So I’m a newbie to biking and London Bikers, and have just been reading wide-mouthed at the number of stories on here about people either falling or being knocked off their bikes.
I was just wondering if there are many bikers out there, especially those who ride in London, who haven’t suffered a close-encounter of the tarmac kind in their biking lives? Should I resign myself to the fact that I’m going to come off at some point.
Luckily, I haven’t kissed tarmac yet. But I will at some point. And so will you.
Everyone does at some point mate, might as well resign yourself to it. That knowledge keeps you sharp on the roads!
Don’t think like that, just enjoy the ride and try not to think about it too much, if it happens, it happens, just be alert and aware on the road and you’ll be just fine 
They say there’s only two types of biker: those who have fallen off, and those who are going to fall off.
So either way just enjoy the riding
Ditto. I had my first one 2 months after I passed the DAS course. My second was a side swipe with a lorry that was on my side of the road on a bend, thankfully I stayed upright.
As mentioned…there’s two types of bikers…those who have fallen and those who will fall.
I think that any Londonbiker that says that they haven’t had a near miss, might not be telling the truth.
It’s not if, it’s when. Just make sure that when the when happens that you survive to tell the story
Try not to think about it too much.
You could apply the same to pedestrians: those who have been hit crossing the road, and those who will be. But it doesn’t stop you crossing the road, does it! It isn’t a certainty… but be on your guard.
Just enjoy your riding. 
I fell and dropped my bike at low speed on my DAS 
Had one very small off on my own bike (my own fault) and a couple of drops 
as Tiggi says! 
I been riding since January and so far, haven’t fallen off, dropped the bike or hit anyone (except a couple of wing mirrors, accidentally…)
I have had to swerve half a dizen times to avoid smashing somebody’s back lights in.
Ironic, as longer term members will know I have failed my Module 1 five times - on the Swerve test 
Ah, well, if you’re talking about drops…
Dropped my old Diversion twice on the day I bought her. Dropped the Ninja at work against a colleagues car, thankfully the only cost was £80 for Chips Away to sort his bumper! :w00t:
I then dropped the Ninja against a grassy bank on a run when I tried to get off in a rush to help a fallen rider…only got covered in wet mud.
And then I dropped the Ninja again last year in Cornwall as we were about to leave a campsite and she was fully loaded with panniers and camping gear. Again she just got covered in grass. Only damage that day was to my pride as I’d left the disk lock on! :w00t:
Stevie!!! FIVE TIMES - why didnt you tell me about the following two! :w00t: did you post about them?
I know about the first three (like me) so dont wana hear about those
before I bought my first bike I was told to be prepared for it to happen in the first year. for that reason I didn’t buy a nice bike and BOY am I glad I didn’t 
You know I think my DAS instructor put it best.
He always said,
**“I haven’t come off in 30+ years of riding, but today I might - so I still need to be careful”
**
And his observation was a constant commentary on what could happen as we rode along the road.
ive never fallen off…
ok…i’ll get my coat…:unsure:.
smiled:D.
2 offs, both non fault, in 4 years i dont think thats too bad 
, my ex had been riding 10 years before he had his first off-and it had to be on MY bike :hehe: (good job it was a tatty old sv and not my 675!)
Had my 1st ‘off’ 3 weeks ago and that was in 15 years of riding. I’ve been hit twice before that but stayed upright and countless near misses, just enjoy your ride, but always always be alert and never get complacent.
Who would read my next article if I told you all the juicy details now???
i wrote off and re-built my odl speedfight 100 when i was 17…then last october i was hit whiel riding home from work on my Old SV650S…wrote her off bashed my knee up, but i left a nice bit of damage to the Z4 that ‘didnt see me’…
i worked as a courier for 6 montsh this year…no offs…but plenty of close calls;)
Try not to give it too much thought, but stay alert.
