your right we do!!!!!

Well, I have been riding for almost (52) years. Bought my first Harley in 1961, and been on them ever since.
A few comments from an old fart who has been there, and until recently averaged ~12-14K miles each summer.
* Loud pipes save lives....that is a bunch of crap, period.
* Helmets make it safer to ride.....of course they do.
* Drinking while riding is stupid...of course it is...same as it is for driving a car.
The main thing I have noticed over my years of riding are basically two things:
1. Cars no longer pay much attention to you, much less show any respect....Defensive riding is now more important than ever.
2. WAY too many people are riding motorcycles that have no idea of what they are doing. And they are a danger to both themselves, as well as all of us.
3. Way too many "Wannabees" out there.
People can quote statistics all they want on both sides, but my opinion is that with today's higher speeds and highways, plus the mentioned problems above, it will continue to get worse, as well as riding bicycles, snowmobiles, and driving cars.
As far as the insurance comments, that is also crap in my mind. As one stated above, when seat belts became mandatory did your car insurance go down ?? I think not. I also don't buy the statements that not wearing a helmet drives all insurance up do to injury's...If so, why not make it mandatory to wear a helmet when driving a car...I bet those stats would show the same thing...
In my lifetime of riding, I have lived in two states that required helmets, so yes I wore one. A pain in the butt. They are heavy, and DO block some peripheral vision,and totally ruin the real original sport and thrill of riding in the wind.
Do I wear one now...nope...
To my fellow bikers that ride with a helmet an full protection I say good for you, and enjoy.
Myself, I will continue to enjoy motorcycling the way it was intended to be...relaxed and in the wind..
(Oh, and by the way, in my (52) years of riding I have been down a few times, broke some bones, had lots of road rash, and so on)..and I firmly believe that it all goes with the gamble of riding...I also I don't give a rats butt what brand you ride..two wheels is two wheels...and in the wind is just awesome!
Of course JMHO...

Hey Sigma, Speaking of idiots, apparently you do not know how to ride. The motorcycle handbook put out by our government suggests riding in the left hand tire line of the lane. Yes next to the center line. Why? To keep you idiots in 4 wheeled vehicles who are on your cell phones putting EVERYONE'S life in danger from trying to pass without completely changing lanes. So we are idiots for riding where the handbook says is the safest? Sounds to me like you need to get up to date before you throw words out on something you aparently know nothing about.

Uncle Jessie you brought out enough people for me to retract my earlier statement about common sense, I guess if you're not a rider you just don't get it, oh well roll on and safe travels fellow rider!

uncle"When your number is up...it's up there aint no gettin around it ."
I disagree. If you take youself out of harms way the possibility is less. IF your job is dangerous vs one that isnt your chances of living longer are better. IF you ride and don't protect yourself you are asking for trouble or to be disabled, or just a plain old veggie. That isn't living. Sorry about your friends- yikes.
government needs to be involved because as the saying goes you cannot fix stupid!

Uncle Jessie... your response is so Non Sequitur I fear for your sanity.
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We have no choice in seatbelts.
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If there were a choice, the people not using them would die and be maimed in greater numbers, and there would be costs associated with that.
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Today, if people don't wear seatbelts they are prosicuted... Do you understand this?
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Today if people are not wearing seatbelts they have broken the covenant with their insurance and are not covered... Do you understand this?
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31 chapters of proverbs are a highly recommended antidote to foolishness.

Did your insurance go down after the seat belt law went into place ? no ? mine either .

If more cyclists wore helmets, fewer cyclests would die.
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‘let those who ride decide.’” ????
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Sure you can decide... But I think the people selling insurance should look at the cost numbers associated with death benefits paid out, long term disability, and other disfiguring consequences and their impact on the bottom line....
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Why should safe drivers pay for hospitalization and death benefits for people who would have fewer costs or have lived if they had exercised wisdom?

Joym i believe i satisfy financial responsibility being that i carry well above the min medical coverage for the bike , employment medical , own my home out right "they will take the house after bills add up and insurance stops", and have a living will in place with do not resuscitate Orders on it . You worry too much JoyM . what kind of a savings would you expect to see and where ? did i mention i'm a tax payer as well ? "rolls eyes"

Uncle Jesse: I would be all for your "let those who ride decide" thought IF we taxpayers didn't have to pay your medical bills while you languish on life support after your medical insurance from work stops paying and IF we insurance-carrying premium-payers didn't have to pay higher premiums because insurance companies have to pay out for injuries to motorcyclists not wearing helmets. If you want the privilege of deciding whether to take a chance on splattering all over the pavement, then you have to take the financial responsibility, too. Not liking that idea so much? Uh-huh - thought so.

