Quitting riding motorcycles sucked. It wasn't the fear of dying but the fear of becoming a dumber version of Steven Hawking.

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

"...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.

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.

I don’t know why my mom doesn’t understand motorcycles You don’t look for safety in a bike

This is hard to talk about, however it is necessary... great job and thank you Casey. a fellow motorcycle rider...

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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)

I ride. Taught my wifey and kids to ride. Tried to teach them about drivers, speed and road conditions.

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!

James May once said that Riding bikes are the closest thing to a calvary charge in the modern world. So true.

He is a genuinely considered thinker this bloke. Enjoying his thoughts on numerous topics.

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"

The intro man, i needed that.

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!

Been riding since 1978. I'm only stopping when I can't get my leg over the bike any longer.

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.

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.

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".

Let me get one of those chapparral hats! Am I the only one in this group that misses those 1500hp Can Am cars???

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.

Life is dangerous. Are you gonna build brick walls around yourself, or are you gonna take risks and actually live?

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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've been riding since 1999. In the training class, one of the first things the instructor told us, which stuck in my head, was that there are two types of riders. Those who have fallen and those who are going to fall. I've never dropped my motorcycle due to my ignorance and carelessness, but I have been involved in an accident while stopping at a traffic light that if I did not have on the proper riding equipment would have been much worse. This driver, who was distracted by a woman pedestrian, which was scandally dressed, didn't see the traffic had stopped and rear-ended my motorcycle at an estimated 60 plus mph. I went flying, landed on my hands, hit the pavement and tumbled. I broke my right wrist and the full face helmet took the rest of the impact saving me from serious injuries. I still ride today the same motorcycle which was repaired and from this incident I met my current wife . 😊

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Highway to the danger zone... I mean on the highway is the danger zone for motorcycles lol

As a private pilot... I find motorcycles to be a lot more dangerous to operate than my light sport aircraft. Also, its impractical to ride due to weather concerns and holidays and crime rates and other such factors. It's easier to just drive my modified cars with a full roll cage (and carry a gun) than to plan for riding a motorcycle.

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

I would like to respectfully submit the notion that motorcycles themselves are not dangerous, just as guns sitting on a table are not dangerous. It's when a human being lays hands on either one of them that they become dangerous. But I get what you're saying. After years of riding, maintaining acute awareness that you're essentially invisible becomes not so nerve wracking and just part of the ride. I've ridden almost daily, weather permitting, without a single incident, and people tell me it's luck. Well, it's not. I have just, consciously, developed a highly refined skill set. All my bikes have been fast and high powered. I have often "bent" speed laws but not in such a manner which could cause me or others any harm.

When I first started riding motorcycle, still new as I've just been riding little under a year, but when I first started riding, I would tell each and everyone of my friends and family to get a bike. Get a bike. My mentality has changed now. When the topic comes up, I tell them, yes, it's fun and to ride one means to know life that much more, but I always tell them that it's an inherently dangerous lifestyle. I won't be able to forgive myself if they got one because of me and the unfortunate happens. Motorcycle has helped me relieve stress and has taught me so much. I can't explain the feeling I get, but pure freedom. But this freedom comes at a cost. I tell my family; "one day, if my mortal time has come to its end due to a motorcycle accident. Just know that I've enjoyed every minute of 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.

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.

Someone pulled out in front of my brother 2 weeks ago, and took his life.... he leaves behind 4 children and a massive family to suffer and mourn his loss!! Unfortunately, I know I will never ride again

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...

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.

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.

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).

This is one of the most heartfelt videos I've ever seen on KZfaq. I know this comment is 4 years late, but thanks for sharing these stories.

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.

Yes, very much enjoying this Ducati build and Maverick bike.

As a pilot, I agree. Every time you get in or on remember it is as dangerous as the first time. Say "I could die". I ride my Yamaha R3 everyday.

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.

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.

Casey, you are a fascinating person and a joy to listen to. Thanks for sharing you personal memories and thoughts.

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.

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

20 years ago a friend had awful crash with his ducati. He lost an arm. I sold my bike because of that. Now ibreally, really feel like getting a bike again. I am still undecided at 65 years old. These scramblers are so cool….

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 KZfaq 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, KZfaq-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.

