Pros and cons, but definitely worth it. I would start small, like a 150cc or 250cc. Take a motorcycle class. Once you start getting real good, you will naturally want to test your limits, but know your limits. Testing your limits will also make you a better rider. Times have changed, with so many people on the phone driving these days, you have to be very careful. You will have a feeling like no other everytime you ride. If you do decide to ride, just accept the fact that there's a higher possibility you don't make it home if you get in an accident. Always wear a helmet, it could save your life. Here's a picture of me and the wife scraping pegs at The Dragon's Tail
I have a Goldwing with over 65K on it now. Bought it new in 2007. All of those miles were on touring trips to see the USA. I spent a lot of money and effort adding to it so no one would ever have to stand over my crumpled body saying. “ I never saw him”. Modulated headlights is a MUST. they have saved me many times Also I refuse to ride in town. There are just too many idiot drivers to keep track of. The only time I’m on it in town is when I’m trying to escape it.
i understand all the "in town" talk, but i'm fairly certain if you look at motorcycle fatalities and where they occur......
a car "not seeing you" on a state highway with no median is MORE LIKELY than one not seeing you in the middle of traffic going 30 down a city street.
and one of them you are going to walk away from.
for instance; it's hard to find figures that are all the same, but this brief article gives a few breakdowns:
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/motorcycle-accidents-common-causes-30330.html
>According to the 2019 NHTSA report, just over half of the 5,114 motorcycles involved in fatal accidents included another moving vehicle. In three-quarters of those accidents, the car struck the motorcycle in the front. (Only 7% of motorcycles were rear-ended.)
>Motorcyclists were also more likely to die in collisions with fixed objects, compared with people in passenger cars in 2019. For example, motorcyclists can be severely injured or killed when they veer off a rain-slicked road and hit a tree or a fence. Of the 5,114 fatal motorcycle accidents in 2019, 23% were collisions with fixed objects, compared to 16% for passenger cars, 13% for light trucks, and 4% for large trucks.
>Light and more powerful motorcycles (like sport and supersport bikes) encourage speeding and other high-risk behavior. A full 33% of motorcycle riders in fatal crashes in 2019 were speeding. Younger riders are even more likely to be involved in fatal accidents while speeding. Half of all riders in the 21-24 age group who died in motorcycle accidents were speeding when they crashed.
so just by going thru these numbers quickly, you can see that not speeding and wearing a helmet already makes your death chances reduced by over 50%.
while most "accidents" occur on intersections, it's hard to find "fatality" data. i know when dudes die, they usually aren't just putting around town. they are usually bombing 100+ down the highway and simply go too fast for their reaction time. watching crash compilation videos, especially when a known death is involved, confirms this.
a car "not seeing you" on a state highway with no median is MORE LIKELY than one not seeing you in the middle of traffic going 30 down a city street.
and one of them you are going to walk away from.
for instance; it's hard to find figures that are all the same, but this brief article gives a few breakdowns:
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/motorcycle-accidents-common-causes-30330.html
>According to the 2019 NHTSA report, just over half of the 5,114 motorcycles involved in fatal accidents included another moving vehicle. In three-quarters of those accidents, the car struck the motorcycle in the front. (Only 7% of motorcycles were rear-ended.)
>Motorcyclists were also more likely to die in collisions with fixed objects, compared with people in passenger cars in 2019. For example, motorcyclists can be severely injured or killed when they veer off a rain-slicked road and hit a tree or a fence. Of the 5,114 fatal motorcycle accidents in 2019, 23% were collisions with fixed objects, compared to 16% for passenger cars, 13% for light trucks, and 4% for large trucks.
>Light and more powerful motorcycles (like sport and supersport bikes) encourage speeding and other high-risk behavior. A full 33% of motorcycle riders in fatal crashes in 2019 were speeding. Younger riders are even more likely to be involved in fatal accidents while speeding. Half of all riders in the 21-24 age group who died in motorcycle accidents were speeding when they crashed.
so just by going thru these numbers quickly, you can see that not speeding and wearing a helmet already makes your death chances reduced by over 50%.
while most "accidents" occur on intersections, it's hard to find "fatality" data. i know when dudes die, they usually aren't just putting around town. they are usually bombing 100+ down the highway and simply go too fast for their reaction time. watching crash compilation videos, especially when a known death is involved, confirms this.
