Parents saying no to a motorcycle...

I posted a very similar thread a while ago, you won't get any advice that you want to hear.

 

Nope.



Jedi (old fart, father of 2 - neither of which have one either )

 

I will one day Pops!

I want a motorcycle, but not at all right now. The safety issues paired up with the idiot encounters lately, not a chance for me, just not now.

Like Tyler said, no advice will be found here. My only piece of advice is, if you do ride, take the MSF course, take your parents along and have them watch you and talk to the instructors.

A 20 mile commute isn't too bad. Consider breaking bones, or even having to donate an organ.

PS. Ask your dad about the stupid **** he did on a bike when he was younger, no wonder he is siding with your mom

 

I was a pretty decent dirt bike rider in my teens and knew I was going to get a streetbike at some point soon after HS. My parents fought it every step of the way. I finally bought one when they were out of town with cash I had saved up, this was at 20. They tolerated it for the next couple of years before I left home.

In hindsight, they were very smart to forbid a streetbike even though by the time I could drive a car, motorcycles were second nature.

At 20, I would say I was barely experienced enough on the road and possessed the minimum of maturity to not kill myself showing off.

At 18, no way I could have resisted tapping whatever bike I had out and either wound up in jail or dead.

At 16, I was completely stupid and couldn't drive. Deadly combination.

 

It ain't you.

It's everybody else on the road jabberwocking & texting & youtubing & facebooking on mobiles.

So, don't blame your folks - blame society, er, social apps.

 

You may have some luck getting a scooter. Try asking them to let you get a Honda Metropolitan 50. If your only motovation is economy that is the way to go. The downside is, of course, no girl will EVER talk to you.

Seriously, a bike that you are gonna really like will be too much for you to handle. And your parents know you better than you think they do. They think you are too immature to handle the responsibility and they are most likely right.

You know when I bought my first motorcycle? I was 25 and married at the time. Had I gotten a bike when I was your age I would not have lived to 25. I can say that because looking back I wasn't ready.

Now, that being said my 17 year old nephew wants to get a bike. His father and I said we would help him look but he had to get a mid 70's Honda 350 or something similar. Plus he must take the MSF course and wear all of his gear all of the time. He is mature enough and the old Hondas only have like 25 HP.

My 9 year old son really likes the Repsol Honda CBR 1000. I can tell you right now that will never happen.

Good luck and if you present your case properly you may have a chance but only a slim one.

 

Just let them drive you around. . .

Or move out

 

For 2011 Honda will import the new CBR250 to the states. It will be very affordable and also have ABS. This will be a big selling point, IMO.

 

I've ridden dirt and road bikes all my life. Started with a Honda 50 Scrambler when I was twelve years old. Currently own a Norton 850 and a HD Softail Duece.

My advice is don't buy a road bike for commuting to work. Bad idea. It is the intersections that will harm or kill you. And driving every day in that kind of lethal traffic is not worth it IMHO.

Motorcycles are fun but are best used for recreational rides out in the countryside or mountains. A lot fewer intersections out there. And yes, I had a good friend die in a mc accident and another lose his leg above the knee. So, don't pay that kind of price - it isn't worth it.

 

I always had and always will have a motorcycle.

The only thing that matters IMO is make sure it"s LOUD.

VERY VERY LOUD!

 

Get a Miata or some other small convertible instead?

Putting safety gear on and off two times a day five times a week is a commuter deal breaker for me.

 

Here is a graphic video of what happens to a rider in a typical intersection collision with a car.

Warning - very graphic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OH4DrpcC8Y

Note that the car went through a red light.
Notice that the driver of the car isn't injured at all afterwards.
Car only has a bent fender.
However, the mc rider is seriously hurt and the mc is totaled.

 

^This is good advice^; the roads today aren't what they used to be.

http://www.distraction.gov

 

+1

If it is gas you are concerned about, buy a Civic. Get an MC if it is going to be for fun. (and take the MSF course)

I wanted a bike as long as I could remember, but I always knew that I wasn't mature enough for it. Finally last year I felt like I was ready, took the MSF course and bought an older CBR. Glad I finally did it, but also glad I waited.

 

There are two types of motorcyclists.

1. Those that have been in an accident, and

2. Those that will.

 

Listen to the traffic report on the radio (try KFWB or KNX) in the morning. Of the half-dozen highway accidents they report usually there will be at least one with a motorcycle involved. Then go stand on an overpass and count the ratio of bikes to cars. It's far less than 1%. You're the student; regardless of fault, how over-represented do you think motorcycles are in traffic accidents during rush hour? That's why I don't commute by motorcycle in the LA area.

 

The other thing is that it is false economy to ride a bike these days. A cheap small car will get 40 mpg, and you can buy one used for maybe $6000. Sure you could buy a used bike that is even cheaper, but the running costs will actually be higher.

1) Tires on a car last 40,000 miles, maybe 10,000 on a bike. 2 bike tires are as much as 4 cheap car tires.

2) Chain & Sprockets are $150, every 15-20,000 miles. No expense for a car.

