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Practicality of motorcycles?
DiscoZombie
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
so I've been considering buying a motorcycle lately. It wouldn't be my primary vehicle - I already have a brand new Scion. Just something for fun. Honestly, I don't think I will though, due to various concerns...
I don't have a garage or anything. I live in an apartment. It would be parked in a parking space, I suppose. probably with a cover on it I guess? do motorcycles often get vandalized or stolen if parked in the street? I don't live in a terrible neighborhood or anything, but it's not the ritz either. My ex left her car door unlocked for months here before someone eventually opened it and stole her ipod, but that did eventually happen...
I really don't know much about bikes other than that they're fun to ride, most are pretty cheap, and use hardly any gas. and of course they're unsafe. how easy is it to lose control in bad weather? much easier than in a car or not really any easier?
anyway, just rolling the idea around in my head and lookin' for thoughts and opinions...
I don't have a garage or anything. I live in an apartment. It would be parked in a parking space, I suppose. probably with a cover on it I guess? do motorcycles often get vandalized or stolen if parked in the street? I don't live in a terrible neighborhood or anything, but it's not the ritz either. My ex left her car door unlocked for months here before someone eventually opened it and stole her ipod, but that did eventually happen...
I really don't know much about bikes other than that they're fun to ride, most are pretty cheap, and use hardly any gas. and of course they're unsafe. how easy is it to lose control in bad weather? much easier than in a car or not really any easier?
anyway, just rolling the idea around in my head and lookin' for thoughts and opinions...
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I believe most states require you to take a MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course prior to getting your license/endorsement. In my state (Florida) you get a waiver upon completion so you don't have to take the written and practical tests that the DMV requires.
Depends on where you live. It sounds like you're in a safe spot, but really, not knowing where you live, I can't say.
Pretty easy to experience temporary loss of control in bad weather. Whether the temporary loss becomes permanent loss of control/skid/accident is up to the rider, I believe. For example, strong winds. Sudden gusts of wind can temporarily push you to the side before you can react fast enough to compensate. Placing yourself so that a strong gust of wind will push you further into your own lane is a good idea. Placing yourself so that a strong gust of wind pushes you into the sidewalk/over the center line into oncoming traffic - not such a good idea.
A lot of riding safely, I've found, is planning ahead and recognising where dangerous positions on the road are and avoiding them. Stuff like, "That car looks like it's about to change lanes. Maybe I should slow down to give it a bit of room" (as opposed to, say, "I'll stay in the car's blind spot."), "Hmmm.... a blind corner, maybe I should slow down since I can't see what's behind the corner", or, "Ahhh crap, a slope with a negative angle. Gotta take this turn slower than normal".
This is all assuming that you can handle a bike, so seriously, go take a motorcycle course. They'll hopefully show and explain what you should and shouldn't do - e.g. how to turn when you're going at a decent speed (hint: it's not by directly using your body weight), how to emergency brake, when to brake and when *not* to brake, etc...
As for vandalization...it happens. Bikes get stolen. If you're buying a really nice, new bike I can see people that are jealous wanting to mess with it (just like cars).
The insurance on motorcycles is pretty high too. And if you're financing it, the interest rate is going to be far higher than on a car. I guess they figure the buyer might die soon so they want to collect quickly. :P
You'll save loads on gas money. You'll have a lot of fun. And god damn they sure are chick magnets.
Oh and one last thing, there are little extra expenses too like helmets (one for the ladies), jacket, gloves, etc.
And yo do want to take an MSF course.
Motorcycles are great, current project:
Mocking up a new seat
This is not true. If you are over the age of 21 and are paying a lot for motorcycle insurance then you are doing it wrong. I know many people who pay for full coverage for around 300 dollars a year or less with State Farm. That is not a lot of money.It does depend on the bike and location somewhat but if you shop around for insurance you can get it pretty damn cheap. As far as financing, it's not about the buyer dying soon as much as it is that motorcycles don't cost a whole lot and so the interest is higher. But the dealers always have low interest deals. That said, do not buy new for your first bike. I'm going to be buying my 3rd motorcycle in the next couple months and I still wouldn't buy new. It just isn't worth it to buy new especially when you consider how likely it is that you will drop your first one (pretty likely).
Motorcycles get stolen. And motorcycle theft has been on the rise. If you're going to park it in an apartment complex I would invest in some type of security system or at least a big ass lock.
As others have said, take the MSF! It's fun and you'll learn a lot.
What kind of bad weather conditions are you talking about? I would never ride my bike in the snow, but I do ride in the rain and as long as you are attentive and smooth with all your actions then there are no problems. If it's going to be your secondary vehicle though, why even worry about this? Just get in your car when weather is bad.
Motorcycles are dangerous. Take the MSF and decide if it's worth the risk to you. I decided it was and am very glad I did.
Oh, and buy proper protective gear. This means a helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots at the very least.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I live in an apartment, and I just leave my motorcycle uncovered on one of the parking spaces. The matter of security really depends on where you live.
Hmm, about riding in bad weather, I've done it before. Rain isn't really that bad, just expect raindrops to sting a bit. I've ridden storms before, and the worst part is the cold. Winds can make you veer off the straight line, so just compensate steering for that. I would not ride snow or hail.
As with cars, you have to drive safely. You just have to be even more careful, attentive, and wise about riding a motorcycle since you dont have a metal cage around you to protect you. I recommend looking at this website for more handling, safety tips, and riding discussion
http://www.msgroup.org/
Also, start with a small bike. a 250 rebel is a cheap and good way to get into riding. I've ridden 250 cc's cross state, and it's a lot of fun, and quite challenging.
