Is owning a motorcycle a death sentence?

I ve never been into motorcycles, or even ridden one but I recently inherited one and have been warming up to the idea of riding it. Although I have a new found interest in motorcycles i m still a little skeptical about riding one. Is all the hype about motorcycles being death traps true? Or is it just as safe as riding a car if done carefully? I know anything is possible but getting some advice from real motorcycle riders would help me out. The bike is a 1974 Honda cb550 and has 50 horsepower. Also, i m in the Los Angeles area if that makes a difference. I ve never ridden a motorcycle, but I for sure plan on getting lessons, protective gear, etc.

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