@@mr.anderson70 do it. I would kill to be able to ride (I'm physically handicapped preventing me from doing the 3 things I always told myself that I would do: serve in the military, ride a sportbike, and auto race in a stick shift car)
Bikes are scary for two reasons: you have to have good self control, and you have to drive for everybody else's mistakes because a lot of motorcyclists end up getting hit by somebody who is just not paying attention. It's a scary thing and you have to be really careful
@DMoney Industry all the time. That's what I mean by, you have to drive for other people's mistakes. Lots of times I see bikers doing the speed limit, in the right lane, and somehow people don't look and end up trying to change lanes, almost hitting them. It's frustrating.
Yeah, When I first started riding It I was full of anxiety because I became a lot more perceptive of what other drivers were doing and it freaked me out. I realized that mentality was dangerous so I worked through it and now I love it. Im still paranoid and alert while riding but we all know nothing is perfect. But just ridding that fear is essential. Everything he talk about in the vid was spot on.
I quit after wearing out 4 of them. My brother T-boned a Caddy in 2005. The Caddy and the Aspencade he was riding both were totaled. Of course got the standard on a motorcycle must be speeding reaction. The speedo was frozen at 55 exactly the speed limit. He was 70 when this happened. He had 3 headlights one of which was a wobble light. Yep she never seen him. The odd part was her cell phone was shattered and on the dash. I am 14 years younger than him and my ride was a rice rocket. It had 70,000 miles on it. I had bought a used engine with 5,000 miles on it when it from a wreck. I sold both of them for $200. Then I went out and bought a 7 passenger T-blazer. These newer cars with the distraction centers are just as bad for distracted driving. The last accident I was in was in 1977. I took the radio out of T-blazer to fix problems with the electronic crap buried in the dash. It took me 2 years to put it back in. I got used to not listening to radio, so did not miss it that much. My brother died this year. He survived the closed head injury fairly well. But it did take a lot of wind out his sail.
"...We're not just making more educated and talented drivers, which frankly is the best way to make the roads safe." This right here. I wish I could like this video more than once for this statement right here.
I’ve constantly complained that the continuous focus on adding safety features to automobiles ignores the root cause. We don’t need safer cars, we need better drivers. 20 airbags, enhanced crumple zones, collision detection, automatic braking.... We have been hovering around the same number of fatalities for about 2 decades, so the effect is negligible. God forbid we make driver qualifications more stringent.
@mxt mxt And do our driving exams teach anything besides simple right-of-way, signage, and basic maneuvers? No, they don't. It becomes obvious when any abnormal situation arises. Do you know how rapidly those cheap brake pads you had pep boys install fade when you are forced to apply full brake at freeway speeds? Do you know how your stability control reacts when you are beginning to slide, and also the effect of it's reaction vs what you need to vehicle to do? Heck, most people can't, and never have, adjusted their mirrors properly.(Hint: You have no need to see what the side of your car looks like). So no, it's not that they form "bad habits", it's that they have never had good habits.
Bad habits cause wildlife to enter the roadway.... Bad habits cause mechanical failures and blowouts... Bad habits cause medical emergencies.... Bad habits cause impaired drivers and evaders.... And that’s just to point out your first error. You are an idiot. It appears you have a bad habit of opening in your mouth when you’re ignorant on a subject.
If god forbid I die riding my bike every one I know knows for a fact an absolute fact I died doing something I loved the only serious accident I have been in is some one traveling in the opposite direction turned left in front of me now by the law she was 100% at fault I still consider it partly my fault because I expected her to do the right thing and riding a motorcycle you must expect others to do the wrong thing.
What if instead of dieing you get injured and get you arms chopped off (knocked on my floor hopefully doesnt happen) and as a result you cant go to work(assuming you work)? What if youre paralyzed. Imo stay safe and do what you love but motorcycles should have idk private roads or soemthing. For example on a mountain pass or something. Problem is as you pointed out its other drivers that you have to watch out for. Water, leaves, sand, greese/oil are all simple hazards than can give you a good rash or broken bones but man when it comes to accidents with cars....it aint so pretty. Almost makes it not worth the risk.
Stefan Cupovic to you it’s not worth the risk I understand better than most all the dangers of motorcycle riding and it is well worth it to me look motorcycles are not for everyone but for the people that enjoy them there is very little like it the freedom the wind in my hair the smells the open road and the twist of the throttle is the best therapy there is I can have a stressful week hop on my bike and take a 30 minute ride and all the sudden everything is right with the world again you can’t put a price on that the truth is if I have to explain it to you you just won’t understand and that’s ok just don’t try to infringe on my enjoyment I don’t mess with your what ever it is that gets you through your day so don’t fuck with mine lmao 😂
@@chrismartin6544 just be careful man. I only did one season on a 250 and that was enough for me to see im not responsible or mature enough to not act like a moron. My brother just ordered the new s1000rr and idk i dont think he understands the dangers that well enough(even though hes extremely skilled and careful) but im not here to preach to anyone. Enjoy riding man and stay safe ill stick to cars lol.
I agree, If I die riding I hope everyone knows I died what I loved doing. I also got hit and went down while riding as well going about 45. Luckily neither I or my passenger were seriously injured. Just superficial injuries like bruising and road rash. It was the guys fault because he turned into my lane on the highway and didn't check his blindspot nor signaled. The two people behind me who saw the whole thing pulled over as well to make a statement to the police saying it was his fault as well which helped my insurance claim.
Its a mom thing, my mom can't stand the fact I have a bike and ride it, she's scared for my safety, not necessarily because of my riding but someone else's miscalculation
@@basithph8958 imagine 20 years from now, seeing the guy that you know did everything his mom wanted, getting into his Previa, with it's five star safety rating.. Him watching you throw a helmet on, and throw a leg over your Duc, watching with envy , his wife wishing he was more like you , and you knowing there are at least 5 others exactly like him watching you leave the parking lot.. it's your life, not mom's ..The ducati, or whatever screams "moms not in charge anymore!!!"
I just want you to know that growing up I've never found a reason to look up to someone older than me, I had to learned to be my own hero. I never quite understood why, until I was much older. But now I've now consumed your content for the past few weeks and I can honestly say that you are my hero. I really enjoy your message and I believe more people should hear you speak. The previous generation have failed us at best and at worst tried to hinder us through their own selfish nature.
My dad was hit and nearly killed riding his Harley. A drunk driver turned left into him, completely crushing his leg and launching him off his bike. Was in the hospital for weeks. Four years later I talked him into test riding another Harley, and he missed it but doesn't want to do a disservice to my step mother. We don't have a long time here, I think we should spend it doing what makes us happy
I rode for 20 years no issue. I live upstate NY. Rode to buddy's house spent night . Riding home same way I rode day B4 . It rain that night. Road was washed out. Hi side at 30. Nothing could have done. Killed brand new nija 1000 didn't even get to break it in. 30k in surgery. I got a sports car now
My stepdad used to race bikes on dirt tracks back in the day,got into about 20-something wrecks and wasn't at fault for a majority of those. As soon as I reached driving age he instantly shepherded me away from anything on two wheels. Maybe he was just over protective,but he did see other racers wreck and get mortally wounded so perhaps there's some truth.
@@shinren_ Yeah, I believe that if you get busted for drunk driving, 10-15 years. If you hurt/kill someone, even more (25-Life if it results in death). And have a lifetime ban for getting any kind of license. People who get behind the wheel while drunk/drugged DESERVE that kind of punishment. And I don't care if that's "extreme" or not. That shows a complete, and utter, lack of care to do such a thing to begin with, and PoS's like that deserve that kind punishment for doing that.
I'm really sorry for your loss. I stopped riding because the same thing happened to me but thankfully I was going slow enough to only get minor injuries. My gear saved my life.
Yeah, it's baffling how people will think nothing of someone saying "I want to get a bicycle to ride around town", but the second that bicycle becomes a motorcycle everyone asks if you've updated your Will. Bicycles are so much more dangerous to drive on the street, period.
fore sure , the Velodrome is a controlled environment,, but being strapped to a 30 degree bank with no free wheel.. with other riders who's lifes work is to shut the door on me, with millimeters between us at 60kmh.. you guys are crazy..
Ive been riding bikes now both velodrome and road for 4 years and i rode downgile for 3 years switching to road and track only and am now currently a junior and riding a bike for 700 hours of the year with no armour except a helmet (and it took years for road cyclists to accept disc brakes armour prbly wont become a thing) so many rider deaths happen but I enjoy it and id rather have a shorter life then not have it in my life. My parents wont let me get a motorcycle tho so idk wtf thats about aha
@@nunyabusiness896 Bicycles might be just as dangerous as motorcycles on city streets but when it comes to highway riding.... bicycles can't even get there
100% with you on this one Casey. I like the fact that you had some compassion for the driver in the accident, regardless of fault it would be a terrible thing to live with.
Compassion for the driver who killed the innocent guy? I was waiting to hear what punishment that person was going to get for killing someone. I hope they're not allowed to drive anymore
@adrianhorczak9984 welcome to the conversation....3years too late...but welcome all the same. We never got an update on this story, but it is likely the driver had to deal with vehicular manslaughter charges and civil lawsuits, so their life has probably been a living hell since the wreck. Does that make you feel better?
@@billdaily1502 No, that's all speculation. Not that I want the killer to have a living hell. I just hope they don't kill anyone else due to their poor driving skills. One of us could be their next victim
It's so true, the reason I ride is because it actually does feel like flying! I used to want to be a pilot like my dad but unfortunately developed a serious fear of heights, so riding a motorcycle was the less scary option🤷♂️. I don't ride for the "dangerous" aspect of it (I feel more in danger when I'm in a vehicle controlled by someone else) I ride for the freedom it gives you, and I suspect that's true for most of us.
I'm a pilot and hate heights too. Somehow it's different in an airplane, put me on a balcony, even one floor up, my legs turn to jello and I feel the need to get on my hands and knees and hold onto something solid. In an airplane, I'm fine. Part of it is the height is so much greater it becomes almost an abstract thing, part of it is you're strapped into a seat, and part of it is being in control. Obviously everyone is different and your problem with heights doesn't necessarily manifest itself the same mine does but if you're just assuming you're not going to be comfortable flying because you don't like heights you owe it to yourself to try it. Most flight schools offer a relatively inexpensive familiarisation flight where you get to go up for half an hour or so with an instructor and fly the plane a bit.
@@shinren_ I don't laugh at people who ride scooters, hell they outnumber us motorcyclists 10:1 here in London. But having ridden mopeds for work, I can say that they give me a sense of instability you don't get on a motorcycle. For that reason, I can't see myself getting one, but I definitely don't see people who ride them as anything but motorcyclists.
As a biker myself, I have to strongly agree with almost everything you said - with a single exception! You pointed out the ridiculously tragic occurrences of motorcycle injuries and how unexpected circumstances can appear from nowhere. And in the same speech, you don't see anything wrong with riding with minimal protection... assuming no surprises! Yet most accidents are a surprise and some have no avoiding precautions. Those are exactly the reasons why you should always wear the right gear! Don't skip and just keep your trainers on, instead of your boots, jacket and gloves - because sliding down the road at 50mph is not just going to require skin grafts but major reconstructive surgery to try and hold the ankle in one piece after 1" of bone has been GROUND OFF by the weight of the bike on top of it! I've toured Europe during the height of summer but always in full (two piece) leathers, boots and gloves. Albeit with the zipper down, visor open with sunglasses and only a t-shirt and shorts underneath. Don't skimp on safety! It ain't worth it!
Nothing they didn't heal from. Word of caution is one thing. Experience is best teacher. One went in a ditch, off side of road at a corner. Other lawn darted off a ramp and flew over bars.
On your point of bicycles, the cops in my area told me that leg ally I should be on the road, but they will never ticket a cyclist simply for choosing the safer option of the sidewalk because they deal with the drivers, and after 2 times on the same stretch of road where the same car tried hitting me, I stopped doing it altogether. Same reason I jaywalk instead of crossing at an intersection. Dealing with one or two directions of traffic at a time is safer than paying attention to 12 (left, right, straight on 4 initial directions of travel)
The sidewalk isn't actually the safer option, neither for pedestrians nor for cyclists - it just falsely feels like the safer one, which makes it even more dangerous, especially if cyclists go beyond pedestrian speeds (3 mph) on paths which aren't designed for vehicles (which a bicycle still is). This sad truth even applies to most cycle paths, which are just an afterthought based on pedestrian traffic design. There are rare exceptions like the bicycle infrastructure in the Netherlands, a country with a long history in cycling. The safest option without any infrastructure is actually being a well educated bicycle driver going with the flow of traffic in an environment with other well educated motor vehicle drivers. For that reason I wouldn't dare to use a bicycle in the US. In fact I would always choose the safest option of being inside a Ford F-150 at all times when in traffic.
