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+--- Thread: Thinking about getting a motorcycle (/showthread.php?tid=183206)
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - M A V I C - 09-21-2015
DP wrote:
How about buying an older reliable small car that gets good fuel economy?
Parking and insurance would be a stretch as it is. The way development is going, I wouldn't be surprised if the cheap parking is $15/day within a year.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - Onamuji - 09-21-2015
M A V I C wrote:
[quote=DP]
How about buying an older reliable small car that gets good fuel economy?
Parking and insurance would be a stretch as it is. The way development is going, I wouldn't be surprised if the cheap parking is $15/day within a year.
You've looked into monthly garage-passes?
How about parking subsidies from your employer?
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - wave rider - 09-21-2015
What does seven miles cost in a taxi or über?
=wr=
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - M A V I C - 09-21-2015
Onamuji wrote:
You've looked into monthly garage-passes?
How about parking subsidies from your employer?
Monthly doesn't help, and most lots don't do it. Stadiums nearby, so they go daily then don't sell on gamedays.
Employer doesn't help.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - RAMd®d - 09-21-2015
Excellent question, rg!
Being a first motorcycle brings a major challenge- a higher degree of constant vigilance, and lack of familiarity with operation and handling.
IF you go with a motorcycle, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation or other quality training course is highly recommended.
One of the biggest hurdles may be a time crunch, depending on how soon the bus route changes. You need riding time to build confidence and make steering, accelerating, and braking all second nature responses.
Rain is not a motorcyclist's friend. I often say when you have only two wheels, they are twice as important. Judicious use of the throttle and brakes are paramount, in the wet. Railroad tracks and even the white crosswalk lines post real threats.
Your extensive bicycle experience gives you a leg up in awareness, which a lot of people won't have at the onset. But you need to get away from traffic to build confidence and skill.
I commuted on a bike (motor) for two years, every day, back in the early '80's when we had two years of the worst rain this part of CA ever had, and it was bad. It wasn't any fun, and cars and trucks ripping by would throw waves of water on me. I was doing 45mph in the slow lane and they were doing 65+. Even with the "wrong" rain gear for a motorcyclist, staying dry wasn't a problem. I did have a windshield on the bike and that made a big difference.
I will never ride in the rain again, unless I plan poorly. I seldom ride at night, because there's no need, but it's no problem for me, I've very comfortable with it. I do recommend additional lighting for tail and brake lights just to help distinguish one from cars. Rear-end collisions are not uncommon for motorcyclists, especially at night.
You have a relatively short commute, or I'd recommend against riding a bike (motor) in the rain. But with the requisite skill and gear, it's eminently do-able.
As N-OS points out, you need to watch for cars making a left turn in front of you, often at the last minute. Also be wary of cars that may change lanes directly in front of you.
In the locomotion food chain, motorcyclists are only above pedestrians and bicyclists. Constant hyper-vigilance is key. While not to be taken for granted, it can become second nature so you can enjoy the ride.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - Gareth - 09-21-2015
N-OS X-tasy! wrote:
[quote=Gareth]
Also, keep in mind, that motorcycle insurance might cost you the same or more than a car. Mine certainly does and I've been paying for it for over 10 years. If you're a new or returning rider it could be even more.
That seems odd to me. My motorcycle insurance costs MUCH less than my auto insurance. Granted, I drive an Infiniti G37 and I ride a Suzuki V-Strom 650. Still, I have a hard time imagining it should cost as much to insure your bike as it does your car, unless you're riding one of those big touring machines or an expensive foreign exotic.
I drive well below the "national average of 12,000 miles/year" so my auto policies are heavily discounted, which might make the motorcycle policies seem expensive in comparison. I carry different coverages so it makes it hard to compare them exactly, though I did find a recent quote for a couple of them with the same coverages which put one of my motorcycles at 10% more expensive in insurance than one of my cars. And my motorcycle policies have come down a lot in more recent years (since I imagine an under 30 single male wasn't exactly cheap to insure on a motorcycle).
When I was shopping for different bikes recently, I discovered I could get liability insurance for just about any bike for roughly the same price, but the collision/comp prices varied wildly by bike.
Back to M A V I C, you might want to consider something like: http://www.boltmotorbikes.com/
Which really stretches the boundaries of "electric bike". You could probably wear the same gear you would on a motorcycle to protect yourself from the elements and not break a sweat from pedaling.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - Filliam H. Muffman - 09-21-2015
One issue for most bicycle riders switching to a motorcycle is the brakes are frequently backwards (right hand being front brake on motorcycle). I changed my bicycle so it matched the motorcycle layout.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - qdog2 - 09-21-2015
Don't forget to check the maintenance required for the bike you want. Motorcycle maintenance is not cheaper than a car. The best mileage that I have gotten from tires safely is about 12,000 miles. A lot of the sport bike riders I know get less than 5,000 mile per tire and there tires are over $200 per tire plus $45-$80 to have it mounted and balanced. Also check the MPG for the bike you want. Some bikes get less than a car.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - RAMd®d - 09-21-2015
I changed my bicycle so it matched the motorcycle layout.
I did the same thing to my bike when I got my first motorcycle. I had some riding experience prior to getting it. My issue was with the bicycle brakes and not the motorcycle brakes. For some reason I accepted the latter as the standard very quickly and frequently got the bicycle brakes backwards.
One the other hand riding an older Harely and Ducati were a challenge as they shifted opposite of the Japanese bikes, until the latter became the standard. The transition could be a little exciting.
Don't forget to check the maintenance required for the bike you want.
If he uses it mainly for his short commute, maintenance won't be a serious consideration. And almost *any* bike one might purchase mainly for the commute should get pretty decent mileage, My 1300cc bike gets gets about 40-43mpg, and on the freeway I *can* get about 50, but I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to higher mileage. And we're talking about a 20min commute for the OP. Though I don't know him, I don't imagine he'll be trying to scrub the tire edge to edge to reduce the strips.
The free parking for the bike pretty much offsets any financial advantage a car might have.
Re: Thinking about getting a motorcycle - chopper - 09-21-2015
This place is near endless entertainment when the subject of motorcycles is brought up. Sounds like a bunch of old ladies around a card table afraid of driving after dusk.