Parents saying no to a motorcycle...

+1.

Thirty years after a near fatal crash, I again have one, a Ducati ST3.......it lives in my garage and comes out to run to the Post Office!!

 

You'll shoot your eye out.

 

....good possibilty....LOL!

 

I rarely weigh in on this board (more of a lurker), but I feel like I have to here.

My parents said the exact same thing- "no." So when I moved out for college, naturally I bought one. A Yamaha FZ6, to be exact.

It was a sweet bike, and moderately easy to learn on, but I should've taken the MSF course. I had way too many close calls and "idiot" moments that would've been avoided had I taken the necessary training.

I enjoyed riding it in Auburn, Alabama where I went to school, but then I moved back to Atlanta after graduation. Once I got into a real city and had to ride in daily traffic, I leaned how dangerous it really was. For me, the benefits of freedom and power (my two reasons for buying) were overshadowed by:

-The danger. An incident that could be a close-call or maybe a fender-bender in a car becomes potentially fatal on a bike. You have a close call in a car, you can skid a little and be fine. Skid on a bike, and you're likely to go down, making it a much worse incident. Motorcyclists call car drivers "cagers" for a reason- there's a 4000lb.+ safety cage protecting you. Bikes don't have that.

-The inconvenience. Ever tried to go get take-out on the bike? Or run an errand for the boss? Take a friend to pick up his car at the shop? Come to the rescue of a damsel in distress? Beyond that, even, is the hassle of the gear. Helmet, jacket, boots, gloves, pants- you don't want to go to class/work in your gear, and you sure as heck don't want to ride without it. So you have to bring a change, which adds time on both sides of your commute. Also, if you're sick/tired/uncomfortable for any reason, there's no leniency. A bike takes so much skill and concentration to ride at all times that there's just no room for being distracted. Tired after class? You still have to be on high alert for the 20-mile ride home, whereas a car takes much less effort/vigilance to pilot safely.

-The weather. Riding in the cold sucks. Riding at night sucks. Riding in the rain not only sucks, but is downright dangerous. I know it rarely rains there (I lived in Westwood for a while), but it's something you should think about when buying a bike. Think about being soaking wet, having poor visibility through your steamed-up visor, and having to ride 20 miles on a wet, oily surface that feels like ice.

Anyway, keep in mind none of this is meant to rain on your parade. There are plenty of pros to a bike as well. This is just advice that I wish someone had given me when I was shopping. The allure of a motorcycle is powerful- heck, I still shop for them every day- but just make sure you know exactly what you're getting in to.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more specific questions!
-John

 

I've ridden dirt bikes since I was 15 but never really rode on the street.

I'm 32 now and have been wanting to get the same bike I owned when I was younger, so I picked up another 86 xl600r. As of friday it is registered/insured and I have my M license.

As others have said, the main worry is other drivers. I'm a bit nervous when riding on the street because of that. I constantly scan around me and watch my mirrors.

I plan to ride on side roads to get to trails or offroad areas. I would not consider commuting with it in heavy traffic.

 

I got first bike at 20, after four years of driving without any major incidents, no speeding or wreck less driving, and thats what I'll hold my kids to if they want to ride.

It's all down to your maturity as a driver and experience. I would go take a bike riding course and get your license. Sometime you also have to be a bit of a rebel, your young I think. If you are mature enough then get a bike and take it from there. Your father will probably be taken back to his youth if you show enthusiasm and include him in YOUR decision. He then may soften a bit.

As for the inconvenience you are young and will figure it out. Yeah riding in the rain sucks, but that's what rain gear and full face helmets or wrap around glasses are for. It will grow some hair on your balls on the highway that's for sure.

Don't get a sports bike, buy a good starter. If you can find a Yamaha Maxim 400 get it. They are cheap, easy to maintain very good starter. I'm sure they can be found for $1000. Plus you won't be tempted to donate your organs.

Good luck!

 

I used to ride when I was a kid. When I was 20 I wanted to get a motorcycle and my parents were not for it at all, however I got my Dad to soften up on it and I "looked around" for one. Then one day I found a bike I wanted with the price I would pay and my dad came to me and said "Son I can’t let you do this". I was disappointed- I wanted a fun toy that I could work on and satisfied my “mechanical itch”.