Been riding for 36 years and during that time lost two good friends, had three major accidents, road rash scrubbed out of my back, found in a ditch unconscious and two back surgeries among other things. All that and still can’t stop. People that don’t ride don’t understand no matter how many times you try and explain it. It’s still to this day the most joy I’ve found on this little rock flying through space. ATGATT guys and great video Casey. I know it had to be difficult. Take care guys.
Why not both? Why take unnecessary risks when everyone (or most people) have an orbit of people who care deeply about them? There are a million ways to "live" that dont involve driving in risky areas
@@robertspencer7695 IMO, the most dangerous thing plaguing modern 1st world society is our positivity bias. We had some dudes come through our neighborhood a few months ago stealing guns out of cars. There's a facebook page for our subdivision, and somebody wrote the phrase, "looks like our safe corner of the world isn't so safe anymore." It never was safe. The world isn't safe. Like many people have mentioned on other posts, you need to be responsible for your own safety. You take risks everyday, you just dont recognize it because you haven't become a statistic yet. And what I said wasnt intended to come across as black and white. You should weigh the risks and decide if the consequences justify the actions, pretty much what you said.
@@I_Am_Lt_Surge I think we're all in agreement. He spoke a lot about risk assessment in his video and I think that's what we're talking about too. I just know people who do dumb things when they have dependents, and excuse themselves by saying "I'm just trying to live". People on bikes are some of the main culprits with that that I've seen. We cant eliminate danger, but we can definitely mitigate it significantly, without compromising quality of life
The left makes imaginary bubbles to protect them self. So maybe they can do that so they dont crash. For me im in the real world. Everything has risk Riding is a risk ill take. Better then J walking then getting runned over.
@@I_Am_Lt_Surge Pop philosophy doesn't negate the statistical facts that point to you as a rider having many many brushes with death IF you're lucky, fuck that.
Casey-Thanks a bunch for the heartfelt and truly inspirational video. My Dad forbid me to ride growing up, probably saved my life-but at 33 took the MSF safety course bought a 1000CC Moto Guzzi and 50+ bikes later never looked back! I'm 65 and still ride-have a 12 year old son and I've raced, toured to Canada and back, rode dirt, track-pretty much done it all. My attitude is ride like you're invisible! My mishaps and accidents have been due to momentary lapses in judgement-all around riding on bad tires or lack of sleep-but learned from the experiences. I share your love of life and experiencing all I can and model that to my Son. I've also had over 50 cars, mostly German, love Porsches, wrench on them myself and have just bought an 87 944-red/black leather. I AM subscribed to your channel and will be living there as I navigate this new found love! (I've had a 996 GT3 as a daily driver and drove 27,000 miles in it in 18 months.) I'm so ready to savor the 944 for what it is-with zero need t turn it into a GT3! Again-Thanks for your gifts to us all! Stuart
Some of my best memories in the 90’s and early 00’s were riding my motorcycle, on the track and on the street. It made me become a much better car driver as well. Another great video blog Casey.
Well said Casey. I am an old man compared to you. I have been riding since 1971. I have had a few mishaps on motorcycles, when i was very young, and they were my fault, mostly off road incidents though. But, i know what you mean about the dangers. For a period of about 10 years, when my kids were in school, i quit riding, because i did not want to leave my family stranded, if i got killed. Now ironically enough, Two bad shoulders may end my time riding . I should not complain, but i will complain, and will miss riding, if i am forced to stop because of my bad health, most of which, likely caused from my job. Love your videos, intelligence, and passion for motorsports, racing, etc.
Thanks for the video. Nothing fancy, just an honest video with raw, unedited human emotion. I appreciate these videos. I know that wasn't easy to talk about. I almost died in a car accident, obviously I survived, and I wasn't able to talk about it for over 6 months. I've been riding motorcycles since I was 16. I'm now 37 with 3 kids and a wife and also accept the same risk (as long as the risk is not too high with the given weather conditions). It's the actions of other people on the road that scare the crap out of me most of the time, not my own driving ability.
I am really sorry for your loss, I have just discovered your channel the other day and I believe that you are a responsible mature person with great thoughts to share, we need more people like you on the internet(and frankly on roads) I am learning a lot from your content and appreciate the time and effort you put into it.
Thanks for the positive notes Casey, can definitely listen to you quite a bit. I feel like I’m at a lull in life and I’m glad you talked about living life to its fullest while making smart decisions.
I am 18,I got my small 100cc Honda Underbone (C50) 2 years ago. My dad is a very good driver taught me a lot about driving and hazards of the road when we commuted in my small town. I was already quite good on understanding the road but man when I started driving that small old motorcycle, I understood it 1000x better. You come to realize just how the most mundane and common situation can hide a fatal danger. Yesterday a friend asked me how can I wear a helmet on so hot days. Jokingly I replied "because tomorrow can be very cold"
I ride motorcycles to as well as sports cars. I 100% agree with what you have said brother. I also agreed with you on another video were you again gave pearls of wisdom. Loving your outlooks and views, Subscribed.
Thanks for sharing that story. I rode from 2005-2007 and sold my R1 to pay college tuition. Shortly after a friend of mine was hit and was in a coma for over a month. He survived. I have not ridden one since 2007 and stick to cars, too many distracted drivers on the roads. Too many other good things in life than to take that risk, imo.
A well spoken video, sorry for your loss. Remember it's about adding life to your days not days to your life. Keep your friends spirit alive. God bless.
Great quote man. So fucking true. You hear about people saving for old age so they can travel and then when they finally get there, they are too old to do anything.
Very heavy conversation, but it is much appreciated. A friend of mine always says, "if you're born to be hung, you're not going to be shot (dead)." It is healthy to understand death and to live life with short accounts. You've got to keep it real with yourself and everyone else cause you never know when you're going to punch your ticket. Making the most of your short life is all we can do, and it is one reason I really appreciate you, Casey, your content and what you're doing to help the future generations with Genius Garage. Thanks for sharing this. I might have to write another email in response to this video cause you're making me think. That is, if the power stays on... freaking red flag warnings and fire storms out here in California. -walker
You're a wise man Casey. Personally in my experiences I've had a relative hit a deer and almost die, who is now permanently disabled. When I was a kid my mom was riding on the back of her boyfriends bike, and a van pulled out in front of them. He smashed his leg BAD and luckily she was pretty unharmed from it, relatively speaking. I've also had a buddy wreck while riding with me, and he almost didn't make it but ended up healing fully. Me personally, I've had a guy walking his dog, and his dog got off the leash as I was passing. It ran out in front of me, but luckily I wasn't speeding so I swerved hard around it. There are so many more dangers than you can imagine while riding, but as long as you enjoy it that shouldn't matter. Don't put yourself in situations, but there is inevitably dangers lurking no matter how safe you are.
Hi Case, great introduction. What a way to put it. "We are not doing a disservice to anybody by enjoying life." I'm gonna start using that and will certainly say where I got it from. Brilliant because it applies to anything and everything in life (and everybody, too -- if they want it).
Came across this video 3 years late but I guess its never too late. I am about to start my motorcycle training at 20 years old this summer. As much as I am excited, the fact it is very dangerous is still sitting in the back of my mind. My family is obviously not happy about me choosing this path, but I believe it is the right choice for me to make because if I just stick to what other people tell me (frankly, including my family), I will never make decisions that make ME happy. As dangerous as it is, I will be sure to wear my gear and ride with focus and a relaxed mind, but in no way am I gonna not ride just because someone else does not want me to. Ride safe, stay safe and enjoy life because we are not here forever and I hope soon enough, I will be able to finish my comment with "fellow biker".
Did you get a bike? I got my license and bike when I was 24. My mom was not happy about it either. I ended up selling it before I got married. Fast forward, I'm 47 now and looking to get back into bikes again.
@@zapatastyle Good to see a reply on my comment more than a year later. I got the license, the bike and already done 15k km on it. Went through a crash too altho just a mild lowside in heavy rain. The feeling of riding the twisties, touching down with my knee or just having a chill ride cant be beaten. Go for it mate, it brings joy to life
@@zapatastyle I went with a duke 390, fun little bike but i wouldnt get it again as my first bike. I already want something faster and feel ready for more power
@josefstejfa4585 The Duke 390 is super nice. I hear ya about the power. My bike was suzuki bandit 400. I also want to upgrade to a 600cc next time. The inline 4 engines are my favorite.
I applaud you for your decision at 19:00. So, so many people would have just kept quiet about this sort of thing. So many people would just assume that their friend is infallible and some stranger is obviously at fault. It took real courage, integrity and compassion to report that and I think those are virtues that people do not value enough these days. They are also far more critical to driver safety than any crash-safety technology. Being able to consider others, know what the right thing is to do, and having the strength to do it are extremely important. If anyone thinks ill of you for doing that, they’re not a good person.
Bravo Casey, the best active safety device is the one between our ears. The bikes aren't inherently dangerous, the riders are, through error of omission or comission. When we accept that we need pick up the slack for other road users and anticipate all risks it can be fun & safe.
I've had a couple friends get nailed riding on the road. It's sad, and contemplative, but it's not productive to blame ourselves, even partly, just because we rode with them and got a little frisky. It's not something we have any control or influence over. But we can be reminded of the risks and consequences. And good point about the gear. The most critical safety gear a rider must bring along is the gray matter between his ears. Of course it's nice to be protected against road rash and/or dirt/rock rash/cuts. Especially on dirt where wiping out is almost par for the course. Cheers.
I hear you on the need to make better drivers. I'm a bit older than you, I was in high school in the early to mid eighties. At that time, driver's ed was a class you took for a semester. Not only did we learn the rules of the road, but we learned how to actually drive on both a closed course and on public roads. We had to learn both manual and automatic transmissions. The instructors made sure we were observant and following all rules and road signs. They would often ask questions during the drive, just to see if you were really paying attention, like "what was the color of the truck we just passed?". It may not have been perfect, but it did ensure we at least had the ability to be a descent driver. Now, as far as I can tell, that has been completely taken out of school. Today's young drivers have to be taught by a relative or go to a "driving school". Considering those are actually a business and need to make money, I'm sure they are less concerned about turning out good drivers than they are about churning through as many students as possible. I also am not a fan of all the electronic nannies in modern cars. It is making inexperienced drivers feel like they don't actually have to pay attention and drive the car. The car will tell them if they wander out of a lane or traffic ahead stops. Or so they think. Perhaps that is why they think they can multitask by texting and driving at the same time. I once saw a person with a device in each hand and steering with her knees. While doing 70+ down the interstate. I put as much distance as I could, as fast as I could upon seeing that. I firmly believe that our roads would be safer and drivers would be better if they actually had to drive their vehicles without all the electronic driver aids. It would be great to see real drivers education again and have troopers ticket drivers for real safety violations and not just speeding a few mph over a posted speed. Rant over, Scott Brown
I've had two motorcycles. They were a lot of fun. I'm also a facial trauma surgeon and have worked on plenty of vehicular accident victims. I solved the need for power between my legs by getting a horse. Mostly safer and sharing the fun with an amazing animal is irreplaceable.
Good video. This made me remember 4 accidents that I was either involved in or knew the people involved. I was raced bicycles in the mid 80's. 1986 I was on a training ride before work one morning coming down a moderate hill doing 35-40 mph. An old lady coming the other way turned left in front of me without a signal light. I ended up going over the hood of her car and taking a trip to the ER. A year later a teenage racer I knew was in a fast Crit race and got taken into a curb which caused him to high side through a store front window taking out an artery and he bled out right there. Motorcycle... Coworker heading into work early one morning got taken down by a deer on the highway. He was wearing leathers and walked away with some road rash and a lot of bruises. Brother in law coming home from work LATE one night went down HARD. Multiple injuries the most serious big being burns on his back and legs requiring several operations for skin grafts. I don't race anymore but still ride.
Sorry for your loss similar experiences. I no longer ride three dead friends was enough for me. Love your channel thank you for sharing thumbs up stay awesome everyone.
I rode 4 20years. Crashed at 30mph last year Was bed ridden for moth peeing in a jug . Wife don't let me ride anymore. Bikes r supper dangerous. Just know the risk b4 you ride. And if u do crash don't be a buzzkill and hate on bikes because you had a bad experience
@@jimsmith8516 my problem is i just can't get the visual/voice from the accident out of my head any time i get near a motorcycle. I loved riding i loved the danger and had a few close calls i always thought it would be me who die... i didn't know that witnessing my friends death would end my riding. Thumbs up stay awesome and have a great day.