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Long distance riding can be like an addiction. I joined the Iron Butt Association and did some stupid crazy rides and rallies. 36 hours around the entire perimeter of Colorado and a 23 hour ride from OKC to Boise Idaho among the dumbest. Got the license plate frame and t shirt but sure burned a lot of gas and rubber.
Some of those guys ride more than 1000 miles a day for 11 days in the International Iron Butt Rally. Several have died and been seriously injured over the years competing in this event. The things we do for excitement.
maybe that's another checkmark for the "crotch rocket" club.
your lower back is going to give out before you get tired enough to crash lol.
My unsolicited Geezer opinion: I've owned several bikes over the years, from a Triumph Bonneville sporting two foot ape hangers in the mid 60's to a Bultaco Sherpa T in competition trials, plus a couple of (smaller) Japanese road bikes. Loved them all, loved to ride, only hurt myself twice (once off road, knee vs rock, the other on wet asphalt, which actually put a crack in the fiberglass of a nice Bell helmet but left me with only a mild headache). But if it's mainly for fuel savings, I'd carefully weigh all-weather air conditioned and heated transportation (and safety belts, air bags, and some sort of steel box around you) vs hanging your body out in the breeze (or rain, or sleet, etc.) to get from A to B. Not to mention the maniacs I meet almost every day texting away or adjusting their underwear while drifting all over the centerline. Other drivers didn't use to scare me. Now, with cellphones and legal marijuana everythere, they do. Big time.
After thinking about all that, I'd advise a several-year-old Korean or Japanese econobox with reasonably low miles (and low insurance costs). It won't go fast, but will get much better mileage than most trucks, and you would travel in all weather comfort.
Of course, at my age comfort trumps most everything, so there's that.
After thinking about all that, I'd advise a several-year-old Korean or Japanese econobox with reasonably low miles (and low insurance costs). It won't go fast, but will get much better mileage than most trucks, and you would travel in all weather comfort.
Of course, at my age comfort trumps most everything, so there's that.
Look I to the drz 400's. The drz400sm is street minded
Another vote for the NC700/750x. I average around 5k miles a year one, mostly to and from work at a total average MPG of 70. This means at $5 per gallon (it runs on 87) I pay less than $15 to top it off. This is combined city and highway And put my fuel cost at about $.07/mi.
Using either Continental or Shinko tires, changing oil at about 6k and having annual inspections and maintenance done by a mechanic, my service/inspection/registration fees cost about $600 per year or about $.12/mi.
I hear a lot of guys now looking at bikes for “cheaper” transport but you really have to do the math to make sure you’re not lying to yourself especially with sport bikes and cruisers. Also, you CANNOT forget the cost of safety gear. Sure you can get a great bike for around $4k but you have to think minimum $200 for a helmet, $200 for a jacket, $200 for riding boots, maybe $200 or so for riding jeans, and eventually you’ll want tunes and phone access so another $2-400 for a Cardo or similar. And realize this stuff isn’t a one time buy. If you ride seriously and all year, you’ll need multiples of all of it and it wears out every couple years so plan on that. Oh, and there is the added insurance cost (yes, life insurance too) that you need to factor in.
Like Roy said though, this isn’t a speed deamon and if you’re after fast and loud this isn’t it. Im in my mid-40’s now and have ridden everything from dirt bikes as a kid to liter bikes in my 20’s and back to 600’s and Japanese cruisers in my 30’s. I knew what I was buying and am 10000% pleased as punch with my purchase. Some cycle friends call my NC700x (non-DCT) a “dad bike” and I’m cool with that because, well, I'm a dad and want to stay that way so I’m pleased as punch to keep it slow and safe.
That’s my point with the modulated headlights. I can’t tell you show many times I saw someone start to pull out in front of me but then hit the brakes. I’m sure the headlights is what caught his eye. Not just lights on but the flashing that the modulation does. Had a guy pull up to me once to say those headlights are annoying. I said EXACTLY
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I bought a Honda XR650L to ride to work years ago. I had ridden dirt bikes for years so, I wanted an off road-on road bike. It got better mileage than my trucks. After I had it dynoed the mileage was almost cut in half. I bought my Fiat 500 Sport and it get up to 41mpg on the highway. So, I sold the Honda. You have to have you head in the game when you ride the street. My first ride on the Honda, a person backed out of a driveway right in front of me 3 blocks from my house.
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