Thinking about getting a bike...

[TheBussman1647545507]

I'm in college and don't have very much money. looking at bikes around $1200 something slow, with good gas millage and kinda beat up would be good. looking at ninja 250s, CBXs and other that are slimmer. seems to me that the sport type bikes are more complicated, more likely break and possible more expensive to own, more expensive to insure, and also less conferable, again I'm not looking for speed or handling at all. I would make any and all repairs myself. Any recommendations here?

 

As I've talked about it with people I know (none of witch ride) I always get the same response: It's too dangerous. Now how much of this is true? to me it sounds like something that's easily exaggerated, unless your one of those doing excessive speeding down small streets. Those of you that are experienced, just how much more dangerous is riding than driving? what areas are the safest/ most dangerous to ride? bad idea to ride to Columbus state at 8:30 in the morning? How much worse is riding in the rain? I would actually wear a helmet and leather. Just curious to hear what experienced riders think.

[Doc1647545523]

It's a lot more dangerous than driving a car for a lot of reasons. Here are 3 big ones:

 

1) Other drivers don't "see" you, or at least it doesn't register with them that you're there. Imagine driving an invisible car. Would that be dangerous? That's an exaggeration, but perhaps illustrates the point.

 

2) When you collide with anything, or fall off the damned thing, you have so much less protection.

 

3) Road surfaces become critical on a two wheeled vehicle which depends on traction/gyroscopic force just to remain upright vs. a car which depends on traction only while turning or changing speed.

 

Riders can compensate for the inherent danger in a lot of ways. Taking a rider safety course, keeping your riding skills honed, learning to ride in dirt, driving defensively, learning to look ahead and anticipate other drivers' actions, learning when and where to ride ..... these and many other things can improve your survival odds. Failure to appreciate and adjust to the inherent dangers is a recipe for injury and maybe death.

 

Despite all those words of warning, I love riding motorcycles. I've ridden for 40 years and owned 18 motorcycles. I'm in the BMW 200,000 mile club and I've ridden in two Iron Butt rides (one on a Ducati 999). I've come off the bike 3 times: twice at under 5 mph and once on a private gravel lane.

 

My 2 cents' worth. I'm sure others may differ.

 

"There are old riders and there are bold riders. But there are no old, bold riders.

 

http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/aimhigh.jpg

[Balian]

I am going to have to agree with Doc on these.

 

My view does differ, slightly. Of all of the bikes I own and for as long as I have ridden, I have only been down once and that was due to a mechanical failure of the bike itself. I do believe that if the rider is safe and fully aware, that you can avoid almost 90% of the accidents that will happen. The other 10% is due to variables you cannot control, like insane wind gusts, gravel on the road, etc.

 

If this is your first time on a bike and first bike, I strongly recommend you take a safety course as it could mean the difference between living to 50 and living in a bed for the rest of your life.

 

Just my two cents.

[Radio Flyer1647545514]

Tyler, there is a 85 honda for sale for 1500 OBO in P-Town right by us. I've been looking into getting a bike too.

 

It's in good condition, send me a PM if you want the link for it.