Learning to Drive vs. Learning to Ride

[prizrak]

On the flipside, if you start on a bike, you will be a much better and defensive driver when strapped to 1500kgs+ worth of car. You will have a much better understanding of the way road surfaces affect handling and being cheaper to run, when you drop a bike, unless you have a carbon-fiber, titanium framed bike, then the repair costs will be minimal; frame sliders are cheap, too. Shifting on a bike is really second nature- I was downshifting when braking as soon as we were told to shift to second on a motorcycle for the first time at the training course. The way a bike handles is second nature as well. If you can get passed the hammy acting, The Twist of the Wrist 2 is a fantastic resource for understanding bike physics.

The problem is that when you mess up on a bike you have a much higher cost in terms of your own injuries. Especially if a car is involved and you get pinned against it.

 

[Viper007Bond]

The problem is that when you mess up on a bike you have a much higher cost in terms of your own injuries. Especially if a car is involved and you get pinned against it.

This.

Regardless of bike vs car in general, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you learn to drive in a car first. It is much more forgiving. Driving a car is stupidly easy. Learning to anticipate other drivers on the road and things like that is what takes time. You should do that in a car. Trust me -- I just went through all of this less than a year ago.

Once driving is second nature to you (I'd recommend a full year) and if you still want to ride a bike, then give it a go, but please start off in a car.

 

[Der Stig]

There's always a risk that one must be comfortable accepting. The safety gear available today is great, but it's no substitute for what's between your ears.

Riders on Reddit will say that it was the car's fault in their accident (which I don't doubt), but most of them could have avoided the car in one way or another. People make assumptions and riders are people, as are drivers. Just because you make eye contact doesn't mean that you've been seen. Laying on the horn might not get someone's attention. You will be invisible. Even if you wear H&S approved hi-vi stuff. Everyone will merge into you.

You just have to make sure that it doesn't get to you- it's water off a duck's back and all that. Keep your head up and on a swivel. Be aware.

Riding a motorcycle requires your full attention, period. Ride one and you'll see that they're fun and rewarding. Just start small (as you have to in GB) and work your way up. Practice makes perfect.

A lot of this also applies to cars, too. But you might actually be able to afford to run and insure the classic bike of your choice

 

[prizrak]

There's always a risk that one must be comfortable accepting.

The point Viper and myself are making is that risk is much higher for a complete novice than a novice rider who is an experienced driver.

 

[Night_Hawk]

I agree with Viper, learning to ride bikes in and of itself isn't such a problem to look at. It's learning to use the city system and getting used to all the millions of road rules most of us take for granted after a while of driving any vehicle. pretty much everybody makes mistakes learning what's what out on the road with other people and for that reason I'd suggest getting a bike further on down the line.

However I have no motorcycle experience, They're ironically the only things I haven't picked up yet.

 

[Spectre]

I'm really busy at the moment (work, getting my bike and gear collection back into shape for my return to riding this week) and I will have to reserve proper treatment of this subject for later; there are several misconceptions that I've seen so far in this thread. However, I thought I'd quickly offer some thoughts to those playing up the danger aspect of riding. Once upon a time, yes, the safety gear was actually more dangerous than falling off the bike in the first place. People pretty much fell or were knocked off their bike at speed and instantly died or suffered mortal wounds with or without gear. (This is where the modern conception of motorcycle crash = instadeath comes from, in part.)

Those days were long, long ago and will not be coming back.

Let's look at the last two significant bike accidents that I can recall from our FG bike population - CrazyJeeper's and mine. CrazyJeeper went into the back of a Lexus RX on a surface street, got ejected, flew over the Lexus and slammed down on some rather hard concrete paving. Significant damage: Cracked or broken wrist bone (I can't remember which and am sure he will be happy to tell us), walked out of the hospital the same day. Me? I was on a highway, got body-checked by a Dodge Durango, slammed head first into some silver car that was actually doing highway speeds, got ejected from my bike, caught some serious air, landed quite a distance away (still on the highway paving) and then had my own bike come over and land on me.

Strangely, I don't appear to be dead. Well, at least no more dead than I was before. Significant damage: Concussion, pinched nerve in leg, staggered out of the hospital the same day.

