I don't get the fear of riding motorcycles

[,Participant 1301]

Many Addressables here.
The Fear: Others’ FEAR supplanted upon you or for you, if I read the OP correctly.
Not too much unlike the fear of guns or relationship in that context.

Yep, hurts when you crash. You and those that love you.
But its mainly a control issue. Control yourself. Control your conditions. Control your surroundings as much as you can.

Kind of what we as men are wired to do.

: Control and direct.

It takes energy and effort and constant evaluation. Then reevaluation after each ride. (Two wheels is the most enjoyment between my legs that I’ve ever experienced. amen.)

Face it, you Will go down if you ride much. Expect it. It could be sitting in the garage, a parking lot maneuver or a road crash. Accept it, mitigate it and don’t fear it. ATGATT is something YOU can control first and foremost.

Taking a manufacturer or state (in the US) Motorcycle Rider Safety Course is prudent. Take it more than once if you like. (Just meeting the other students is good reason to) Dirt cheap and its a professionally thought out preparation for new riders.
You supply gloves, ankle protecting boots, glasses and adequate skin coverings like jeans and long sleeved top and $50. They supply the bike and helmet and course materials. 2-3 day class in my state. Upon passing the course, you get an endorsement voucher and no need to test at the BMV. (less anxiety for some)

Starting with a 1000cc bike as your first, I’d be a wee skeptical. Keep it around 30 horse power to start and under 400 lbs. (You wouldn’t believe what you can do with a 21hp bike, but that’s not the topic)

My first bike purchased new in 1983. Rode for ten years until the kids fell out then did the bluely-correct thing and sold it. When the kids reached high school, I got a 1978 and got the bugbite. Wound up with a mini museum of 12. Had the kids get their endorsements before graduations. Then she/x Files. LSS, Riding returned my Sanity and Soul.

Respect the fear: yes.
Get the fear: no, or don’t ride.
I hope to ride until I think that I shouldn’t and I hope it’s not because I cannot.

* ATGATT > All The Gear All The Time

with joy/without hate

[sidecarParticipant 35837]

The fear is half the fun.

The fear is also half of what keeps you alive.

The fear is good.

[Buller100Participant 2189]

Bikes are very dangerous I rode them as a youngster passed my test, then at 52 became a born again biker.

The biggest danger as has been said is people not seeing you, riding at night is worse.

In fact 35 years ago whilst approaching a roundabout I hit a Honda Goldwing was a wet windy rainy night, he must have been in my blind spot.

If you can keep away from cars that cuts the risk in a big way, but potholes or sand on road.

You are cornering hit some sand no one beats physics, but there is a great feeling of freedom riding if it’s in you its in you, only ride when you are 100% no cold. No hangover , not tired ride like every car is looking to hit you.

[~BSParticipant 3266]

I used to ride dirtbikes quite a bit. For me, I’m not afraid of riding street bikes, it’s more afraid of what the idiot drivers around me will do to get me killed.

"He didn't marry until now, so he won't ever do it. Think about it, why would a man like him ever marry? It's too late to catch him. " ~some cunt

[AttonParticipant]

There is just far less margin for f~~~ ups and a far better power to weight ratio.

A MGTOW is a man who is not a woman's bitch!

[Anonymous 42]

Keymaster wrote:

Is SAFETY more important than FUN?

Well Keymaster, I’m not the one to ask, I’ve had more than one person ask me if I had a death wish.

At 17 I joined the over 100mph club, High diving at 16, not jumping, no, aerodynamic arms back about 120ft f~~~up once and you may never walk again diving, I was only good for about 3 dives then the top of my head hurt too much, people thought I was f~~~ing nuts standing 60 ft below me s~~~ scared to jump feet first!