Looking back, I am glad my dad didn’t let me get a bike, and I am glad I didn’t buy it. There are so many idiots on the road and they are all continuing to propagate.

Here is some smart advice you aren't going to listen to: Dont do it.

 

I love motorcycles and have wanted once since I turned 16...however, about 10 years later I still don't have one because of two things:

1) You should only buy a motorcycle for recreational riding like stated before (weekend runs and/or track)

2) FL is flat and boring to ride and the drivers here are terrible. I would be bored out of my mind and then immediately hit by a stupid driver and left to die.

Wait until you are older to get into streetbikes. I rode dirtbikes when I was a kid (not on public streets!) and had a blast. Buy a car for daily commute. Not just because of safety, but because it sucks to ride in the heat with full gear on as well as in the rain (or wait under bridges).

 

I think a few million people may disagree with that.

Riding is great, an amazing way to travel. Yes it can be dangerous, case in point that horrible crash near San Diego today.

Man allot of riders will tell you there's nothing like riding, true bad traffic is not fun and you have to keep your wits about you at ALL times, in fact its best to pretend all the other drivers are drunk. I may not be doing my argument just cause here but you won't get bored and lose concentration cause it takes so much of it in city traffic.

It's hard to tell non riders that its not as dangerous as people make it sound. Ive been riding for 18 years and have never been in any sort of accident. Though I have been in a few in cars one was cause I was screwing around, one was not paying attention and the other was not my fault.

I don't suggest getting one if it's just to save money, you really should be into bikes and riding.

 

My r1 gets similar mileage to my hyundai. yet the hyundai is comfy, has ac and heat, and i can bring my gym bag. a motorcycle honestly is no better for commuting than an economy car. the only caveat would be if you have a lot of heavy traffic, in which case you can't go wrong with a motorcycle, but to be honest lane-splitting through traffic i dangerous. there are a lot of stupid drivers out there.

I do agree with your cycle comment. i would never ride a bicycle on the street like i see some people doing. that seems so much more dangerous than being on a motorcycle at least a motorcycle has the power to get out of the way of morons.

 

Why not compromise and tell your parents you'll skip the motorcycle if they help you pay for gas in a car? If the only reason you're doing it is to save money on gas, that doesn't really make sense.

 

Here here!

 

Keep the desire and get a subscription to Cycle World to show them that this is not a passing phase. Eventually you will get a bike and it will be awesome. Don't worry

 

I ought to try that. No, wait . . . I'm 50.

I'm guessing you haven't, yet, but most certainly, your folks have known a few who were killed on impact.

Cautionary, factual tales;

I won't recount the dissuasive tales my Father told of him having to scoop either my Brother's friend's or my friend's brains up from accident scenes.

Before her Son was born, a lovely woman who many years later became my Wife . . . was widowed. Had it not been for his fatal motorcycle accident, he, not I, would have played with her Son's Son this weekend. Though playing consisted primarily of the soon-to-be two-year-old sweetly and dependably "helping" me get up from doing my sciatica stretches . . . at least I could get up.

 

Keep the desire and get a subscription to Cycle World to show them that this is not a passing phase. Eventually you will get a bike and it will be awesome. Don't worry

 

I've had many bikes over the years, but now I would still like to get another I probably won't. The reason is EVERYBODY ELSE on the roads. I drive ~35k miles a year and I've see so many poor decisions by other drivers that it scares me sometimes. Driving through red lights, turning left from the right lane, cutting in front of traffic going straight from a turning lane and nearly hitting oncoming traffic, no turn signals.......................

My closest calls were at red lights. I was 1st in line at the red light. I was changing the station when the car behind me honked the horn to go since the light turned green. Just as I was about to drive, out of nowhere a car blew through the intersection from the drivers side. If I had pulled out when the light turned green I wouldn't be writing this since i'd probably be dead.
The 2nd incident I was again 1st in line at the red light at a 5 way intersection. I wasn't paying attention, looked up saw green and started to drive. I just pulled out into a major highwaythat had the green. The lady hit the front bumper of my car and put a scrap on the side of her car. I F'ed up! But nobody was hurt.

Now if I do buy a bike it's just going to be a weekend morning toy.