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.

My friend died in a car crash a couple of weeks ago, I told him he should never ride in cars because they are dangerous. I from now on only ride motorcycles.

I'm 32, have always wanted to ride. Every time the thought comes back to my head I sit down and have an honest self assessment as to my current driving ability and wether or not I trust myself not to kill myself. Haven't pulled the trigger yet 😁

I commute everyday on a motorcycle and is my only vehicle. I'm not trying diminish or blame your friend for his death. Personally I don't think motorcycles are much more dangerous than cars, it's the riders that are dangerous. Yes it's more dangerous when involved in an accident but MC crashes are often caused by speed and DUI. If you look at the stats most motorcycle accidents don't even involve another vehicle.

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.

Gave up street riding long ago. Too many idiots on public roads. Got into motorcycle road racing while living in Florida. It was super fun. Yamaha R3, Ninja 300, SV650 and then a GSXR 600. But, at 64 years old I realized that my concentration level wasn't what it used to be. Can't make a mistake going 150mph on a bike. After a couple brain farts on the track, luckily no crashes, I gave that up. Now just casual trail riding in the mountains of Colorado.

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.

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.

It’s only dangerous if you are zipping in and out of traffic, grabbing people’s vehicles, and doing end overs the whole way.

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

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.

Got back TODAY from three weeks scouring the Appalachians, roughly from the Tail of the Dragon to the Back of the Dragon. There were wet patches (Hey, come on: four days fo torrential rain!). There were wet leaves. There was ice in the mornings. I rode with the knowledge that every day -- hell, every curve! -- might be the last. A fiery crash could happen ... anywhere! But there's always the question, "Do I want that?" And so, you do what you can to keep it from happening. It's worked so far!

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.

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!

Be a rider, not an owner! Safety is often given the stigma of being uncool... however, riding has been one of the few things I've done in life where I participate with a very safe consciousness. I never take corners fast, I minimize lean angle and I'm never jerky on the throttle, brakes or turning. Before I hit the road, I do a couple hard braking attempts to help warm the tires and remind myself of the bikes capabilities. There is no perfect routine, however in the time I've been riding I haven't came across "close calls" like I did so many times while I drive a car.

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.

Your ending message was very powerful and hit home. Being in fear to live is not living at all..

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.

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!

Please become the head of the DMV and fix driver education bc everyone should agree that it was far too easy to get one and there isn’t enough teaching happening.

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 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.

The sand in the hour glass is filling up the bottom half for us all. Best to enjoy the short time we have. I don’t know when the sand at the top half of the hour glass will completely fill the bottom but when it does I hope the last thing I did was something I enjoyed doing. Best way to go out. Tragedy is part of life. Safety, skill and careful planning are tools every rider, driver and pilot needs. Know your equipment. Keep it in good running condition. Be mindful of your surroundings. Always expect the worst from traffic. Have fun and be safe guys.

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

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 😉

Only been in 2 accidents so far. One guy rear ended me at a stop light and another merged without looking. People just don't pay attention.

One of the main reasons I rode a street legal dirt bike is because I could go were others couldnt. Jeeps, quads and other offroad vehicles have nothing on dirt bikes for traversing rough country, not even close.

If a light bulb is partially destroyed in a crash, whether or not it was on during impact is usually readily apparent. A hot filament suddenly exposed to oxygen looks much different than one simply broken while cold. Your call may have directed attention to the forensics, but they probably already knew one way or another, and your call simply added a data point.

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 👊🏼

In the city right next where I live, it's not uncommon to see people riding bikes in the night with no lights, no reflective wear, dark clothes... super safe

In my country, Indonesia, motorcycles is a must have vehicle for daily activities and the reason It's more practical and efficient than cars. Although most of it only can afford scooters and smaller bikes but big bikes is also common in our road.

From your final point Casey, on "Why did I Just say that? I wasn't thinking about him, nothing reminded me of him" - I think a point that can be made here is that you don't control your thoughts, and not even all of your actions. You don't control where your next thoughts are coming from or what they'll be, and sometimes your actions just happen out of reflex.

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

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.

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.

Great video - right on the mark. Your situational awareness and decision making must be instinctive when riding a motorcycle, automobile, etc.