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So why aren't you riding a motorcycle?

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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:56 PM
Original message
So why aren't you riding a motorcycle?
Gas is spendy.

My little 250 dirt bike (bought used for $2,000 last month, learned to ride since) gets an astonishing 78 mpg. Most mid-size bikes get at least 35-40 mpg.

Nine times out of ten I don't need to carry anything more than myself and a satchel. I suspect a lot of people are the same.

Danger? Image?

In the winter, obviously, I won't be riding. But I filled up my truck about once a week, a process which now is a $35 proposition. The bike's a four-stroke, pretty quiet Kawasaki, with an emissions package. It performs miracles on the washboard dirt roads -- I'm getting to work faster because I can actually go the speed limit without my teeth falling out.

I love, love, love riding the thing. I just can't figure out why everyone who can get by with it, isn't. :shrug:
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Eurobabe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:57 PM
Response to Original message
1. My license plate has expired
and I am too lazy and busy to get another one.
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cynatnite Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:57 PM
Response to Original message
2. my kids would have to sit on the handle bars
Edited on Mon Jul-11-05 08:58 PM by cynatnite
please...not everyone lives the life you do...that's why. :eyes:
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:05 PM
Response to Reply #2
11. Think I addressed that in the OP. n/t
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kenny blankenship Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:58 PM
Response to Original message
3. Oh I don't know
fear of being spread in a thin paste all over the road, maybe.
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cynatnite Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:59 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. even with helmets, they are dangerous machines
I've seen plenty of broken bodies chewed up as a result of being on a motorcycle.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:13 PM
Response to Reply #4
17. Hey, you don't have to tell me...
...I drive the ambulance around here. :)

I've seen plenty chewed up in cars, also. Fatality rate in motorcycles is about 4 times passenger vehicles, DOT tells me, and injury rate about the same.

Although 94% of motorcyclists in accidents didn't have a license to be on a motorcycle/never got training, versus 10% in cars. :shrug:
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w8liftinglady Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:22 PM
Response to Reply #17
50. You can't spend life being afraid-
I've been an ICU and rehab nurse for 25 years....there are many worse things out there.I had more patients with strokes from high blood pressure and inactivity than head injuries from motorcycle accidents.
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:43 AM
Response to Reply #50
58. AND you can't take cars for granted. They are also dangerous.
Yeah. I personally think people think cars are safer than they really are. I have seen some horrible accidents where drivers just don't take driving their cars serious enough and are not attentive enough. Becoming a motorcyclist has definitely made me more aware of my surroundings and a safer driver in my car as well. But I understand that bikes are not for everybody. I certainly wouldn't make fun of someone who finds them too frightening. To each their own.
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newyawker99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:52 AM
Response to Reply #58
65. Hi 4metta!!
Welcome to DU!! :toast:
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:17 PM
Response to Reply #65
83. Hey, THANKS!!
:hi:
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kenny blankenship Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 02:16 PM
Response to Reply #58
79. If I'd been riding a motorcycle to my brother's wedding I'd be dead now
Edited on Tue Jul-12-05 02:22 PM by kenny blankenship
Almost three years ago, on my way to my brother's wedding I nearly died in a car crash. In fact I was barely injured but I say I nearly died because it was a very serious collision. I was in the back seat of a Japanese made SUV. There was no seatbelt to wear (owner had removed it to carry stuff) so I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. We were traveling down a very new, straight, and very rural 4 lane highway with a grass median. At an intersection (no stoplights) a Jeep Cherokee charged across the northbound lanes, across the median, and into our southbound lanes. He was going straight across the highway on this country road that intersected it, with as I say, no stoplight. This highway is virtually abandoned and traffickless. THe jerk in question lived out there on that country road and apparently didn't think to look for an oncoming car as he came charging straight across the 4 lane highway. No amount of swerving on our part would prevent the collision as he intended to go straight across and wasn't looking. So he t-boned us right in middle of the driver's side. He wasn't going very fast yet, but we were traveling highway speeds. We whipped sideways and then rolled 4 times by the estimation of the state troopers and ambulance people who responded to the crash. Now, had he hit the gas just a little sooner we would have speared his front quarter panel and, as an unsecured object in the back, I would have flowed over the front seats and out the front windshield. Luckily for me the impact was a couple hundredths of a second later than that and he hit us on the side instead. Somehow I stayed inside the vehicle and none of my tender crushable bloodfilled parts were pushed out the windows or open doors to be crushed and shredded underneath the rolling car. Centrifugal force maybe kept me pinned to a relatively safe area inside until we stopped.

