re: Motorcycle rider baws of the ot

I think a lot of it depends on where you plan to ride.
Operating the bike is done almost on a subconscious level. What you are actively doing is watching everything around you. As long as you are acutely aware of what's going on around you at all times you can be very safe.
Where I live there are plenty of places to ride to without much traffic. But I would never ride around in central Phoenix. Or Baton Rouge.