I've owned a motorcycle more years than not since I was 12 years old. For some stretches of that time the motorcycle was the only motorized transportation I could afford and I relied on it (even in the winter on icy streets) to get to and from work and college. And I've dropped motorcycles a few times, slammed into the back of a bus once (icy), but otherwise have been okay.

I'm older now and less desperate and so can afford to take the motorcycle out only on joy rides where I can pick the weather and the destination (out of the urban areas). And not to stereotype bikers too much, but I might add that I have never owned a sport/racing bike. I am more like the gentleman motorcyclist of an earlier era, ha ha.

Obviously the above has made riding much safer. I don't think I could completely give up riding though until I become physically unable to.

I don't offer this to refute your experience but rather to complement your comment with an example of a rider (turning 60 this year) that has not been seriously injured and has enjoyed the "sport".