Cycle Logic

Good choice, Paul. I've ridden bikes off and on over the years, from a small 90 cc Honda to a Yamaha XS1100 Midnight Special (there's one I wish I still had.) Although not exactly stated in this film, it pays to ride scared and assume that no one in a cage (auto) sees you. I would also add not to ride at night. There are a lot of animals crossing the roads at night - It's no fun hitting a cow at 60 mph as happened to a friend of mine. He came out alright but eviscerated the cow when the bike went under the animal.

Wow, KDP, that cow story is a case of truth being stranger than any fiction!

A healthy dose of paranoia has kept me safe during my 50 years of riding. Paying attention to the road and other vehicles has also made me a better driver when I'm on 4 wheels.

As for animals at night: I once zoomed past a skunk. I was not sprayed as I was going too fast. My friend following was not so lucky. It is hard to get the skunk smell out of leather!

My CB1100, which I recently rebuilt from a crash, is parked outside of my office at this very moment. As a rider of more than three decades with a half dozen crashes under my belt and the scars to show for it, I can tell you that if your priority when riding a motorcycle is safety, you don't need to be riding a motorcycle. It is inherently dangerous. That's the entire point of riding one. Danger is the allure; outrunning the reaper is where the fun's at. If you do not instantly and intuitively understand that statement and agree with it, stick with your granny cars and airbags.

"Faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death." - Hunter S. Thompson

In all the years I rode in southern California, I always rode in anticipation of what the cars around the bike were going to do and planned an exit strategy. That worked for most of the time, except my only two accidents, both caused by elderly ladies turning directly in front of me with no time for reaction. Neither accident caused much damage, but it does tend to heighten your awareness. The worst thing was riding the freeways of lined up cars, carefully picking your way through the lanes only to have someone open their door to mess you up. Saw that happen to a CHP biker and he immediately hauled the guy out of the car right in the middle of rush hour. He was pissed.