My best friend stopped after seeing all the hell I went through.and two of my other friends went and got new bikes. Hopefully they don't have any bad experience. I rode 4wheelers for a long time. crashed on motocross tracks. never been hurt as bad as on a bike
@@jimsmith8516 the thrill adrenaline and danger is what i miss. I'm looking for a classic car to restore now. I refuse to admit I'm getting old... I'm just not attracted to the danger anymore. Have an awesome day and thanks for sharing.
Two for me, but I can't shake riding. Got hooked at ten on my first bike and it's just in my blood. If I go too long without going out for a ride then I start to feel weird. Guess I'm addicted to riding.
Sorry for your loss, I've had more than a few folks pass away riding and it's tough for a lot of the reasons you've mentioned.. I put on a Mods/Rockers motorcycle rally, so I have a large group of friends and acquaintances who ride. I went down 4 years ago on a BMW GS650 that had really old tires (I know...dumb). But I've ridden a bunch of bikes and daily rode for two years and figured I could nurse the bike until I got new tires. Well I dislocated and shattered my shoulder, broke my foot... hematoma on my knee. Needless to say I was down from riding for 6 months and I dreamt vividly about riding the entire time. Once i got back onto a bike (with new tires) it was as satisfying or more as the dreams I was having. We all have our own odds generator which we are in charge of and I cannot foresee a time when I am not riding motorcycles.
3 things, you are one of the best speakers I've heard. I want you to do a video on the bat mobile sitting right behind you, and (this is only a suggestion and you have the right to choose) give Jesus a try. This was the nicest memorial for your good friend. Sitting on the floor being real just as if he were there with you. Great job!
I hate the excuse "my friend died on a bike so I don't ride one". I like your attitude, you only live once, go out and experience it. 8:05 very good comment
Hey bro, thanks for acknowledging cyclist. I raced my bicycle (road racing) at a pro level for 25 years and have a body full of scars to show how dangerous it is. Many fellow cyclists had rice rockets but my first muscle car was a 300C (dont laugh) in 2015 and I went with 4 wheels VS 2. Im glad I did because Id be dead from a 190 mph accident on a Hayabusa. Next was a Magnum SRT my current surf van Grand Caravan SRT and within the next 90 days itll be a generation 1 Dodge Viper :) Thanks for the awesome vids bro.
That was such a great video, I have no words to describe it, started watching your channel recently and I think you will have great success, as always ride safe 👊🏼
This video just showed up for me and I really liked it. Your integrity is most commendable. You have a new subscriber! This video contains a lot of truths that a lot will not listen to, from arrogance, ignorance, stupidity, or whatever. Science has shown that regarding human psychology, the more protected someone feels then the more risks they will take. We do need better drivers, but training can only do so much. There needs to be something always there to keep drivers aware and make roads safer. One way to do this would be to make cars a lot less safe in the sense of the absence modern safety features. The problem is that it is so counter-intuitive which significantly reduces the chances of this truth being accepted, let alone acted upon. Perhaps one way to move forward would be to not have the safety features of modern cars being a 'requirement', although there should be minimum standards of engineering quality. A manufacturer should be able to choose what features it build into a vehicle. Crash testing data is useful, but should be considered a feature of the vehicle not a requirement. A manufacturer, for example, should be free to design, build and sell to the general public a vehicle like an open-frame dune-buggy in their showrooms and the buying public should be free to buy it or not. In other words, the safety standards applied today need a full rethink, backed by science including human psychology, so that the outcome is better for all. From a safety perspective, there is a balance between the safety of those inside a vehicle relative to those outside the vehicle. There would be other benefits from such road safety rethink. Less carnage would mean less toll on medical and emergency services. Fewer risks means safer and more efficient driving (or riding) reducing the energy demand from oil-derived fuels and electricity, benefiting the environment. Fewer parts would mean lower manufacturing requirements and the associated costs, and the reduced mass of the vehicle would also reduce the energy needed to propel it which reduces costs to the end-user even further as well lowering greenhouse emissions even further.
Thank you for this video Casey! I just started riding a couple months ago and started off with an old 84 kz550. I was just a little worried about getting on roads and not trusting people but then I realized that I can't control others just myself and how safe I make it. Because of this video I now believe that even though it's a unknown it's always good to enjoy life to its fullest! Keep up the amazing videos!
Very smart explanation..I've been riding motorcycles for 8 years now...I possess a driving licence for car, motorcycle and even bus...I wanted to be more informed about the dangers of riding. Thanks..And in fact you're absolutely right, it also comes about calculated decisions, which is applicable in anything you do in life. When u ride or drive, you have to be well aware of the situation, the environment and the road surrounding you, the circumstances, the possible scenarios that you could anticipate, you have to analyse the road and the situation always, in order for you to be able to get out of a dangerous situation..I remember once I was riding my motorcycle on the motorway, a 3 lane traffic, there was a bus which was trying to overtake me, it was on the left, when it came next to me, the bus driver wanted to merge on my lane, fortunately while I was riding, I already anticipated that there could be a possibility that the bus would merge in my lane, well before I came across the vehicle, I already analysed the road ahead of me and behind in my mirrors in order to assess what I could do if ever I encountered an unexpected situation, as I already knew well before hand that there were no upcoming traffic at that moment, I merged immediately in the right lane next to me...The bus driver waved at me and said sorry..what really happened is that when the bus came next to me, I was in the blind spot of the mirror of the bus, so the bus driver thought the road was clear, he did the mistake of not looking on the right, hence in the mirrors, he saw nothing...I could say for sure that riding motorcycles made me more aware of the road while I ride or even drive..But still though, riding motorcycles are dangerous and will still be...bcoz of human error, or even circumstances independent of our will, for example a dog crossing the road suddenly in front of you...Thanks a lot, really appreciate your video 😉
Thank you so much. So few people talk about this, and it needs to be said. I've felt guilty before about driving my wife crazy - I've had many car accidents and a few on bikes - but she's grown to love riding with me, and is at a point now where she'd be terribly disappointed were I to stop (not to mention she put a big chunk of money into getting our last bike). You can't make yourself miserable out of fear of what could happen. I remember when I decided I would ride, I told her "I know with my history you'll be worried... I'll take the course, I'll do everything in my power to make you more comfortable... but at the end of the day, I'm getting a bike." The accident that killed my Triumph (but luckily not the wife or I) was pretty bad, and I'm sure some people wondered if I would stop riding then; I bought my first sportbike a month later. My wife, who suffers anxiety now but was incredibly brave enough to get back on, asked me a few months after the wreck " how do you keep going after all the accidents without anxiety, without thinking about stopping?" My answer was that there are a million things that happen in life that we can't control. You could get hit by a bus crossing the street. But if you change your life out of fear of what could happen, you make yourself miserable missing out on things you love for the sake of possibilities that might never come to pass. Death will come to us all. It'll find some of us curled up in a corner dying slowly for years waiting for it, and it'll find some of us with the wind in our faces laughing. I'd rather laugh. Thanks again for saying how so many of us feel.
As usual well said Casey. Your videos are always interesting, informative and articulate. I fully agree with your sentiments. I always ride like no-one can see or hear me. Keep up the great work mate.
We are always always at mortal risk no matter where we are I never leave my parents without telling them I love them anything can happen and life can change in the blink of an eye. Always enjoy everyday to the fullest and don't worry too much about it just live in the moment but still plan for the future
One time I was riding in the rain at night with my R3, Going slightly above speed limit 35 was in higher gear than usual. I was riding down a 2 lane road coming up to intersection someone in an SUV starts turning left, I hit the brakes non-abs bike starts fishtailing.. God Damn! I knew I couldn’t stop in time just preparing myself for the crash. But at last second the SUV turned back into their lane (turned right) avoiding me. I Saved the bike and went on my way. I felt relief and I felt mad at myself never once did I blame the person driving that SUV, a lot of factors could have went into that making that person not see me or even misjudging the distance and the speed I was going. I learned a lot from that experience you can’t trust people on the road to do the right decision, always prepare for any situation that may arise. After that I taught myself how to properly emergency brake in low traction, look ahead of the road scanning for hazards, make yourself visible and be extra cautious. The experience was both scary and a blessing I’ve gained more knowledge and prepared myself better in future.
Heavy stuff man. And good on you for bringing it up on your channel. A lot of us do know someone who has had an accident, or even might have had a situation that maybe shook us up a bit and made us reconsider riding (What's the old adage about the 2 types of riders? Those who have been down and those who have yet to..) But that is no reason to stop enjoying things; to stop enjoying life. It might have been a sadder video, but it brings me a bit of joy to see someone talking about something like this. Be as safe as you can be, and enjoy your life the way you want
Holy Toledo Casey!! I'd be leery of driving the Viper if the roads are that bad, LOL! I rode motorcycles on the public roads 3 years before I started driving a car on the same public roads. I firmly believe that made me the best automobile driver I could be. In almost 50 years, I was never involved in an at-fault vehicle crash because I applied the same mindset about other drivers when I was behind the wheel as I did when I was behind the handlebars. For the Love of God Casey, think about it. If some drivers can't see me coming in a big red Fire truck with every flashing light, blaring siren and horn known to man, what makes you think they can see me on a motorcycle? I suppose it could be worse, I could live in Toledo?
I ride too, in a way... it may not be as "manly" because I use a scooter... does a reasonable speed... 40 - 50 mp/h, backroads only ect. helmet... jacket... ect...
Good video, Casey. I have to agree that things would be safer if we could raise the bar for driving requirements. If nothing else you'd have a fair bit fewer people out there so... Less accidents!
That's a tough one to experience, I certainly can relate, I do have moments where I guess why I desire to ride with so much dangers but still love the feeling when I'm riding.
I've ridden in full darkness with a headlight failure on an unlit section of highway - scary stuff. The switch broke and I couldnt fix it on the road, and I was only 10 miles from home. I kept going, because there was no cross traffic, and i could see the other cars, but I was practically invisible.
I miss riding so much, think about it everyday. Last June got smoked head on by an impaired driver and lost my left leg, damaged left hand permanently, just lucky to be alive. Ride safe and watch out for motorcycles. Sorry to hear about your friend, sadly it’s an all to common story.
I've been commuter rider in Cincinnati for many years. Defensive riding and good decision making is absolutely the default operating mode. Don't be shy about beeping the horn when a driver in a car gets too close when changing lanes or turning into your lane. Always signal turns and lane changes well in advance. Be conscious of the blind spots that cars and trucks have and don't ride in them. Always wear your safety gear. Expect other drivers to make poor decisions so you aren't surprised when they actually do. Never ride when angry or upset and stay focused on task when on the road.
Thank you for the video! I appreciate the parallels in risk management between riding motorcycles and flying airplanes. I do both and it sounds like you may be a pilot as well? I believe each activity reinforces the other, especially around good decision making. Both activities are very unforgiving of carelessness, complacency, incapacity, or neglect. We can control/mitigate much of the risk, but not all. I accept that and enjoy my life operating those magical machines!
I got into a motorbike crash as a passenger with zero gear on. Got flung of the car that hit us many feet into the air. No major injuries but a lot of road rash and bad bruises. Made me want to own and ride a motorbike very badly and do it the right way this time.
As an older motorcyclist, you are right to enjoy life, I've been in a hospital for two plus weeks through my own dumb decision to ride when I should not have, I came to looking down on my being rolled down a hospital corridor, this experience changed how I have acted since then. You are right, it is up to you to minimize the risks you take, and you can not account for others doing the right thing, roads are dangerous places, ride as though there is a price on your head, because you can not be to careful.
I'm 22, buying a motorcycle has been on my mind for a couple of years now. Throughout highschool every other weekend I'd go out riding dirtbikes for a day with my father. I've missed that ever since. But every single time I bring up the notion of me riding a motorcycle to a family member they try to dissuade me. Even my father who just last week wrecked his bike on the track but walked away without a scratch himself said "No father wants to hear that their son bought a motorcycle" And they're not wrong to worry, especially on American roads. This video put into words a lot of my thoughts on the subject. So thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss
Just make sure you want to do it for the right reasons. Don't be a squid missile that expects everyone to bow to your whims. If you want to go ridiculously fast, it needs to be done on a track or drag strip, period.
