If motorcycles are so terrifying, why do we love them so much?
Whether you’re a first-time rider or a seasoned pro, there’s always a bit of nervousness that comes with hopping on a motorcycle. You don’t have to be afraid – as long as you take the proper precautions, riding a motorcycle can be an incredibly exhilarating experience.
1. Fear of dropping your motorcycle!
This is the number one fear of most motorcycle riders. You’ve got to get over the fear of dropping your bike, beginner and veteran riders are both scared of dropping their bikes, but the reasons are as different as night and day.
A beginner rider usually starts out pretty nervous about everything having to do with their motorcycles. It’s an exciting nervousness, but the panic about dropping your first bike is a lot like the anxiety people have about getting the first scratch on a new car, you can park all the way in the back of the parking lot, but there’s always gonna be that one car that finds its way into the side of your new car.
On the other hand, a veteran rider is more likely to worry about dropping their bike because they probably have a nicer bike, so it’s probably more expensive to repair.
Both riders will agree on the primary fear behind the terror of dropping your bike though, humiliation. That’s right. The fear of dropping your bike is born from the fear of being embarrassed. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. People around will be the first to help you get your bike back up? You’re damn right, They will. Why? Because at some point or another we have all been there and because riders, well, we stick together and because karma, so do not sweat, it, does it suck. Sure. Is it something you should really be afraid of? Not in the slightest, it’ll probably happen once or twice in your motorcycle career.
2. Do not fear the Highway!
Many riders share a fear of riding on the highway because they do not feel safe, but fear not, the highway is actually a lot safer for motorcyclists than regular roads. Look, I get it, I myself live in one of the biggest cities in the country, and let me tell you some of these highways are scary. All the crazy rush hour traffic is going in the same direction. On the highway, there are no surprise cars darting into your path from obscured turns or curves, no red lights or stop signs for anyone to run and the only incoming traffic you really have to watch for is merging lanes and from the cars already in the lanes around you.
While speed limits are slower on regular roads and streets, they come with way more surprises and more unknown variables. You have to constantly be on alert, which is why it’s actually safer for you as a compass-licensed rider to stick with a highway. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration published a study that showed 91% of all crashes between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle occurred on non-highway roadways and then at least 6 out of 10, motorcycle crashes occurred on urban roadways.
3. Fear of being the slow one in a group ride!
Here is the deal. It’s a group ride, not a race and I’ve been guilty of riding a little too fast on group rides because hey, testosterone is a hell of a drug. The entire point is to enjoy yourself and whether you’re more comfortable leading the pack or bringing up the rear as long as you’re enjoying the ride, that’s all that matters, it’s easy to get sucked into competitive riding when you’re on a bike but worry less about where you are in the lineup and more about enjoying the ride.
4. Do not fear the rain!
There’s nothing like hitting an oil-slicked road after a shower of rain unless it’s still raining when you hit it, which is why riding in the rain is number four on our list of motorcycle fears. You should get over it already, riding in the rain can be nice on a hot summer day. It’s a free wash for your motorcycle. You aren’t scared to drive your four-wheeled vehicle in the rain, assuming you have one. So there’s no reason to be any more fearful of riding your bike, use common sense and ride carefully wear rain gear if you have time to prepare, and most importantly, always remember that you aren’t actually in a car. So pay attention to water levels, but that doesn’t mean, you can’t enjoy a nice ride in the rain, Just use your head and make good choices.
5.The fear of getting into a collision.
Now we come to the most serious fear on our list.
The crash, this one is a legitimate fear, motorcycles leave you completely exposed to the elements and to the choices of those around you. So it’s natural that riders have angst about being involved in a collision.
However, just like drivers of four-wheel vehicles with seatbelts, motorcyclists have protective gear as well and not just gear, there are all kinds of situational classes available to riders and some of them are actually pretty fun.
Riding a motorcycle is a lot like driving a car, there’s always a risk factor, but wearing protective gear and being prepared puts you at a much lower risk for injury or death. So wear your protective, you don’t look cooler without it, and most riders will tell you that riders not using safe riding practices or wearing the proper safety gear look like douchebags.