Had I been on a motorcycle none of that would have helped. Whether he hit my side running me over, or whether I hit his side flattening against the sheetmetal and engine block, I'd be the same grade of guts-on-the-asphalt roadkill.
I'd be dead because the asshole just wasn't looking, or was too hungover to process what his eye saw. It wouldn't matter how careful I might have been because he was flying blind essentially, trusting in the lord no doubt. Now if he could overlook a tall red SUV with a bright green kayak on its roof rack, he could damn sure overlook a motorcycle. So it's hard for me to imagine how I could still be alive if I had met this example of the Great American Motorist on that morning while riding on a motorbike.

After that little experience I became interested in retro-fitting a passenger car with a frickin' rollcage. I haven't done it yet but I just may.
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:16 PM
Response to Reply #79
82. agreed
Oh, no one will argue with you that if there is impact, a motorcycle offer no protection whatsoever. I was just bringing up the point that too many people (I venture to say it's the majority) who drive cars take them for granted since they do it so much. They are not SAFE just SAFER than a motorcycle. They can kill or kill you. We have to many unattentive drivers. Most fatal car accidents could have been prevented. I used to be a more aggressive driver until I've been hit twice by people running red lights or stop signs. Now I drive like I ride my motorcycle: I plan for the worst and allow myself an "idiot buffer".


Good to hear you came out of your accident in one piece! Peace. :)
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barb162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:21 PM
Response to Reply #4
49. I can't stand driving near them, especially on the expressway
I am always afraid the rider will fall off and get smashed
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KarenInMA Donating Member (821 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 08:59 PM
Response to Original message
5. because we don't want to die if we get in an
accident?

I'll keep my sneakers/T pass for transport.
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ewagner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:00 PM
Response to Original message
6. I'm looking for one
Since I'm small in stature....I'm looking for an older Kawasaki or Suzuki....smaller engine 350 cc or less...just for around town..

I found an Old Kawasaki 920 for $500 but the seat was torn up and the speedometer was retrofitted with some rube goldberg device that looks like a digital readout from walmart or worse..
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GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:01 PM
Response to Original message
7. I've considered it.
But riding lessons cost money. And, of course buying a bike costs money. I am thinking about it though.
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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:02 PM
Response to Original message
8. how fast does it go on the highway?
i'm looking for a new bike. i used to have a suzuki 550 - too big for me - and a yamaha 450 that i liked.

i'm 5'3" - any recommendations? i like standard style bikes.
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Wheaty Donating Member (256 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:23 PM
Response to Reply #8
27. Try a Shadow
Edited on Mon Jul-11-05 09:41 PM by Wheaty
I'm 5'4" and ride a Honda Shadow 600cc. It has a 25.9" seat height which i think is the lowest you can get standard. Any bike can be lowered though with some extra dollars spent. It can keep up with the fast cars on the interstate but I only ever had it up to 80 MPH just once to see If i liked riding fast (i don't). But it'll go much faster.

Here a picture of mine:


It get between 60-70 mpg and that bag in the back expands and can hold as many groceries as I can fit in one of those carry grocery baskets the stores have. It's dropped my gas expense more than half even though I tend to go out more on extra little trips just because I like to ride it.

Edit: typos
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:38 PM
Response to Reply #8
88. good bikes for shortie
I'm a 5'2" shorty rock. Wanted a sporty bike so I bought a Ninja 250 which allows me to make great contact on the ground with my feet. Not flatfoot but close enough and you are taller than me. It's a "sportsbike" but has an upright sitting angle. But if you don't like sportsbikes they are plenty of other options. Look at Ducati Monsters. Naked nimble and lightweight bikes. Those are great for short people. And the frame is super narrow so your legs reach the ground straight down. I love them but went with a Japanese bike for reliability. And all the Japanese cruisers can be quite low. Go to a dealer and sit on several and see how they feel. The Shadows are nice and low.
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Hello_Kitty Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:04 PM
Response to Original message
9. Because 2 of my co-workers were killed within one year on them
And my own step-father has his intestines in a bag because of an accident over 20 years ago. Practically every single person I know who has ridden them regularly has had at least one major accident. It's to the point where it's not a matter of if you will be in one, but when you will. Yeah, car drivers get in accidents too but not as often (at least based on my own observation - I'll have to look up the stats) and don't get hurt and killed as often, due to the protection afforded by seatbelts, airbags, and being in an enclosed structure.

