There are motorcycle riders, and others who ride motorcycles. They're not the same group. Riding a road bike, where the geography is already prepared and manicured for you, is something a grandmother can do, and some do. Put your bike in the dirt, where the level of thinking required goes up an order of magnitude, and it's a different story. Riding any line up a hill is a different problem set than riding the same track down. Move a foot to the side and it's another set of problems. Figuring exactly when to add - or take off - power when going over roots and rocks is a thorny process. The thought process is faster and deeper than riding steady state, straight and level I've done both.
I've ridden English bikes that picked up the front wheel in only the first three gears. Fourth gear only topped out the front shocks. I've ridden Swedish bikes that jumped like a mountain goat. I've ridden Japanese bikes and regularly did uphill jumps with my daughter on the pillion.
Learned that many car drivers not only don't see motorcycles, they don't give a damn. Some actively go an search and destroy missions. So, I gravitated more and more to not riding the road, and to riding the dirt. Only a few times did I ever experience a tree or a boulder actually trying to attack me. I finally learned to dodge them, unless the sneaky ones came out to play. They'd get me sometimes even then.
I helped a lot of young riders learn how to ride safely, master their bikes, and to help others. I helped form a motorcycle club, and shepherded it into the AMA. Now, I no longer feel an interest to ride bikes. Now, I fly.
I've ridden English bikes that picked up the front wheel in only the first three gears. Fourth gear only topped out the front shocks. I've ridden Swedish bikes that jumped like a mountain goat. I've ridden Japanese bikes and regularly did uphill jumps with my daughter on the pillion.
Learned that many car drivers not only don't see motorcycles, they don't give a damn. Some actively go an search and destroy missions. So, I gravitated more and more to not riding the road, and to riding the dirt. Only a few times did I ever experience a tree or a boulder actually trying to attack me. I finally learned to dodge them, unless the sneaky ones came out to play. They'd get me sometimes even then.
I helped a lot of young riders learn how to ride safely, master their bikes, and to help others. I helped form a motorcycle club, and shepherded it into the AMA. Now, I no longer feel an interest to ride bikes. Now, I fly.
