Is this riding season abnormal?

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mimico_polak

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It appears to me that this season has been very hard on riders since the weather turned better.

Anyone else get the feeling? Any ideas why it seems overly bad this season?

Personally I’ve seen more ‘bad’ riding than I recall in previous years but this season seems abnormally dangerous and killer for riders.
 
Wingboy said:
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Seems the same to me as well.

It just appears to be worse at the beginning of the season: cagers are not used to seeing motorcyclists on the street, motorcyclists' skills are rusty, and there haven't been any motorcycle accidents or fatalities in recent memory because of winter.
 
I feel the same way. On the way to work the bikers seem to behave, but on the way home the filtering between lanes at high speed is happening a lot and at great speed. Seems like every day on 680 news there is a bike accident. Weekends included.
 
I've ridden more in the last month than I have in the last three years, so it's an abnormal year for me for sure.
Split my time between the Ural and the HD Pan America Special and I have fallen in love with both again.
My typical ride is just a short commute, but I enjoy it, no stress and not a lot of traffic where I am.
 
This w
Sunday Rider said:
I feel the same way. On the way to work the bikers seem to behave, but on the way home the filtering between lanes at high speed is happening a lot and at great speed. Seems like every day on 680 news there is a bike accident. Weekends included.
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This week alone I’ve had at least 5-7 riders either lane split or ride the shoulder on the 401.

Frankly I’m jealous of their progress. But all it takes is one idiot.

Had a guy gain on me in the HOV lane so I ended up moving left to let him split between me and the left lane on the 403.
 
mimico_polak said:
It appears to me that this season has been very hard on riders since the weather turned better.

Anyone else get the feeling? Any ideas why it seems overly bad this season?

Personally I’ve seen more ‘bad’ riding than I recall in previous years but this season seems abnormally dangerous and killer for riders.
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Are you riding? No, abnormal, Yes, Normal.
 
An increase in the number of riders in accidents and injured or killed may well have absolutely nothing to do with you.

We don't hear much about the riders who have fatal accidents. Often, speed is mentioned, but not much else.

Avoid behaviors that put you at risk...........

Don't..................
  • Split lanes
  • Weave in and out of traffic
  • Drink and ride
  • Ride at dawn and dusk (critters)
  • Speed excessively
  • Ride above your skill level
 
I took the bike yesterday to look at a new trailer and new home speakers. Could see traffic was picking up around 430pm so I was home for 515pm before the people racing home or to the cottage/AirBnB got really bad. Risk avoidance helps keep me safer.
 
mimico_polak said:
I know people like to fudge the numbers to make a point…but 500% is hard to fudge
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Yes but also no. That is probably more related to a low number last year. Ice storm last year and a late start to the season so if the day they drew the stats, there was only 1 death last year, another 4-5 wouldn't be shocking. For stats to be significant, sadly you need a lot of incidents.
 
Not sure if anyone else remembers but it was FUCKIN COLD right up until mid June last year.... I remember this distinctly because we barely had one solid week of really nice weather before I left for Italy, June 23rd of 2025.

As someone who works in the motorcycle biz, I made sweet **** all until one week before I was shutting down for a month to ride across Italy again. Came back home for a month. Worked my ass off to play catch up and was doing great. Then I almost got killed in a car accident I was a passenger in and have been making sweet **** all ever since...

So... I think that year over year comparison doesn't really make a lot of sense for something as weather dependent as motorcycling. We had more warm days this year than last. Did we have 500% more? Maybe not. But it's still worth factoring in the difference in weather.
 
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