Sorry, don't mean to sound like a nag. I know they're fun and I wouldn't presume to tell anyone not to enjoy one. But you're not getting me anywhere near one.

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Swede Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:04 PM
Response to Original message
10. Why aren't you taking the bus?
Save the enviroment.
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TheGoodCitizen Donating Member (300 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
12. I'd rather ride my MTB (bicycle)...
In order to get some much needed exercise... America is too fat!
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sendero Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:07 PM
Response to Original message
13. I don't like to get..
.... my hair mussed up. Oh wait, I don't have any hair.

Ok, I live in Dallas. I have a motorcycle driver's license, left over from my misspent youth - but you have to have a death wish to ride in Dallas.

Maybe when I move to the country :)
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Liberal In Texas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:09 PM
Response to Original message
14. Because what would normally be a fender-bender in traffic, turns into
a fatal.

Nope. As much fun as they probably are, I'm not going to do it.

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im10ashus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
15. Because I live in Manhattan.
And the cab drivers here would make me road kill. I walked home from work today. Took me 45 minutes. It was beautiful walking through Central Park. PLUS I got exercise on top of it. I would never find a place to park a motorcycle here without risking it being damaged every day by people in cars trying to parallel park. It's just not feasible here in NYC. Be careful on that thing. It's not your driving I worry about - it's other drivers. They expect you to stop on a dime. :-)
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cynatnite Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:12 PM
Response to Reply #15
16. Not only that...motorcycles are hard to see
I never take my eye off of one once I see it.
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im10ashus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:15 PM
Response to Reply #16
20. My sister was nearly killed on one in the 80's.
They guy that was driving WAS killed. I haven't ridden one since. Just my choice. I don't knock those who do.
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enigami Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
18. Damn I only get 57 mpg
on my Harley Road King Custom. But I love it.
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jedr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:15 PM
Response to Original message
19. Loved my bikes in the 60's and 70's;
each one was a little bigger....then I got older and looked down...not a damn thing between me and that pavement.....enjoy!
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tridim Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:16 PM
Response to Original message
21. I've had several, and they scared me to death
All it takes is some sand on the intersection to cause a serious spill. The newer sport bikes are easier to ride and handle better, but they don't get very good gas mileage and they're too expensive.
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Redstone Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:16 PM
Response to Original message
22. too many people I know have gotten dead
on motorcycles. Had one when I was young, but never now.

Redstone
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lectrobyte Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:16 PM
Response to Original message
23. I sold my Yamaha in the 80's after some too-close calls.
I'm paranoid enough in a small car with all the SUVs and their DVD player and cell-phone-distracted drivers. 78MPG is pretty impressive though.
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noamnety Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:17 PM
Response to Original message
24. Because when I was young
Edited on Mon Jul-11-05 09:17 PM by lwfern
My mom drove around a corner on an empty country road, and found a guy sprawled out across the center of the road, bleeding out both ears. There was no car accident, he hadn't done anything reckless, but his motorcycle had hit a rock in the road and sent him flying.

I don't want to travel at that speed with no protection on a vehicle that doesn't have enough stability and wheels to handle something as mundane as a rock on the road without flipping.
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Name removed Donating Member (0 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:21 PM
Response to Original message
25. Deleted message
Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.
 
kestrel91316 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:22 PM
Response to Original message
26. Because:
A)I enjoy the great mileage I get on my bicycle.
B)I don't own a motorcycle.
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Doc Bottom Donating Member (74 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:25 PM
Response to Original message
28. scooters
Leeetle italian-style motorscooters (like the Honda Metropolitan and Suzuki Vino) get between 80-100 miles to the gallon and can hit about 40 mph, which is adequate for most people's commutes. You can also park 'em free on the sidewalk in most states.

Motorcycle accident fatalities would be much reduced if people wore their helmets AND their leathers. Or better yet, that plastic dirt-bike-racer armour. Though the guy I know who wears that gets stopped by the cops a lot, asking him why he's wearing armour, is it some kind of macho thing or what? But he's a black guy, and being a black guy is a good way to get a lot of crap while driving anything.

