I had not ridden a motorcycle for over 30 years. Purchased an FXST Harley back in 2003. Just got on it and rode off. Had to renew my motorcycle endorsement on my license which requires a driving test which doing it on a Harley is not the best choice for tight maneuvering. Anyway, I scored 100% on the driving test, so I of course posted it on the refridgerator!

Just want to throw in my 2 cents here on safety. Over the years I had a couple things happen to me which demonstrate the vulnerability you experience on a motorcycle when shi# happens.

Sitting at stop light with a friend on the back waiting for a light change to cross a 4 lane road. My light turns green and I ease away from a stop then notice that a car approaching from my right does not appear to be stopping. I pull in the clutch and hesitate while that care flies right through the intersection right in front of me. My friend on the back happened to be looking to the left at the car skidding into us from that direction. We were broadsided by a 1962 Chevrolet Impala (Yes this one was a few years ago). I took the brunt of the hit to my left foot which in turn broke the engine case (Good thing I had boots on). We were thrown to the ground hard enough that it cracked my helmet. Cause of the accident? Failure of the Impala to treat an "out" stop light like a stop sign. My lights were working, but the cross lights weren't.....don't see that very often.

Fast forward to recent. On the Harley...Had been sitting waiting for a car to turn for what seemed like forever. Once the car turned, I'll admit I accelerated heavily...mostly to make noise...away only to come upon another car waiting to turn which resulted in me braking a little harder that I would have normally....here is the point of this mishap. Whenever you brake, you must always envision a way out or an escape. That thinking which is hardwired into me naturally caused me to veer towards the right shoulder as I braked. I stopped just fine, but I was close to the right edge of the lane... Then it happened. I hear this incredible crash behind me and reflex told me to flee. Once I heard the crash I took off around the car ahead of me. In those split seconds I felt a little nudge as I pulled away. It was the vehicle right behind me that got hit at about 35 mph. It was a newer Ford pickup with rounded bumpers and as it got hit forward...while I was pulling away, all that happened was that I had a turn signal knocked off.

So if I had not accelerated to make some noise, I might have ended up in the center of the lane and got sandwiched. I doubt I would have been hurt badly but my bike certainly would have been crunched.

So the piece of safety advice I will pass to this discussion...always, always know your escape route. On freeways, avoid center lanes. Right lane or left lane give you much better escape routes.

Don't ride behind something you can't see through or easily around!

OK...Here's the funny one. I was riding on the back of my friends bike (same guy in the accident above). We are approaching a sweeping turn and he decides to stand up, lean forward to see if the headlight is on. When he sits down, we are losing it on the curve...immediately to the left is a side street which he veered to....uh, didn't make that one either. We ended up nose diving into a ditch. I see it coming and jump up as did he. We both somersaulted into the brush....without so much as a scratch. Bike was dusted with the front wheel buried into the engine and a great big dent in the top of the gas tank that we never figured out how it happened.

As Yelobird says above about cars not seeing you. You will see a lot of those stop then start again then stop again. Sometimes I think it is a psychological thing. Cars respect cars and see them easily and really see and respect large vehicles like trucks. Motorcycles are little in comparison and I think just don't register as well.. So bottom line...figure everyone is going to pull out in front of you.

Mine. Probably won't get to ride it anymore this year due to surgery.

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I did my test on a full size Harley and aced it...100%. Stuck it on the refrigerator with a magnet!

I scored 100% on my riding test....on a Harley....Put it on the fridge with a magnet!