SAFETY: Motorcycle VS Snowmobile

What is safer to ride?

  • Motorcycle

    Votes: 7 16.3%

  • Snowmobile

    Votes: 36 83.7%

  • I am not sure

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    43
  • Poll closed .
tomseal6

tomseal6

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Guys,

I am thinking very hard about purchasing a 1200cc sportster Harley Davidson. It will be my first bike if I buy it.

I was wondering if you think a snowmobile or a motorcycle is safer to ride REGAURDLESS of engine size. I have to go through a bunch of bull crap to ride it on base. Pretty much anybody with a driverse license with no training can ride a snowmobile.
 
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Theres also that whole ballance issue. On a bike if you come to a stop and you dont put your foot down, you fall over - not the same for a sled, when you stop, you just stop. That just one instance. As far as riding goes, yeah you have to lean and shift your weight and all on a sled but to me its much more involved on two wheels. Not to mention if you hit a decent size rock or something the wrong way going around a turn on a dirtbike, you could be for a world of hurt (I know from experiance) I dont, however, ride a street bike but I assume the same type of scenario still applies, not so much on a sled. My vote goes to the sled being "safer"


I'm sure if our mothers got ahold of this thread "None of them would be safe! Your still an organ doner on anything! Their all too dangerous!"
Of course we all listend to that......I know I sure did. lol
 
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MrSled said:
your going to get hurt Tom....LOL, you need to start on something you can handle.....like a moped...LOL
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My girlfriend in the phillipines took me for a ride on her moped.. LOL... I honestly felt like a Bitch for the first time in my life
 
Hey man, mopeds are sweet! I have one that gets 68mpgs and a truck that get 10. If I'm only goin somewhere relatively in the neighborhood you better believe I'm taken the Sped (Spree + Moped = Sped, as it/I have become affectionately know as to my buddies)

Mopeds are like Fat Chicks; They're fun to ride when you're by yourself, you just don't want your buddies to see you on one.
 
Just my $.02 coming from a long time bike/harley rider if you can at all afford to get a little bigger model harley they are easier to ride. The bigger bikes with more weight are much more stable on the road, sportster 1200's are kind of squirrely because there is lot of power and not much weight.
 
Mighty said:
You don't have idiots in cars and trucks cutting you off on a sled like on a bike :o|
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That is my exact thought on the topic, but dont forget about those idiots talking on there cell phones, eating, brushing there teeth(yes Ive seen it countless times), reading the news paper. This is the exact reason I do not own a road bike of some sort, if I lived out in the country Id more than likely have one. Id rather take the chance of hitting a animal than a 4000lb+ vehicle hitting me at 70+mph. No Thanks
 
Yup, a street bike you always have to worry about the other drivers. Yea you also have to on a snowmobile but not as much as a motorcycle.
 
I ride my motorcycle as much as I can. I am always scanning for cars that could take me out.

I would not say that the balance aspect, or any other variable in this argument add up to the risk that inattentive cage (car) drivers present. With texting and cell use, not to mention people that read, put on makeup, eat, yell at their kids, etc while driving, you literally have to watch out for yourslef and be 100% aware at all times.

I have been riding motorcycles on road for close to 20 years, and I am always playing the game of "what is the worst thing that that driver can do". That is probably why I have never had an accident on my bike.

Then again, I know what my bike can actually do since I do track days on road courses.
 
xsivhp said:
They are both like hand guns - they are as safe as the people operating them!
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I agree to a point. But as a sledder you dont need to worry about something 6x as heavy on the same path. Well, minus the groomer, but I have never seen groomer operators putting on makeup while driving the groomer....
 
MrSled said:
your going to get hurt Tom....LOL, you need to start on something you can handle.....like a moped...LOL
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LMAO


Cmon Tomseal, I think you've been somebody's bitch before LOL.
In all seriousness, leaning to ride is easy, learning to ride defensively takes time. It is more about being WELL aware of the people around you and trying your best NOT to put yourself in a bad position, it can be very fun and a big cost saver but you will need to train yourself to anticipate a potential problem before it happens.

Good luck buddy and enjoy your new Harley! and when you get tired of that 50 hp 1200 you can come over and ride my 120hp 1200 - Vmax that is!! ;)!
 
I've been riding both for many years...all Yamaha of course.
I've been without a motorcycle for many years and just bought another one a few months ago. The first thing I noticed is how many cars you have to watch out for. It reminded me why I quit riding bikes before!
From the voice of experience, snowmobiles are much safer to ride.

Please be careful ;)!
 
Your getting excellent advice, you have to learn to ride defensively and always expect the driver to do the worst. It may seem weird, but the person that doesn't see you is the one you would swear is looking right at you. This is because most people are looking for bigger objects like cars and trucks, and they are looking right through you. You always have to have a hand on the brake when a rig pulls up on a side street in front of you, and you learn very quickly not to ride in blind spots. Most of the close calls I had were people changing lanes into me when I first got a bike. I realized that after about 3-4 months are hardly ever had a close call anymore. It certainly wasn't because the other drivers had changed their driving habits. You learn to be very defensive.

No comparison, bikes are more dangerous. Snow has some give to it, asphalt is like broken glass when you slide on it.
 
motorcycle hands down safer. trees are deadly ive about owned a few on a sled. theres nothing difficult about riding a motorcycle. been riding them since 8 years old.
 
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jr_amsoil said:
motorcycle hands down safer. trees are deadly ive about owned a few on a sled. theres nothing difficult about riding a motorcycle. been riding them since 8 years old.
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I won't start a debate on this one but you are right riding a motorcycle is easy, Driving everyone else's car while your on your bike is extremely difficult.

If you hit a "few trees" on your sled chances are pretty good that most of those where driver error, most motorcycle accidents are the result of someone else's error that is 100% out of your control, and all you can do is try your best to anticipate would could happen then try to avoid it.
 
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