Yes, he did. He was also an inexperienced rider who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
And if you're dumb enough to ride without protective gear then fairly hard rain will do more than sting a bit. I'd describe it as being shot with a paintball gun. With textiles on (Florida isn't amenable to leather gear) it doesn't sting at all.
There's nothing wrong with a small bike, but I (and some friends) find that a middleweight bike (around 650cc) is easily accessible for a beginner unless you do something stupid (which usually involves speeding). The exceptions to that are the supersports in that size range, which I would strongly suggest that any sane beginner avoid for several years :P I honestly think a bike like the SV650 is very manageable, but I'm sure that it depends on your comfort level after completion of the MSF course and whether you've had a similar bike to test ride. In my case I had the opportunity to ride a Kawasaki ZZR600 in the backroads where I live. My biggest problem with "small" bikes is that if you frequently ride on the freeways you can either be riding it a tad too hard to stay at a safe speed or that it lacks the power to quickly accelerate if you need to pass someone, particularly semi-trailers. Since there are two major highways that I spend most of my time on (SR-16 and US-301) that is something that I pay attention to.
I also was able to test drive an in-laws GSX-R1000 and it scared the shit out of me the first time I ran over a large-ish bump and hit the accelerator too hard
They have a greater risk of death and injury for four main reasons:
I thought that was a result of someone mixing up two stories? I believe he was wearing a helmet, but it wouldn't have really helped him in this case because I believe he was ejected from his bike and flew head-first into a tree. That wouldn't help the spine/neck injuries. One article about the crash mentioned Zonk's accident and another one, but the party of the other wreck wasn't wearing his helmet.
The last thing I saw from Zonk's accident was a newspost about it that said he wasn't wearing a helmet so I suppose that could have been wrong. Zonk had posted about not riding with a helmet previously though.
I purchased/rode a motorcycle through a decent part of my college life since I had a daily 80-85 mile round trip commute. It cut down on gas significantly.
First of all, I would highly recommend the MSF course. I took it, and it's a very useful class if you're completely inexperienced riding.
Next, I would like to point out that you should expect to pay significant amount in riding gear. At least $800 for a good jacket/helmet/boots/gloves/pants.
Lastly, considering your situation I would invest in a theft deterrent. I was in a similar situation as you described - a regular apartment complex..nothing too shady, except I woke up one morning to find my motorcycle had been lifted onto the back of a truck and that was that.
Also, if financing, expect 10% APR.
Then you have the issues of wearing work clothes... Weather etc.
I just decided against. I may again in the future - but it will not be for practical reasons...
When the season is over is a good time to look for used bikes. Guys spend more time in the shop looking at the new stuff and get that urge to replace their old mount. And some people just get tired of it cluttering the garage.
That article mentioned two accidents. Zonk's and a second. Those involved in the second accident were not wearing helmets. However, everything (his past history of riding, etc..) indicates that Zonk was wearing a helmet.
This is all from what I was able to gleen from the posts, articles and conversations with folks. I do not stand by this as fact, just a really strong possibility.
He was wearing a goddamn helmet. You can see the thing sitting on the sidewalk in the photo with the stretcher.
The thing about Zonky's helmet was that his visor had fallen out a couple weeks beforehand so he was wearing sunglasses underneath as "eye protection". They wiggled about, he once demonstrated for me how violently they would move underneath his helmet due to the wind. People who saw the accident say he just kind of "veered" off the road. It is my theory that his sunglasses wiggled too hard and he couldn't see, and that's what caused him to crash.
So, if you're really going to get a motorcycle, 1) BE CAREFUL. Zonky was saying constantly how he was the best driver in a car in the world, but as soon as he got onto his motorcycle he felt like there was a devil-within -- 2) Have a will. I know this is morbid, but Zonk made one a MONTH before his death, and also offered this as advice to other motorcyclists.
And, the new one we've learned from him -- your safety gear is crucial. Your helmet kind of busted up somehow? Don't get on the stupid bike then.
Anyway, this is just to say that you really need to be aware of what is going on. You have to make the move before the other guy(And BRAKE is oftent he best move). Ride a bicycle for a month or two to get an idea of just how invisible you will be on a motorcycle. They are about the same.
On this note, replace your helmet any time it takes a hard hit (even if it isn't from a crash). It might not necessarily look like there is anything wrong, but the material that absorbs the force from an impact is only good one time. It crushes and stays that way permanently, contrary to what many ignorant people believe. It doesn't matter whether or not the exterior is cracked.
It's a good idea to practice emergency braking. If you brake too hard you run the risk of locking up one of your wheels and you will likely lose control. Hopefully you'll be comfortable enough with your bike that you won't panic and make a mistake, especially given the short time you have to react.
And check your brake pads and tire pressure/wear regularly. Virtually all brake pads will have an indicator on them to let you know when they need replaced, so don't wait until they start making noise to replace them. Your tires are basically the most important thing on your bike, and checking the pressure daily doesn't take but a minute. If you mostly ride on straight roads and there is excessive wear in the center (it becomes more or less flat), replace them.
Your bike color makes little difference. Most drivers aren't really going to see it unless they are coming at you to your side, and unless your bike has a good bit of fairing (naked bikes are more popular in places other than America) it might not really matter at all.
Your equipment (jacket and/or vest and helmet) are the two biggest items you can use to improve your visibility. Avoid neutral colors, and beware of colors that may be noticeable during the day but aren't really as visible at nighttime. A really loud orange helmet is a good choice and sticks out like a sore thumb.