better avoiding them... and stay out of crazy high traffic two way roads with busy driveways and stuff... stick to the back roads

you probably should learn on a slow, light bike, like some people here have said. A sportbike as your first bike is a bad idea IMHO...

 

[FordSVTFan]

I have been riding motorcycles since I am 8. I am now 34. I love them, they are a great deal of fun and freedom.

But a few things that deserve repeating. There are only two types of people that ride bikes: Those that have fallen and those that will fall! Also drive offensively and always watch the side streets and parking lots for people blowing through stop signs, etc.

Assume no one driving on the road ever sees you, you be aware of everything and everyone around you. Always get a louder horn assembly and keep your thumb on the horn button all the time when riding around others.

And take a rider safety course. And wear a full face helmet, they are hot but they will save you from becoming a broccoli!