As for the visibility, get rid of the BLACK leathers, motorcycle morons, and go for red. Or just buy one of those blaze-orange hunting vests and wear that OVER your leathers. And then get a couple of those flashing LED bicycle tail-lights and clip 'em to the vest.
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AtTheEndOfTheDay Donating Member (454 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:26 PM
Response to Original message
29. Because of becoming disabled.
But not on a motorcycle. Skiing did that. I would get back on my bike in a heartbeat if I could. It was my greatest pleasure in life.
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htuttle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:28 PM
Response to Original message
30. I do...and get 108+ mpg
I ride a Bajaj Chetak 'scooter'. It's licensed as a motorcycle here in WI, since it's got a 150cc engine, manual transmission and top speed is 55 mph. (for a 'moped' license, it needs to be no larger than 50cc and not go over 35mph).

It's about the highest mileage, cleanest gasoline vehicle out there, too.

http://www.bajajusa.com

Plus, it's stylish as hell! Don't I look great!



(Okay. It's not me. I don't own a tux. I DO own a helmet, however)

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B Calm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:31 PM
Response to Reply #30
31. I been thinking about getting a scooter, how much do they cost?
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Heddi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:34 PM
Response to Reply #31
35. My husband got a used Honda Elite
a few years ago for about $1000. He only had to fill it up once a month, and it cost around $2.00 to fill the tank.

He loved it, and then upgraded to an old honda motorcycle. That, too, had excellent gas mileage and it worked for us b/c in Seattle, we lived only about 5 miles from his job, and he could park his cycle for free (as opposed to $12 a day for a car).

When he quit his job to go ot school, he got rid of the bike. He never rode on interstates or any road where he'd have to go above 45 mph. Before getting the bike, he took a motorcycle riding class b/c he'd never ridden one before and got a break on his insurance because of it.

If we lived back in Seattle, he'd get a scooter or bike again in a heartbeat!
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htuttle Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:42 PM
Response to Reply #31
36. I paid $2K for it new in 2003
Edited on Mon Jul-11-05 09:42 PM by htuttle
The list on a 2005 is about $2500 or so, actual price depends on your dealer.

The 'Stella' is also a nice scooter with a similar appearance (classic Vespa looking), but is a two stroke. It's about the same price, sometimes cheaper.

From what I've read it has somewhat better acceleration, slightly higher speed (but worse on hills) and also quite a bit dirtier emissions-wise.



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Doc Bottom Donating Member (74 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:58 PM
Response to Reply #31
40. Scooter prices
They vary.

The little, modern but classic-lookin' 50-cc 'Honda Metropolitan' (a four-stroke, cleaner than the Suzuki) and 'Suzuki Vino' (a 2-stroke, a little dirtier, but accelerates faster) scooters cost under $2k new.

Something bigger and a little faster will cost a bit more. The modern-looking and rather ugly Honda Elite wasn't running much more than $2k last I checked, though, and they'll get up to 60 on a long straight run. Not that you'd ever really want to get on a highway with one, so what's the point?

Classic Vespa and Lambretta scooters can be very cheap or very pricy, depending on their condition. They burn dirtier than their modern counterparts and are not as fuel efficient, but they're cooooooool.
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Matariki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 11:25 PM
Response to Reply #40
55. where's a good source of info for scooter emissions?
i'm debating between scooter or motorcycle. i've owned both in the past and really loved both scooter AND bike. it's hard to decide but i've heard that 2-stroke engines are fairly polluting. Don't have enough info to make an informed decision.
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Doc Bottom Donating Member (74 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:07 PM
Response to Reply #55
80. Ask a dealer?
There are a lot of scooter models out there.

Some are four-stroke engines, some two. Some mix oil and gasoline like lawnmowers (very polluting) and some do not.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:31 PM
Response to Reply #30
32. That's impressive
Not just the mpg, but the french horn. :D
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expatriate Donating Member (853 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:33 PM
Response to Original message
33. Because once I saw
a fellow who came off a motorcycle while riding on the Interstate in Baton Rouge. He was doing about seventy MPH.

His hands and lower arms had been rubbed away by the pavement, so his arms were torn stumps with jagged bits of bone sticking out.

