Why I decided not to buy a motorcycle...
As some of you may remember I was looking into buying a motorcycle...I ran a thread on the Men's Forum here. After a lot of thoughts and prayers I have decided against it. Below is some of my first post.
Doing some pipe dreaming here. I'll try and share with you where I'm coming from. In the early 60's through the late 70's we would see alot of Japanese motorcycles on the road...before everything went to road bikes and choppers. You use to see alot of the 250-500cc bike around. Then for years they stopped making them...It seemed like for the last 20 years all you could get were a moped type of bike or a large touring bike.
Anyways, Honda has a bike that reminds me of those bikes from way back when...
Was listening to a book on tape "Wild at Heart" and they were talking about men's desire to ride...while the wife (with her nesting) wants him to be around and not break his neck...Anyways...kids are grown...This is not a midlife crisis...
I haven't ridden since the 70's but am looking at this thing and thinking..."This would be fun and doable"...Thoughts?? Below is a copy and paste (couldn't get the picture up, but you may want to click on the caption to get you to Honda's website)...Am I crazy??
Doing some pipe dreaming here. I'll try and share with you where I'm coming from. In the early 60's through the late 70's we would see alot of Japanese motorcycles on the road...before everything went to road bikes and choppers. You use to see alot of the 250-500cc bike around. Then for years they stopped making them...It seemed like for the last 20 years all you could get were a moped type of bike or a large touring bike.
Anyways, Honda has a bike that reminds me of those bikes from way back when...
Was listening to a book on tape "Wild at Heart" and they were talking about men's desire to ride...while the wife (with her nesting) wants him to be around and not break his neck...Anyways...kids are grown...This is not a midlife crisis...
I haven't ridden since the 70's but am looking at this thing and thinking..."This would be fun and doable"...Thoughts?? Below is a copy and paste (couldn't get the picture up, but you may want to click on the caption to get you to Honda's website)...Am I crazy??
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Cabin, I rode motorcycles for years, and can definitely identify with the longing to ride... Motorcycles are (can be) a lot of fun. There is an incredible sense of freedom while riding - one that you just don't get any other way. (Although driving a convertible with the top down can come pretty close!)
However (you knew it was coming, right?) the one inescapable fact about motorcycles is that they are also incredibly dangerous. It's not the bike itself - it's the other drivers, to whom you become invisible as soon as you straddle the bike... People will pull out in front of you, turn in front of you, open their doors at a stop light and knock you over -- and that would just be an average day in the life...
I have a friend at my church who is an avid motorcyclist. He's been riding for years, and a few years ago joined the CMA (Christian Motorcyclist's Association). He is one of the guys who visits injured riders in the hospital following an accident. Every week, he tells us of a visit he had with someone who was injured. And every week, he uses the words "was tore up pretty bad" or "major road rash" or similar. And every week he tells us of the funerals he went to, and how great it was to see all the bikers there, showing solidarity. And every week he tells us about talking with the families of guys (and gals) who may never walk again, or who jus****ched their loved ones die...
Almost without exception, these folks were killed or injured because of the stupid actions of other motorists. Yeah, there are plenty of 18-25 year-olds with brand-new sport bikes that race around like idiots... Those guys are often involved in single-bike accidents caused by their own stupid actions. But the vast majority of injuries occur because "I just didn't see him", or "he came out of nowhere"...
So, as much as I love riding, I had to give it up. I am willing to live with some risk, in order to enjoy things I love - I am a pilot, after all - but I could no longer tolerate the risks involved with riding in invisibility machine that triggers idiocy in others,
OK, soapbox mode OFF now...
But let's assume you really do decide that nothing is going to stop you... You just have to have a bike, regardless. (Yeah, I've been there, too -- Multiple times!). Cool ad they may look, stay away from the 250cc bikes. The engines are fine, and frankly have all the power you need for tooling around the countryside, and even the occasional freeway blast.
The problem is the frame / suspension / brakes on these bikes. They are designed to appeal to first-time riders, and are designed to fit small 16 year-old kids and women. Most adults will find their knees are bent more than 90 degrees when their feet are on the pegs, and their hands are on the grips. The more they are bent, the less comfortable the bike will for you. That line about putting both feet on the ground at the same time? It's a dead give-away that the bike is targeted at entry-level riders...
Check the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for the bike. It will be stamped on the frame, and in the owner's manual, if you can't find it elsewhere. Subtract the bike's empty weight, then subtract another 25 lbs or so for gas and oil... See the problem? Most of these bikes are ridden right at (or above)their max weights, with little margin for error. Their springs are compressed to the point that they have almost no remaining suspension travel, even with the adjusters turned all the way up. This is incredibly dangerous, because the only things between you and the road is that suspension. When it can't do it's job, you lose all safety margin.
Finally, the brakes... Are they disks on both ends? Rear drums can be OK for very short rides in flat, level country, but they will overheat and fade so quickly you won't believe it. Especially if they are slowing a bike that is right at it's MVGW rating... Look for disks on both ends, and preferably dual disks up front.
I would rather see someone buy a 650-750cc cruiser or "standard" (sometimes called a "naked bike") than one of the junky 250-500cc bikes out there. (Though there are some excellent 500cc bikes made that are on par with the bigger bikes - they just are typically not found in the "big four" stores...)