Uncle-Jesse WELL SAID.

http://abatewis.org/index.php

lol i wish i was 19 bennetonf1.....i really do but, i buy what i like and love what i drive , so if some kid sets his alarm so air pressure and vibrations set it off , yes i get a smile from it ;-) every single time ! by the by ive got 40 yrs of ridin under my belt and have owned every Major Make of Jap Bike as well as HD . When your number is up...it's up there aint no gettin around it .

I also have lost a few friends along the way , one whos' helmet got hung up on a truck mirror and almost decapitated him . and one earlier this spring in a front on collision with a full size truck ,helmet would not of helped .
I simply do not think the government should decide how i dress after the age of 18 .

there is more common sense in this thread than any other post I have ever read on this site. Nice to see for a change!

Yes no more autos on the road Louder pipes Then who would you say is @ fault

I am not for making helmets mandatory. I believe in the freedom of choice. But people who don't wear a helmet can best be described in two words; organ donor.

If loud pipes save lives just think what proper gear and training would do.
And look a little closers at the statistics, does failed to negotiate a curve (single vehicle), failed to control (single vehicle), alcohol was involved, and wasn't wearing a helmet sound familiar.
And Uncle Jessie, c'mon, what, are you 19 years old or something? Setting off car alarms with you uber loud macho HD? Compensating for something?
Learn to ride.
Take a safety course.
Wear your gear.
Don't drink and ride.
Sounds pretty simple, eh?

I don't need any more laws from the government making me safe . Let Those Who Ride Decide ! and your supposed to but your bike in the drivers side tire track of your lane . Probly has to do with mirror's and visibility . Remember loud pipes saves lives ! and i like to set off car alarms !

What is it with motorcyclists riding almost on the center line? Mostly Harleys I see doing this but they are idiots....

There is only one sure-fire proven way to reduce fatalities of motorcycle riders. Ban motorcycles.

I wonder, wouldn't it be a proven way to reduce all motorcycle fatalities by banning autos since most fatal motorcycle accidents are the result of a motorcycle rider being struck by an auto? Large, heavy, fast-moving objects under the control of inattentive drivers seem like the real problem to me. After all, when was the last time you saw a motorcycle rider texting while driving, of fixing his make-up while driving, or gobbling down a hamburger while driving?

I suppose that it's asking too much for the government to try addressing the real problem for a change, rather than forcing a few to make allowances for the careless many. I expect a push for helmet laws, since it's too much to expect for our government to insist that auto drivers to become more responsible.

As a rider that wears a full face even on a v-twin, you really have to be a moron to need a law to tell you to protect your melon. I know it isn't cool or the badass look, but neither is having your brains on the side of the road. As far as loud pipes I use to ride sport bikes very quiet compared to my cruiser, I had many more cars darting in front of me or cutting into my lanes because they didn't hear me on the sportbike. Can people go overboard on the pipes absolutely but if you don't think the pipes help others awareness of you then you should be calling for emergency vehicles to get rid of their sirens.

Frogger you are right about drinking on the bike, I hate it I see it all the time, what really kills me is when I do a charity ride and the guys go from bar to bar downing shots and beers, 30 minutes later back on the bike in a huge pack. Idiots. I almost got ran off the road in a ride last summer by a guy that took a corner to wide got back into the road then came across my lane. I don't think I am going to do anymore of those rides unless they are alcohol free.

"“A helmet will not save me if a car pulls out in front of me or plows into me at a traffic light and I have massive internal injuries, but if the driver is aware that motorcyclists are on the road and puts his cellphone down, I might survive to ride another day.” "

yet they still ride. stay safe anyway. Just saw a guy this am. Did wear road crew color overalls stuff.

And staf off the bike if you have been drinking. Yes they do this and they get hurt and deny that they were drunk. Or a drunk guy on a bike shoots someobdy- staf off. Should be no tolenence for bikes. Would that law help.

Mr Stuvengen, helmet laws and increased education aren't mutually exclusive things. If some research shows that helmet laws are effective in reducing fatalities and other research shows that increasing education is effective in reducing fatalities doesn't it make sense that putting the two together may be a very effective way to reduce fatalities? Admittedly I don't ride a motorcycle so I'm not familiar with the liberating feeling of the wind blowing my hair around but this just seems common sense to me.

Yeah, safety is for suckers.

And remember: "Loud pipes save lives" (MUCH Sarcasm)