Nobody here is pretending that motorcycling is an entirely safe activity ("Remember when sex was safe and motorcycles were dangerous?") But then, getting out of bed is a dangerous activity, too; motorcycling involves a certain level of risk, but it's less than is commonly perceived unlike incidents around the home. Luck played some part in CJ's and my crashes, but more of the credit goes to the mainline armor we both wear which these days (unlike when I started riding almost 20 years ago) is both highly effective and inexpensive.

When you see an article in the newspaper or on the television about a motorcyclist being killed, I suggest you do some research. You will usually find that the rider was maybe wearing a full-face helmet at best; the majority of motorcycle fatalities these days are riders who wear no, not enough, or ineffective gear (such as those stupid beanie helmets the Harley guys affect.) A fully accoutered and armored street rider who is riding defensively is surprisingly resistant to the "Surprise! Death!" thing. Yes, even when we get hit by cars a couple of times.

Of interest to those like the original poster who are considering older small cars: Back in the 1970s and 1980s, various US government agencies compiled some stats that should be eye opening. Back then, motorcycling gear was either in or had just started to get out of the "more dangerous than crashing unprotected" stage of its development. Even so, it was found with alarming regularity that while a motorcyclist was more likely to suffer serious injury should a collision or incident occur, the occupants of contemporary compact or subcompact car were actually far more likely to die than the motorcyclist. This was due in part to the fact that the stricken motorcyclist could be quickly scooped up and spirited off to the ER/casualty ward immediately whereas the compact car driver was trapped in a wadded ball of metal from which they would have to be extracted. Despite the advent of and widespread use of hydraulic extraction tools in this era, it was not unusual for compact car drivers in serious accidents to bleed to death while waiting for extraction.

Motorcycling gear has gotten better. Those ancient compact cars? Not so much. In fact, they've gotten worse due to the proliferation of heavy SUVs. If I was told today to pick between a 1976 Ford Fiesta and a 1976 Honda CB750K for my transport with an eye towards safety, I know what I would choose. And it wouldn't be the Fiesta.

 

[swtorcredits100]

In other news I might be going on a decent ride very soon and I wish I had a go pro camera or something right now. I might screw around putting my phone in my helmet in an attempt to get a decent video but I'll have to wait and see how bad that works.

I'm hoping for something good enough to use for the "our own car reviews" thread.

 

[Joker19583]

I started in traffic with a 125cc, restricted to indicated 80km/h because of my age. I originally wanted a 50cc scooter, but my parents preferred me to go faster than the 50km/h those were capable of. In the two years with virtually no chance to violate my probation (points in Flensburg called for an expensive retest) I cruised along nicely including a couple of falls with mostly no consequences apart from a bruised ego.

Another pro for the bike is your own vision. Sure the helmet can reduce your vision, but shouldn't, the mirrors should be well placed, but no pillars are in the way and you can properly stretch your arms at the lights. In most cases you sit higher than in car, thus getting a better perspective of the road ahead.

I don't know the rules over there, but here you get a 50cc permit with your car license and you could drive 70km/h Simsons with that. But the rules probably changed by now.

 

[GaryC]

I've been contemplating it quite often, and just think it'll be very fun. In South Australia, at least, it's quite easy to get a bike licence. For the first year you're limited to under 260cc, and after that, any cc. But also knowing that I'll need to wear the full gear is quite a turn-off too. I won't ride without the gear, but all that gear is quite cumbersome too.

 

[prizrak]

Let's look at the last two significant bike accidents that I can recall from our FG bike population - CrazyJeeper's and mine. CrazyJeeper went into the back of a Lexus RX on a surface street, got ejected, flew over the Lexus and slammed down on some rather hard concrete paving. Significant damage: Cracked or broken wrist bone (I can't remember which and am sure he will be happy to tell us), walked out of the hospital the same day. Me? I was on a highway, got body-checked by a Dodge Durango, slammed head first into some silver car that was actually doing highway speeds, got ejected from my bike, caught some serious air, landed quite a distance away (still on the highway paving) and then had my own bike come over and land on me.

Strangely, I don't appear to be dead. Well, at least no more dead than I was before. Significant damage: Concussion, pinched nerve in leg, staggered out of the hospital the same day.

Nobody here is pretending that motorcycling is an entirely safe activity ("Remember when sex was safe and motorcycles were dangerous?") But then, getting out of bed is a dangerous activity, too; motorcycling involves a certain level of risk, but it's less than is commonly perceived unlike incidents around the home. Luck played some part in CJ's and my crashes, but more of the credit goes to the mainline armor we both wear which these days (unlike when I started riding almost 20 years ago) is both highly effective and inexpensive.

