Quote Originally Posted by diefascanda View Post
Íîâûå ØÒÐÀÔÛ ÃÈÁÄÄ. Âñòóïÿò óæå ñîâñåì ñêîðî
Hmmmm ... not sure I agree with those two rubles.

Again, I don't know what I don't know, and that may kill/injure me, but what I do believe is this ...

1) Many years of riding experience actually only means ONE thing ... I am older. I am no longer 20 years old ... my limbs are weaker ... my bones are more brittle ... I don't heal as quickly ... my reactions are slower ... my eyesight is poorer ... my center of gravity seems to be moving from my chest to my waist ... and there might be a few dead neurons. Slow bikes suit me just fine.

2) Many miles of riding experience has to be tempered with how those miles were accumulated. There is no comparison between 500 miles on a GL1800 (with cruise control) across interstates, and 5 miles on a dirt bike in single tracks up/down steep slopes. I always tip my helmet to skilled off-road riders - those guys/gals amaze me with their bike control skills.

3) Like a coin toss ... all prior tosses have no bearing on whether the next one lands heads or tails. Every time I get on my bike, I am flipping a coin. I can control my bike, but I can't control the thousands of other things happening around me.

4) Motorcycling is an inherently risky sport/activity. The risks can be substantially reduced by proper training, proper equipment and proper practices ... just like scuba diving and sky diving. Ever see someone jump out of an airplane with their parachute being held, all bunched up, in their arms ... saying "ah, good enough"? Ever see a scuba diver go down with a faulty air hose ... saying "ah, no problem, it'll be fine"? Ever see a motorcyclist get on a bike without a helmet?

5) During my first year of riding in China, I had more close calls than my prior decades of riding experience. I've necessarily developed a passive/aggressive style of riding in China, where I am always trying to keep my distance from traffic/people/animals/road hazards. If I rode back home how I ride here, well, I'd probably be under a lifetime ban by now.

Despite the risks, it sure beats sitting in a crowded bus.