Really easy to say until you’re the one who’s hit and mangled and injured, owning a business and your family relies on YOU. And you’re really HURT, in many ways. Easy to say that shit, I did. Many many times. Until your the one blindly hit for no reason and all sorts of f’ed up
I've been riding motorcycles for over 30 years. I run one of the largest motorcycle web forums, I have a business that sells motorcycle parts and accessories. I create instructional UA-cam videos for motorcyclists. My life has involved motorcycles for a long time. And I'm at the point where I'm about to give it up. All of it. It's not that I don't love it anymore - riding motorcycles is one of the things I love best in my life. But over the last 5-7 years or so, the number of texting, UA-cam-watching and otherwise distracted drivers on the road has increased exponentially, and it continues to get worse all the time. It's to the point where I can no longer go out and have a relaxing ride - because I'm constantly on the lookout for the oblivious idiot who is going to kill me. And without fail, EVERY SINGLE TIME I have gone out riding in the last couple of years, at least once on each ride, I've had to make some kind of emergency maneuver to avoid being hit by some moron with a cell phone in his (but more often her) hand. I have close to a hundred thousand motorcyclists on my web forum. The continual stories posted of members of my web forum getting hit by distracted drivers are an eye-opener. It's no longer fun when you're just trying to not be killed all the time. And failing a massive nationwide change in distracted driving legislation that bans this kind of behavior, AND puts teeth in it with significant fines and punishment to back it up, I'm calling it a day for life on two wheels. I know such legislation would work. I live in Ohio, but ride up to Ontario often, and they instituted this type of legislation there: the punishment for just having a cell phone in your hand, let alone texting, while sitting in a car (even at a stoplight), is a thousand dollar fine, 3 day license suspension, and 3 points on your license. And that's just the first offense - each subsequent offense more than doubles the punishment of the previous. As a result, from my experience, I have to say the amount of distracted drivers in Ontario is significantly less than here in the US. In the UK it's even more harsh - you get a huge fine just for driving with anything in your hand - a drink, for instance. Basically, if you're doing anything other than driving and paying attention to the road, it's going to hit your wallet hard. UK drivers are SO much more skilled, professional and courteous. I wouldn't hesitate to ride motorcycles there. Overarching, punitive legislation like this is not likely to ever happen here. So...because I like my life, I'm going to find something else that I can love to do.
The key is just be more selective about when and where you ride. Find routes and times that have low traffic away from impatient or distracted drivers. I think the days of commuting on a motorcycle safely are long gone and I personally won't even consider ever doing that, but riding safely is possible if you do it in the right areas. I'd even go so far as to rent a storage unit on the outskirts of town (if you live in the middle of a city or something) near nice riding roads and just ride up there and not even keep the motorcycle at your residence. You can also of course do track days, there's no rule that says you have to go 10/10 on a track day and risk your bike or your life.
At least 95% of (American) women I know absolutely will not talk on the phone while they're driving - instead if I try to call them they will text me back and say... Can't talk now - driving - text only. So instead they will text pages upon pages while driving & they do this continuously for the entire time they are in the car. It works for them because they never read incoming texts anyway just like they don't listen when you're actually speaking to them because they aren't interested in what you have to say - they only care about about what they have to say.
I have been riding sport bikes for almost 6 years now. You won't catch me commuting or riding anywhere near rush hour. The only way to keep yourself safe is being smart about when you ride.
@@motorcycleislife8296 that only works if you are riding near the speeds of traffic, but if you're behind them most of your loud exhaust noise is directed the other way. Not wearing all black gear helps a lot. So many people want to look cool in black. I have a bright colored helmet and bright yellow on my jacket. I've seen people make a double take and see me.
I ride a Ninja 250. Have had a Toyota Corolla t-bone me at 55mph. No broken bones. Three nurses jumped out their cars to help. I'm so thankful and grateful. Had all kinds of safety gear. All of it worked and was used. No rash!
Honestly, a lot of the danger of motorcycles comes down to the rider. I've watched hours of motorcycle crash videos and without fail almost every single one involves the rider speeding, being egotistical with an "I'm right, you're wrong, I'm not stopping or yielding" attitude, or simply not responding correctly to the conditions be it blind corners, night time riding, wet pavement, etc. Motorcycles get a bad rap as being dangerous, but it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as the fearmongering over how "dangerous" they are keeps sensible people away, so you just get a bunch of people with the "thrill seeking" mentality that want to push limits and put themselves in bad situations. I bet if you could distill the crash stats to only include people that are willing to diligently practice their skills (braking, cornering, emergency maneuvers, not just squid missiling in a straight line), don't excessively speed, don't expect other drivers to be perfect, try not to ride in adverse conditions like during rain and possibly even at night, wear full gear when riding (with some reflective/hi-vis accents, not all blacked out), don't neglect bike maintenance, and all around respect the act of motorcycling, I bet you'd find the crash and fatality rate would be no worse than a typical car. I'm not saying you can't enjoy an acceleration rip with a clear road ahead or lean over in the corners (with some angle to spare for adverse conditions or unexpected obstacles), but the bottom line is that if something could happen where you wouldn't be able to brake or maneuver out of an issue, you're going too fast, period. Above all else, I think an important factor is that motorcycling has a higher skill floor than almost every type of motor vehicle (aside from maybe a semi-truck/trailer due to the crazy transmissions and raw size/mass). Jumping on the highway your first day on a motorcycle is asking for a bad time. You need to practice in parking lots, preferably as part of an MSF class (which is required in some states for an M endorsement anyway), slowly work your way up to neighborhoods and other low speed roads where pedestrians and other slow vehicles like bicycles are common and people are watching for them, then to low-traffic city roads, and only after you really have everything down to a reflex should you hit the highway or city roads during high traffic times. Some people also need to recognize when they simply don't have the coordination to ride a bike and react in an emergency and stick to their SUV. Let's face it, motorcycles sometimes require each hand and foot to act independently while leaning your body weight and planning a course of action, not everyone is capable of that, period, and they need to be honest with themselves about it.
On September 23rd 2018 I was heading eastbound on I-270 in the middle lane on my CB-300 motorcycle at 60 mph. There was a pickup truck diagonal from me in the right lane with furniture in the bed of the pickup. A couch/love seat either bounced out or wind picked it up out of the pickup over the driver side and landed right in the middle lane directly in front of me. I hit the couch/love seat and was thrown off of the motorcycle shattering my left wrist, my right knee, and dislocating my right elbow. The pickup truck did not stop.
I would not ride bike in the street here in Philadelphia. People be on the phone, drunk and ignore red lights, stop signs. I will stick to my mx 5 at least it is more safer than a bike. People here are very uneducated drivers doing this. They also are impatient pricks. Yesterday someone was honking at me even though I had my turn signals on. My car is low and I didn’t want to hit the curb and mess things up.
Damn, just got a 2018 yzf r1m, think I watched this video for a reason... Great lessons taught by you Casey, thank you for your contribution to the world👌
I’m a 70 year old guy from N.E. OH. Back in 1979,I joined EAA (144008), because I wanted to learn more about the new sport of Ultralights. Every year since then, I went to Oshkosh for the convention. Right away I volunteered to work on the flight line crew. Learned a lot about flying from many different pilots. Finally bought a used Quicksilver MX in 1984. Flew it for the next twenty years. Over time, I realized that if I were to die because l chose to fly a non certified, non registered, non FAA inspected “recreational flying vehicle “, it would totally my fault. Nobody was going to turn left in front of me. Those were the best times of my life. I only stopped when I realized that if God had met man to fly, it wouldn’t cost so much money! Bob Stroud, 44221 OH.
Traveling in my car, I'm a spectator. On my bike, I'm a participant. Riding actively since 1961 (yeah, I'm that old) and currently put about 3-4 times as many miles per year on two wheels than I do on 4. And I greatly prefer riding i Europe - the average driver there is significantly more proficient than my fellow countrymen. Sad, but true.
Riding my mortercycle has given me so much adventure and sooo Many fun times. Its worth it for me to have one but i would not let my son have one at a young age like my dad with me looking back at how dangerous it is and was at times..
I have had a friend that has been in 2 motorcycle accidents and one of them put him in the hospital in a coma for multiple days. My friends and myself told him to stop riding and he is lucky that he came out of it in a full recovery. He still rides today, hopefully he never wrecks again.
sorry about your friend i have lost a few friends as well and been in some wrecks as well , i have been riding since i was 5 years old i'm 56 now it is the best part of my life and it always has been i'll keep going until i cant get on a bike. people die in cars and trucks everyday as well and it is just a fact of life. im never worried about my limitations i worry about other people skills and ability's. in the last 4 years i have lost 7 good friends because of cancer i'd rather go doing something i love suddenly then waste away because of a medical condition so ill be riding until they either pull my license or they pry the bars out of my hands
Only this week my brother who's 22 passed away after a motorcycle accident where a tractor pulled out of a driveway in front of him. He swerved to avoid it but hit the wall behind the tractor which split the chin bar of his Arai helmet in two. The awful thing is that it is only about 300 meters from home and he was on his way back.
My first major ride (not just around town) was about 50 miles of interstate in rain and about 30 degree weather. On an R3 with a TV zip tied to the back and a heavy backpack. I froze my tail off, but I loved every second.
Sorry for the loss of your friend. No motorcycles for me , I've seen to many people seriously hurt and killed riding. I've seen two people killed right in front of me . One was in DC , he got burned alive and the other one , car made a U turn , motorcycle slammed into him , person in motorcycle went flying in the air and broke his neck.
So, this is also kind of regional but, never been on a motorbike, however here in the netherlands everyone bikes, to school, to the store, to work, you name it, if its close enough we take the bicycle, and in the closer city areas we got biking paths, makes it a whole lot safer. But go to London for example, biking there is equal to being suicidal, so its very location based, also driving capabily differs a lot between countries
I agree with just about everything you've said Casey. I'm from around the metro Detroit area and you couldn't pay me to commute on a motorcycle, or ride anywhere near rush hour. The roads were so bad this year that I barely put over 1k miles on my R6. Cracks between lanes large enough to swallow your front tire. Not worth risking the damage to me or my bike. I've been riding for almost 6 years with lots of street miles, track days, dragon trips, ect. Been close to crashing many times both on street and track, but I'm very calculated on how far I push things. I work my way up towards the limit of my skill, and the vehicles limit which is always tire grip. Being smart about it has kept me safe.
I had gotten into a motorcycle accident on May 26 this year. Nothing major happened but someone had ran a stop sign and clipped me while I was doing 45 mph. Threw me left into a ditch and tore the tendons in my right ankle. Had surgery not long after in June. Bike was a 2007 Yamaha fz1 and was totalled. I'm also really sorry to hear about your friend.
![Why Motorcyclists Don't Need a Therapist! [4 Reasons]](/img/n.gif)
Quitting riding motorcycles sucked. It wasn't the fear of dying but the fear of becoming a dumber version of Steven Hawking.
That's why you have a DNR request put in your medical records and tell someone you trust to put the pillow over your head if need be
@@eriktruchinskas3747 ...and like that I'm off to the KTM dealer before they close or run out of 790 Dukes.
@@mr.anderson70 do it. I would kill to be able to ride (I'm physically handicapped preventing me from doing the 3 things I always told myself that I would do: serve in the military, ride a sportbike, and auto race in a stick shift car)
@@eriktruchinskas3747 sorry man
@@dommafia it is what it is. I would happily give all of them up to not feel pain every day though
Bikes are scary for two reasons: you have to have good self control, and you have to drive for everybody else's mistakes because a lot of motorcyclists end up getting hit by somebody who is just not paying attention. It's a scary thing and you have to be really careful
@DMoney Industry all the time. That's what I mean by, you have to drive for other people's mistakes. Lots of times I see bikers doing the speed limit, in the right lane, and somehow people don't look and end up trying to change lanes, almost hitting them. It's frustrating.
Yeah, When I first started riding It I was full of anxiety because I became a lot more perceptive of what other drivers were doing and it freaked me out. I realized that mentality was dangerous so I worked through it and now I love it. Im still paranoid and alert while riding but we all know nothing is perfect. But just ridding that fear is essential. Everything he talk about in the vid was spot on.
I quit after wearing out 4 of them. My brother T-boned a Caddy in 2005. The Caddy and the Aspencade he was riding both were totaled. Of course got the standard on a motorcycle must be speeding reaction. The speedo was frozen at 55 exactly the speed limit. He was 70 when this happened. He had 3 headlights one of which was a wobble light. Yep she never seen him. The odd part was her cell phone was shattered and on the dash. I am 14 years younger than him and my ride was a rice rocket. It had 70,000 miles on it. I had bought a used engine with 5,000 miles on it when it from a wreck. I sold both of them for $200. Then I went out and bought a 7 passenger T-blazer. These newer cars with the distraction centers are just as bad for distracted driving. The last accident I was in was in 1977. I took the radio out of T-blazer to fix problems with the electronic crap buried in the dash. It took me 2 years to put it back in. I got used to not listening to radio, so did not miss it that much. My brother died this year. He survived the closed head injury fairly well. But it did take a lot of wind out his sail.
