Motorcycling: A reinforcement of your mortality?

[TheTengTheory]

So in another thread, somehow the topic of my mortality and how I see it came up. So this is my question for old or new riders alike.

Has and if so; how has motorcycling increased or reinforced your perception of your mortality?

I only just got my 6L over a month ago. Have been riding as often as possible and so far have clocked up over 2k in the last month. I noticed this perception if you could call it, the few times I had to drive my car. After learning to ride a motorcycle and doing it often. I seem to be improving my awareness of the situation around myself as I am traveling along the road. Everything from my cornering, position on the road to overtaking or changing lanes. It's not to say I didn't take all these things into consideration before I starting riding bikes. Just that I never thought about it as much or as detailed.

Seems riding my bike has reinforced my mortality and allowed me to better judge risks I may take. I'll go as far as to say I've improved my driving habits and how I interact with the world around me.

[Hitcher]

If one wasn't aware of one's mortality, one wouldn't ride motorcycles. It's the inherent risk and danger that gives motorcycling its appeal. If it didn't, everybody would want to be driven around in buses.

[FJRider]

A reliance on safety devices to keep you alive will fail.

[bluninja]

When you are about to crash and know that you may die then it gives you a perspective on what's important to you.

If you survive it does change the way you think....especially when you listen to someone die a curtains thickness from you....they collapsed outside the hospital on an evening stroll. Within 6 months of that I started motorbike racing...clearly I wasn't meant to die on a bike.

I consider the stress build up when I'm not riding more dangerous than the risks when I am riding. I ride bikes to be involved in the riding experience and to sit in my little bubble of focused concentration, blocking out all the crap that is modern life.

[FJRider]

When you are about to crash and know that you may die then it gives you a perspective on what's important to you.



If ... when riding a motorcycle, you realize if you crashed ... you would die.

Would the perspective be any different .. ???

[Hitcher]

When you are about to crash and know that you may die then it gives you a perspective on what's important to you.

Death gives you no perspective whatsoever. Well, your own death, to be specific. The only perspective you have is when you're alive. Once you're dead everything you have ever experienced, enjoyed and imagined is gone. Forever. That's a great reason to celebrate life. Well, your own life, to be specific.

[paturoa]

If one wasn't aware of one's mortality, one wouldn't ride motorcycles. It's the inherent risk and danger that gives motorcycling its appeal. If it didn't, everybody would want to be driven around in buses.

Not this one, not even close. The thought does occur, but I see it as the reason that I'm still riding rather than being another statistic.

[Akzle]

Has and if so; how has motorcycling increased or reinforced your perception of your mortality?

riding bike= better driver =good.

my mortality is just fine, thanks for asking.

[bluninja]

Death gives you no perspective whatsoever. Well, your own death, to be specific. The only perspective you have is when you're alive. Once you're dead everything you have ever experienced, enjoyed and imagined is gone. Forever. That's a great reason to celebrate life. Well, your own life, to be specific.

I disagree. Even IF death is the end result ones perspective may well be changed. I agree it's a bit hard to see evidence of that in a corpse :sweatdrop The next line of the post, that is not quoted, explains about the surviving part :bye:

[TheTengTheory]

I disagree. Even IF death is the end result ones perspective may well be changed. I agree it's a bit hard to see evidence of that in a corpse :sweatdrop The next line of the post, that is not quoted, explains about the surviving part :bye:

I think my mortality is in a blunt sense related to my fear of the unknown as well as leaving loved ones behind. Also a sense of responsiblity. Wouldn't want to waste the 18 years my parents spent raising me on been silly and getting myself killed.

With a motorbike, I feel alot more exposed to the environment. I find the stimulation keeps me grounded. The improvement in my awareness seems to come from the extra exposure to the environment riding a motorcycle entails. All very well appreciated.

[nzmikey]

Meh if it's my time to go .... it's my time to go, does not matter if I am walking down the road , sitting in my lazy boy or doing flat stick somewhere

[James Deuce]

TheTengTheory must have something to do with sweeping generalisations and massive overconfidence.

[Karl08]

Riding a motorbike has not increased any sense of my own mortality; it developed nicely by itself having to ride a 10 speed bike to college (from Ngaio to the Basin Reserve) in peak hour traffic in the 80's. I think it was also helped along by my first major skateboard accident (close call with truck wheels passing my face).

[bogan]

Depends how you think about it after the ride; if you're thinking about life's big issues such as mortality while riding, you may meet your maker sooner than expected. However, riding does 'reinforce' the risks on the road, being more exposed to the conditions makes you more aware of them; which translates back to other forms of transport.

On the wider subject, feeling mortal is a symptom of living a good life imo, the risk of motorycling is but a small chance of the ultimate realisation of mortality. Though the safety nazis would have you think otherwise, so perhaps this is what has you thinking about it more than the risk itself?

[scumdog]

Once you're dead everything you have ever experienced, enjoyed and imagined is gone. Forever. .

Which is why I :rolleyes: when I see messages to a dead person at the site of a fatal crash - or in the back of the newspaper etc.

"Ride Free Bro" - pfft, like 'Bro' is ever going to read THAT!<_<

Dead is dead, brown-bread dead.

Forever. (Just to repeat Hitchers message.)

