[alanmcorcoran]

If you are not a drinker, and you don't get hit by a drinker, the two things I've seen cited most likely to take you out are:

1) Left turn in front of you by a cage that "didn't see" you. I always approach intersections as life and death situations.
2) Overshooting a curve. Guardrails may sometimes keep cars from going over cliffs, but apparently they are not kind to bikers.

I read the motorcycle accident/death news pretty regular-like (there's one out here pretty much daily.) The left turn ones are often fatal. The single vehicle ones usually say "lost control of his motorcycle." I suspect what often happens is "going too fast for the conditions and his experience level."

Be careful if one of your buddies goes down. A couple of sad stories out here involved one biker going down and another getting injured or killed when going to his aid. Not sure how this is best handled, but despite the gravity of the situation, keep in mind most people are not prepared to stop when they come up on a downed bike or biker.