When you see an article in the newspaper or on the television about a motorcyclist being killed, I suggest you do some research. You will usually find that the rider was maybe wearing a full-face helmet at best; the majority of motorcycle fatalities these days are riders who wear no, not enough, or ineffective gear (such as those stupid beanie helmets the Harley guys affect.) A fully accoutered and armored street rider who is riding defensively is surprisingly resistant to the "Surprise! Death!" thing. Yes, even when we get hit by cars a couple of times.

You are entirely too concentrated on the death thing, the danger of bike riding is not in death but injuries. You and CJ are experienced bikers and also experienced drivers. You also both ride in relatively low traffic area (TX vs UK) and you still managed to get into accidents where in your case it wasn't even close to being your fault (don't know CJ's story).

Now you are talking about someone who has not been driving any type of vehicle and doesn't have the reflexes and experience that we pretty much take for granted as Night_Hawk mentioned. It takes practice to judge speed, distance, safe escape routes, etc... I remember at some point someone posted a biker test for spotting dangers and despite the fact that I drive in a hugely crowded area with a lot of idiot drivers I think I had about half right or so.

The thing is that mistakes are a lot more costly on a bike (as you can attest to) than they are in a car. The accident you were in would not have caused any kind of injury to a car driver (and is possible wouldn't even happen since cars are bigger and more visible). It's common for novice drivers to get into stupid accidents, problem is that on a bike even a low speed collision has a fairly high chance of injury.

 

[MaTaR]

i argued with my self and my parent about the same issue 3 years ago , as soon as i started hearing storys of kids my age getting in serious accidents i decided to hold it off until im old enough to get myself a bike as a secondary/weekend vehicle . And right now my needs for the car , long distance traveling , shopping , getting launch , etc ..are alot easier with a car , a bike is for someone who may have someone else to help with needs like that , a family car or something . Im in a college campus , so car is my pick.

 

[Spectre]

You are entirely too concentrated on the death thing, the danger of bike riding is not in death but injuries. You and CJ are experienced bikers and also experienced drivers. You also both ride in relatively low traffic area (TX vs UK) and you still managed to get into accidents where in your case it wasn't even close to being your fault (don't know CJ's story).

Um, CJ just got his bike license back in 2010. He was, at the time of his accident, definitely a novice rider. Also, CJ's accident was caused by accelerating into a space he couldn't see.

As for me, I grew up and learned to ride in a very high traffic part of the world - Los Angeles. I would point out that from a rider's standpoint, a stop-and-go congestion situation in all lanes (I.E., London) is actually safer for riders, especially with filtering or lane splitting. A stationary car cannot suddenly move at 90 degrees to its current path.

Now you are talking about someone who has not been driving any type of vehicle and doesn't have the reflexes and experience that we pretty much take for granted as Night_Hawk mentioned. It takes practice to judge speed, distance, safe escape routes, etc... I remember at some point someone posted a biker test for spotting dangers and despite the fact that I drive in a hugely crowded area with a lot of idiot drivers I think I had about half right or so.

I may give the UK quite a lot of stick about fail government, but they do have some surprisingly effective motorcycle training courses available there. Even here, a big part of MSF training is teaching situational awareness and keeping a roving scan going - something I wish they would require for car operators. Many of the other things you mention are also taught.

The thing is that mistakes are a lot more costly on a bike (as you can attest to) than they are in a car. The accident you were in would not have caused any kind of injury to a car driver (and is possible wouldn't even happen since cars are bigger and more visible). It's common for novice drivers to get into stupid accidents, problem is that on a bike even a low speed collision has a fairly high chance of injury.

A lot depends on the car. If, as the original poster implied, he were to get into the same accident as the one I suffered in one of his cars of choice, such as a classic Mini or other small BL product, he might have gotten off with nothing... Or he might be very, very dead - many of those cars were death traps and among other things rolled over easily. Whereupon their roofs crushed.

Mistakes can be more costly on a bike, sure. But look at what his alternative is and we're not talking about a lot of difference here. If we were speaking about someone who was looking at, say, a new Panda vice a bike, we would be having an entirely different conversation. Not all mistakes are going to have serious costs, either. With proper preparation of the bike and rider, the inevitable 'newbie drop' is usually no worse than embarrassing.

