[Thumper]

It's true. She won't even get on a motorcycle. And not only do I listen more to her, but I also have two kids just getting going in their adult lives. Both of them ride off road. They need me to be present, and healthy! I do miss those fine road bikes, but I just no longer feel that I can drive safely enough to beat the odds.

Unfortunately, training doesn't stop absent minded drivers from lane changing into you, not seeing you at an intersection, or paying more attention to their phone than the road, etc.

I consider myself to be pretty well trained after 5 decades of riding. Defensive driving helps, but I had so many close calls that I gave up.

The four lane arteries around Kansas City have evolved into very dangerous place for cars and especially for motorcycles, and the city streets have endless intersections where 95% of accidents happen. It was those intersections that convinced me to stick to country roads and two lane city streets. Every intersection is suspect. Every one of them. My average speed on the Templar is probably 15mph if you take into account my off road time. Maybe 25mph on the road only.