Motorcycles

[Kanamori]

Get a deathmachine... it's pretty much how I plan to die. Honestly though, the only time I've had more fun than riding a motorcycle on curvy highways is playing lasertag on speed, which is really hard to beat.

[AwesomeCakes]

I rode on a motorcycle for the very first time today. I think I'm in love.

[Usehername]

I admit I'm very attracted to the idea, but living where I do there's not enough months of the year where one can ride it to make it a practical investment. It's purely an expensive toy for the summer months up around here.

[ajblaise]

If I moved down south or out west I'd really like to get one. Can't decide between a Harley or a crotch rocket.

[Anja]

Weather is a big reason why you have to have a tough disposition if you want to ride daily. Wind is a nuisance nearly everywhere. There are winds on the prairie here which will have you riding at a 45 degree angle, then you pass a grove of trees and the wind "disappears" for a moment and you have to rebalance fast.

Here a grove close to the road is a red flag. In the winter that's where the spots of ice will be. And the doggies. And the deer.

I've ridden two days in driving rain so heavy that I could scarcely see and felt like I was drowning. The bike hydroplanes which is really a thrill when you meet a semi and you're afloat on the road.

And here we can have snow from October to April.

But it doesn't mean you can't ride. In the day we just put the bikes away from Dec. to March. I've ridden in freezinng weather. If you like to ride there is good equipment to protect you from the elements.

I have a girlfriend in Florida who is sixty and she travels soley by cycle. This summer she went to Colorado for a vacation. She has, more than once, traveled all the way to Canada by bike and has electric boots and gloves. Says she can put on seven hundred miles a day.

I don't call this traveling. I call it masochism! Iron-butt riding. Heh.

There are a lot of people, (certainly not INFPs) who seem to think the goal of riding is how many miles they can rack up in a twenty-four hour period. Sunday afternoon ride? "Yeah, we put three-hundred miles on today."

Weather, bad drivers, all that stuff. It's a person's choice what they are willing to put up with. I just plain like to ride enough to deal with it.

[Beat]

If I would have been stationed in California there'd be no question of getting a bike. Probably would have gotten it a while ago. The whether is too nice, too many months of the year not to take advantage. Coastal NC isn't the ideal place to be when it comes to weather, but it could be a lot worse.

Also, I wouldn't listen to music when I ride. That's why I'm leaning towards the sportbike. I'd want the cruiser for the advantage of more comfortably riding longer distances but have realized I can't listen to music on a long drive on a bike without risk, so screw that; I'll just use my car.

[Anja]

Well, good luck. And fun and safe riding!

I'm not sure if it's national or not, but in MN, now all new riders must pass a course. My kids and I took it years ago and it was excellent. Learned a lot of things I thought I already knew!

I highly recommend classes.

[Grayscale]

some things to consider:

-dont get an expensive bike as your first, as someone mentioned. this way when you drop it or decide you dont like the style/need more power you can easily sell it down to another beginner rider. they're easier to resell and retain more of their original value.

-motorcycle riding is dangerous, you need all your senses. a big reason not to listen to music is because not only does it limit your senses by covering nearby tire noise, it also means youll need to use your tachometer to shift gears, meaning your eyes are not on the road for those moments. without sound, ive found you can keep your eyes on the road almost the entire time by guessing speed based on other cars and RPMs based on your engine noise. either way, if you continue to ride a motorcycle you can probably count on getting into at least one accident. if you wear the gear, chances are you will not be seriously injured but if you arent prepared for the distinct possibility of injury then a motorcycle isnt for you.

-youll need to factor in the cost of equipment, training for licensing, etc. motorcycle leathers can get spendy (and you should wear them if you like your skin) and so can helmets. remember that youll need to wear protective gear all the time... so the whole "jump in your car and take off whenever" is something we take for granted that you just cant do on a motorcycle. you have to babysit your gear wherever you go and consider weather conditions, i really advise against motorcycles as a primary form of transportation because you can't always rely on having the time and conditions to use them. cars are sooo much more convenient, even if they arent nearly as fun.

Originally Posted by Anja

I've ridden two days in driving rain so heavy that I could scarcely see and felt like I was drowning. The bike hydroplanes which is really a thrill when you meet a semi and you're afloat on the road.

my personal favorite is the wobble you get from grooved pavement

[Jack Flak]

Originally Posted by Grayscale

if you continue to ride a motorcycle you can probably count on getting into at least one accident.

This is probably the most important thing. It's just a matter of time, then another matter of time, and so on. My dad was a motorcyclist for many years, and he has the wires in his jaw to prove it (He didn't crash just the once, either). Same thing with road bicycling, fwiw. Open-two-wheeled-vehicles are much more crash prone than closed-four-wheeled-vehicles. And when you crash, you get hurt.

Add: I read about an old friend I hadn't talked to in years dying in a motorcycle wreck on the local newspaper's website. No helmet=fatal head injury.

[Beat]

Thanks for the responses and advice, everyone.