Accidents are very scary to think about, but as long as you always gear up (jacket, leg+foot protection, gloves, full face helmet) and live in your peripheral vision it's manageable.
FortNine's channel on Youtube has some pretty good recommendations on budget friendly gear for various uses (track, commuting, etc) and what to look for in general.
Oh yeah, I'd definitely be investing in quality gear. There's no reason to increase my chance of injury while riding by not doing so.
How old is too old for a first bike? There are a lot of really nice Japanese cruisers from the late '80s/early '90s out here in great shape for like $2000. I'm pretty handy and can do stuff like adjusting/cleaning carbs myself so upkeep isn't a problem, but is there a general cutoff in age for bikes where before that point they're missing too many quality of life features?
Yeah, I'm pretty torn tbh. I rode dirt bikes as a kid and loved them, and love the idea of getting around the city more quickly, plus maybe having some canyon fun on the weekends, but there's definitely some fear there.
We lost Ipse here on the forums in a motorcycle accident, and last year I was in that accident involving motorcycles and basically watched a dude die. And while that rider was being really, really irresponsible and riding dangerously, it still freaked me out a bit.
If you:
- ride within your limits, on a bike appropriately sized for your skill level (get something like a Ninja 250 if in doubt - definitely a bike with two or fewer cylinders, under 50 hp, and preferably an upright stance)
- wear gear and most especially a helmet
- ride sober
- take a good safety course and do periodic skill refreshers
- know the most common accident scenarios (mostly, either your own potential for bad habits in tight curves, or drivers "not seeing" you during merges and intersections) and how to avert them
then, your odds of having a fatal or otherwise dramatic accident go down a pretty huge amount. LA is still a hectic place so make the decision carefully, but honestly it's a city with a great bike culture and motorcycles are not out to kill you.
I'm in Tanzania now and slowly hashing out the real world practicalities of getting a bike here as a primary vehicle. 4x4s are pricey, streets are tight, and I would feel more comfy on a bike while also adapting to driving on the left since I have some experience in Japan as well. The decision is partly a matter of judging cost/necessity, also partly a matter of getting paperwork in order. I'm optimistic but it may be a couple months yet
I had a motorcycle for a year. I felt like everyone was trying to kill me and got sick of it. Also I'm too hot and sweaty for all that gear in the summer.
In terms of 'how old is too old', there's not really that much difference between 10 and 30 years old. ABS and the like are pretty new on bikes. I've not ridden a bike with abs, but I'd like my eventual next one to have it.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Motorbikes are cheaper than cars until you figure in all the safety gear. You've gotta get a set for winter and for summer, and helmets cost $Texas. There are $200 helmets out there that pass minimum safety spec requirements, but for riding on the road I wouldn't put my head inside anything that didn't have Arai or Shoei written on it, and the better models from them cost ~$1k+ here in Australia.
So long as the helmet has a DOT approval (for road legality in USA) and an ECE rating (safety standards in Europe are great) you're pretty good - honestly the extra price mostly goes towards comfort and soundproofing unless the helmet has really exotic safety tech like Koroyd. MIPS, a cranial torsion reducer, used to be exotic but is getting increasingly common and cheaper - my ~$220 Bell MX-9 dual sport helmet has it!
Also absolutely get a fullface. The 1/2 and 3/4 helmets aren't there for your jaw or nose and that's a big risk eh
I may posit that the hardest safety gear category to research and shop for is actually boots. Unless you're willing and able to get a $Texas pair of high end track or motocross/enduro boots, which weigh a lot and are basically uncompromised as purely for protecting your feet while on the bike, everything else is some degree of compromise. So long as there's adequate ankle protection and a reasonably solid sole, though, you are better off with good moto boots than without. Definitely also the kind of gear I would get in a shop over the internet, for fitment's sake.
That said, yeah the Fortnine gear recs linked above are pretty great.
The older a bike is, the more frequent the maintenance intervals. I had a seca 550 from 1982 that I loved, but adjusting the chain every 800 miles wore thin pretty fast.
If you do get an older bike, budget for new tires, as tires more than 2 years old are generally no bueno.
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BouwsTWanna come to a super soft birthday party?Registered Userregular
So long as the helmet has a DOT approval (for road legality in USA) and an ECE rating (safety standards in Europe are great) you're pretty good - honestly the extra price mostly goes towards comfort and soundproofing unless the helmet has really exotic safety tech like Koroyd. MIPS, a cranial torsion reducer, used to be exotic but is getting increasingly common and cheaper - my ~$220 Bell MX-9 dual sport helmet has it!