His chest and abdomen had scraped along the pavement too, when he came off the bike and skidded along the ground like a hockey puck. All his internal organs were exposed, his skin and muscle and some of his ribs all rubbed away like you would rub away part of an art gum eraser. I will never forget his screams before he died.

I will never forget what the helmet my father was wearing looked like when he came off his motorcycle after skidding on some wet clay on the road at ten miles per hour. If he hadn't been wearing the helmet, that would have been his head. And he only wore the helmet that day because it was raining - he normally didn't wear one.

That's why I don't ride a motorcycle. Fine for those who are willing to accept the risk of what happens when things go wrong. That is an unacceptable risk for me in my situation and at my time of life.
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Doc Bottom Donating Member (74 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:01 PM
Response to Reply #33
42. WEAR YOUR LEATHERS
And this is why.

I know it's hard to believe, but a good thick leather jacket AND CHAPS go an amazingly long way in preventing all your bits from getting torn off.
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lumberjack_jeff Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:59 AM
Response to Reply #33
62. I love my bike... but...
Most of my driving requires me to haul two or more passengers or a family-sized something or other.

82 GS 750e. Sporty for its age, low miles (13,000) 45 mpg and goes like the dickens if I feel like it.

But I live in the country. WAY in the country. I rarely see another car within the first 6 miles from my house.

Buy an inexpensive bike, have it checked out thoroughly, buy a good helmet, an Aerostitch suit and take the MSF safety class. Don't be afraid to ride a little aggressively - but not necessarily fast, just visibly. It's in your interest for cage (car) operators to notice and be aware of you.

I know people who have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles without mishap.

My pet peeve is kids on scooters (and their parents) who don't realize/respect the fact that they're riding a real motorcycle with all the risk that entails.

I've been riding for almost 30 years without injury, partly because when in traffic, I'm absolutely paranoid - I'm rarely in a position where I'd be harmed by the epileptic antics of your typically oblivious cell-phone-gabbing, dash-knob-twiddling makeup-applying newspaper-reading Big Mac-consuming operator of a three-ton-cage.

Safely operating a motorcycle takes a degree of attention an order of magnitude above that which is required to safely operate a car.
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Kazak Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:33 PM
Response to Original message
34. Too many people I know...
have been killed on bikes.
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BiggJawn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:49 PM
Response to Original message
37. 2 reasons: SUV's and Cell Phones.
And you almost always find them together.

After 20 years and 250,000 miles on 2 wheels, and YES, in the WINTER, too! (don't be a candy-ass, Robb, get some winter clothes.) I gave it up.

EVERY fucking DAY was an exercise in extreme survival. Wait'll you come with in a pussy-hair's-width of getting run down by one of those 8,000 pound rolling telephone booths. You'll understand.

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Heddi Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:02 PM
Response to Reply #37
43. My husband said the same thing when he had his moto & scooter
Especially with the scooter--it was a tiny Honda Elite...barely could do 45...and he'd be at a stoplight and when it was time to go and he accelerated, the scooter would kind of rev up. He wasn't trying to race anyone....it was just the scooter doing its scooty thing.

But everyone around him thought he was trying to race and they'd nearly kill him in the process of burning out their tires and speeding ahead of him, only to pull into his lane with only inches to spare, causing him to have to slam on brakes more than once to avoid certain death.

I was so scared when he rode the scooter, and even MORE scared when he got the moto. Again, helmet-heads in SUV's paying NO attention to the road and certainly not a skinny man on a tiny bike. So many times he'd be run off the road because someone just didn't want to take the precious time to look in their side mirrors to see if anyone was next to him.

People are assholes. Even before hub got his bike(s) I was super cautious around motorcycles and bicyclists, giving them plenty of room, not passing them too close or too fast, allowing them a bit of wiggly lee-way in case they hit a pebble and wobbled....

but not everyone is so kind. And those are the people that make two-wheeling it such an unkind choice for many
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:19 PM
Response to Reply #37
48. Candy-ass?!?
:D

Hey, I'll ride 'till I can't. We get 18" overnight snow dumps up here. :)
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BiggJawn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:49 AM
Response to Reply #48
64. What, no snow plows in your part of the world?
I think I was the only person in town besides the cops who put the 30-weight "winter" oil in his Electra-Glide.

