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Difference between revisions of "Motorcycling"
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<ref>T. E. Lawrence, ''T. E. Lawrence to his Biographers Robert Graves and Liddell Hart'', (edited by Robert Graves and B. H. Liddell Hart), 1963, Casell, London</ref> | <ref>T. E. Lawrence, ''T. E. Lawrence to his Biographers Robert Graves and Liddell Hart'', (edited by Robert Graves and B. H. Liddell Hart), 1963, Casell, London</ref> | ||
Milan Kundera also noted that "speed is the form of ecstasy the technical revolution has bestowed on man"; unlike a runner, "when man delegates the faculty of speed to a machine" such as a motorbike, "from then on, his own body is outside the process, and he gives over to a speed that is noncorporeal, nonmaterial, pure speed, speed itself, ecstasy speed." <ref> | Milan Kundera also noted that "speed is the form of ecstasy the technical revolution has bestowed on man"; unlike a runner, "when man delegates the faculty of speed to a machine" such as a motorbike, "from then on, his own body is outside the process, and he gives over to a speed that is noncorporeal, nonmaterial, pure speed, speed itself, ecstasy speed." <ref>Milan Kundera, ''Slowness'', 1996, Faber, London</ref> Not all motorcyclists have a "need for speed", but many do. Speed draws many people to motorcycling, because the power-to-weight ratios of even low-power motorcycles rivals that of an expensive sports car. The power-to-weight ratio of high power [[sport bike]]s is well beyond any mass-production automobile. All for a fraction of the price of those automobiles. | ||
High speeds on a motorcycle can also be more exhilarating than high speeds in an automobile. Not only is the sensation of speed greater since the rider is not separated from the environment of the road, but motorcycles negotiate turns by leaning. And the greater the speed, the greater the lean, sometimes to the point of scraping parts of the motorcycle on the road. Some riders will point proudly to the worn-away parts of their motorcycle, proof that they take turns so fast that they must lean the motorcycle over to the limits of its capabilities. | High speeds on a motorcycle can also be more exhilarating than high speeds in an automobile. Not only is the sensation of speed greater since the rider is not separated from the environment of the road, but motorcycles negotiate turns by leaning. And the greater the speed, the greater the lean, sometimes to the point of scraping parts of the motorcycle on the road. Some riders will point proudly to the worn-away parts of their motorcycle, proof that they take turns so fast that they must lean the motorcycle over to the limits of its capabilities. | ||
==Disadvantages== | ==Disadvantages== | ||
Motorcycling is a more dangerous means of transport than other road alternatives: the relative risk of a motorcycle rider being killed or seriously injured per kilometre travelled is around 54 times higher in 2006 than for car drivers.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/221552/228173/3162761/motorcyclingstats2008.pdf | publisher= | Motorcycling is a more dangerous means of transport than other road alternatives: the relative risk of a motorcycle rider being killed or seriously injured per kilometre travelled is around 54 times higher in 2006 than for car drivers.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/162469/221412/221552/228173/3162761/motorcyclingstats2008.pdf | publisher= United Kingdom Department for Transport | title= Transport Statistics Bulletin: Compendium of Motorcycling Statistics | accessdate= 2009-01-12}}</ref> However, motorcycling is less dangerous than many other popular outdoor recreational activities, including horseback riding.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://medicine.ucalgary.ca/about/horseback | publisher= American Journal of Surgery | title= University of Calgary/Calgary Health Region Study | accessdate= 2009-02-02}}</ref> | ||
To address [[motorcycle safety]] issues, [[motorcycle training|motorcycle-specific training]] and [[Motorcycle personal protective equipment|personal protective equipment]] is important for motorcyclists' survival on the road, and mandated in many countries and several U.S. states and counties. | To address [[motorcycle safety]] issues, [[motorcycle training|motorcycle-specific training]] and [[Motorcycle personal protective equipment|personal protective equipment]] is important for motorcyclists' survival on the road, and mandated in many countries and several U.S. states and counties. | ||