Originally Posted by
livedarklions
Well, that's wrong. From experience, if you go over the handlebars, you arc into the ground combining forward momentum and gravity. The ground is not just stopping your fall, it's also stopping your forward momentum. It hurts a whole hell of lot more than a relatively straight drop.
Not if you roll (shoulder roll is my preference). The impact is from primarily the force of gravity, a drop from X feet, regardless of how fast you're going when your roll is quick enough to not slide. Obviously there is a limit to that.
I would much rather fall forward than to the side because a low-side fall gives you no opportunity for a roll, and it usually happens more quickly.
I'm surprised you made this mistake--the logical conclusion from your statement is that it makes no difference if you fall from a standing position or get thrown from a motorcycle at 50 mph.
In my experience if you're "thrown" from a motorcycle, you hit something and most likely the bike pivoted around the front wheel, throwing you up as well. You'd fall for a greater distance. But it's no mistake, the initial impact
on level ground is primarily from the height of the fall plus force arising from friction at right angles to it. I know it's not intuitive to most people, but feel free to check up on me with a physics professor who's spent too much time crashing motorcycles or bikes, and/or also trained in some physical art involving tumbling.