"...We're not just making more educated and talented drivers, which frankly is the best way to make the roads safe."
This right here. I wish I could like this video more than once for this statement right here.
I’ve constantly complained that the continuous focus on adding safety features to automobiles ignores the root cause. We don’t need safer cars, we need better drivers. 20 airbags, enhanced crumple zones, collision detection, automatic braking.... We have been hovering around the same number of fatalities for about 2 decades, so the effect is negligible. God forbid we make driver qualifications more stringent.
It’s only going to get worse man. I’ve seen Tesla drivers asleep on the highway. Not kidding.
@mxt mxt And do our driving exams teach anything besides simple right-of-way, signage, and basic maneuvers? No, they don't. It becomes obvious when any abnormal situation arises. Do you know how rapidly those cheap brake pads you had pep boys install fade when you are forced to apply full brake at freeway speeds? Do you know how your stability control reacts when you are beginning to slide, and also the effect of it's reaction vs what you need to vehicle to do? Heck, most people can't, and never have, adjusted their mirrors properly.(Hint: You have no need to see what the side of your car looks like). So no, it's not that they form "bad habits", it's that they have never had good habits.
Bad habits cause wildlife to enter the roadway.... Bad habits cause mechanical failures and blowouts... Bad habits cause medical emergencies.... Bad habits cause impaired drivers and evaders.... And that’s just to point out your first error. You are an idiot. It appears you have a bad habit of opening in your mouth when you’re ignorant on a subject.
And many illegals drive licenseless
The big car companies I am sure would lobby against putting barriers for customers to buy their cars. But I agree with you.
If god forbid I die riding my bike every one I know knows for a fact an absolute fact I died doing something I loved the only serious accident I have been in is some one traveling in the opposite direction turned left in front of me now by the law she was 100% at fault I still consider it partly my fault because I expected her to do the right thing and riding a motorcycle you must expect others to do the wrong thing.
All we can do is gear up and ride man
What if instead of dieing you get injured and get you arms chopped off (knocked on my floor hopefully doesnt happen) and as a result you cant go to work(assuming you work)? What if youre paralyzed. Imo stay safe and do what you love but motorcycles should have idk private roads or soemthing. For example on a mountain pass or something. Problem is as you pointed out its other drivers that you have to watch out for. Water, leaves, sand, greese/oil are all simple hazards than can give you a good rash or broken bones but man when it comes to accidents with cars....it aint so pretty. Almost makes it not worth the risk.
Stefan Cupovic to you it’s not worth the risk I understand better than most all the dangers of motorcycle riding and it is well worth it to me look motorcycles are not for everyone but for the people that enjoy them there is very little like it the freedom the wind in my hair the smells the open road and the twist of the throttle is the best therapy there is I can have a stressful week hop on my bike and take a 30 minute ride and all the sudden everything is right with the world again you can’t put a price on that the truth is if I have to explain it to you you just won’t understand and that’s ok just don’t try to infringe on my enjoyment I don’t mess with your what ever it is that gets you through your day so don’t fuck with mine lmao 😂
@@chrismartin6544 just be careful man. I only did one season on a 250 and that was enough for me to see im not responsible or mature enough to not act like a moron. My brother just ordered the new s1000rr and idk i dont think he understands the dangers that well enough(even though hes extremely skilled and careful) but im not here to preach to anyone. Enjoy riding man and stay safe ill stick to cars lol.
I agree, If I die riding I hope everyone knows I died what I loved doing. I also got hit and went down while riding as well going about 45. Luckily neither I or my passenger were seriously injured. Just superficial injuries like bruising and road rash. It was the guys fault because he turned into my lane on the highway and didn't check his blindspot nor signaled. The two people behind me who saw the whole thing pulled over as well to make a statement to the police saying it was his fault as well which helped my insurance claim.
This is hard to talk about, however it is necessary... great job and thank you Casey.
a fellow motorcycle rider...
I don’t know why my mom doesn’t understand motorcycles
You don’t look for safety in a bike
Its a mom thing, my mom can't stand the fact I have a bike and ride it, she's scared for my safety, not necessarily because of my riding but someone else's miscalculation
NoTimeToExplain well true I just got to deal with it then
And I love my mom
Moms just worry, nothings gonna change that. My mom worries about me driving all the time
@@basithph8958 imagine 20 years from now, seeing the guy that you know did everything his mom wanted, getting into his Previa, with it's five star safety rating..
Him watching you throw a helmet on, and throw a leg over your Duc, watching with envy , his wife wishing he was more like you , and you knowing there are at least 5 others exactly like him watching you leave the parking lot..
it's your life, not mom's ..The ducati, or whatever screams "moms not in charge anymore!!!"
plane gaper lol wait and watch
I just want you to know that growing up I've never found a reason to look up to someone older than me, I had to learned to be my own hero. I never quite understood why, until I was much older. But now I've now consumed your content for the past few weeks and I can honestly say that you are my hero. I really enjoy your message and I believe more people should hear you speak. The previous generation have failed us at best and at worst tried to hinder us through their own selfish nature.
I relate to your last line my friend and am truly honored by your comment. Thank you.
My dad was hit and nearly killed riding his Harley. A drunk driver turned left into him, completely crushing his leg and launching him off his bike. Was in the hospital for weeks.
Four years later I talked him into test riding another Harley, and he missed it but doesn't want to do a disservice to my step mother. We don't have a long time here, I think we should spend it doing what makes us happy
I rode for 20 years no issue. I live upstate NY. Rode to buddy's house spent night . Riding home same way I rode day B4 . It rain that night. Road was washed out. Hi side at 30. Nothing could have done. Killed brand new nija 1000 didn't even get to break it in. 30k in surgery. I got a sports car now
@@jimsmith8516 Did the high side happen under braking or acceleration?
This is why drunk drivers piss me off so many get killed or injured because of people like that
My stepdad used to race bikes on dirt tracks back in the day,got into about 20-something wrecks and wasn't at fault for a majority of those. As soon as I reached driving age he instantly shepherded me away from anything on two wheels. Maybe he was just over protective,but he did see other racers wreck and get mortally wounded so perhaps there's some truth.
@@shinren_ Yeah, I believe that if you get busted for drunk driving, 10-15 years. If you hurt/kill someone, even more (25-Life if it results in death). And have a lifetime ban for getting any kind of license.
People who get behind the wheel while drunk/drugged DESERVE that kind of punishment. And I don't care if that's "extreme" or not. That shows a complete, and utter, lack of care to do such a thing to begin with, and PoS's like that deserve that kind punishment for doing that.
I'm really sorry for your loss. I stopped riding because the same thing happened to me but thankfully I was going slow enough to only get minor injuries. My gear saved my life.
Bicycles are crazy dangerous, I'm a velodrome rider and it freaks me out how many of my track friends are willing to ride road bikes anywhere
Those velodromes are dope, if I had the time and money for another hobby I would be eyeing one hard.
Yeah, it's baffling how people will think nothing of someone saying "I want to get a bicycle to ride around town", but the second that bicycle becomes a motorcycle everyone asks if you've updated your Will. Bicycles are so much more dangerous to drive on the street, period.
fore sure , the Velodrome is a controlled environment,, but being strapped to a 30 degree bank with no free wheel.. with other riders who's lifes work is to shut the door on me, with millimeters between us at 60kmh.. you guys are crazy..
Ive been riding bikes now both velodrome and road for 4 years and i rode downgile for 3 years switching to road and track only and am now currently a junior and riding a bike for 700 hours of the year with no armour except a helmet (and it took years for road cyclists to accept disc brakes armour prbly wont become a thing) so many rider deaths happen but I enjoy it and id rather have a shorter life then not have it in my life. My parents wont let me get a motorcycle tho so idk wtf thats about aha
@@nunyabusiness896 Bicycles might be just as dangerous as motorcycles on city streets but when it comes to highway riding.... bicycles can't even get there
100% with you on this one Casey. I like the fact that you had some compassion for the driver in the accident, regardless of fault it would be a terrible thing to live with.
So true.
Compassion for the driver who killed the innocent guy? I was waiting to hear what punishment that person was going to get for killing someone. I hope they're not allowed to drive anymore
@adrianhorczak9984 welcome to the conversation....3years too late...but welcome all the same. We never got an update on this story, but it is likely the driver had to deal with vehicular manslaughter charges and civil lawsuits, so their life has probably been a living hell since the wreck. Does that make you feel better?
@@billdaily1502 No, that's all speculation. Not that I want the killer to have a living hell. I just hope they don't kill anyone else due to their poor driving skills. One of us could be their next victim
It's so true, the reason I ride is because it actually does feel like flying! I used to want to be a pilot like my dad but unfortunately developed a serious fear of heights, so riding a motorcycle was the less scary option🤷♂️. I don't ride for the "dangerous" aspect of it (I feel more in danger when I'm in a vehicle controlled by someone else) I ride for the freedom it gives you, and I suspect that's true for most of us.
I reached the point of soloing and quite frankly the feeling of flying doesn't come close to as thrilling as the feeling of riding.
I'm a pilot and hate heights too. Somehow it's different in an airplane, put me on a balcony, even one floor up, my legs turn to jello and I feel the need to get on my hands and knees and hold onto something solid. In an airplane, I'm fine. Part of it is the height is so much greater it becomes almost an abstract thing, part of it is you're strapped into a seat, and part of it is being in control.
Obviously everyone is different and your problem with heights doesn't necessarily manifest itself the same mine does but if you're just assuming you're not going to be comfortable flying because you don't like heights you owe it to yourself to try it. Most flight schools offer a relatively inexpensive familiarisation flight where you get to go up for half an hour or so with an instructor and fly the plane a bit.
Honestly i was more of a car guy but (dont laugh) driving a scooter kinda showed me why people choose to drive motorbikes 😂 they're really fun
@@shinren_ I don't laugh at people who ride scooters, hell they outnumber us motorcyclists 10:1 here in London. But having ridden mopeds for work, I can say that they give me a sense of instability you don't get on a motorcycle. For that reason, I can't see myself getting one, but I definitely don't see people who ride them as anything but motorcyclists.
@@CheapskateMotorsports i mean riding a moped gave me a feel into the universe of a motorcyclist world :P tbh it gave a lot of freedom as you said
As a biker myself, I have to strongly agree with almost everything you said - with a single exception!
You pointed out the ridiculously tragic occurrences of motorcycle injuries and how unexpected circumstances can appear from nowhere. And in the same speech, you don't see anything wrong with riding with minimal protection... assuming no surprises! Yet most accidents are a surprise and some have no avoiding precautions. Those are exactly the reasons why you should always wear the right gear! Don't skip and just keep your trainers on, instead of your boots, jacket and gloves - because sliding down the road at 50mph is not just going to require skin grafts but major reconstructive surgery to try and hold the ankle in one piece after 1" of bone has been GROUND OFF by the weight of the bike on top of it!
I've toured Europe during the height of summer but always in full (two piece) leathers, boots and gloves. Albeit with the zipper down, visor open with sunglasses and only a t-shirt and shorts underneath.
Don't skimp on safety! It ain't worth it!
I ride. Taught my wifey and kids to ride. Tried to teach them about drivers, speed and road conditions.
You scare me with the word "Tried". Did something happen to one of them?
Nothing they didn't heal from. Word of caution is one thing. Experience is best teacher.
One went in a ditch, off side of road at a corner. Other lawn darted off a ramp and flew over bars.
He is a genuinely considered thinker this bloke. Enjoying his thoughts on numerous topics.
On your point of bicycles, the cops in my area told me that leg ally I should be on the road, but they will never ticket a cyclist simply for choosing the safer option of the sidewalk because they deal with the drivers, and after 2 times on the same stretch of road where the same car tried hitting me, I stopped doing it altogether. Same reason I jaywalk instead of crossing at an intersection. Dealing with one or two directions of traffic at a time is safer than paying attention to 12 (left, right, straight on 4 initial directions of travel)
Oh, how I hate playing Frogger at a busy intersection. Especially in places (or countries) where traffic laws are more suggestions rather than rules.
The sidewalk isn't actually the safer option, neither for pedestrians nor for cyclists - it just falsely feels like the safer one, which makes it even more dangerous, especially if cyclists go beyond pedestrian speeds (3 mph) on paths which aren't designed for vehicles (which a bicycle still is).
This sad truth even applies to most cycle paths, which are just an afterthought based on pedestrian traffic design. There are rare exceptions like the bicycle infrastructure in the Netherlands, a country with a long history in cycling.
