What Chris said. I have been riding a bicycle on public streets since I was a child. If you can survive riding a bike on public streets you should be able to stay alive on a motorcycle. In my experience riding a bicycle on streets with traffic is just as dangerous as riding a motorcycle.
I feel safer riding my motorcycle on the street because I have the power to get out of peoples way and away from cars.
But being on a bicycle for years has definitely helped me be a safer motorcyclist on the city streets. I have had many close calls on my motorcycle but I have had years of practice dodging cars on my bicycle so it wasn't a big deal. You just have to realize that everyone in a car is out to kill you. It is YOUR job to predict what stupid move they will do next.
Get a bicycle. Preferably a mtn bike. There's got to be some sweet trails in Cali. Get used to sliding and crashing on a mtn bike. It's much nicer to crash on a mtn bike than it is on a motorcycle.
