Know thine enemy

[Papa Lazarou]

Please would everybody chip in on this.

The enemy is:
Cyclists
horse riders
cars
trucks
other motorcyclists
pedestrians
the other half
road conditions
weather
and last, but very definitely not least, yourself

And I'm sure there is more...

[UHOH]

road debris - stuff falling off trucks / trailers

[The Shepherd]

Dogs that love chasing motorcycles.

[mugwump58]

+1 "...and last, but very definitely not least, yourself..." So you've seen me in action then

[M.Brane]

Bees, and other flying/stinging insects.

[GTS_Rider]

The Police!  

Err, unless they're calling in medical attention to rescue you from yourself, or clueless cager...

[jstark47]

Please would everybody chip in on this.

The enemy is:
.....
and last, but very definitely not least, yourself

"We have met the enemy and he is us." (Walt Kelly)


I'm definitely the root of my problems.  Motorcycling and otherwise.

[ConPilot1]

Deer or anything else that walks or flies and weighs more than a pound.

[ChrisZRX]

and last, but very definitely not least, yourself

Yes, you could have dirt bike racing, track days, and 37 years of experience under your belt.  But a few moments of inattention and KAPOW(!) you'll have a totalled bike and a broken ankle.  

[DRam]

Yes, you could have dirt bike racing, track days, and 37 years of experience under your belt.  But a few moments of inattention and KAPOW(!) you'll have a totalled bike and a broken ankle.  

And therefore, absolutely anything that distracts you while riding or preparing to ride.  Scenery, an accident in the other lanes, something that breaks your concentration while prepping your bike - all can leave you with a munched bike and road rash or worse.

[Papa Lazarou]

horse riders. Over here, they have right of way (as do geese  ). They lurk round corners on main roads and country roads. Ride past very slowly and wide-you do not want to spook one. Horse V motorcycle is not a fight to get into.

As a bonus, they shit 7 times a day and do it all over the road. Hit a pile and skid.

The only good thing about horses-which are more stupid and unpredicatable than bikes-is that they are the no 1 most dangerous form of transport. So that dumb rider on his or her dumb mount is more likely to get killed than you are.

[Hambonee]

horse riders. Over here, they have right of way (as do geese  ). They lurk round corners on main roads and country roads. Ride past very slowly and wide-you do not want to spook one. Horse V motorcycle is not a fight to get into.

As a bonus, they shit 7 times a day and do it all over the road. Hit a pile and skid.

The only good thing about horses-which are more stupid and unpredicatable than bikes-is that they are the no 1 most dangerous form of transport. So that dumb rider on his or her dumb mount is more likely to get killed than you are.

Poorly secured loads on trucks and pickups...

The way people haul things around on their vehicles scares me to death. I have seen a guy driving is car with twine holding a matress to the roof..oh yeah, and him with his hand out the window trying to hold it down.  

Hay bails randomly flying off trucks are another big thing around here. Have one of those hit ya and it could be very easily all they wrote on the rider.

[ConPilot1]

Hot chicks tossing the hair about in nice cars or on the sidewalk in tiny, tight shorts is a dreaded mortal enemy to the motorcyclist as well.

The neck injuries could be bad from a quick acknowlegement of the situation. A complete moment of proper gawk and awe could prove fatal, so many times
when I encounter two-legged asphalt doe, I ususally slow down. Way, way down. You know, to be safe and all.

[cbsnbiker]

Ignorance.

Poor judgment.

Alcohol and other drugs that affect your ability to operate a motorcycle properly.

[DRam]

Hot chicks tossing the hair about in nice cars or on the sidewalk in tiny, tight shorts is a dreaded mortal enemy to the motorcyclist as well.

The neck injuries could be bad from a quick acknowlegement of the situation. A complete moment of proper gawk and awe could prove fatal, so many times
when I encounter two-legged asphalt doe, I ususally slow down. Way, way down. You know, to be safe and all.

Me too.  For safety.  Although I'm more likely to take a long look at a nicely restored '55 T-bird or some such classic than the two-legged sidewalk doe.  Was a different story fifty years ago.

[Frankienuckles]

Gravel, sand and especially at this time of year, wet leaves.

[coho]

Cobblestones.
Also wet cobblestones (like riding on a street paved with sticks of butter).

[tdeboeser]

Everyone....  


and maintenance...