The safest option without any infrastructure is actually being a well educated bicycle driver going with the flow of traffic in an environment with other well educated motor vehicle drivers. For that reason I wouldn't dare to use a bicycle in the US. In fact I would always choose the safest option of being inside a Ford F-150 at all times when in traffic.
Been riding for 36 years and during that time lost two good friends, had three major accidents, road rash scrubbed out of my back, found in a ditch unconscious and two back surgeries among other things. All that and still can’t stop. People that don’t ride don’t understand no matter how many times you try and explain it. It’s still to this day the most joy I’ve found on this little rock flying through space. ATGATT guys and great video Casey. I know it had to be difficult. Take care guys.
Life is dangerous. Are you gonna build brick walls around yourself, or are you gonna take risks and actually live?
Why not both? Why take unnecessary risks when everyone (or most people) have an orbit of people who care deeply about them? There are a million ways to "live" that dont involve driving in risky areas
@@robertspencer7695 IMO, the most dangerous thing plaguing modern 1st world society is our positivity bias. We had some dudes come through our neighborhood a few months ago stealing guns out of cars. There's a facebook page for our subdivision, and somebody wrote the phrase, "looks like our safe corner of the world isn't so safe anymore." It never was safe. The world isn't safe. Like many people have mentioned on other posts, you need to be responsible for your own safety. You take risks everyday, you just dont recognize it because you haven't become a statistic yet. And what I said wasnt intended to come across as black and white. You should weigh the risks and decide if the consequences justify the actions, pretty much what you said.
@@I_Am_Lt_Surge I think we're all in agreement. He spoke a lot about risk assessment in his video and I think that's what we're talking about too. I just know people who do dumb things when they have dependents, and excuse themselves by saying "I'm just trying to live". People on bikes are some of the main culprits with that that I've seen. We cant eliminate danger, but we can definitely mitigate it significantly, without compromising quality of life
The left makes imaginary bubbles to protect them self. So maybe they can do that so they dont crash.
For me im in the real world. Everything has risk Riding is a risk ill take. Better then J walking then getting runned over.
@@I_Am_Lt_Surge Pop philosophy doesn't negate the statistical facts that point to you as a rider having many many brushes with death IF you're lucky, fuck that.
James May once said that Riding bikes are the closest thing to a calvary charge in the modern world. So true.
Thank you so much for listening Casey. You have made a huge fan out of me over the last few weeks. You're the man!
The intro man, i needed that.
Short and to the point, just how i was raised Sir
Casey-Thanks a bunch for the heartfelt and truly inspirational video. My Dad forbid me to ride growing up, probably saved my life-but at 33 took the MSF safety course bought a 1000CC Moto Guzzi and 50+ bikes later never looked back! I'm 65 and still ride-have a 12 year old son and I've raced, toured to Canada and back, rode dirt, track-pretty much done it all. My attitude is ride like you're invisible! My mishaps and accidents have been due to momentary lapses in judgement-all around riding on bad tires or lack of sleep-but learned from the experiences. I share your love of life and experiencing all I can and model that to my Son. I've also had over 50 cars, mostly German, love Porsches, wrench on them myself and have just bought an 87 944-red/black leather. I AM subscribed to your channel and will be living there as I navigate this new found love! (I've had a 996 GT3 as a daily driver and drove 27,000 miles in it in 18 months.) I'm so ready to savor the 944 for what it is-with zero need t turn it into a GT3! Again-Thanks for your gifts to us all! Stuart
Some of my best memories in the 90’s and early 00’s were riding my motorcycle, on the track and on the street.
It made me become a much better car driver as well. Another great video blog Casey.
Well said Casey. I am an old man compared to you. I have been riding since 1971. I have had a few mishaps on motorcycles, when i was very young, and they were my fault, mostly off road incidents though. But, i know what you mean about the dangers. For a period of about 10 years, when my kids were in school, i quit riding, because i did not want to leave my family stranded, if i got killed. Now ironically enough, Two bad shoulders may end my time riding . I should not complain, but i will complain, and will miss riding, if i am forced to stop because of my bad health, most of which, likely caused from my job. Love your videos, intelligence, and passion for motorsports, racing, etc.
Thanks for the video. Nothing fancy, just an honest video with raw, unedited human emotion. I appreciate these videos. I know that wasn't easy to talk about. I almost died in a car accident, obviously I survived, and I wasn't able to talk about it for over 6 months.
I've been riding motorcycles since I was 16. I'm now 37 with 3 kids and a wife and also accept the same risk (as long as the risk is not too high with the given weather conditions). It's the actions of other people on the road that scare the crap out of me most of the time, not my own driving ability.
I am really sorry for your loss, I have just discovered your channel the other day and I believe that you are a responsible mature person with great thoughts to share, we need more people like you on the internet(and frankly on roads) I am learning a lot from your content and appreciate the time and effort you put into it.
Thanks for the positive notes Casey, can definitely listen to you quite a bit. I feel like I’m at a lull in life and I’m glad you talked about living life to its fullest while making smart decisions.
I am 18,I got my small 100cc Honda Underbone (C50) 2 years ago.
My dad is a very good driver taught me a lot about driving and hazards of the road when we commuted in my small town.
I was already quite good on understanding the road but man when I started driving that small old motorcycle, I understood it 1000x better.
You come to realize just how the most mundane and common situation can hide a fatal danger.
Yesterday a friend asked me how can I wear a helmet on so hot days. Jokingly I replied "because tomorrow can be very cold"
I ride motorcycles to as well as sports cars. I 100% agree with what you have said brother. I also agreed with you on another video were you again gave pearls of wisdom. Loving your outlooks and views, Subscribed.
Thanks for sharing that story. I rode from 2005-2007 and sold my R1 to pay college tuition. Shortly after a friend of mine was hit and was in a coma for over a month. He survived. I have not ridden one since 2007 and stick to cars, too many distracted drivers on the roads. Too many other good things in life than to take that risk, imo.
A well spoken video, sorry for your loss. Remember it's about adding life to your days not days to your life. Keep your friends spirit alive. God bless.
Great quote man. So fucking true. You hear about people saving for old age so they can travel and then when they finally get there, they are too old to do anything.
Very heavy conversation, but it is much appreciated. A friend of mine always says, "if you're born to be hung, you're not going to be shot (dead)." It is healthy to understand death and to live life with short accounts. You've got to keep it real with yourself and everyone else cause you never know when you're going to punch your ticket. Making the most of your short life is all we can do, and it is one reason I really appreciate you, Casey, your content and what you're doing to help the future generations with Genius Garage. Thanks for sharing this. I might have to write another email in response to this video cause you're making me think. That is, if the power stays on... freaking red flag warnings and fire storms out here in California. -walker
You're a wise man Casey. Personally in my experiences I've had a relative hit a deer and almost die, who is now permanently disabled. When I was a kid my mom was riding on the back of her boyfriends bike, and a van pulled out in front of them. He smashed his leg BAD and luckily she was pretty unharmed from it, relatively speaking. I've also had a buddy wreck while riding with me, and he almost didn't make it but ended up healing fully. Me personally, I've had a guy walking his dog, and his dog got off the leash as I was passing. It ran out in front of me, but luckily I wasn't speeding so I swerved hard around it. There are so many more dangers than you can imagine while riding, but as long as you enjoy it that shouldn't matter. Don't put yourself in situations, but there is inevitably dangers lurking no matter how safe you are.
Let me get one of those chapparral hats! Am I the only one in this group that misses those 1500hp Can Am cars???
Almost everyone that played Gran Turismo knows that brand as well. 😁 Love their madness of innovation and creativity they did.
Hi Case, great introduction. What a way to put it. "We are not doing a disservice to anybody by enjoying life." I'm gonna start using that and will certainly say where I got it from. Brilliant because it applies to anything and everything in life (and everybody, too -- if they want it).
Been riding since 1978. I'm only stopping when I can't get my leg over the bike any longer.
Casey, you are a fascinating person and a joy to listen to. Thanks for sharing you personal memories and thoughts.
Yes, very much enjoying this Ducati build and Maverick bike.
Your ending message was very powerful and hit home. Being in fear to live is not living at all..
Came across this video 3 years late but I guess its never too late. I am about to start my motorcycle training at 20 years old this summer. As much as I am excited, the fact it is very dangerous is still sitting in the back of my mind. My family is obviously not happy about me choosing this path, but I believe it is the right choice for me to make because if I just stick to what other people tell me (frankly, including my family), I will never make decisions that make ME happy. As dangerous as it is, I will be sure to wear my gear and ride with focus and a relaxed mind, but in no way am I gonna not ride just because someone else does not want me to. Ride safe, stay safe and enjoy life because we are not here forever and I hope soon enough, I will be able to finish my comment with "fellow biker".
Did you get a bike?
I got my license and bike when I was 24. My mom was not happy about it either.
I ended up selling it before I got married. Fast forward, I'm 47 now and looking to get back into bikes again.
@@zapatastyle Good to see a reply on my comment more than a year later. I got the license, the bike and already done 15k km on it. Went through a crash too altho just a mild lowside in heavy rain. The feeling of riding the twisties, touching down with my knee or just having a chill ride cant be beaten. Go for it mate, it brings joy to life
@josefstejfa4585 Glad to hear you went for it. What kind of bike?
I agree, it's the best feeling. I still dream about my old bike.
@@zapatastyle I went with a duke 390, fun little bike but i wouldnt get it again as my first bike. I already want something faster and feel ready for more power
@josefstejfa4585 The Duke 390 is super nice. I hear ya about the power.
My bike was suzuki bandit 400.
I also want to upgrade to a 600cc next time. The inline 4 engines are my favorite.
I applaud you for your decision at 19:00. So, so many people would have just kept quiet about this sort of thing. So many people would just assume that their friend is infallible and some stranger is obviously at fault. It took real courage, integrity and compassion to report that and I think those are virtues that people do not value enough these days. They are also far more critical to driver safety than any crash-safety technology. Being able to consider others, know what the right thing is to do, and having the strength to do it are extremely important. If anyone thinks ill of you for doing that, they’re not a good person.
Bravo Casey, the best active safety device is the one between our ears. The bikes aren't inherently dangerous, the riders are, through error of omission or comission. When we accept that we need pick up the slack for other road users and anticipate all risks it can be fun & safe.
This is one of the most heartfelt videos I've ever seen on UA-cam.
I know this comment is 4 years late, but thanks for sharing these stories.
You got it
I've had a couple friends get nailed riding on the road. It's sad, and contemplative, but it's not productive to blame ourselves, even partly, just because we rode with them and got a little frisky. It's not something we have any control or influence over. But we can be reminded of the risks and consequences.
And good point about the gear. The most critical safety gear a rider must bring along is the gray matter between his ears. Of course it's nice to be protected against road rash and/or dirt/rock rash/cuts. Especially on dirt where wiping out is almost par for the course. Cheers.
I hear you on the need to make better drivers. I'm a bit older than you, I was in high school in the early to mid eighties. At that time, driver's ed was a class you took for a semester. Not only did we learn the rules of the road, but we learned how to actually drive on both a closed course and on public roads. We had to learn both manual and automatic transmissions. The instructors made sure we were observant and following all rules and road signs. They would often ask questions during the drive, just to see if you were really paying attention, like "what was the color of the truck we just passed?". It may not have been perfect, but it did ensure we at least had the ability to be a descent driver.
Now, as far as I can tell, that has been completely taken out of school. Today's young drivers have to be taught by a relative or go to a "driving school". Considering those are actually a business and need to make money, I'm sure they are less concerned about turning out good drivers than they are about churning through as many students as possible.
I also am not a fan of all the electronic nannies in modern cars. It is making inexperienced drivers feel like they don't actually have to pay attention and drive the car. The car will tell them if they wander out of a lane or traffic ahead stops. Or so they think. Perhaps that is why they think they can multitask by texting and driving at the same time. I once saw a person with a device in each hand and steering with her knees. While doing 70+ down the interstate. I put as much distance as I could, as fast as I could upon seeing that.
I firmly believe that our roads would be safer and drivers would be better if they actually had to drive their vehicles without all the electronic driver aids. It would be great to see real drivers education again and have troopers ticket drivers for real safety violations and not just speeding a few mph over a posted speed.
Rant over,
Scott Brown
I've had two motorcycles. They were a lot of fun. I'm also a facial trauma surgeon and have worked on plenty of vehicular accident victims. I solved the need for power between my legs by getting a horse. Mostly safer and sharing the fun with an amazing animal is irreplaceable.