I would also point out that after the initial training period, properly educated and equipped new bike riders tend to make less mistakes than new car drivers do. Something about the prospect of pain (and lack of distractions like texting, yakking to your mates in the seat next to you, ogling your girl in the next seat, tuning the radio, etc., etc.) concentrating your attention wonderfully.

Couple of other things since I am here:

"Bikes are noisy." Only if you bought a Harley-type or, like many idiots, you swapped out the stock exhaust for a loud aftermarket one because it was "too quiet." You could also change the exhaust for more performance - but car drivers do that too with the same end result so that doesn't count. My 26-year old 700 is sufficiently quiet that you can hold a conversation in a normal voice next to it while it runs; my 919 is quiet enough that you can sneak up on and stalk pedestrians with it (which is great fun in parking lots) - both have their stock exhausts.

"The gear is cumbersome and awkward and it looks weird." Well, for starters while leather is still best for protection, there are now textile products out there that are far lighter, very comfortable to wear and very well ventilated. The jacket I just destroyed in my recent crash was made of a mesh material that is highly abrasion resistant and contained joint, spine and kidney armor. While heavier than most windbreakers, once donned you didn't really feel the weight. And it didn't look like I had stepped out of a BDSM club. Further, you can purchase commuter-intended gear that can be put on or removed in 5 minutes with no struggle. Likewise helmets are no longer the 10 pound head anchors they were 30 years ago. I selected one with a large eyeport that provided no significant degradation of peripheral vision, so that wasn't an issue either.

 

[prizrak]

Um, CJ just got his bike license back in 2010. He was, at the time of his accident, definitely a novice rider. Also, CJ's accident was caused by accelerating into a space he couldn't see.

So something that happens quite frequently in a car and causes a fender bender in general with no injuries broke CJ's wrist? I'm not seeing a pro here

A stationary car cannot suddenly move at 90 degrees to its current path.

You never driven in NYC traffic then...

I may give the UK quite a lot of stick about fail government, but they do have some surprisingly effective motorcycle training courses available there. Even here, a big part of MSF training is teaching situational awareness and keeping a roving scan going - something I wish they would require for car operators. Many of the other things you mention are also taught.

You and I both know that learning something and actually being able to apply it are two vastly different things. As an example I am generally extremely calm under pressure, even in life or death situations I tend to not lose my composure. However when I was learning to drive stick more than once I would mess up taking off on a hill because there was a car behind me and I would get nervous. Now if there were no cars behind me I had no problem taking off on the same hill, it was just added pressure of someone behind me. Those MSF courses are great and their training invaluable but until you actually get comfortable on the road they are not very helpful.

Mistakes can be more costly on a bike, sure. But look at what his alternative is and we're not talking about a lot of difference here. If we were speaking about someone who was looking at, say, a new Panda vice a bike, we would be having an entirely different conversation. Not all mistakes are going to have serious costs, either. With proper preparation of the bike and rider, the inevitable 'newbie drop' is usually no worse than embarrassing.

I'll give you that, those old cars weren't exactly built for safety. On the plus side the cars he is looking at would likely not start so no risk at all

I would also point out that after the initial training period, properly educated and equipped new bike riders tend to make less mistakes than new car drivers do. Something about the prospect of pain (and lack of distractions like texting) concentrating your attention wonderfully.

I think you are basing this on a false assumption. Generally [in developed countries] people get bikes because they like bikes and riding, it doesn't much matter if they are sports bikes or cruisers or hogs. In other words you get a bike because you want to not because you have to. That already suggests a certain gearhead mindset, if not full on working in a garage 24/7 and sleeping with a turbo under your pillow but at least general interest. People with that kind of mentality tend to care a bit more about riding/driving so tend to be somewhat more focused on it than general population.

Having said that I see a lot more people doing stupid shit on bikes than I do in cars. Not sure if this an NYC thing but at least 80% of the time I see bike rider they are doing something dumb. Most of the time they are not wearing proper/any gear, wheelies in the middle of the highway or dancing on a bike (true story). Splitting lanes going at least 20-30mph faster than other cars (not talking standstill traffic I mean 60+ traffic)

 

[Spectre]

So something that happens quite frequently in a car and causes a fender bender in general with no injuries broke CJ's wrist? I'm not seeing a pro here

If he'd been in a car, he would have hit the back end of the Lexus doing 40+. And probably would have resulted in significantly more hospital time. As it was, he was guarding his brake and therefore had the bike's typical several second braking advantage.

You never driven in NYC traffic then...

