Understanding the Risks: Why Every New Motorcycle Rider Needs to Take Danger Seriously
“Ride like 90% of people can’t see you, and the other 10% want to hit you.”
If you want to ride a motorcycle, you need to accept this upfront: the road doesn’t care if you’re new or experienced.
Ignoring the Risks Doesn’t Make Them Disappear
The truth is, when you respect risk, riding becomes safer, more rewarding, and a lot more fun. This isn’t about fear — it’s about survival, confidence, and freedom done right.
As we’ve all experienced, there are incompetent drivers scattered all over the world. Unfortunately, there’s no reliable way to know who’s who — except for those Nissan Altimas with the bungee cord holding the bumper together... we see y’all.
Risk is inevitable, but I believe it’s on a sliding scale. As riders (and drivers), we can position ourselves in ways that reduce risk and give us options to escape dangerous situations. If we’re aware of what high-risk scenarios look like, we can influence the outcome.
What the Numbers Say
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are roughly 28 times more likely to die in a crash than someone in a car, per mile traveled. We’re also four times more likely to be injured in an accident. (Statistics from 2023.)
That’s a number that should stop every rider in their tracks — not to scare them, but to make them pay attention.
The most common causes of fatal motorcycle crashes include:
Cars turning left in front of riders
Riders misjudging corners
Speeding
Alcohol use
Failure to spot hazards in time
The key takeaway? A massive percentage of these crashes are preventable. They come down to rider decisions, skill level, and situational awareness.
Where New Riders Go Wrong
I believe overconfidence is the number one issue that gets new riders in trouble. Their confidence outweighs their skills, spatial awareness, and experience — which puts them in compromised positions.
And trust me, I get it. When I went into the MSF Basic Rider Course, I already knew the basics of operating a bike. I drive a manual transmission car daily, so balancing the clutch, throttle, and brakes wasn’t a huge learning curve. After just a few exercises, I started feeling comfortable — and that was a problem.
Feeling that comfortable, that quickly, is a mistake. So I actively worked to ignore that false confidence. I kept my mind focused on every element of the drills and reminded myself to stop pretending I was better than I actually was.
Then to make matters worse, like I see so many new riders do, some jump onto high-cc bikes thinking they’ll be fine — not realizing that their skills, decision-making, and experience are completely outmatched by their horsepower.
The antidote? Practice. Practice. Practice.
As I mentioned in my last article, watching ride reviews — a.k.a. “game film” — is an incredible tool for staying safer on the road. High-risk scenarios often look the same:
Cars making left-hand turns
Poor road conditions
Riding during high-risk times like rush hour
In addition to watching ride footage, take your bike to a parking lot or a low-traffic area and practice the maneuvers taught in the BRC. The more comfortable you are with the physical handling of the bike, the more mental energy you’ll have to focus on potential risks around you.
If you know how long it takes your bike to brake, swerve, accelerate, or correct itself, your decision-making becomes quicker and sharper. And in riding, every split second counts.
Know yourself. Know your bike. Play the long game.
How I’m Approaching the Risk
There’s never going to be zero risk — and I accept that. But it’s on me to control the controllables.
Wear a helmet. There isn’t a single good reason not to. Period.
Invest in the right gear. I get it — wearing a jacket in Florida summer sounds miserable. But there are some impressive mesh jackets built for hot weather. And trust me — it’ll feel a whole lot better than road rash. All The Gear, All The Time. (ATGATT)
“It’s not if you go down — it’s when you go down.”
Why Risk Awareness Makes Riding Better, Not Worse
Understanding what you’re up against doesn’t ruin the ride — it makes it better. Smarter. More enjoyable. Safer.
Knowing how to control your bike, manage yourself, and read the road tips the scales in your favor. You’ll have more confidence to enjoy spirited rides when you’ve earned the right through preparation and skill.
Final Thoughts — Ride Smart. Enjoy the Ride.
Respect risk. Respect yourself.
If this resonates, share it with another new rider. Drop your own lessons in the comments. Or check out the Rider Contributions page and help others learn from your experience.