[Grainbelt]

Anger. I try really hard not to ride when I'm in a foul mood, as stupidity occurs more often than not.

[Papa Lazarou]

Truckers

[coho]

Truckers

Everybody knows the trucker's life is just "Go to work, sit down, diddle with the shifter, murder a prostitute, shift, eat something, murder..." all day, then go home.

[Papa Lazarou]

There is that, I spose.

[M.Brane]

 The music was much worse than the driving in the first video.

 The second video was simply a convergence of idiots.

[County Tar]

I assume that rider died.  

[coho]

I assume that rider died.  

[romanian accent]
"We can rebuild him, we have the technology..."
[/romanian accent]

[pete620]

ego

[cbsnbiker]

ego

 

[Dan K]

alcohol and road conditions (gravel, transmission fluid, etc.)

[challenger]

Armadillos  

'possums  

squirrels    

turkey buzzards    

and any other DEAD animal encountered at NIGHT!!  

[coho]

ego

QFT

Amen, brother.  

[county]

Alcohol and other drugs that affect your ability to operate a motorcycle properly.

Sometimes alcohol and other drugs helped me operate my motorcycle exceptionally.....

[corndogs]

dont forget you can be your worst enemy.  Complacency

[diethornig]

dirts, muds on rainy days...

[keppyou812]

Here in central PA we have signs that the road crews are supposed to put out that say "fresh oil".  It's supposed to be put some distance before hand, so that you have a warning, but it's usually in the middle of the curve where the tar and chip starts.  

Other than that,
Cagers on cell phones.
Rednecks in trucks.

And last but not least...

Porcupines....  Have almost hit 2 of them since living here....

[ConPilot1]

Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport
in roadway. Avoid entanglement of dog with wheel spokes.

[TwoWhldTerror]

Gas prices that can even make filling up a bike eye popping!  

[ambientboy]

Here in central PA ...

Porcupines....  Have almost hit 2 of them since living here....

In Nebraska, it's raccoons the size of dogs.  

[black hills]

the rider is usually the riders worst enemy. the other things just provide the oportunity for you to screw up

[Royal Tiger]

Here in central PA we have signs that the road crews are supposed to put out that say "fresh oil".  It's supposed to be put some distance before hand, so that you have a warning, but it's usually in the middle of the curve where the tar and chip starts.  

Other than that,
Cagers on cell phones.
Rednecks in trucks.

And last but not least...

Porcupines....  Have almost hit 2 of them since living here....

Tar & chip is the worst idea ever for road resurfacing.  Not only on the bike, but it gets all over your car or truck as well.  PennDOT; always trying to save a buck at someones expense.  Like putting down gravel instead of salt in the winter.  Yeah, that helps.   And unlike salt which washes away, you have to watch for gravel piles until mid June.  

[black hills]

Sometimes alcohol and other drugs helped me operate my motorcycle exceptionally.....

me too

[blackbeltrider]

Hay bails randomly flying off trucks are another big thing around here. Have one of those hit ya and it could be very easily all they wrote on the rider.


That woould be the last "straw" would it not?


Minor grammar correction -  "bales", not "bails"

[Papa Lazarou]

Cricket bails flying off trucks is a possibility...

[Badclassicist]

.

The only good thing about horses-which are more stupid and unpredicatable than bikes-is that they are the no 1 most dangerous form of transport. ...

I gather they're also quite tasty if cut into slices and grilled.

[Andrew]

A ladder in the roadway can ruin your ride

[ChrisZRX]

Pretty leaves in autumn can distract you.  

[jadziadax8]

Cricket bails flying off trucks is a possibility...

I didn't know crickets used boats often enough to require a specific item for bailing water.   Seems that it would be too small to be a hazard, anyway.

[Loki]

Wow, you guys and gals (Hi Mags) think way too much.

The Enemy is Gravity!!!

That and forgetting to put your feet down at stops.
Maybe the gravel thing, small animals- probably not good either...
And most of the stuff mentioned above,

But, Really? How could Crickets Balls do any damage.
That are way to small and slippery. Don't ask!

L;

[Hoochie Papa]

I need to add in "Your own clothing"  I had a bee sneak into my helmet at about 50mph because it wasn't fully closed. I pulled it away from my head a bit to let the air flow blow it out, but he just fell into my jacket because I didn't have the collar cinched up tight enough.  He was pissed off, then I got pissed off. In the end, he won.