3) Drivers don't see motorcycles.
^ this
I never really"got" it until I turned across a guy (car) coming out of a building which has been a non-functioning building site for several years. "Cars don't come out of that laneway, ergo there is not a car coming out of there now, ergo I am not going to hit him."
He braked, and I near shot myself when I got home as I had the family in the car and had really, genuinely ****ed up.
Drivers are looking for cars, in places where they always see cars, and so they just don't see bikes.
Also what others have said re: gear. You will put the bike down on the day you aren't wearing any. And if you want to go fast, take it to the track.
As the saying goes, you can be an old rider or a bold rider, not both. Life, as they say, is good.