Motorcycling Manifesto

By regularly riding a motorcycle, I have chosen to endanger my body. Many people have nourished, protected, and enriched my life, so I represent the investment of a humbling amount of sacrifices and effort. To those people that have given me resources and reason to grow, I feel I owe a justification for my extra risk. I have written the following to share why I made this motorcycling choice.

[Update: As of 2018, I sold my motorcycle]

Added risks

Motorcycling is unquestionably more dangerous than the alternative of driving a car - from what I have read: between 30 - 50 times more likely to have a fatal crash [1]. In addition to lacking a rigid protective steel frame, motorcycles are capable of, and look good doing, riskier driving than cars: super-fast starts, lane weaving, wheelies, etc. I consider riding in a car without a seatbelt - or a bicycle without a helmet - to be irresponsible, but motorcycling goes far beyond the lack of a seatbelt.

Benefits

Environmental, Direct - motorcycles are more fuel efficient than alternatives. 50+ mpg [2], compared to 40 ish of hybrids, and 30 ish of the best cars. As my central life goal is to slow climate change, I value the carbon efficiency of my transportation.

Environmental, Indirect - on a larger scale, cars are responsible for the suburban sprawl and de-centralized infrastructure of modern society (and related things like smog, greenhouse gasses, feeling isolated, shrinking of small businesses…). It is a small bonus to avoid the patterns that lead to many of negative parts of the built American environment.

Connection to surroundings - automobiles have an airtight seal between them and anything outside. By instead riding a motorcycle, I feel the air and smell cow manure. It’s a step easier to talk to other riders or people on the street, and often that little nudge makes a difference.

Community - motorcyclists wave to each other with a strange low, casual wave. Every motorcyclist that I have seen does it. Actually I’d guess about 28 of 30 that I have passed so far. Being part of the same group is an instant connection between strangers, and makes me smile every time it happens.

Feel arriving home  - in my experience, one of the few times I consistently feel angry and unhappy is being stuck in traffic or circling for parking. It seems to me I should try to change the behaviors that lead to consistently negative feelings. Riding a motorcycle, I avoid the brunt of driving blues because I can slowly lurk through stopped traffic, park almost anywhere for free, and because riding is fun. Also, wearing shoulder pads feels great.

Moral Consistency - I use something close to the golden rule (do what you want everyone to be doing) to decide what is morally right.  When driving a car, each person wants everyone else not to be driving their cars. Traffic is angering; parking spots are rivalrous. When riding a motorcycle (like riding a bicycle), each person wants everyone else to be on a motorcycle. They are easier to spot in groups, riding in formation feels super cool, and parking is not a problem.

Risk Mitigation

Motorcycling in general adds a fat clump of risk. I try to whittle down that risk where I can.

Safety gear - Most importantly a full-face helmet, but I also wear a reinforced jacket, pants with knee pads, leather or armored gloves, and usually boots. [3][4]

Visibility - shown to help; bright helmet, lots of reflectors. [5] [6] Lights always on (actually all motorcycle headlights are on while the motorcycle is on for this reason.)

Motorcycle choice - I picked a mid-sized, standard motorcycle [7], and one of the few available with anti-lock brakes [8]. Each of those characteristics are the safest of the available options. I specifically stayed away from designs that would make me feel the urge to go fast, to show off.

Defensive driving - as you would expect. I have a Star Wars sticker on my helmet to remind myself I’m a geek, not a punk.

Route Choice - I avoid top-speed interstates for country highways, despite the cost of time.

Training - A large number of motorcyclist in collisions are not licensed. [9] In addition to the M1 license, I took a driver's training course.

Impairment - I limit myself to 0.00% BAC.

If you want to know more detail or to convince me not to ride, feel free to talk to me. When you hear horror stories of motorcyclists, you can tell me about them. This choice is changeable and I am open to your suggestions.

Sincerely, your investment,

Abe

[1] page 2 of https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812035

[2] I got 59 mpg on my last fill-up. http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/suzuki/dl650_v-strom/2007

[3] https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812295

[4] #50 & #51 of http://www.clarity.net/adam/hurt-report.html

[5] http://info.wirral.nhs.uk/document_uploads/evidence-reviews/Revieweveffectofprotectclothingmotcycls_1e577.pdf

[6] #14 of http://www.clarity.net/adam/hurt-report.html

[7] about a fourth fatalities per mile as super sport bikes http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/popularity-of-high-performance-motorcycles-helps-push-rider-deaths-to-near-record-high

[8] ABS: "31% reduction in fatalities..." http://www.iihs.org/frontend/iihs/documents/masterfiledocs.ashx?id=2042

[9] #24 of http://www.clarity.net/adam/hurt-report.html