Yes, I have. No, a stationary car cannot suddenly move at direct right angles to its direction of travel. Mind, New Yorkers try to make it happen, but even they can't do it.

You and I both know that learning something and actually being able to apply it are two vastly different things. As an example I am generally extremely calm under pressure, even in life or death situations I tend to not lose my composure. However when I was learning to drive stick more than once I would mess up taking off on a hill because there was a car behind me and I would get nervous. Now if there were no cars behind me I had no problem taking off on the same hill, it was just added pressure of someone behind me.

In MSF, you are actually made to apply it. See below.

Those MSF courses are great and their training invaluable but until you actually get comfortable on the road they are not very helpful.

MSF courses are accompanied by practice and range time. As for the rest, how would you know? You've never taken one. Most graduates of MSF report themselves as confident in their abilities; it's been considered the equivalent of 5 years street experience.

I'll give you that, those old cars weren't exactly built for safety. On the plus side the cars he is looking at would likely not start so no risk at all

Yes, but if he gets it started, he's not exactly any safer than a biker.

I think you are basing this on a false assumption. Generally [in developed countries] people get bikes because they like bikes and riding, it doesn't much matter if they are sports bikes or cruisers or hogs. In other words you get a bike because you want to not because you have to. That already suggests a certain gearhead mindset, if not full on working in a garage 24/7 and sleeping with a turbo under your pillow but at least general interest. People with that kind of mentality tend to care a bit more about riding/driving so tend to be somewhat more focused on it than general population.

Actually, I am basing it off various studies that have been done in the last 10 years - which culminated in Texas mandating the MSF course for all persons wishing to have a motorcycle license a few years back, and not just letting you take and pass the written course and the driving test (unlike most states in the area).

aving said that I see a lot more people doing stupid shit on bikes than I do in cars. Not sure if this an NYC thing but at least 80% of the time I see bike rider they are doing something dumb. Most of the time they are not wearing proper/any gear, wheelies in the middle of the highway or dancing on a bike (true story). Splitting lanes going at least 20-30mph faster than other cars (not talking standstill traffic I mean 60+ traffic)

What was that you were saying about contradictions, again? New York State does not have *any* mandatory education requirement to obtain a motorcycle license. These people are idiots. Idiots will be idiots whether they have a Camaro held together with duct tape that they race around the back woods, a riced Civic they're going to "ghost ride" down the 405, a big block pickup with stacks in the back that they are going to use to jump the local creek, or, as in this case, a cheap sportbike and a license they got out of a crackerjack box. They aren't germane to the stats of properly trained and equipped riders - because they are neither.

 

[prizrak]

MSF courses are accompanied by practice and range time. As for the rest, how would you know? You've never taken one. Most graduates of MSF report themselves as confident in their abilities; it's been considered the equivalent of 5 years street experience.

Prior to your accident I very seriously considered getting a bike license and as per NYS law I can get a road test waiver if I take an MSF course so I look into it. You get two days of riding, in a parking lot which is a good start but doesn't really prepare you to the insane NYC driving style...

New York State does not have *any* mandatory education requirement to obtain a motorcycle license.

FTFY

By that logic I should see a similar number of idiots in cars vs bikes, which I do not.

Personally, I think just about everyone should ride a motorcycle at one point in their life or another. Younger the better, IMO. It drastically changes the way you look at the road, your surroundings, other vehicles, traffic patterns, weather, etc. It kind of forces you to be more aware of the world around you and more apt to respond to changing circumstances very quickly. Taking that experience into driving a car later on in life makes all the difference.

By that logic all pedalists would be cautious and responsible but they are not.

The problem I have with what you and Spectre are saying is that riding a bike does absolutely nothing to your mindset. You either have a mindset of a safe and responsible driver or you do not, putting someone on a bike will not change that mindset. As Spectre said idiots are idiots no matter what. Price of mistake on a bike is generally higher than it is in a car (though a 50 year old econobox probably wouldn't be much better) but it does take away from certain risks. For instance my friend's co-worker got pinned under a car when on his bike because the obliviot driver didn't look when turning. One also has to wonder what percentage of bike accidents wouldn't happen if it were two cars simply because a car is a fairly large and visible box

EDIT: Don't get me wrong I love bikes and been wanting one for the longest time but I just don't trust that some obliviot in an Escalade is not going to splatter me all ove their custom grill.

 

[prizrak]

I underlined the two portions because you're attempting to pass your non-experienced ponderings off as educated opinions.