Good video. This made me remember 4 accidents that I was either involved in or knew the people involved. I was raced bicycles in the mid 80's. 1986 I was on a training ride before work one morning coming down a moderate hill doing 35-40 mph. An old lady coming the other way turned left in front of me without a signal light. I ended up going over the hood of her car and taking a trip to the ER. A year later a teenage racer I knew was in a fast Crit race and got taken into a curb which caused him to high side through a store front window taking out an artery and he bled out right there.
Motorcycle... Coworker heading into work early one morning got taken down by a deer on the highway. He was wearing leathers and walked away with some road rash and a lot of bruises. Brother in law coming home from work LATE one night went down HARD. Multiple injuries the most serious big being burns on his back and legs requiring several operations for skin grafts.
I don't race anymore but still ride.
Sorry for your loss similar experiences. I no longer ride three dead friends was enough for me. Love your channel thank you for sharing thumbs up stay awesome everyone.
I rode 4 20years. Crashed at 30mph last year Was bed ridden for moth peeing in a jug . Wife don't let me ride anymore. Bikes r supper dangerous. Just know the risk b4 you ride. And if u do crash don't be a buzzkill and hate on bikes because you had a bad experience
@@jimsmith8516 my problem is i just can't get the visual/voice from the accident out of my head any time i get near a motorcycle. I loved riding i loved the danger and had a few close calls i always thought it would be me who die... i didn't know that witnessing my friends death would end my riding. Thumbs up stay awesome and have a great day.
My best friend stopped after seeing all the hell I went through.and two of my other friends went and got new bikes. Hopefully they don't have any bad experience. I rode 4wheelers for a long time. crashed on motocross tracks. never been hurt as bad as on a bike
@@jimsmith8516 the thrill adrenaline and danger is what i miss. I'm looking for a classic car to restore now. I refuse to admit I'm getting old... I'm just not attracted to the danger anymore. Have an awesome day and thanks for sharing.
Two for me, but I can't shake riding. Got hooked at ten on my first bike and it's just in my blood. If I go too long without going out for a ride then I start to feel weird. Guess I'm addicted to riding.
Sorry for your loss, I've had more than a few folks pass away riding and it's tough for a lot of the reasons you've mentioned.. I put on a Mods/Rockers motorcycle rally, so I have a large group of friends and acquaintances who ride.
I went down 4 years ago on a BMW GS650 that had really old tires (I know...dumb). But I've ridden a bunch of bikes and daily rode for two years and figured I could nurse the bike until I got new tires. Well I dislocated and shattered my shoulder, broke my foot... hematoma on my knee. Needless to say I was down from riding for 6 months and I dreamt vividly about riding the entire time. Once i got back onto a bike (with new tires) it was as satisfying or more as the dreams I was having.
We all have our own odds generator which we are in charge of and I cannot foresee a time when I am not riding motorcycles.
Daily driving my 944 is scary enough, I can't imagine how exposed I would feel in highway traffic on a motorcycle. I just do dirt biking.
3 things, you are one of the best speakers I've heard. I want you to do a video on the bat mobile sitting right behind you, and (this is only a suggestion and you have the right to choose) give Jesus a try. This was the nicest memorial for your good friend. Sitting on the floor being real just as if he were there with you. Great job!
I hate the excuse "my friend died on a bike so I don't ride one". I like your attitude, you only live once, go out and experience it.
8:05 very good comment
Yeah those people just don't realise that even if you have 50 friends who died on bikes your probability of joining them is constant
Hey bro, thanks for acknowledging cyclist. I raced my bicycle (road racing) at a pro level for 25 years and have a body full of scars to show how dangerous it is. Many fellow cyclists had rice rockets but my first muscle car was a 300C (dont laugh) in 2015 and I went with 4 wheels VS 2. Im glad I did because Id be dead from a 190 mph accident on a Hayabusa. Next was a Magnum SRT my current surf van Grand Caravan SRT and within the next 90 days itll be a generation 1 Dodge Viper :) Thanks for the awesome vids bro.
Highway to the danger zone... I mean on the highway is the danger zone for motorcycles lol
That was such a great video, I have no words to describe it, started watching your channel recently and I think you will have great success, as always ride safe 👊🏼
This video just showed up for me and I really liked it. Your integrity is most commendable. You have a new subscriber!
This video contains a lot of truths that a lot will not listen to, from arrogance, ignorance, stupidity, or whatever. Science has shown that regarding human psychology, the more protected someone feels then the more risks they will take.
We do need better drivers, but training can only do so much. There needs to be something always there to keep drivers aware and make roads safer. One way to do this would be to make cars a lot less safe in the sense of the absence modern safety features. The problem is that it is so counter-intuitive which significantly reduces the chances of this truth being accepted, let alone acted upon.
Perhaps one way to move forward would be to not have the safety features of modern cars being a 'requirement', although there should be minimum standards of engineering quality. A manufacturer should be able to choose what features it build into a vehicle. Crash testing data is useful, but should be considered a feature of the vehicle not a requirement.
A manufacturer, for example, should be free to design, build and sell to the general public a vehicle like an open-frame dune-buggy in their showrooms and the buying public should be free to buy it or not. In other words, the safety standards applied today need a full rethink, backed by science including human psychology, so that the outcome is better for all. From a safety perspective, there is a balance between the safety of those inside a vehicle relative to those outside the vehicle.
There would be other benefits from such road safety rethink. Less carnage would mean less toll on medical and emergency services. Fewer risks means safer and more efficient driving (or riding) reducing the energy demand from oil-derived fuels and electricity, benefiting the environment. Fewer parts would mean lower manufacturing requirements and the associated costs, and the reduced mass of the vehicle would also reduce the energy needed to propel it which reduces costs to the end-user even further as well lowering greenhouse emissions even further.
Thank you for this video Casey! I just started riding a couple months ago and started off with an old 84 kz550. I was just a little worried about getting on roads and not trusting people but then I realized that I can't control others just myself and how safe I make it. Because of this video I now believe that even though it's a unknown it's always good to enjoy life to its fullest! Keep up the amazing videos!
I'm genuinely scared of motorcycles, 'cause I ride mountain bikes and fall sooo often...
Man sorry for your lost. I'm most thankful, for your story and experience. That"s something for me to think about as I want to ride in the future.
Very smart explanation..I've been riding motorcycles for 8 years now...I possess a driving licence for car, motorcycle and even bus...I wanted to be more informed about the dangers of riding. Thanks..And in fact you're absolutely right, it also comes about calculated decisions, which is applicable in anything you do in life. When u ride or drive, you have to be well aware of the situation, the environment and the road surrounding you, the circumstances, the possible scenarios that you could anticipate, you have to analyse the road and the situation always, in order for you to be able to get out of a dangerous situation..I remember once I was riding my motorcycle on the motorway, a 3 lane traffic, there was a bus which was trying to overtake me, it was on the left, when it came next to me, the bus driver wanted to merge on my lane, fortunately while I was riding, I already anticipated that there could be a possibility that the bus would merge in my lane, well before I came across the vehicle, I already analysed the road ahead of me and behind in my mirrors in order to assess what I could do if ever I encountered an unexpected situation, as I already knew well before hand that there were no upcoming traffic at that moment, I merged immediately in the right lane next to me...The bus driver waved at me and said sorry..what really happened is that when the bus came next to me, I was in the blind spot of the mirror of the bus, so the bus driver thought the road was clear, he did the mistake of not looking on the right, hence in the mirrors, he saw nothing...I could say for sure that riding motorcycles made me more aware of the road while I ride or even drive..But still though, riding motorcycles are dangerous and will still be...bcoz of human error, or even circumstances independent of our will, for example a dog crossing the road suddenly in front of you...Thanks a lot, really appreciate your video 😉
Thank you so much. So few people talk about this, and it needs to be said. I've felt guilty before about driving my wife crazy - I've had many car accidents and a few on bikes - but she's grown to love riding with me, and is at a point now where she'd be terribly disappointed were I to stop (not to mention she put a big chunk of money into getting our last bike). You can't make yourself miserable out of fear of what could happen. I remember when I decided I would ride, I told her "I know with my history you'll be worried... I'll take the course, I'll do everything in my power to make you more comfortable... but at the end of the day, I'm getting a bike." The accident that killed my Triumph (but luckily not the wife or I) was pretty bad, and I'm sure some people wondered if I would stop riding then; I bought my first sportbike a month later. My wife, who suffers anxiety now but was incredibly brave enough to get back on, asked me a few months after the wreck " how do you keep going after all the accidents without anxiety, without thinking about stopping?" My answer was that there are a million things that happen in life that we can't control. You could get hit by a bus crossing the street. But if you change your life out of fear of what could happen, you make yourself miserable missing out on things you love for the sake of possibilities that might never come to pass. Death will come to us all. It'll find some of us curled up in a corner dying slowly for years waiting for it, and it'll find some of us with the wind in our faces laughing. I'd rather laugh. Thanks again for saying how so many of us feel.
Great video - right on the mark. Your situational awareness and decision making must be instinctive when riding a motorcycle, automobile, etc.
As usual well said Casey. Your videos are always interesting, informative and articulate. I fully agree with your sentiments. I always ride like no-one can see or hear me. Keep up the great work mate.
We are always always at mortal risk no matter where we are I never leave my parents without telling them I love them anything can happen and life can change in the blink of an eye. Always enjoy everyday to the fullest and don't worry too much about it just live in the moment but still plan for the future
One time I was riding in the rain at night with my R3, Going slightly above speed limit 35 was in higher gear than usual. I was riding down a 2 lane road coming up to intersection someone in an SUV starts turning left, I hit the brakes non-abs bike starts fishtailing.. God Damn! I knew I couldn’t stop in time just preparing myself for the crash. But at last second the SUV turned back into their lane (turned right) avoiding me. I Saved the bike and went on my way.
I felt relief and I felt mad at myself never once did I blame the person driving that SUV, a lot of factors could have went into that making that person not see me or even misjudging the distance and the speed I was going.
I learned a lot from that experience you can’t trust people on the road to do the right decision, always prepare for any situation that may arise. After that I taught myself how to properly emergency brake in low traction, look ahead of the road scanning for hazards, make yourself visible and be extra cautious.
The experience was both scary and a blessing I’ve gained more knowledge and prepared myself better in future.
Sorry to hear about your friend, happened to my friend as well. They will always live in our hearts.
Great video Casey. Some really enlightening words. Gotta enjoy life while it’s still here.
Heavy stuff man. And good on you for bringing it up on your channel. A lot of us do know someone who has had an accident, or even might have had a situation that maybe shook us up a bit and made us reconsider riding (What's the old adage about the 2 types of riders? Those who have been down and those who have yet to..) But that is no reason to stop enjoying things; to stop enjoying life. It might have been a sadder video, but it brings me a bit of joy to see someone talking about something like this.
Be as safe as you can be, and enjoy your life the way you want
Holy Toledo Casey!! I'd be leery of driving the Viper if the roads are that bad, LOL! I rode motorcycles on the public roads 3 years before I started driving a car on the same public roads. I firmly believe that made me the best automobile driver I could be. In almost 50 years, I was never involved in an at-fault vehicle crash because I applied the same mindset about other drivers when I was behind the wheel as I did when I was behind the handlebars. For the Love of God Casey, think about it. If some drivers can't see me coming in a big red Fire truck with every flashing light, blaring siren and horn known to man, what makes you think they can see me on a motorcycle? I suppose it could be worse, I could live in Toledo?
I ride too, in a way... it may not be as "manly" because I use a scooter... does a reasonable speed... 40 - 50 mp/h, backroads only ect. helmet... jacket... ect...
Good video, Casey. I have to agree that things would be safer if we could raise the bar for driving requirements. If nothing else you'd have a fair bit fewer people out there so... Less accidents!
That's a tough one to experience, I certainly can relate, I do have moments where I guess why I desire to ride with so much dangers but still love the feeling when I'm riding.
I've ridden in full darkness with a headlight failure on an unlit section of highway - scary stuff.
The switch broke and I couldnt fix it on the road, and I was only 10 miles from home.
I kept going, because there was no cross traffic, and i could see the other cars, but I was practically invisible.
I miss riding so much, think about it everyday. Last June got smoked head on by an impaired driver and lost my left leg, damaged left hand permanently, just lucky to be alive. Ride safe and watch out for motorcycles. Sorry to hear about your friend, sadly it’s an all to common story.
I've been commuter rider in Cincinnati for many years. Defensive riding and good decision making is absolutely the default operating mode. Don't be shy about beeping the horn when a driver in a car gets too close when changing lanes or turning into your lane. Always signal turns and lane changes well in advance. Be conscious of the blind spots that cars and trucks have and don't ride in them. Always wear your safety gear. Expect other drivers to make poor decisions so you aren't surprised when they actually do. Never ride when angry or upset and stay focused on task when on the road.
