Qualified opinion - I am a life long dirt bike (motorcycle) racer, life member of the American Motorcycle Association, many times regional expert champion, 1993 USA AMA national champion. I have known a few people who were seriously injured and a couple that were killed off-road. But on the street, that is another story, I've been a paul bearer at friend's funerals too many times. So I stopped riding street motorcycles many years ago as my wife worried about me every time I left the house. Out of respect for her and contemplating the numerous funerals we attended which gave her the right to be worried, I will not ride a street motorcycle. Simply said, idiots in cars were killing my friends and trying to kill me on a regular basis. But I now am again an avid bicyclist and ride all the time on my Vintage Paramounts. Please, always wear your helmet.