It does change your mindset. It changed mine, and that change has kept with me to this day even though it's been quite some years since I've daily driven a bike.

Now if someone is just generally a retard with no concern for their own well-being, that may be different. I've never been a retard, so I can't speak from experience on this one. I would wager that the overwhelming majority of rational, sane individuals will change their tune when put in that situation. There will always be exceptions to the rule. These idiots should be even more encouraged to ride motorcycles (sport bikes, preferably, liter+ bikes) so that Darwin may be especially swift and efficient in their dispatching. After all, without these morons, we wouldn't have so much funny shit to watch on YouTube...

Relevant portion bolded.

Unless you were doing Wangan Midnight style racing when you were in a car then got on a bike and was "oh snap, I'm really dumb let me stop" then your mindset didn't change. You might have become more aware of dangerous situations, you may have concentrated harder and paid more attention to hazards but the fundamental mindset of not killing yourself and not being a menace to south central was already there.

I do speak from experience though, my two wheeled vehicle doesn't have an engine but leaves just as (if not more) exposed to dangers, which is why I only ride a short time on the street to get to a near-by park. My basic mindset didn't change at all, I didn't think I was invincible in a car and could outdrive/run anyone else on the road and I don't think that way when I'm on a bike. I did used to think I was invincible in my car when I was yonger but I grew up

Now I am not arguing that riding a motorcycle will make you a better driver, but it hinges on the fact that you are already at the point where you won't take stupid risks and/or make stupid mistakes. Someone who is just starting out will make stupid mistakes no matter their vehicle of choice, cars are more forgiving about those mistakes.

If he'd been in a car, he would have hit the back end of the Lexus doing 40+. And probably would have resulted in significantly more hospital time.

Forgot to address this (stupid work getting in the way of internet arguments!!!! ) A friend of mine crashed her somewhat recent Civic (the boxier one not the latest body style) at 60+ by rear ending an SUV and causing it to rear end the car in front. She walked away with some bruising from the seatbelt. We all know the story of Ice and his Audi as well. Now I will give you that a 50 year old Beetle is not likely to fair very well in either of those situations but anything remotely modern (from late 90s or so) will likely let you walk away.

 

[prizrak]

It doesn't have to be a complete 180 for it to be a change. Riding a motorcycle forced me to be infinitely more aware of those around me, it forced me to anticipate their possible idiocy and plan escapes before it became "oh shit" time. Before, I was a reactionary driver. Was I some moron driving around with no regard to my safety? No. After spending time on two wheels I became much more of an anticipative/preventative driver. It fundamentally changed the way I saw traffic around me. I started to pick up on the small signs that denoted an impaired driver, whether they be drunk, distracted, lost, driving a POS that required all of their attention just to keep running, or just flat-out dumb as a box of rocks. From the perceived safety of an enclosed car/truck those things are much less critical.

I guess it's really down on how you look at driving... I have always tried to drive like that, one of the reasons is that one can go faster if one anticipates what others are doing Funnily enough the reason is that I got into a fairly minor fender bender when I started off driving because I couldn't react quickly enough.

I suspect where we drive might also be a factor, it's extremely easy to get into an accident here, you have a lot of people who have no business driving anything bigger/faster than a shopping cart (and even then...)

I'm not sure that I ever would developed that tendency without that experience. Certainly nowhere near as quickly as I had to being a 19 year old with 3 bikes and no cars.

But you have to admit that any mistake you could have made would likely have cost you more on a bike than a car.

 

[Der Stig]

As soon as I did my MSF course, I was applying stuff that I learned there to driving my car. Being aware is a good way to prevent getting SMIDSY'd, which is something that I see all the time. It doesn't just apply to bikes. Getting a bike license really makes one appreciate the sense of being invisible on the road and being a defensive driver. It won't hurt you to get a bike license and it's a good way to see if it's for you or not.

 

[Spectre]

Also: No, pushing a pedalbike around doesn't convey the same feelings or mindset, to address a prior point. Despite similar appearance, bicycles and motorcycles are two totally different creatures to operate. Saying that one extrapolates to the other is like saying because you rode around in one of these:

Means you know what operating one of these is like:

 

[Aston Martin]

Saying that one extrapolates to the other is like saying because you rode around in one of these:
*Red Wagon
Means you know what operating one of these is like:
*Big-arse truck

They share the same suspension technology.