Thank you for the video! I appreciate the parallels in risk management between riding motorcycles and flying airplanes. I do both and it sounds like you may be a pilot as well? I believe each activity reinforces the other, especially around good decision making. Both activities are very unforgiving of carelessness, complacency, incapacity, or neglect. We can control/mitigate much of the risk, but not all. I accept that and enjoy my life operating those magical machines!
I got into a motorbike crash as a passenger with zero gear on. Got flung of the car that hit us many feet into the air. No major injuries but a lot of road rash and bad bruises. Made me want to own and ride a motorbike very badly and do it the right way this time.
As an older motorcyclist, you are right to enjoy life, I've been in a hospital for two plus weeks through my own dumb decision to ride when I should not have, I came to
looking down on my being rolled down a hospital corridor, this experience changed how I have acted since then. You are right, it is up to you to minimize the risks you take, and you
can not account for others doing the right thing, roads are dangerous places, ride as though there is a price on your head, because you can not be to careful.
I'm 22, buying a motorcycle has been on my mind for a couple of years now. Throughout highschool every other weekend I'd go out riding dirtbikes for a day with my father. I've missed that ever since. But every single time I bring up the notion of me riding a motorcycle to a family member they try to dissuade me. Even my father who just last week wrecked his bike on the track but walked away without a scratch himself said "No father wants to hear that their son bought a motorcycle"
And they're not wrong to worry, especially on American roads.
This video put into words a lot of my thoughts on the subject. So thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss
Just make sure you want to do it for the right reasons. Don't be a squid missile that expects everyone to bow to your whims. If you want to go ridiculously fast, it needs to be done on a track or drag strip, period.
Do not fear dying, fear not living.
Really easy to say until you’re the one who’s hit and mangled and injured, owning a business and your family relies on YOU. And you’re really HURT, in many ways. Easy to say that shit, I did. Many many times. Until your the one blindly hit for no reason and all sorts of f’ed up
I've been riding motorcycles for over 30 years. I run one of the largest motorcycle web forums, I have a business that sells motorcycle parts and accessories. I create instructional UA-cam videos for motorcyclists. My life has involved motorcycles for a long time.
And I'm at the point where I'm about to give it up. All of it.
It's not that I don't love it anymore - riding motorcycles is one of the things I love best in my life. But over the last 5-7 years or so, the number of texting, UA-cam-watching and otherwise distracted drivers on the road has increased exponentially, and it continues to get worse all the time. It's to the point where I can no longer go out and have a relaxing ride - because I'm constantly on the lookout for the oblivious idiot who is going to kill me. And without fail, EVERY SINGLE TIME I have gone out riding in the last couple of years, at least once on each ride, I've had to make some kind of emergency maneuver to avoid being hit by some moron with a cell phone in his (but more often her) hand. I have close to a hundred thousand motorcyclists on my web forum. The continual stories posted of members of my web forum getting hit by distracted drivers are an eye-opener.
It's no longer fun when you're just trying to not be killed all the time. And failing a massive nationwide change in distracted driving legislation that bans this kind of behavior, AND puts teeth in it with significant fines and punishment to back it up, I'm calling it a day for life on two wheels.
I know such legislation would work. I live in Ohio, but ride up to Ontario often, and they instituted this type of legislation there: the punishment for just having a cell phone in your hand, let alone texting, while sitting in a car (even at a stoplight), is a thousand dollar fine, 3 day license suspension, and 3 points on your license. And that's just the first offense - each subsequent offense more than doubles the punishment of the previous. As a result, from my experience, I have to say the amount of distracted drivers in Ontario is significantly less than here in the US.
In the UK it's even more harsh - you get a huge fine just for driving with anything in your hand - a drink, for instance. Basically, if you're doing anything other than driving and paying attention to the road, it's going to hit your wallet hard. UK drivers are SO much more skilled, professional and courteous. I wouldn't hesitate to ride motorcycles there.
Overarching, punitive legislation like this is not likely to ever happen here. So...because I like my life, I'm going to find something else that I can love to do.
The key is just be more selective about when and where you ride. Find routes and times that have low traffic away from impatient or distracted drivers. I think the days of commuting on a motorcycle safely are long gone and I personally won't even consider ever doing that, but riding safely is possible if you do it in the right areas. I'd even go so far as to rent a storage unit on the outskirts of town (if you live in the middle of a city or something) near nice riding roads and just ride up there and not even keep the motorcycle at your residence. You can also of course do track days, there's no rule that says you have to go 10/10 on a track day and risk your bike or your life.
At least 95% of (American) women I know absolutely will not talk on the phone while they're driving - instead if I try to call them they will text me back and say... Can't talk now - driving - text only.
So instead they will text pages upon pages while driving & they do this continuously for the entire time they are in the car.
It works for them because they never read incoming texts anyway just like they don't listen when you're actually speaking to them because they aren't interested in what you have to say - they only care about about what they have to say.
I have been riding sport bikes for almost 6 years now. You won't catch me commuting or riding anywhere near rush hour. The only way to keep yourself safe is being smart about when you ride.
For me louder pipes makes people aware I'm there.
@@motorcycleislife8296 that only works if you are riding near the speeds of traffic, but if you're behind them most of your loud exhaust noise is directed the other way.
Not wearing all black gear helps a lot. So many people want to look cool in black. I have a bright colored helmet and bright yellow on my jacket. I've seen people make a double take and see me.
I ride a Ninja 250. Have had a Toyota Corolla t-bone me at 55mph. No broken bones. Three nurses jumped out their cars to help. I'm so thankful and grateful. Had all kinds of safety gear. All of it worked and was used. No rash!
Honestly, a lot of the danger of motorcycles comes down to the rider. I've watched hours of motorcycle crash videos and without fail almost every single one involves the rider speeding, being egotistical with an "I'm right, you're wrong, I'm not stopping or yielding" attitude, or simply not responding correctly to the conditions be it blind corners, night time riding, wet pavement, etc.
Motorcycles get a bad rap as being dangerous, but it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as the fearmongering over how "dangerous" they are keeps sensible people away, so you just get a bunch of people with the "thrill seeking" mentality that want to push limits and put themselves in bad situations. I bet if you could distill the crash stats to only include people that are willing to diligently practice their skills (braking, cornering, emergency maneuvers, not just squid missiling in a straight line), don't excessively speed, don't expect other drivers to be perfect, try not to ride in adverse conditions like during rain and possibly even at night, wear full gear when riding (with some reflective/hi-vis accents, not all blacked out), don't neglect bike maintenance, and all around respect the act of motorcycling, I bet you'd find the crash and fatality rate would be no worse than a typical car. I'm not saying you can't enjoy an acceleration rip with a clear road ahead or lean over in the corners (with some angle to spare for adverse conditions or unexpected obstacles), but the bottom line is that if something could happen where you wouldn't be able to brake or maneuver out of an issue, you're going too fast, period.
Above all else, I think an important factor is that motorcycling has a higher skill floor than almost every type of motor vehicle (aside from maybe a semi-truck/trailer due to the crazy transmissions and raw size/mass). Jumping on the highway your first day on a motorcycle is asking for a bad time. You need to practice in parking lots, preferably as part of an MSF class (which is required in some states for an M endorsement anyway), slowly work your way up to neighborhoods and other low speed roads where pedestrians and other slow vehicles like bicycles are common and people are watching for them, then to low-traffic city roads, and only after you really have everything down to a reflex should you hit the highway or city roads during high traffic times. Some people also need to recognize when they simply don't have the coordination to ride a bike and react in an emergency and stick to their SUV. Let's face it, motorcycles sometimes require each hand and foot to act independently while leaning your body weight and planning a course of action, not everyone is capable of that, period, and they need to be honest with themselves about it.
On September 23rd 2018 I was heading eastbound on I-270 in the middle lane on my CB-300 motorcycle at 60 mph. There was a pickup truck diagonal from me in the right lane with furniture in the bed of the pickup. A couch/love seat either bounced out or wind picked it up out of the pickup over the driver side and landed right in the middle lane directly in front of me. I hit the couch/love seat and was thrown off of the motorcycle shattering my left wrist, my right knee, and dislocating my right elbow. The pickup truck did not stop.
I would not ride bike in the street here in Philadelphia. People be on the phone, drunk and ignore red lights, stop signs. I will stick to my mx 5 at least it is more safer than a bike. People here are very uneducated drivers doing this. They also are impatient pricks. Yesterday someone was honking at me even though I had my turn signals on. My car is low and I didn’t want to hit the curb and mess things up.
Damn, just got a 2018 yzf r1m, think I watched this video for a reason... Great lessons taught by you Casey, thank you for your contribution to the world👌
I’m a 70 year old guy from N.E. OH. Back in 1979,I joined EAA (144008), because I wanted to learn more about the new sport of Ultralights. Every year since then, I went to Oshkosh for the convention. Right away I volunteered to work on the flight line crew. Learned a lot about flying from many different pilots. Finally bought a used Quicksilver MX in 1984. Flew it for the next twenty years. Over time, I realized that if I were to die because l chose to fly a non certified, non registered, non FAA inspected “recreational flying vehicle “, it would totally my fault. Nobody was going to turn left in front of me. Those were the best times of my life. I only stopped when I realized that if God had met man to fly, it wouldn’t cost so much money! Bob Stroud, 44221 OH.
Well said Bob. Great words and I love ultralights.
Totally agree, the most dangerous thing on the road is someone else can't stop their car when they should.
Traveling in my car, I'm a spectator. On my bike, I'm a participant. Riding actively since 1961 (yeah, I'm that old) and currently put about 3-4 times as many miles per year on two wheels than I do on 4. And I greatly prefer riding i Europe - the average driver there is significantly more proficient than my fellow countrymen. Sad, but true.
Riding my mortercycle has given me so much adventure and sooo Many fun times. Its worth it for me to have one but i would not let my son have one at a young age like my dad with me looking back at how dangerous it is and was at times..
I have had a friend that has been in 2 motorcycle accidents and one of them put him in the hospital in a coma for multiple days. My friends and myself told him to stop riding and he is lucky that he came out of it in a full recovery. He still rides today, hopefully he never wrecks again.
sorry about your friend i have lost a few friends as well and been in some wrecks as well , i have been riding since i was 5 years old i'm 56 now it is the best part of my life and it always has been i'll keep going until i cant get on a bike. people die in cars and trucks everyday as well and it is just a fact of life. im never worried about my limitations i worry about other people skills and ability's. in the last 4 years i have lost 7 good friends because of cancer i'd rather go doing something i love suddenly then waste away because of a medical condition so ill be riding until they either pull my license or they pry the bars out of my hands
Thanks for your perspective Casey.
R.I.P.
Only this week my brother who's 22 passed away after a motorcycle accident where a tractor pulled out of a driveway in front of him. He swerved to avoid it but hit the wall behind the tractor which split the chin bar of his Arai helmet in two. The awful thing is that it is only about 300 meters from home and he was on his way back.
My first major ride (not just around town) was about 50 miles of interstate in rain and about 30 degree weather. On an R3 with a TV zip tied to the back and a heavy backpack.
I froze my tail off, but I loved every second.
Sorry for the loss of your friend. No motorcycles for me , I've seen to many people seriously hurt and killed riding. I've seen two people killed right in front of me . One was in DC , he got burned alive and the other one , car made a U turn , motorcycle slammed into him , person in motorcycle went flying in the air and broke his neck.
So, this is also kind of regional but, never been on a motorbike, however here in the netherlands everyone bikes, to school, to the store, to work, you name it, if its close enough we take the bicycle, and in the closer city areas we got biking paths, makes it a whole lot safer. But go to London for example, biking there is equal to being suicidal, so its very location based, also driving capabily differs a lot between countries
I agree with just about everything you've said Casey. I'm from around the metro Detroit area and you couldn't pay me to commute on a motorcycle, or ride anywhere near rush hour. The roads were so bad this year that I barely put over 1k miles on my R6. Cracks between lanes large enough to swallow your front tire. Not worth risking the damage to me or my bike.
I've been riding for almost 6 years with lots of street miles, track days, dragon trips, ect. Been close to crashing many times both on street and track, but I'm very calculated on how far I push things. I work my way up towards the limit of my skill, and the vehicles limit which is always tire grip. Being smart about it has kept me safe.
I had gotten into a motorcycle accident on May 26 this year. Nothing major happened but someone had ran a stop sign and clipped me while I was doing 45 mph. Threw me left into a ditch and tore the tendons in my right ankle. Had surgery not long after in June. Bike was a 2007 Yamaha fz1 and was totalled. I'm also really sorry to hear about your friend.