 

to this day my folks dont even know that i own a bike and Im OLD!
be careful out there.

 

Your parents are footing 99-100% of your bills and are just as knowledgable than anyone about the dangers of motorcycles/skooters etc etc so I say suckup the gas expense of the car. They want to attend your graduation and not your hospital room or your funeral. I do understand your reasoning but even the most experienced rider with all the safety course's cannot control an unattentive driver.

I was lucky too have survived my 'brush with death' hence the 'donorcycle' terminology with only this: but with numerous other injury's. I say give your parents the piece of mind now, they deserve atleast that much.

Don't get me wrong I LOVE motorcycles in all they entail but will never ride another one except the trail bikes at the ranch.

Hope it works out for both parties envolved,
Gregg

 

Motorcycling is a blast! I've been riding motorcycles since 1970. From motocross to trail to street and now back to trail. I recommend you start with a dual sport bike, take a MSF course, ride on trails and practice on motocross tracks a lot to hone your skills before venturing on the road much. Wear safety gear, stay alert and have fun. The excitement of riding a motorcycle makes driving a Ferrari seem like a nap. I would give up my Ferrari before I would give up my KTM and Hayabusa

 

It is my sincere desire that you end your riding days unscathed and thinking I am an idiot than laying on the pavement realizing the error of your thinking. The last car accident you had is what should give you pause.

I love bikes as much as anybody and have had them for 25 years, but they are *&^%ing dangerous as hell. Not so much because of you, but rather the things you cannot control (which is the vast majority if you think about it).

This is how I think of it, if you were in an accident where the airbags deployed in a car, most likely that would have been a fatal accident on a bike, ATGATT or not.

 

Im 21 years old have my licenses for both cars and bikes have drag raced cars since Ive been 17 I am pretty much the exception of the rule to young and stupid in terms of cars Im very mature. ALL of my friends that ride bikes when they get on them the throttle bypasses their brain and they just go fast. The thing is its just so EASY to go fast on a bike. Ive ridden litre bikes, 600's, harleys and they just scare me. Ive been riding on dirt since Ive been 9 years old. Like others say its not about your riding ability you could be the best rider in the world but some people just dont see bikes. Ill stick with my cars for now. I will never forget the first time I rode past a UPS truck looking up at it and thinking that is HUGE if that would even hit me at a low mph it would kill me, to me its just not worth it for me to own one. I do ride my friends bikes from time to time but thats it.

 

My motorcycle expenses. When I was younger I did the motorcycle-as-only-vehicle thing. I enjoyed it so much, motorcycles were my primary form of transportation for 8 years. One thing they are not is cheap. I was doing approximately 20 to 25K miles per year and these were my yearly expenses:

Tires: 8K miles if they didn't see the track - but I only got that much out of them because I used to run higher than normal tire pressures which will help them last longer. I was going through about 3 sets per year on average at $300 per set from Chapparal + installation.

Chain/Sprockets: A set per year - $200 give or take

Brake Pads: A set per year - $150 give or take

Clutch: At least new springs if not a new clutch every year - $50 to $150

Valve Adjustments: Honda - $250 every 16K miles. Yamaha every 8K miles. Ducati every 4K miles and on the Duc it's closer to $500

Carb/Throttle-body Sync: With every valve adjustment

Fuel mileage: My VFR750 - 40mpg on a good tank. My CBR929s (I had three of them) got about 32mpg, 35 on a really good day. Today's bikes get about the same, some less. Many cars beat the pants off this.

Now for the non-recurring charges:

Aerostich for safety: $1K
Gloves: $200
Boots: $200
Helmet: $300
Tank-Bag for phone, blackberry, pen, wallet, pocket-knife, etc: $200

Don't get me wrong. I LOVED motorcycling. But to call it "cheap" or use it as some sort of "inexpensive" option is naive - they are not cheap.

 

If I were you I'd ignore my parents and buy one, just have a place to store it with your gear. I wish I bought a bike when I was 16 and didn't wait until post-college.

 

JMHO but I do not think that is good advice at all and no disrespect to you Aaya. We still do not know if he lives at home, if they are footing all his other bills such as tuition etc etc and to just ignore ones parents wish's does not make for harmonious family mojo but we do know they are against it. I'm only speaking from experience so what do I know, right??