I think the real question is "Is it likely?"

Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (estimated total deaths + injuries) 1/500,000

So, you've got a 1 in 500,000 chance of being struck in the first place in any given year. Now ask yourself what percentage of the people who've been struck by lightning were riding a motorcycle at the time? I'm sure no-one has the real number but it's probably safe to say that it's an incredibly small percentage (if any). Which means you have to hit the 1 in 500,000 lottery to even be remotely in the ball park, then out of the estimated 600 people who are injured or die in those strikes you've got probably a less than 1/600'th of a the strike hitting someone on a motorcycle.

So that's what? <1 in 300,000,000 ?

But, we're not done. What are the odds of being struck twice in the same lifetime?

I will take a 1 in >300,000,000 chance with my life any day of the week if it means I get to enjoy the world riding my bike. So yes, I ride in the lightning, any any other weather. My only restrictions are that i want traction under my tires and the hail stones can't be so large or plentiful as to, remove traction, be particularly painful, or leave bruises.

Remember the odds are FAR FAR greater that you'll get into a totally un-noteworthy vehicular accident. Car accidents are the leading cause of death of Americans and motorcycles have roughly equivalent odds of being in an accident as a car (thus the need for good gear), although if you simply don't drink before riding your odds of not getting in one skyrocket.

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-Dachary & Kay
http://www.CorporateRunaways.com

If you apply a bit of common sense it isn't a risk worth worrying about. Being struck by lightning is extremely rare ... unless of course you make an obvious target out of yourself. If I'm the tallest thing around with lightning approaching, I would seek safety as soon as I can.

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Traveling The World Since: 2011
Blog: The Seductive Life (General Travel)

Thanks for the advise guys. Normally I wouldn't really worry but there are two factors at play here. First, here on the salt flats I'm the tallest thing around and this makes a hit more likely. And then theres the irrational. Having already been "hit" I have a very different attitude and its more about my fear than the reality.

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Dont think the worldwide statistics will help.
Lightning is local, and if it is near you you do not want to encourage it to find you.
I have abandoned ploughing a field once , was out on the tractor and about 4-500 yards away lightning struck, not flash bang wallop type, I swear to you it was like someone welding, the arc struck and it buzzed for what seemed like a minute as the arc held and wandered across a field.

In other words if lightning is near you the odds of being hit ar very much increased.

Bit like saying the chances of you drowning by falling over niagra falls is minimal.. not so if you have to cross the thing daily.
Of course if you live in Europe, you are relatively safe

This is not how statistics work. The chances of getting struck by lightning are not altered the second (or third!) time around. In other words, getting struck once doesn't make it less likely you'll get struck again. Same with tossing a coin: the chances of getting tails twice in a row are less than the 50% chance of getting tails once, but having thrown tails once your chances are *still* 50% on the next toss.

Still.....chances of getting struck by lightning are slight, and I sure don't think they warrant staying off the road just because there are thunderstorms around. Riding straight into the maw is perhaps a tad foolhardy, but if you're caught out you've got to go one direction or the other, and onwards has often seemed just as wise as retreating to where I came from.

As to the "rubber tires equals safety," consider the distance a lightning strike travels through the air, without benefit of any solid conductor at all. Think it'll have any problem at all jumping between you and the ground? Nuh uh.

On the other hand, riding a bike is supposed to be fun, right? If you're not having fun (whether this is due to prior trauma or to other reasons), you probably shouldn't be riding. Either work through your fears of lightning in order to make rational decisions about when to ride and when to hide, or avoid the monsoon season in the American west, during which there'll be lightning storms within sight most afternoons. Of course, the same is true during certain times of year elsewhere in the world, including much of Africa, Asia and South America.

Safe journeys!

Mark