okay, so i'm thinking of learning how to ride a motorcycle instead of a car. however, i don't know how safe they are, and i don't know any major brands/models to get (in the far future of course). what i'm aiming for is better maneuverability (legally cutting traffic), more MPG, and cheaper than a car. does anyone who ride one know any safety issues (again, getting in a crash with a Hummer H1 doesn't sound like fun in a motorcycle), or is this not an issue (i would assume being in a motorcycle and open you would notice other cars much easier, thus making it less likely to get in a crash). also, how expensive are they really? could i get a decent one new for 5000 (USD)? i know a Harley costs several grand, and a vespa is gold plated scooter. is this price going to change in upcoming years (i'll be able to officially start learning to drive in a year or so, and by the time i can actually buy one will be when i'm graduating from college).

or am i better off getting a Toyota corolla and calling it done?

My cousin was in a small accident with a Toyota Camry on his. The fender of the other car was bent, but it didn't need to be replaced. My cousin's arm came off and needed to be reattached. The problem isn't with your visibility, it's with other people not noticing you. You have the be twice as good to watch out for people who aren't watching for themselves.

As for expense, you can get a pretty good used motorcycle for $2,000 and $7,500 for a really good new one.

I have my eye on one right now, actually. And I'm on the same timeline you are. ;D

X2 what Mas said.  Both my brothers ride, one like Harleys, and Triumphs, one like BMWs and Moto Guzzis...both have been in accidents caused by someone in a car not paying attention.  

A Honda Rebel is a good starter bike, not too expensive, good gas milage, pretty reliable, not too great a top end speed, but fast enough, around 75 if memory serves.

Weaving in and out of traffic is a REAL BAD IDEA.  Bill    

Hi, Kid;
  My first vehicle was a motor cycle, a tiny Harley manufactured in Italy.  A motor cycle is loads of fun, gets great gas mileage, and the insurance is cheaper.  However, they're difficult, dangerous, and uncomfortable  (sometimes very much so) to ride in inclement weather.  Also, check the stats.  You are in much more danger driving a cycle than a car.  In fact, you are 16 times more likely to die in a motor cycle crash than you are a car crash.  If your dream is to have a motor cycle you'll get one no matter what I write here. Not everyone who drives a motor cycle dies.  Just be very careful.  
http://www.massgeneral.org/children/adolescenthealth/articles/aa_motorcycle_safety.aspx

Thanks for the link ratman, as well as everyone insights. I'm not exactly after a motorcycle, however anything drive would be great, and a motorcycle looks like cheaper alternative.  Howell, a year. Or so more until I'm legally allows to get a permit, although there is a great driving school nearby.

What rat-man said!! I've owned several.

Drive like you are an invisible Granny on your way to Sunday services and you may live with all major parts still attached ..or not.

There is extreme danger and extreme fun involved. Good luck.

PS I was a road-rash king and lucky to get out with all my parts still attached. Still like them though.

Wear High visibility clothing, fluro orange or yellow works best!

Also relfector strips, anything really

Hallo there!
I come from a family of bikers, in fact my great grandfather, of which I said on a different thread, had one of the first motorbikes, the 1917's Frera.
His son had several bikes, a pre-WWII Zundapp, and a couple of Harley WLA that were easy to be found after the war.
My dad owned more than 40 bikes, from German war bike to Japanese speed monsters, in the 70es; he was also a good off-road pilot. But he managed to buy 3 Moto Guzzi, the 1952's Airone 250cc, the 1969's V7 700cc, and the 1973's California 850cc.

I begun riding motorbikes when I was 6, so it's almost 20 years since I begun. I've had 12 different motorbikes (13, if we count the California that I inherited from dad), but have used more than 30.
When I was 12, I had the most exciting experience of my (motorized) life, because I was choosen with other 39 kids for a 2 days of race. In fact, a big sponsor was choosing pilots for the CIV (Campionato Italiano Velocità - Italian Speed Championship), and I happened to finish 6th within the pilots of my Region. We used Aprila RS 125cc with improved engines, that gave the lightweight bike a maximum speed of about 185 km/h.
As I grew up, I changed my mind, from speed to traveling, and I now own a 1986's Moto Guzzi Florida 350cc, which I use 365 days a year, with any weather.