Wanted to go bar-hopping one night when it was 15 below. The Chrysler wouldn't start. I want to go REAL bad. The Harley started...
:D
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raccoon Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:45 AM
Response to Reply #37
72. One of my major peeves, too
I think it ought to be against the law. It's unbelievable the number of people in heavy traffic--many of them in SUV's, some in other size vehicles--yakking away on their cell phones.



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Logansquare Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:57 PM
Response to Original message
38. Thank you for your future organ donation n/t
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BiggJawn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 09:21 AM
Response to Reply #38
77. But I traded my Kawasaki for a Wurlitzer.
If it wasn't for inattentive and incompetant cage jockeys, there wouldn't BE so many motorcyclist deaths...
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meisje Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 09:58 PM
Response to Original message
39. Because: I'm busy on my phone in my SUV
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LilBitRad Donating Member (52 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:00 PM
Response to Original message
41. I am, and have been since the 60's
I even rode one while living in Japan, but I wouldn't do it now at my age; I'm not that quick anymore.

Only one serious "go down", but plenty of close calls. I guess it's a matter of what you're used to, experience and confidence.

It helps that I no longer get real stupid (that's why I went down).

It also helps to never trust anyone on four wheels and to assume they don't see you
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quisp Donating Member (926 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 11:11 PM
Response to Reply #41
53. welcome to DU
Glad to have you aboard!
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LilBitRad Donating Member (52 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:30 AM
Response to Reply #53
56. Thanks
I've been here a few months, but don't post much. I'm an observer by nature.
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newyawker99 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:54 AM
Response to Reply #41
66. Hi LilBitRad!!
Welcome to DU!! :toast:
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Nabia2004 Donating Member (566 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:03 PM
Response to Original message
44. my wife won't let me
I didn't like the negative vibes I was getting.

After hearing "You'll kill yourself!" a million times I give up on the idea.
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w8liftinglady Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:12 PM
Response to Original message
45. Just as a passenger
...on a 92 HD heritage softail-I LOVE motorcycles...
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RUMMYisFROSTED Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:14 PM
Response to Original message
46. Because it doesn't have broadband. I'll jump on it later.
:rimshot:
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barb162 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:17 PM
Response to Original message
47. I know a person who was paralyzed for a year as he was riding
his cycle. Only because he was in one of the best rehab places in the country did he recover.I know too many others who had near death experiences on their cycles and got rid of them in exchange for metal encasing them.
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katamaran Donating Member (352 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 10:28 PM
Response to Original message
51. Good reason
...has something to do with for every foot you skid after falling off a motorcycle at 55mph you lose a millimeter of skin.

That and my mom would shit kittens.
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quisp Donating Member (926 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 11:08 PM
Response to Original message
52. all my med-school friends call them "donor-cycles"
no thanks.
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leesa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jul-11-05 11:19 PM
Response to Original message
54. My friend's motorcycle gets worse mileage than my Prius, but it's a start.
I don't enjoy motorcycles myself, but they are a great energy saver.
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:46 AM
Response to Reply #54
60. mileage depends on the type of bike and the throttle hand (nt)
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4metta Donating Member (29 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:38 AM
Response to Original message
57. just got my license a couple of months back
Bought a brand new 250Ninja and am loving the hell out of it. $3000 72 mpg and it can outrun most cars with that little engine. Course, I got it cause I also always wanted a bike but the economics of it are wonderful.

I live in Miami though and downtown Miami traffic is insane. I would ride it every day if it weren't for the rush hour jam. I'll keep searching out some backroads and figure something out I'm sure.


Did you see that new little Aprilia street legal dirtbike that will be coming out? That would be a hoot to jump curbs and medians and anything else on. }(
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sakabatou Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:45 AM
Response to Original message
59. No liscence... yet
Plan to get a Vespa, or something like it.
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stickdog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:58 AM
Response to Original message
61. Too many dead and critically injured friends. The number is now in the
Edited on Tue Jul-12-05 12:59 AM by stickdog
double digits, I'm extremely sorry to report.

Be careful out there.
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Warren DeMontague Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 12:59 AM
Response to Original message
63. Because I spent a week pulling gravel out of my ass at age 18
road rash sucks.

