How many of you guys have bikes?

[HLxDrummer]

How many of you have/had bikes? Do you feel like you were going to/are going to get killed every time you ride?

I have been entertaining the idea of getting a bike lately but I am mildly concerned about getting run over lol I am a pretty responsible driver and I am going to be taking the MSF course soon but I am mainly worried about debris on the road/pot holes and idiot drivers. If you drive defensively can you avoid most accidents?

I have never driven a motorcycle but I do have a road bicycle I have gone 35MPH on with inch wide tires (I would imagine a 400lb bike with wider tires has to be easier to control than a 15lb one with inch wide tires lol) and never had an issues but I obviously don't have as many miles on it as I would a motorcycle.

Also, are they pretty reliable? I have a very short amount of free time this summer and I can't afford to use it learning how to rebuild a carb/etc. I am looking at Kawasaki 500Rs (early 2000's).

Part of the reason I want one is because the nearest road course/autocross is about two hours from me now so it is going to be hard to get my car out and race this summer. Thought learning to ride a bike on the street might scratch that itch for me. Plus I am imagining I can resell next spring without too much of a loss if I want.

[Vantage]

I have an 05 R6, and to be honest I'm pretty damn nervous whenever I ride. I live in the middle of Savannah, GA and traffic is just awful. If I had a dollar for every time I've almost been hit, I'd being doing pretty well. That's not to say that I let that deter me however..I try to do the extra little things like not riding right next to a car on mutli-lane roads, especially in blind spots, and constantly trying to have a heightened awareness of the vehicles around me. Riding is definitely fun but it's real easy to have things go real bad in a hurry.

[wingnut]

Depends on many things, not the least of which is your comfort level...

I used to live an hour south of sacramento, and just plain old didnt enjoy the ride to work up and down I-5. The amount of idiots on the freeway is unbelievable, and the gusty winds when passing semis could get interesting. Then we moved east of sacramento, and i got to ride 2 lane backroads to work which turned into some of the best riding i have had in years. Currently, i live about 7 miles from work and this commute is proving too short to get to enjoy it much

[HLxDrummer]

Well I will mostly be riding for fun and probably won't be on the highway much and won't chose to ride during heavy traffic hours. I also live in a college town that will be relatively empty this summer so thought it might be a good time to learn.

I figure my getting to chose when/where to go will help..

Also, any suggestions for riding gear? I can probably use an old helmet I have but I'll need a jacket/boots/gloves.. Can I get away with jeans?

I am hoping to buy a bike for around $1,500, pay ~$150 for insurance, and maybe a few hundred for gear. Just don't wanna spend too much on gear if I don't end up keeping a bike forever.

Last question, if I take the MSF course and then go buy a bike - you think I can ride it home safely or should I find somebody to bring it back? It will most likely be within the city so no highway or anything.

[Street_Chally73]

As long as you ride with the mentality that you're always looking out for the other drivers & anticipate their idiotic moves before they actually do them, you'll be fine.

Basically, just use your better judgment at stop signs & stop lights, always try to keep your potential lanes open as much as possible, & avoid bears as much as possible!!! (Says the guy who hit a medium-sized black bear on an old GS1100L) :suspect;

People are stupid, especially when it comes to driving these days, so just always be prepared to react...I've had an idiot blow a stop sign before, back up back through the intersection, & then make their turn. I am so glad I waited the extra fifteen seconds at the sign 'cause something just seemed off about this car...I certainly laid on the horn (not that a motorcycle's horn is exactly the loudest thing out there), but it didn't seem to bother these idiots one bit.


Sent from the garage

[Vantage]

Basically, just use your better judgment at stop signs & stop lights, always try to keep your potential lanes open as much as possible, & avoid bears as much as possible!!! (Says the guy who hit a medium-sized black bear on an old GS1100L) :suspect;

Holy crap, how'd that work out??

[wingnut]

Biggest thing i can give you for all that is the helmet...DO NOT cheap out and buy a 99 dollar wonder. Three reasons for this rule;

• safety
• comfort
• and safety

...Stick with a rated helmet that fits good, is light and quiet. Buy a cheapo that fits poor and is noisy, and the value of a good helmet will make its presence known at hour 3 of a 4 hour ride. Personal faves are Shoei and Arai, but I do occasionally rock a good old Bell now and again.

[RealMcCoy]

Just look at every car on the road with you and ask yourself, " what's the most moronic thing that person could do to unknowingly try to kill me..?" When you have fully anticipated their next move, you are in a much better position to avoid it...

[nodoze]

Comfort level is.major , ease into it . Heck it took me a couple seasons to really be able to lean into corners to maintain..highway speed around them . Do it and be over cautious .
I have had.more than enough close calls due to.people blowing stop sigma or not watchin their mirrors . Ride a motorcycle and I bet you drive a car different afterwards
Second the gear , look as riding gear as literally investing in your life , if you feel you are only worth the bargain bin then.by all.mean buy a 99 dollar helmet but.my guess is no so put your trust in something you can rely on and get one from a good bike shop .

Sent from my HTC Hero S using Tapatalk 2

[B-Man]

My thoughts -

I learned on a Kawasaki Ninja 500r (which I'm currently trying to get rid of if you feel like travelling to MI). Good choice, IMO. Pretty light bike, never had to do any major maintenance (just tires).

Don't compare riding a bicycle to riding a motorcycle. They're completely different. You have to manage your weight, and the bikes weight much more.

You do have to ride like everyone is out to kill you. I've seen people blow intersections that would have hit me had I not waited the extra few seconds because I was attentive and notice they weren't slowing down. I ALWAYS watch people's mirrors to see if they're looking and NEVER ride in a blind spot. It's insane the number of times someone's attempted to merge into me.

ALWAYS wear your gear and get good gear. Cheaper helmets will be loud and uncomfortable. Make sure the helmet you're using does not block any of your peripheral vision. I wear just jeans when riding, but I've been trying to hunt down a good pair of over-pants. I also don't have riding specific boots, I just use some leather boots that cover my ankles (which is required for MSF, anyways).

The MSF class is fantastic and I recommend it to anyone wanting to ride, but I'm not sure picking up a bike right after and driving through the city is a good idea. The city would probably be worse than riding it one the highway where there are much fewer turns. If you understand counter-steering on a motorcycle, you'll be way ahead of all the others at the MSF class