But there’s always someone with bigger b~~~~ and willing to out do you, a guy climbed a tree 50 ft higher than I and jumped after relaying messages back and forth for an “all clear” He was in the thick green canopy almost out of the gorge, whap whap whap whap I could hear him coming as he struck branches somewhere in the thick greenery above me, he shot by me like a torpedo dropped from the heavens! Then a bunch of leaves twigs and pine needles fluttered down after him, He was wearing necessary construction boots so he wouldn’t break his feet! That motherf~~~er was CRAZY! But I’ll tell you one thing, HE HAD THE BIGGEST SMILE ON HIS FACE OF ANYONE THERE, HE WAS THE KING OF B~~~~ THAT DAY!

Never mind the extreme skiing! I’m a f~~~ing trigger anywhere I go, 3 avalanches doing my thing in SNOW! What a feeling when your skis suddenly stop turning and you’re like WTF? It feels like you’re you got cemented in place but your mind can’t figure out what’s happening until you realize your on a huge slab of snow you can’t get off, you know you’re f~~~ed when the mountain joins you on down hill exposition I was extremely lucky as I was able to grab onto a tree that looked like an Ice breaker as it parted snow on both side, like boat cutting water, it was the only thing that wasn’t moving and where I needed to be before Mr Slap went over the edge! WITH ME!

I approached skiing with the attitude it will take YEARS of hard work and PRACTICE to even begin to get proficient. My first day skiing I took to it like a fish to water after years of ice skating (works on the same muscle groups) except SKIING IS 3-D and speed combined! The only thing I’m married to are my skis, and it’s not monogamous, I have several pairs of wives I love very much!

There’s powder wives, mougul wives, freestyle wives, and the whores I slutf~~~ allover the mud and rocks in early and late season.

What woman could do all that? NONE!

I honestly think I have more miles skiing than driving, for years I was an adrenaline f~~~ing junkie! And yes snowmobiles do fly and pond skim but they don’t always land and they don’t always stay afloat.

I’s a good thing I don’t have access to epinephrine!

Anonymous wrote:

At 20, I was fine with it. 20 something years later? I am going to hold off a bit. I know if I did ride again I would be pretty mellow.

I got OFF the road ENTIRELY! Way too many f~~~ing idiots in Crashachusetts! The population has outgrown these Spaghetti farm town roads from the 1660s’!

RealityBites wrote:

I’ve been riding motorcycles on the street since 1977.
Here is my wisdom and you can take it or leave it

Awesome post RealityBites, personally I like sports bikes, particularly the Ducati line. But nothing has the rumble like a Sportster! BIG MINI BIKE! Love the torque!

Computernerd wrote:

Thanks for the long list of advice on riding. I’ll take it to heart and practice everything on there. I’m always opened to learning how to drive safer, especially if I’m on a motorcycle.

@computernerd, with that attitude you’ll do just fine, stay inside the envelope of your ability and graduate in increments as you add to your bag of skills.

Buller100 wrote:

The biggest danger as has been said is people not seeing you, riding at night is worse.

Dusk and dawn are the WORST time to be on the road! It’s like driving at night with a flashlight in your eyes depending on which direction you travel, either you’re blind, or the oncoming driver is blind, In either event you have two people headed toward each other but of them is BLIND! Worst time, I read this in a snowmobile publication researching snowmobile fatalities and the causes, it said most accidents happen around dusk and dawn, and most fatalities happen from stopping in the trail and getting NAILED by their friends behind them unaware they even stopped, next to that I believe it was branch impalement and tree strikes.

You can BET I’m gonna research EVERY ULTRA-LITE fatality before I start riding a sky motorcycle!

P.S.

TL;DR, life is great, be safe, enjoy GYOW!

I did and it’s the best and most rewarding decision I ever made! I lived a life damn few men ever have! F~~~ you Goyncentrism, you’re nothing but man’s GREATEST MISTAKE!

I was pond skimming on Killiongton’s snow melt while other men were standing HOG TIED before a judge getting viciously ass raped to life of slavery and darkness! F~~~ THAT!

