Hey anyone have a motorcycle as a primary mode of transportation? I am looking at getting one since I live in phoenix and it only rains a couple days a year.

Looking for pros and cons from current bike owners!

tanks kids!

I sold my bike a couple years ago, so it deffanatly isn't transportation anymore, but.... I used to live in Phoenix, and my dad still does. He rides a Triumph Thunderbird almost everyday. Biggest thing to consider is bikes don't have air conditioning. :tumbleweed: If you live in Phoenix, I don't have to tell you how hot :tumbleweed: it gets. My dad has lived there for 30+ years, so he is used to the heat. :tumbleweed: But you deffanatly get good gas mialage. :thumbup: That's a plus.

well phoenix definitly blows during the summer. I am looking at opportunities elsewhere for the hot months. It's ridiculous here.

Amen. It's hateful.

:tumbleweed:

Bikes are the best inventions ever, I've been into them for about 13 years now, i ride my dirtbike on the trails every weekend, it's a blast. My old man used to race both road and dirt bikes and has used them as a means of transport ever since i can remember. Most of my mates also ride dirtbikes, some of them are into road bikes as well.

A bike as a primary means of transportation:
Pros:
- you can go really really fast
- chicks dig bikes
- massive sense of freedom
- makes transit fun
- very very good on fuel
- Cheaper to buy than a car
- maintenance and mechanic work is easier to do yourself, and cheaper if you want to pay someone to do it.
- weekends away on a bike freakin rock
- much shorter braking distances than cars
- much more manouverable than cars
- makes you a man

Cons:
- you can go really really fast
- when it rains it freakin sucks to be on a bike, not only because you get wet but also because the roads are slippery and other drivers will find it harder to see you.
- harder to be seen by car and truck drivers. My dad spent 2 weeks in intensive care when he was younger because he got taken out by a car. Also, a mate of mine lost his arm and was in a wheelchair for about a year because he got taken out by a car.
- If you crash, it's gonna hurt, there's no airbags.
- easier to crash because not only do you have to worry about all the things you do when you're in a car, but you also have to balance on the thing. Everyone i know that rides a bike has come off at some point, it usually doesn't tickle either.
- If you get a high performance bike it's gonna be a lot of maintenance, just like a high performance car i guess
- you have to carry all your riding gear around with you
- riding gear is expensive
- when it's cold it freakin sucks balls to be on a bike.



that's all i can think of right now, dunno if it helps you at all. But as i said before, i bloody love bikes and will ride them forever!!


Oh, have you ever ridden a bike before?? And what type of bike are you looking at getting??

I was on the verge of getting my license when a guy from our hometown was killed one evening. Got over that fear and then over the summer when we were in Poland I learned a friend was killed on his motorcycle.

I would NEVER say don't get your license - my dad's been riding for many years and looooves his bike, but you just have to be careful. I forgot what the percentage is, but during your first year of riding you have a significant (much higher than auto) chance of crashing due to inexperience. I had a girlfriend take hers into a ditch a few weeks after she started riding because her eyes started following a car and her handlebars followed her eyes.

Take the safety class and pay mucho attention. Then, just be careful.

I love my street bike. It was the best thing i ever did, well besides travel!

My Dad apparently wanted a bike but my Mom gave the big NO and that was that. She said bikes are incredibly dangerous. I have known a few bikers over the years. But what ever you do do not get a Harley. I wouldn't know but some bikers tell me that they suck.

Their engines aren't the greatest. There are a lot of bikes you can buy that are comparable to a Harley size and power wise, for a lot less and they have better reputations as far as longevity goes.

I used to commute from Apache Junction to the west side of Phoenix every day (50 miles each way) and I spent a year doing it on a motorcycle.

I enjoyed it, till the summer got stupid hot. It's nice to have a hoopty (with A/C) as backup, cause anything over 100 or under 60 degrees is uncomfortable. (it's amazing how cold 60 can feel on a motorcycle)

The initial investment is pretty spendy (not just the bike, but a good helmet, gloves and riding gear) and bikes are expensive to maintain (every thing costs twice as much - try a $100 oil change once or twice and you'll see what I mean) They don't last as long, and you must maintain them to make them last as long as they normally do.

Then, if you get a chick, there's the investment in HER riding gear (nother $400-500 down the tubes)

If you're cool with that, I'd say go for it...

Keep in mind that 70% of all motorcycle accidents occur within the first six months of owning a new bike (whether or not you've ridden before) and make a point to not go testing limits at least until the 6 months is over. Beware other drivers, cause particularly in Phoenix they really don't look for you.

Other than that, I really liked riding my bike as a sole transport!

:stoked:

I drive a Vespa and I love it. It's a 200cc so it goes about 65-70 mph and is technically a motorcycle and highway legal (but I'm not that crazy with the 8 inch wheels).

LFB pretty much summed it up. I do get scared quite often because I'm convinced that there is a conspiracy to run me over in Austin. If I could just find out where they are meeting, maybe I could do something about it. An added plus for is that I go to a large university with shitty parking, but tons of moto parking. Also, in A-town, Vespas are in high demand so mine has actually appreciated in value (the only thing I've ever owned that has done so). Also, someone may have already said this, but insurance is amazingly cheap. I pay 10 bucks a month for full coverage including theft.

Do it... Just do it... Buy one... Ask questions later... As far as the summer heat is concerned pour a bucket of water over yourself before you take off... I know it sounds crazy, but it works... If ur going a anywere over 5 miles you'll be dry by the time you get there. Doing this will keep you nice and cool. As far as what kind of bike to by Personally I'm not a big fan of cruisers or big cadillac touring bikes like the goldwings but i can see the rational for them on really long rides. I have had wonderful luck with sport bikes. They get out of their way pretty good and the stopping power is wonderful. Old japanese "standard" bikes are great for beginners because they're abundant everywhere and you can pick them up relatively cheep. Not to mention the fact that you can flog the hell out of them and they still go pretty good.
That's my 2 sense.