For the record, I've logged well over 100,000 miles (accident free) on motorcycles, and used one as my only vehicle for several years at various points in my life. But no more... I've worker too hard to get back to "living life" to be willing to take that much risk again - no matter how fun it can be at times.
However (you knew it was coming, right?) the one inescapable fact about motorcycles is that they are also incredibly dangerous. It's not the bike itself - it's the other drivers, to whom you become invisible as soon as you straddle the bike... People will pull out in front of you, turn in front of you, open their doors at a stop light and knock you over -- and that would just be an average day in the life...
I have a friend at my church who is an avid motorcyclist. He's been riding for years, and a few years ago joined the CMA (Christian Motorcyclist's Association). He is one of the guys who visits injured riders in the hospital following an accident. Every week, he tells us of a visit he had with someone who was injured. And every week, he uses the words "was tore up pretty bad" or "major road rash" or similar. And every week he tells us of the funerals he went to, and how great it was to see all the bikers there, showing solidarity. And every week he tells us about talking with the families of guys (and gals) who may never walk again, or who jus****ched their loved ones die...
Almost without exception, these folks were killed or injured because of the stupid actions of other motorists. Yeah, there are plenty of 18-25 year-olds with brand-new sport bikes that race around like idiots... Those guys are often involved in single-bike accidents caused by their own stupid actions. But the vast majority of injuries occur because "I just didn't see him", or "he came out of nowhere"...
So, as much as I love riding, I had to give it up. I am willing to live with some risk, in order to enjoy things I love - I am a pilot, after all - but I could no longer tolerate the risks involved with riding in invisibility machine that triggers idiocy in others,
OK, soapbox mode OFF now...
But let's assume you really do decide that nothing is going to stop you... You just have to have a bike, regardless. (Yeah, I've been there, too -- Multiple times!). Cool ad they may look, stay away from the 250cc bikes. The engines are fine, and frankly have all the power you need for tooling around the countryside, and even the occasional freeway blast.
The problem is the frame / suspension / brakes on these bikes. They are designed to appeal to first-time riders, and are designed to fit small 16 year-old kids and women. Most adults will find their knees are bent more than 90 degrees when their feet are on the pegs, and their hands are on the grips. The more they are bent, the less comfortable the bike will for you. That line about putting both feet on the ground at the same time? It's a dead give-away that the bike is targeted at entry-level riders...
Check the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for the bike. It will be stamped on the frame, and in the owner's manual, if you can't find it elsewhere. Subtract the bike's empty weight, then subtract another 25 lbs or so for gas and oil... See the problem? Most of these bikes are ridden right at (or above)their max weights, with little margin for error. Their springs are compressed to the point that they have almost no remaining suspension travel, even with the adjusters turned all the way up. This is incredibly dangerous, because the only things between you and the road is that suspension. When it can't do it's job, you lose all safety margin.
Finally, the brakes... Are they disks on both ends? Rear drums can be OK for very short rides in flat, level country, but they will overheat and fade so quickly you won't believe it. Especially if they are slowing a bike that is right at it's MVGW rating... Look for disks on both ends, and preferably dual disks up front.
I would rather see someone buy a 650-750cc cruiser or "standard" (sometimes called a "naked bike") than one of the junky 250-500cc bikes out there. (Though there are some excellent 500cc bikes made that are on par with the bigger bikes - they just are typically not found in the "big four" stores...)
For the record, I've logged well over 100,000 miles (accident free) on motorcycles, and used one as my only vehicle for several years at various points in my life. But no more... I've worker too hard to get back to "living life" to be willing to take that much risk again - no matter how fun it can be at times.
Hige bike fan! I have always loved riding bikes, started on dirt bikes when I was in sixth grade. I got my motorcycle license before I had a car one. For some reason I think the Can-Am spyders are freaking cool and have been looking at them, probably won't get one (not practical with 2 kids and a baby on the way).
http://en-us.spyder.brp.com/showroom/Spyder-RS/overview.aspx
http://en-us.spyder.brp.com/showroom/Spyder-RS/overview.aspx
Paul C.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
OneFinger
on 5/27/11 2:15 am
on 5/27/11 2:15 am
For some reason I think the Can-Am spyders are freaking cool and have been looking at them...
That's exactly what I've been looking at, too. Drivers where I live are terrible with motorcycles but the Can-Am has me reconsidering getting another bike.
That's exactly what I've been looking at, too. Drivers where I live are terrible with motorcycles but the Can-Am has me reconsidering getting another bike.
High Weight = 310 Surgery Weight = 300 Dr's Goal = 200 My Goal = 190 
All I gotta say is that anyone who says that money cant buy happiness has never bought a motorcycle... lol.
Now that I am down 120lbs my v rod rides a heck of a lot better too! My wife is also losing weight doing weigh****chers. We have never riden a motorcycle together because I have always been pretty close to the load limit weight just by myself. Now that we are both losing weight it won't be much longer before she can ride with me.
Now that I am down 120lbs my v rod rides a heck of a lot better too! My wife is also losing weight doing weigh****chers. We have never riden a motorcycle together because I have always been pretty close to the load limit weight just by myself. Now that we are both losing weight it won't be much longer before she can ride with me.
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