Are Motorcycles Too Dangerous? Why I Ride A Motorbike Despite The Risk.
As with most motorcyclists, I am regularly asked why I pursue such a risky pastime. Riding a motorbike is inherently dangerous. Tens of thousands of riders die every year. Here in Canada, you are 14 to 15 times more likely to die on a motorbike than in a car. The stats are likely similar elsewhere. You can quibble over exact numbers, or which factors play the biggest role, but the key point remains — bikes aren’t for the faint of heart.
I know all of this. And believe me, I am not a man with a death wish — far from it. I have a family I adore — a wonderful wife, a dog, and three kids who still very much need their dad around. I also have a successful business and career I enjoy, a group of lifelong friends and …you get the idea. I’m nowhere near ready to depart this world. And yet I still choose to ride. Why?
It’s In My Blood
I got my first bike when I was twelve. A beautiful bright red brand-spanking-new 1979 Honda Z50 mini-bike (bike folks will know this is a cult classic. Oh how I wish I still had mine). It arrived completely out of the blue. I was flabergasted, as up to that point my parents had not been in the habit of bestowing large, life-altering gifts upon my siblings and I.