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GoneOffShore Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:15 AM
Response to Original message
67. I'd love to ride one BUT
Mrs Gone Off Shore is against them - though we both ride bicycles in traffic (No logic there).
When I ride a bicycle and when I did ride a motorcyle, I always ride/rode like I'm invisible to the other vehicles around me. Seems to help.
To those who need to carry stuff a sidecar is a great addition to larger capacity bikes and not that pricey. Also makes you more visible. Plus you can take the dog.
Be careful out there.
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ProfessorGAC Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:17 AM
Response to Original message
68. Got Rid Of It When I Contracted MS
Too risky once my balance wasn't perfect, only had one good eye, and any injury would be compounded by my existing condition.

Liked mine, when i had them. Just didn't seem wise to keep them once the illness struck.
The Professor
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ArkDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:18 AM
Response to Original message
69. They value there lives and bodies too much. There is no protection
on a motorcycle and many cars never see them. One thing all motorcyclists have in common is wrecks. I can't afford the time off from work and daily workouts.
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ohio_liberal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:19 AM
Response to Original message
70. I can't put 4 kids on a motorcycle
I sure can't ride one in the winter in Ohio. And my kids would disown me. Biker mama is not cool. ;)
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Ganja Ninja Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:25 AM
Response to Original message
71. I wish I could ...
but I see what's out there on the roads and there's no way I would even think about it. Too dangerous.
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crispini Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 08:57 AM
Response to Original message
73. I used to bicycle-commute ON THE ROAD....
WITH THE CARS.... but now I'm a little lazy and out of training... so I think I may be getting a scooter, when I have the cash. If I can play with the cars on a bicycle I can darn well do it on a scooter. What most people don't realize is that you just have to be extremely proactive and paranoid. I never even got into a wreck.
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ernstbass Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 09:09 AM
Response to Original message
74. I work in a hospital
and helmets don't prevent devestating injuries. On the other hand my bnrother has a scooter which gets 90 mpg - it's great!!
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kenny blankenship Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 01:41 PM
Response to Reply #74
78. and after you die in an accident
your fuel economy basically goes up from 90 mpg to infinity.
Sorry, I hope your brother is always safe.
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SammyWinstonJack Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 09:13 AM
Response to Original message
75. Well my husband was killed on a dirt bike, similar to the one
you ride, so..........I'm not to keen on motorcycles.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:10 PM
Response to Reply #75
81. I'm sorry BSN
I had no intention to dredge anything that didn't need to be dredged.
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amazona Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 09:13 AM
Response to Original message
76. because of the high risk of injury and death
Everyone I know who rides has had a serious accident. Everyone. I would like to retain use of my arms, leg, and spine for a lifetime, thank you. It is worth paying more for gas to be able to do so.

I've been told by EMTs that motorcycle riders are called "organ donors" or "pre-organ donors" behind their backs.

Just not worth it to me.

:shrug:
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BearClaws Donating Member (223 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:20 PM
Response to Reply #76
84. Raced Motocross for a long time,
I had several friends that were INCREDIBLE riders, killed on the street by idiot drivers.
Your fate is not in your own hands when you ride on the street, no matter what you level of skill.
It's just a matter of time.
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Robb Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:25 PM
Response to Reply #84
85. Very true
...Great friend of mine races motocross. He maintains racing and street riding are completely different skill sets that have nothing to do with one another. In one, you're surrounded by a bunch of pros. In the other, you're surround by, well, just look around.
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cmd Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:28 PM
Response to Original message
86. I'm a 62 year old klutz
Do you really want me on the same road as you?
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Im_Your_Huckleberry Donating Member (160 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:35 PM
Response to Original message
87. honda rebel 250cc 70 mpg
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LeftyMom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:41 PM
Response to Original message
89. Because I want lots of metal between me and the stupidest fucking drivers
on Earth. Might get one when we move, since we're going out to BFE. We'll probably be getting a AWD van for trips into the nearest big city for groceries and such, but something like that might work to take LD up the road to work or into the small nearby town to get some tomatoes or something, when pedal powered bikes aren't a good option due to heat or something. I was thinking a small car, but as long as we've got the van we don't really need a 2'nd vehicle with a backseat, more than likely we won't need a second vehicle with a backseat option.
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SalmonChantedEvening Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Jul-12-05 07:58 PM
Response to Original message
90. Cuz even Mr. Miyagi can't help this Daniel-sahn balance n/t
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