So enjoy your lack of dead-ness while you can.

[bogan]

I disagree. Even IF death is the end result ones perspective may well be changed. I agree it's a bit hard to see evidence of that in a corpse :sweatdrop The next line of the post, that is not quoted, explains about the surviving part :bye:

Agreed, please keep the religious assertions out of it Hitcher, lest you have to move it all to that other place :rolleyes:

[Maha]

Not this one, not even close. The thought does occur, but I see it as the reason that I'm still riding rather than being another statistic.

I tend to agree, the ''It's the inherent risk and danger that gives motorcycling its appeal'' .......... does not even register a blip on my appeal radar.
One can over dramatise and put to much of a shortland street spin on what they perceive to be, true and correct on thier own world.

[Zedder]

My approach to motorbiking is based, like all things I do, on trying to do it properly. Mortality doesn't really come into it.

If that involves spending a bit of money or doing a bit of training then that's what I do. I've found the results are better that way.

That's not to say I won't attempt to save a few bucks on fixing things myself if they pack up.

[mrchips]

I consider the stress build up when I'm not riding more dangerous than the risks when I am riding.

Amen to that !

[pritch]

The thought occurs that this thread should be more appropriately entitled, "My mid-life crisis". :devil2:

[Maha]

The thought occurs that this thread should be more appropriately entitled, "My mid-life crisis". :devil2:

No, that be this (belated) one...http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/155436-A-mid-life-enhancement?p=1130456693#post1130456693

[bluninja]

The thought occurs that this thread should be more appropriately entitled, "My mid-life crisis". :devil2:

Or even "Heavy breaking makes you feel more alive....and you remember what else makes your forearms pumped"

[Road kill]

So in another thread, somehow the topic of my mortality and how I see it came up. So this is my question for old or new riders alike.

Has and if so; how has motorcycling increased or reinforced your perception of your mortality?

I only just got my 6L over a month ago. Have been riding as often as possible and so far have clocked up over 2k in the last month. I noticed this perception if you could call it, the few times I had to drive my car. After learning to ride a motorcycle and doing it often. I seem to be improving my awareness of the situation around myself as I am traveling along the road. Everything from my cornering, position on the road to overtaking or changing lanes. It's not to say I didn't take all these things into consideration before I starting riding bikes. Just that I never thought about it as much or as detailed.

Seems riding my bike has reinforced my mortality and allowed me to better judge risks I may take. I'll go as far as to say I've improved my driving habits and how I interact with the world around me.

Mate you should get out more.

Face a few fears you have no control over and you'll find motorcycling doesn't really rate very high on the scarey shitometer.

[Katman]

Dead is dead, brown-bread dead.


When I'm dead I'm coming back to haunt you all.

[Zedder]

When I'm dead I'm coming back to haunt you all.

You haunt us all now.

[R-Soul]

Riding to work everyday gives me a bit of a (depressing) reason to wonder every morning if I will be coming back to my family. I never wiondered this when driving a car. Talk about being aware of my mortality...

Even the weekend rides dont seem to be making up for this constant sense of dread.

Meh.... maybe I must sell my commuter, ride the bus and get a track bike or a bucket racer.

[cheshirecat]

Used to get that every day despatch riding - never eased over time but survived. Did have a premotion once way back in the 70's and it turned out spot on. Others have been unfounded. A couple of months ago lost a bit of confidence in lane filtering bit got over it reckoning it was the vague NZ rules here.

DRing taught me to ride the basics well to survive in an unforgiving environment, much being the stuff we all know but often slip up on.

[Wingnut]

Being a Highlander, I need not worry about these mare mortal issues...

I am Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I was born in 1518 in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel. And I am immortal.

Man I loved that movie.......

Let the PC brigade worry about your mortality for ya. They're gonna make ya wear hi viz soon just to show how much they really do care about it :weird:

[Edbear]

Life sucks at times but the alternative ain't that great either.

Motorcycling had little to do with anything but the buzz I got every time I rode. Sure we are aware of our vulnerability and if riding a bike improves your general skills and awareness then more power to you. It should, simply because of your heightened awareness.

[Shortie]

Life sucks at times but the alternative ain't that great either.

Motorcycling had little to do with anything but the buzz I got every time I rode. Sure we are aware of our vulnerability and if riding a bike improves your general skills and awareness then more power to you. It should, simply because of your heightened awareness.

Yes, being on the bike is an awesome feeling. Morbid thoughts have no place on the ride, you have to be in the correct head space to maintain good observation and perception.

[TheTengTheory]

Yes, being on the bike is an awesome feeling. Morbid thoughts have no place on the ride, you have to be in the correct head space to maintain good observation and perception.

I would imagine correct headspace to being well aware of your mortality. Hence why you keep a high awareness of the situation around you.

[ducatilover]

Mortal sentimentality?

That's for wimps and flatulent monkeys.

[Zedder]

Mortal sentimentality?

That's for wimps and flatulent monkeys.

Flatulent monkeys? Is this about the rotarys again?

[TheTengTheory]

Flatulent monkeys? Is this about the rotarys again?

What about urals?

[Zedder]

What about urals?

You mean their sound I presume? I haven't had much to do with them but have seen/heard them on various videos.

Based on that, they sound better than rotary engines.