Now, to the bad part.
I've been involved in 13 accidents since I was 6.
I had A LOT of luck. None of these accidents happened in the circuit (we were running at Magione, in Umbria), but in the traffic.
I caused none, but have been hitted twice by cars.
The last one could have been very dangerous (I was travelling on the highway), but luckily I was on my Florida, which is an old-style motorcycle (LOT of steel, LOT of weight, LOT of stability and solidity), and managed to keep control of the bike.
Not to boast, but I have a lot of experience in riding motorbikes. That surely help.

If I can give you some advices: avoid stupid behavior, such as zigzag on traffic; DO NOT buy a Vespa, for it has the engine on the left side, and does not turn well. Begin your biker career with slow, lightweight bikes. Buy a bike with 3 disc brakes. If it has the ABS, it's better (but you've to ride it slow until you get in touch with it).

I begun with a 38cc, then used lots of 50cc, a 125cc, the 350cc, and thanks to this graduate experience I've had no problems when I rode 500ccs, or the big and heavy California.
Motorcycles are one of the most beautiful things on Earth, but they can be very dangerous.

A close friend of mine, who used to race in rallies, died in my hands while I was trying to save him.
We had a bad accident because he was willing to show me how good he was in riding a powerful car under the rain.
I tell you, there's nothing more stupid than to die in a car or bike accident.
Life is worthless so drive carefully, and follow a safety driving course, there're hundreds of them organized by Companies.
Greetings, and V-lamps  :)
Mauro.

By the way... my Florida in Hungary, 3 years ago...
...going back there the next week! woo-hoo!!!

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/2009085.jpg


... and the California I inherited from dad when he got ill (he now can't ride anymore, he's paralyzed) - and sorry for bad video quality!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOW4lBJQlG0

...yes, I LOVE old motorcycles, love the smell of oil and gas, the boast of ancient engines, the flickering of heavy steel frames and the rumble from those silencers!
Motorcycles are emotions, for me!
Greetings,
Mauro.

Personally, I have always loved motorcycles but in many ways they are not particularly practical as everyday transport and the bigger the bike the less practical. I don't know of anyone who has taken up motorcycling purely because it was a cheap option who has remained a long term rider.

Everyone mentions the danger factor and rightly so. But also keep in mind that there is no more weather dependent vehicle than a motorbike, much more so than a bicycle. On a bicyle you're doing 15 mph and generating your own warmth. On a motorbike you're going 35 mph or considerably faster and stuck right out there in the wind. As soon as it rains, unless you've got full weather gear, you're wet through and freezing. As I remember you're in Pennsylvania, so winter motorcycling is not only 10 times more dangerous because of the ice but even a short ride will have you exposed to hypothermia. Conversely in summer, leathers and a full face helmet can be insufferably hot.

Do your sums and work it ALL out. Don't be fooled by the apparently low fuel costs. For that matter don't be fooled by the apparent low cost of very small cars. Medium sized cars last a lot longer and repair bills for small low production run cars can be real killers.

Having said that small 'twist and go' scooters can be very handy in heavy traffic, a real buzz to ride. Harleys are great but for the experienced only.

Amen to that, Aussie.
You're 100% right.
I use my Florida through all the years, and I can say winters are VERY long on a motorcycle. I do not use any dedicate clothing, only my leather jacket, or any similar heavy clothes, and, if it rains, a waxed raincoat that we usually use when we test boats and ships in winter.

Xxkid123, I agree with Aussie, start with a scooter and then see: if you enjoy riding, you can always turn to a heavier motorcycle.
But if you begin with a heavy motorcycle, and find no fun with it, it will be a worst deal.
Let us know! (in the meantime, I've just finished my daily customization on the Florida - it's much more different by the bike you see in the picture, now that I've inherited the California, the smallest bike is growing into a dirty rat-chopper-bobber-war bike  :D)
Greetings,
Mauro.

When my Dad taught my sisters how to drive he pretty much had one min point to get across, "When you are driving, always assume every one else is an idiot."

Driving a bike can be pretty safe just do your best to stay on backroads and off the major highways and such.

For a first vehicle I would go with a car. Not just because of the safety issue, although that would factor in. When you want to hang out with friends a car is more practical. Or dating. A motorcycle would work but not every woman is going to want to ride on the back of a motorcycle. Also moving from one apartment to another in college, it's really nice to have a car. There are a lot of good reasons to have a car. Whereas a motorcycle is mostly for fun. The gas mileage really isn't a huge deal unless you do a lot of driving or your driving a real gas hog. I can almost guarantee after getting caught in some bad rain a couple times or in the blazing sun the whole motorcycle thing is not going to be quite as cool as it seemed at first. They make great second vehicles when you can choose between car or motorcycle as opposed to being forced to ride them all the time no matter what.

hmm, yeah i guess i'll go with a car first, although i'll probably work on getting a license for both. riding a motorcycle does look like fun.