3) Motorcycles just require more maintenance. They just do on a per mile basis. Period.

4) Unless you get something small (<500cc) there is a good chance a car will actually get better gas mileage than the bike.

5) Insurance for a young person is still going to be high for a bike, astronomical for a sportbike in a city.

6) Austin has probably the best riding climate for weather you could hope for, but you will still need a car at least a couple of days per month.

Advice? Find a used Kia or Chevy Aveo in your price range and drive throughout college. Motorcycles are toys, wait until you graduate then treat yourself to a toy.

From time to time you will read of guys who run up huge mileage on their bikes, 150k miles plus. Always neat to read those stories. But when asked the key to racking up huge mileage, they universally say the same thing: do not own a reliable car. That should tell you something...

 

My R6 consistently gets 40+ mpg, and that's with "spirited" riding. . . I'd imagine with economical riding I could do closer to 50. Most any medium sized bike will smash most any small car when it comes to miles per gallon.

But like you said. . . when gas hit four bucks a gallon I did the maths and worked out that even though I could spend half or less on gas if I rode my bike instead of driving, all of that would be eaten up in tires that have to be replaced in 6k, 8k miles, let alone any other maintenance. The only real solution would be to get some high-mileage touring tires, which aren't much cheaper, and the performance drop off is significant which would kill the idea of having a fun bike.

However, the insurance costs on a bike are insanely cheap, especially for a new driver. I was paying close to $400 per month for insurance when I was 16 on my car, quotes on a bike were less than $400 per year. Sure the bike is more dangerous, but the insurance companies seem to put a higher price on how much damage your vehicle does to others, and not so much importance on whether or not you'll be dead soon. Go figure.

But yeah anyone who uses a bike as their main transportation is getting a new back tire as often as a normal person gets an oil change. I'm sure if you strove to make it as economical and un-fun as possible, you could save money, but running costs are not much cheaper than a car.

 

OP~ If you think you're going to have "cheap" transportation via motorcycling, you've got some education coming. Motos are toys, nothing else. Riding a bike in town sucks. Riding a bike out in the local mountains is therapy. Wait until you ride "GMR" or Angeles Crest Highway (ACH.) That's what motorcycling is all about!

Back to your original issue~

You say your dad "used to ride" but now sides with your mom, right?

Here's what I would do~
1. Ask your dad if he would join you in attending MSF classes.

2. Take the class regardless if he joins you or not.

3. Learn as much as possible via the library books available to you.
Here's a short list:
a. "Proficient Motorcycling" by David Hough (pronounced "HUFF")
b. "More Proficient Motorcycling" by same author.
c. "Street Strategies" by same author.
Leave the books around the house for your mom to see. Don't try to hide them.

4. Don't try to attain a sportbike for your first bike. Your parents will be a lot more lenient if you go for a bike that doesn't look "racy." Remember, your parents are coming from the position of ignorance. They see racy bikes and they think, "Oh no, not my son!"
So let's see, let's start with a smaller light weight less powerful bike. Suzuki makes a perfect bike for this purpose, it's called an SV-650. This bike can/will stay with a 'Busa in the turns (leave this last part out of your parents knowledge!)

5. AGATT (you'll learn this in MSF.) USE IT.

Before you buy a bike, check into finance rates, payments, insurance rates & finally licensing/registration fees. This will tell your parents you're serious.

6. Buy a used bike as you will likely tip it over...once.

7. Tell your 'rents you are joining the Marines and look forward to being "deployed." (Nahh, just kidding, but I'd love to see the look on their faces...) This simple statement will tell them you are no longer to be looked upon as a "little boy."

 

Aside from safety and practicality, insurance may be a big factor in your decision-making. Maintenance costs can be pretty cheap (IMO, but I suppose cheap is a relative term) for an econocar that gets 35 mpg or a 45 mpg motorcycle (just pick a Japanese one ). But just ask your insurance agent for quote on what you think you might get. Depending on your coverage, you might be shocked at the difference (or maybe not) between car and bike.

If you're young and thinking of a bike in SoCal, you're probably thinking of a sportbike. Maybe an R6 or Gixxer. Ask the insurance agent how much that puppy will cost to cover versus an entry-level Corolla. When you're selecting levels of coverage for uninsured motorists and medical, remember that 1/4 of drivers out there aren't insured. Also think about whether or not you have health insurance, because if you're a biker you might actually use it (or your vehicle insurance's medical coverage).

I admit I don't know the answer, but if finances are an issue, cost of insurance is not something you want to find out AFTER you've made your purchase.

 

'Cause you're not just doing 20 mph amongst cars moving 20 mph. You're doing 70 mph amongst cars doing the same. Whole different league.

 

Oh, and I'd recommend budgeting about $1K for gear. No, really. You dress for the crash, not the ride.

 

Austin, Get a car for driving to and from school and work. Once you get out of school get the bike and use it on the back roads to get rid of the stress from day to day life.

 

Becuse they love you..

All the gas money I ever saved commuting by bike disappeared in the Emergency Room.