United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Motorcycles are the most fantastic thing ever invented, and I'd be riding one now if I could. With everything that is fun and exciting, you have to accept a certain amount of risk. The limits to how much risk you take are very much up the the individual, but you cannot cocoon a normally active human being in cotton-wool and padding, and expect them to stay sane. I accepted the risk that I might come off every time I rode my bike, and I wore leathers, boots, and a crash helmet to limit any injury to a couple of bruises. What I did not expect was some idiot car driver to drive slap bang into me at 60 mph, and send me bouncing off her car and then flying 40 ft through the air. My crash helmet didn't have a scratch on it, and my leathers were hardly scuffed, but I broke loads of bones, and gained a right BPI.
I can't wait to one day get back on a bike, and in the meantime I ride a trike.
Please DO NOT put about the rumour that bikes are dangerous. They are only a piece of machinery, same as a lathe, a chainsaw, or a bacon-slicer, and bikers pay enough already for protective gear and insurance without giving the money grabbers more chances to increase everything again.
We must have fun. We must have excitement. We must have an adrenaline rush every so often. And we must not have to pay through the nose for it time and time again.

o...k im sorry i wrote that post.

Michele

Never feel sorry about a post. I think you post is a valid question. I am a biker and was injured on a bike. I still operate a motorcycle shop. I do think as others have pointed out that other cars and obstacles are a bikers biggest enemy. But I also believe that education to the responsibilties of riding a motorcycle is neccessary. Riders should attend an education course before riding a bike to master the skills of riding. I dont know if theres any way to protect yourself from a bpi. But i did my damage from trying to stay with the bike trying not to crash. I nearly pulled my arm off. If i'd have just let go I may have been better off. But who knows what else i may have hurt by bailing. But I also wonder if there was some kind of protective gear i could have worn or others could wear to protect myself from a bpi. I often see the racers fall off race bikes at high speed and get up and walk away. But heck here in Florida people ride without helmets. I think a brain injury would be far worse than a bpi. I think if your going to ride as i still do ocassionaly you must protect yourself and accept the fact that what you doing is something you love to do even though it is dangerous.

hey michele
motorcycles are a poor man's airplane. i loved them before and got really pumped to see one arms back in the sadle. what scares me is not motorcycles but having to live without them and i can see that i won't have to. hurrah!!! red
michele you need a ride but find a bike with a back rest and an experenced pilot, it's a kick