Also absolutely get a fullface. The 1/2 and 3/4 helmets aren't there for your jaw or nose and that's a big risk eh
I may posit that the hardest safety gear category to research and shop for is actually boots. Unless you're willing and able to get a $Texas pair of high end track or motocross/enduro boots, which weigh a lot and are basically uncompromised as purely for protecting your feet while on the bike, everything else is some degree of compromise. So long as there's adequate ankle protection and a reasonably solid sole, though, you are better off with good moto boots than without. Definitely also the kind of gear I would get in a shop over the internet, for fitment's sake.
That said, yeah the Fortnine gear recs linked above are pretty great.
Donut Media had a cool video on the difference between DOT and SNELL certifications. I'd highly recommend watching, but the bottom line is DOT is a very basic certification, and a SNELL rated helmet is going to do a LOT better at protecting your dome from impact.
Helmet hierarchy in NA = SNELL<DOT<bicycle<hair
Edit: Added link for video.
BouwsT on
Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
ECE 22.05 is the Euro standard safety rating and used to actually be better than SNELL for road use, though fortunately the SNELL standard has shifted from being nearly track-only (SNELL 2005 and 2010 designs often preferred denser EPS foams that were great for high speed impacts on a track, but risky on urban obstacles) to a more holistic safety standard. So SNELL 2015 is pretty good yeah, but that standard is primarily USA sport use. Some brands in the USA may do SNELL and not ECE, or vice versa. A helmet with ECE 22.05 will be great for city use at the least.
There is also SHARP which is a bit rarer but is basically a Euro SNELL equivalent in that it's a private industry standard. Even has [controversial] star ratings!
I always wanted a third gen Camaro, but when I was in the market the 4th gen was cheaper, faster, and more reliable. Kicked ass and took names for 95,000 miles before a minivan killed it at a red light.
I always wanted a third gen Camaro, but when I was in the market the 4th gen was cheaper, faster, and more reliable. Kicked ass and took names for 95,000 miles before a minivan killed it at a red light.
:bro:
Between you and me, Peggy, I smoked this Juul and it did UNTHINKABLE things to my mind and body...
If Uber had a sports category I'd pick it every single time.
And then ask the driver if he wants a break, I'll get us to my destination.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
That makes me wish there was a some kind of ride-share test drive service. You pay a few bucks, choose a car from the app, and some guy who owns one shows up for you to tool around in it for 20 minutes.
I'd totally pay for that since dealership test drives are so fucking awful.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
That makes me wish there was a some kind of ride-share test drive service. You pay a few bucks, choose a car from the app, and some guy who owns one shows up for you to tool around in it for 20 minutes.
I'd totally pay for that since dealership test drives are so fucking awful.
You could theoretically use Turo for this, but it would get expensive if you're testing a lot of cars. But it is a good service for getting a longer test drive if there's one car you're seriously considering.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
I'm lucky, I have dealerships that will let me drive around the local streets, the freeway and tool around a bit. Also I found a truck I want, "New" 2017 Silverado 1500 4 door (but not king cab) medium bed, 4 wheel drive work truck with the 5.3L V8, locking rear dif and trailering package. $32000. I told them I'd buy it for $27000 and they are working on it.
It hits about 90% of what I want out of the truck and the price is already good for new.
I'm lucky, I have dealerships that will let me drive around the local streets, the freeway and tool around a bit. Also I found a truck I want, "New" 2017 Silverado 1500 4 door (but not king cab) medium bed, 4 wheel drive work truck with the 5.3L V8, locking rear dif and trailering package. $32000. I told them I'd buy it for $27000 and they are working on it.
It hits about 90% of what I want out of the truck and the price is already good for new.
Even if they come back with like $29k that's a great deal.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
Still almost $500 a month and the cheapskate in me still recoils at that.
That makes me wish there was a some kind of ride-share test drive service. You pay a few bucks, choose a car from the app, and some guy who owns one shows up for you to tool around in it for 20 minutes.
I'd totally pay for that since dealership test drives are so fucking awful.
Dealership test drives aren't that bad. Drive it like you stole it, that's the whole point of the test drive. All they can do is whine at you from the passenger seat. And if they whine too much, just go to a different dealership.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
That makes me wish there was a some kind of ride-share test drive service. You pay a few bucks, choose a car from the app, and some guy who owns one shows up for you to tool around in it for 20 minutes.
I'd totally pay for that since dealership test drives are so fucking awful.
Dealership test drives aren't that bad. Drive it like you stole it, that's the whole point of the test drive. All they can do is whine at you from the passenger seat. And if they whine too much, just go to a different dealership.
That's a pain in the ass when there's literally only one dealership for a particular brand within 50 miles.
And the sales guy is sitting in the passenger seat fiddling with the radio and singing along to it, horribly.
My wife did get sassed by the sales guy at one dealership for taking a car up to like 85 after he bragged about how sporty the engine is. Which is just, like... you were basically asking for it, dude.
Ah, it stinks, it sucks, it's anthropologically unjust
+3
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Ugh, gross. I'd make a formal complaint at the dealership. Singing along to the radio?!?
