Yes, imagine how much taller that tree is now.

I wish my bicycle was as loud and obnoxious as my motorcycle. Loud pipes really do save lives! Ive had more close calls on my bicycle in the last 2 years than 20 years of motorcycling and thats averaging 6-7,000 miles a year on the motorcycle.

Hi guys, i have been lurking here but not posted here much, so here goes.
I've been cycling for over 40 years and got many scars to prove that is not that safe.
Been motorbiking for 15 years, and only had a couple of slow speed offs and no scars.
But I think that having the motor does give you more scope to get out of trouble.

I always tell newer riders to always anticipate that drivers are going to do something stupid, and don' t trust 100% any signals that they give, if indeed they give any.

On my bicycle, I have fitted a Zefal Spy mirror, to help see whats behind me. In fact now when I go on a bicycle without a mirror fitted, I feel that something is missing.
Robin

Robin,
Welcome aboard, glad to have another Scottish member here at 50+, we have a few already. Stick around, just lurking isn't half the fun of being a part of our deranged bunch!

Bill

Fixed that for you!

I've been riding and racing motorcycles (including 4yrs as a professional) since I was a kid. I still have six of them in the garage including a GSXR750 with a stage 3 Yoshimura engine in it and a Husqvarna 610 for the desert. I've been riding and racing bicycles for almost 20yrs.

I've crashed my motorcycles more times than I can even remember at speeds up to 140mph on the road, 90mph off road and one head on collision with a motorhome. Believe it or not, I've never broken a bone or even hurt my self more than a minor burn and minor road rash.

Interestingly, I've also crashed my bicycle too many times to count and I've hurt myself much worse. I've had some very serious road rash and my only ambulance ride was after a van right hooked me at 40mph. That resulted in almost 100 stitches a broken elbow and some massive hemotoma's.

Really the only difference between the bike and the motorcycle is the safety gear that I wear on the motorcycle. A much better full face hemet, full leathers, a back/neck brace and body armor. On the bicycle I wear a nice bicycle helmet (compared to a motorcycle helmet it isn't much), and lycra. That's it. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out. Most people don't ride or race at the speeds I do so I'm probably an extreme example.

If you are sensible and take the proper precautions either sport can be safe enough. Something can always happen and you can't account for other peoples stupidity but most risks can be mitigated.

Phsst.

30 years ago I got T-Boned on my motorcycle going through a green light intersection by a priest running a red light. He was late to church. Quiet beach community. Luckily, I went right over the top of the car, Yamaha went under.

Any questions?

Who won?

After 40 yrs on motorcycles and 30 yrs on bicycles that's pretty much my take on things as well.

" IMO, motorists generally respect motorcycles and treat them just like other motor vehicles...." Nope, they don't.

In my 40+ years on the road I never really noticed one way or another. I just assumed they didn't and never really had a problem with them. I only had one run in with cars (well, actually one motorhome). The motorhome was on the wrong side of the road. I don't think that was a "respect" issue. That was just some guy on vacation being stupid. All my other accidents on my motorcycles were single vehicle (my fault).