Motorbike realities

I did my IBT and passed my test last year at 45... It's extremely rewarding... I still get gobshites in the pub telling me how dangerous it is... Just tell them to improve their driving, to open their eyes and stop looking at their phones and the roads will be safer for you... They won't know how to react.!

I don't agree with the luck side of thing! The luck on a motorbike is no different from a car! EG getting taken out by some on the wrong side of the road is the same risk as a car? You could even argue the risk is less than in a car as you're narrower and could be easier to avoid! But just my opinion!

I'm 62. I ride the bike most days for last 32 years. My two bits of advice are "never overtake in a junction (murphy's law is that the car just in front will turn right) & never start your journey if you are in bad form or are running late.

If you’re a city dweller then start worrying about other vehicles .

Nice. Avoiding city traffic, and not too many fuggin tractors driven by kids either.

Still, there's no way motorcycles are safer than cars. ED people don't call them donor vehicles for nothing. About a year ago, I told that to a young lad who admired my bike and said he wanted one but worried about the risk. He said he'd already heard it from his dad, who's a doctor.

I'm a born again biker back a few years now. Back in the day we didn't have to deal with mobile phones , SUVs, and electric scooter guys everywhere.

I'm not claiming it's more dangerous, but the variety of threats seems to have ramped up.

What hasn't changed is the simple reality that, when you're on a motorcycle, everyone, even the car driver not on their phone, actually is out to kill you. Knowing that makes it safer.

The riskiest thing about biking is other drivers, if you minimise your own risk by riding safely and smartly.

I've seen bikers 'filtering' at 100kmph on N11 some mornings. Some bikers are lethal, but most are safe. Likely family men like myself

So guess where I was this morning ? In a bike shop with my 33 year old son. I really thought I was done worrying about him 😁. He hasn't even started CBT yet, so trying to find a bike he likes the look of and one that fits him 😇. So this thread is perfect timing.

It's an enjoyable spin alright. See the changing seasons as you're on the N11.

Bus lanes all the way once you're into Dublin though. Has to be done.

You might see my silver fjr some mornings so

I agree with the sentiments above. I've started on mopeds when I was 16, gave up biking in my 20's due to space constraints trying to keep a bike, returned to biking there last year at 34. Although I have a company car monday-friday so I don't consider myself a full time biker 😅

Just some of my experiences over the years.

• Ride at your own pace.
• Do not get on a bike if you're angry.
• Be visible to other drivers (don't go full ghostrider gear).
• Keep your distance from other cars.

And most of all enjoy it. There's no feeling like getting on a bike and go for a spin to clear the mind.

That's up to yourself what you want to wear. I didn't mention any vest there, and no matter what you wear at the end of the day can make you visible to ignorant drivers. However for my own personal "taste". My safety my gear does have the yellow/green strips and a lighter coloured jacket, helmet is also white with green.

Ghost rider is black from head to toe, The more visible you are the more chance there is other road users seeing you. Construction workers wear those vests for the very same reason. The difference between on a motorbike and a construction worker is that its required by law when you're a construction worker. Its only required by law for learner riders afaik!!

Broke my back when I came off my bike. Luckily didn't get any head/brain damage as I was wearing a really good helmet but I wish I was wearing back protection.

Invest in a back protector and the best helmet you can afford OP.

I wear all the gear... All my clothes are CE AA (at least) with all the armour including back protectors, even in the hottest weather. I've also coloured my headlamp yellow in order to make it more distinguishable when illuminated... I just think the arguement about wearing magical yellow clothing is designed to put the onus back onto bikers rather than making sure drivers actually pay attention.

As a longtime biker the fear is encouraging someone in to biking and then they have an accident. No one wants that guilt. I wouldn't count myself as a skillful biker, a lot of my friends are more capable and technical than me, even much safer. But they've been unlucky and been hit and I've been very lucky. I've just cursed myself haven't I?

If you've come off your bike and are unconscious in the middle of the road-anything at all that helps oncoming drivers to see you could save your life.

Can't trust any safety equipment to save you, but every bit helps

Did call to report this when it was safe to do so as this type of thing can cause a very messy accident for both cars and bikers

What camera set up so you have?

Great quality, and I forgot that point about unsteady loads in trailers.

I'm always watching out for them.

Nice one, what do you have it mounted on to? Is that on your helmet or a vest?

On the Helmet, the camera comes with all types of mounts, you just have to fiddle about with some of the anchor things that come with it and fashion it the best way you can, the 3m sticky is really strong but I maybe overkill the mount a bit, I also have it strapped through and under the lining of the helmet, and bit of wire that will hold the camera on to the lid in the event of my head hitting the ground as the cameras (no matter how strong the mount) will come off if your head does take a smack on the ground.

Also, don't drill or make holes in your helmet like some guy on youtube, think he screwed it in with screws! Great way to destroy the integrity of the helmet. (Not saying anyone would here but you know, some folk do mad things)

That one in the pics is a flip lid too. You'll never really get a complete perfectly flush mount in my experience, have had 3 helmets that all varied in style at the mouth/chin section, some round, oval-shaped, ridged. Just takes a bit of thinking how best to do it, some fit good on the top, some cameras work well at the side if they are the bullet shaped ones.

I tried at the side but felt the side of the helmet dragging a little at motorway speeds so at the front worked best.

The chances of it happening are the same most likely but the outcomes for the car driver versus the motorcyclist tend to be far less fatal etc..

You can only control what you do, at some point you will end up in a schamozel where another party is at fault. In a car you have a far better chance of a less worse outcome than on a bike.

Serious injuries for motorbike riders were trending upwards up until the COVID years almost every year for the three years previous years.

So yep, luck does come into it.

I have only started out on the motorbike in 2016. The first day I picked up my "new" to me bike I dropped it in our underground car park in work. Thankfully it was a naked bike and only the indicator housing was broken. I was grand. My mistake was that I misjudged the surface and therefore slipped away.

Once I was out with friends for the whole day. We were saying our goodbye's at the traffic lights and I didn't see the gravel when taking off. Slow speed spill. Pain in my wrist for a week and indicator broken off. This was on a half faired bike but there were crash protectors on it so no real damage.

The last accident I had was when I picked up my "new" to me fully faired bike. It was a nice sunny day and I was driving at slow speed (around 40 kph) through Templeogue village and didn't see an oil spill. Hit the brakes and off I went and the bike. Due to full protective gear I only had a sprained shoulder. The bike's fairing was damaged and indicator broken off.

To be honest with experience I could have avoided the first two incidents easily but I guess you learn from them. One thing I will say though no matter how warm it is make sure you have your full gear on. This protected me in the last accident from serious injuries.

Other then above I had no incidents.

Unfortunately I wasn't on the bike for over a year now as I had a skating accident where I hit the back of my head and I am still recovering. It will probably take a few months until I am fully confident to go back on a bike as my concentration is currently not 100%.

Anyway if you have your head screwed on and don't act the maggot then riding a motorbike is very enjoyable and safe.

My 2 cents...