Nice topic, haven't logged into the forum for awhile.

Ironically, if you're not prepared to die, don't ride a bike. However, while dying may not be an issue, paralysis can be a lifelong problem that affects those closest to you. To me, biking is like going to war, you can take as many precautions as you want, the elements of risk surrounding the activity itself remains highly volatile and unpredictable.

As for my 2 cents on how to try to stay in one piece, which may not be applicable to you, but I bear them in my mind when I ride:

1. Ride with a clear mind and a clear conscience. If you are troubled in some way, trouble will find you on the road. Biking requires full concentration, all the time. Unlike driving a car, you need both hands and feet in active coordination, eyes constantly peeled front and back, left and right.

2. Say a prayer before and during your ride. Even if there is no god, it will calm your mind. A calm mind works better, reacts faster.

3. Ride within your 50% to 70% effort only, even when you want to speed away or whack a corner. Someone taught me this, and if you can figure out what this means, you'll appreciate this rule.

As for armor, it's always advisable to suit up all the time, but I don't, so I won't go around saying that everyone should. It's your life, it's your bike, it's your ride, so it's your responsibility, your fate and your destiny. Hope lady luck rides with you all the time.

Happy biking.

Yep, to do that, you need to ensure when you kill the throttle, the engine brakes for you, and that means just ride on 1st gear all the way, quite sure you'd rarely need to pull the brake lever to slow down.

Use the brakes, get used to using it, feel it, feel the stopping force, know it's limits, practice modulation, and know what the rear brakes can and cannot do.