You can get out and WALK back to the dealership.
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minor incidentexpert in a dying fieldnjRegistered Userregular
Posts
Helmet: $200
Boots: $200
Gloves: $100
Pants: $100
Jacket: $100
FortNine's channel on Youtube has some pretty good recommendations on budget friendly gear for various uses (track, commuting, etc) and what to look for in general.
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
Yes it's hot out but having skin is pretty cool.
How old is too old for a first bike? There are a lot of really nice Japanese cruisers from the late '80s/early '90s out here in great shape for like $2000. I'm pretty handy and can do stuff like adjusting/cleaning carbs myself so upkeep isn't a problem, but is there a general cutoff in age for bikes where before that point they're missing too many quality of life features?
We lost Ipse here on the forums in a motorcycle accident, and last year I was in that accident involving motorcycles and basically watched a dude die. And while that rider was being really, really irresponsible and riding dangerously, it still freaked me out a bit.
- ride within your limits, on a bike appropriately sized for your skill level (get something like a Ninja 250 if in doubt - definitely a bike with two or fewer cylinders, under 50 hp, and preferably an upright stance)
- wear gear and most especially a helmet
- ride sober
- take a good safety course and do periodic skill refreshers
- know the most common accident scenarios (mostly, either your own potential for bad habits in tight curves, or drivers "not seeing" you during merges and intersections) and how to avert them
then, your odds of having a fatal or otherwise dramatic accident go down a pretty huge amount. LA is still a hectic place so make the decision carefully, but honestly it's a city with a great bike culture and motorcycles are not out to kill you.
I'm in Tanzania now and slowly hashing out the real world practicalities of getting a bike here as a primary vehicle. 4x4s are pricey, streets are tight, and I would feel more comfy on a bike while also adapting to driving on the left since I have some experience in Japan as well. The decision is partly a matter of judging cost/necessity, also partly a matter of getting paperwork in order. I'm optimistic but it may be a couple months yet
Also absolutely get a fullface. The 1/2 and 3/4 helmets aren't there for your jaw or nose and that's a big risk eh
I may posit that the hardest safety gear category to research and shop for is actually boots. Unless you're willing and able to get a $Texas pair of high end track or motocross/enduro boots, which weigh a lot and are basically uncompromised as purely for protecting your feet while on the bike, everything else is some degree of compromise. So long as there's adequate ankle protection and a reasonably solid sole, though, you are better off with good moto boots than without. Definitely also the kind of gear I would get in a shop over the internet, for fitment's sake.
That said, yeah the Fortnine gear recs linked above are pretty great.
If you do get an older bike, budget for new tires, as tires more than 2 years old are generally no bueno.
Donut Media had a cool video on the difference between DOT and SNELL certifications. I'd highly recommend watching, but the bottom line is DOT is a very basic certification, and a SNELL rated helmet is going to do a LOT better at protecting your dome from impact.
Helmet hierarchy in NA = SNELL<DOT<bicycle<hair
Edit: Added link for video.
There is also SHARP which is a bit rarer but is basically a Euro SNELL equivalent in that it's a private industry standard. Even has [controversial] star ratings!
Edit: Revzilla has a pretty excellent breakdown of the safety standards
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/edmonton/1983-camaro-z28/1373758031
Jean jacket and flat of Pilsner sold separately.
I never finish anyth
You can't give someone a pirate ship in one game, and then take it back in the next game. It's rude.
:bro:
Edit: Spoilered for huge
I never finish anyth
And then ask the driver if he wants a break, I'll get us to my destination.
I'd totally pay for that since dealership test drives are so fucking awful.
You could theoretically use Turo for this, but it would get expensive if you're testing a lot of cars. But it is a good service for getting a longer test drive if there's one car you're seriously considering.
It hits about 90% of what I want out of the truck and the price is already good for new.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Even if they come back with like $29k that's a great deal.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Dealership test drives aren't that bad. Drive it like you stole it, that's the whole point of the test drive. All they can do is whine at you from the passenger seat. And if they whine too much, just go to a different dealership.
That's a pain in the ass when there's literally only one dealership for a particular brand within 50 miles.
And the sales guy is sitting in the passenger seat fiddling with the radio and singing along to it, horribly.
My wife did get sassed by the sales guy at one dealership for taking a car up to like 85 after he bragged about how sporty the engine is. Which is just, like... you were basically asking for it, dude.
You can get out and WALK back to the dealership.
Oh, the best part? It wasn't even the radio. He plugged in his phone and put on some Sinatra and sang along. Badly.
well you know what they say. go big or go home.
I keep it up at least halfway once I'm on main roadways.
I need to get out of that habit
I probably don't use the lower 60% of my car's volume range unless I'm having a conversation.