[GeraldParticipant 3620]

The fear comes from the amount of damage. There is no ‘protective shell’ around you on a bike. Be a safe rider, wear a helmet and your leathers and learn how to lay a bike down properly, and you’ll likely be ok. Too many people go out, get a bike, start drinking and riding and become statistics. They want to be ‘bikers’ and still be good office workers during the week.

No longer can we walk away, we must run. Remove the motive power.

[Freeman_KParticipant 3524]

I like extreme sports, not motorcycles though, you can not control situation there, some c~~~ cuts you as said and you are dead. Just seems stupid to me.

That said, i am selling all equipment and buying golf or curling equipment day 1 if one day i see no fear left in me.

The choices we make, not the chances we take, determine our destiny

[The Laughing ManParticipant 1020]

Fear is a helpful natural reaction of a rational mind. It will keep you alive.

As someone who’s been down twice, 99% of the time it’s the people around you. My very first day riding a gridded residential area a armored truck blew a stop sign and nearly took me out.

There are plenty of bone head bikers out there, they usually don’t have that cautious fear.

I thought what I'd do was I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes...or should I?

[Anonymous 54]

Ok Mgtow Biker Brothers,lets get hard core about it.
How many of you(like me) are in the prestedious

100mph+ club.

Dont need the damned strory,but are you in the club.

[XSDBSParticipant 3598]

Anonymous wrote:

Ok Mgtow Biker Brothers,lets get hard core about it.
How many of you(like me) are in the prestedious
100mph+ club.
Dont need the damned strory,but are you in the club.

Here in the Midwest, I’m in the “100 miles at a time” club.
Hmmmm, 100 miles AT 100mph?
I don’t know anybody in that club…

[LivinitupParticipant 135]

Something i haven’t seen mentioned yet is that you can stop your bike faster then any cars can stop, so you have to be aware of that!

Ride safe…

Btw.: a friend of mine will be woke uo tomorrow from artificialy induced coma after a head on collision with another biker. The danger is real.

give us liberty, or give us death!

[Anonymous 54]

XSDBS wrote:

Old Sage wrote:

Ok Mgtow Biker Brothers,lets get hard core about it.
How many of you(like me) are in the prestedious
100mph+ club.
Dont need the damned strory,but are you in the club.

Here in the Midwest, I’m in the “100 miles at a time” club.
Hmmmm, 100 miles AT 100mph?
I don’t know anybody in that club…

Damn! Not room here. What if you have to pee?hahah

[Anonymous 42]

Anonymous wrote:

Ok Mgtow Biker Brothers,lets get hard core about it.
How many of you(like me) are in the prestedious

100mph+ club.

Dont need the damned strory,but are you in the club.

ME! 125 on 4 wheels, 120 on 2, 110 on track. Could go allot faster but it gets deadly over 125 here in frost heave and pothole heaven followed by a sharp corner EVEN ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY! There’s No place like this down south or out west! If I lived in Oklahoma it would be over 185! You guys out West have the widest roads and highways! And no f~~~ing TREES! It’s no wonder Soulman did 195!

[Anonymous 54]

I wasnt nessasarily talkin highway. Two lanes with curves!

[FrostByteParticipant 19005]

My 1978 XT 500 thumper wouldn’t go that fast. It would climb straight up though. Lots of torque.

If you rescue a damsel in distress, all you will get is a distressed damsel.

[Anonymous 54]

Ive done 140.

Four wheels.

Two wheels.

[Anonymous 54]

FrostByte wrote:

My 1978 XT 500 thumper wouldn’t go that fast. It would climb straight up though. Lots of torque.

Nothin feels as good is nice low end tourqe

[Anonymous 54]

Mgtow p~~~ing contest!!

[The Laughing ManParticipant 1020]

155 four wheel (damn governor)

170 two wheels

(Zzzip)

I thought what I'd do was I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes...or should I?

[Author]

Posts