While turning your motorcycle, remember to always look at the direction you are going: the bike follows the biker's eyes  ;)
Greetings,
Mauro.

Get a CAR!!! It's hard to make out with your girlfriend on a motorcycle. You get wet, cold or hot. Having had both, and I still have a bike, a car is much more versatile than a motorcycle.

At the rate I'm going i'll never get a girlfriend :)

I still do want to try out a motorcycle, although it'll be for joy riding I guess, not serious transportation.

xxkid123 wrote on Aug 9^th, 2011 at 12:45pm:

At the rate I'm going i'll never get a girlfriend :) I still do want to try out a motorcycle, although it'll be for joy riding I guess, not serious transportation.

It works well for serious transportation. Its a lot cheaper than a car too, both in the initial buying part, and in the use. Motorcycles make hybrid cars look like gas guzzlers, and considering how much gas costs right now, that is a big advantage. That said, I'd also strongly suggest getting a bicycle, which are also incredibly fun to ride, dirt cheap unless you get something really high end, easy to do maintenance on, incredibly maneuverable, and a way to get from point A to point B without using any gas, getting some exercise in, and actually going at a reasonable speed. Just make sure you always wear a helmet, because if you get in a crash with a car, you will come off far worse than the driver, and that helmet will be all that stands between you and some degree of terrible brain damage and/or death, much like on a motorcycle.

Ditto what Knaight said, bikes are awesome.

Knaight is right!
Mauro.

"You have the be twice as good to watch out for people who aren't watching for themselves."

AMEN to that!

I've been a driver since 1987, and a motorcyclist since 2009. (Actually, I did learn to ride a motorcycle as early as 1992, but never had one of my own, so my riding was extremely limited.)

My recommendation would be to get a cheap, small, economical "beater" car to start with. NOT a motorcycle as a person getting out onto the roads for the first time.
It's not that the small car will give you that much more protection (although there is a quantum difference in how much protection you get from a car versus a motorcycle); it's that a motorcycle REQUIRES you to be ON YOUR GAME AT ALL TIMES. You cannot ride a motorcycle in a lackadaisical way and expect to live long.  You cannot ride a motorcycle and daydream and expect to live long.  You must be observing what is going on around you at all times, or else someone is going to KILL you!

Trust me. I have seen the moronic things people do, while riding my motorcycle.  I see it even more now than in all the years when I was just driving a car.  People have said to me, "Ride as though everyone else on the road is trying to kill you."  It may not be their intention, but in a practical sense, that is just about what it amounts to. Teenyboppers putting on their makeup or chatting on their phones; hot-dogging teen boys trying to show off; elderly people whose vision and hearing are greatly diminished who drive anyway because they don't want to give up their independence. Distracted businessmen reading the stocks pages while sipping coffee and attempting to drive.  They are all out there.

I think that you should build experience on the road in a car before you attempt to cruise the streets on a motorcycle.

Whatever you decide, stay alert and safe, please.

My motorcycle gets in the vicinity of 52 mpg or so.  Far better than cars and trucks, and even better than most hybrids. But it isn't as practical as a car is. I can ride in the rain, yes, but don't care for doing so. I can ride in summer heat, but it's a bit of a drag. I can ride in winter cold -- fortunately it never gets that cold in Florida, and if it were to snow, I would not be able to ride the motorcycle. I can carry a moderate amount of groceries on my motorcycle, using some bungee netting I bought; but the capacity is limited.

The motorcycle is a LOT more fun to get around on than the car is.  The car seems so ordinary.

You could probably get a decent used motorcycle for $5,000, but bear in mind that paying for maintenance is not a whole lot cheaper, if it's cheaper at all. You'd better learn to do your own oil changes, and spark plug and air filter replacement, etc.  Learn to do as much of the maintenance as you can, because motorcycle mechanics charge an arm and a leg.

I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil in my bike now, and the last time I did my oil change (in July) the oil cost $12.99 per quart, and I used three quarts plus a $15 oil filter.  That's $54 or so plus tax.

You don't get nearly the 30,000-50,000 miles out of a set of tires like on a car.  You expect to get between 8,000-12,000 out of your tires, and then a new set will cost $200-$500 easily to have installed.  (I pushed my tires to about 15,000 miles before getting them changed, and the change cost me about $250.)

I installed my own replacement air filter and spark plugs, after investing about $120 for a rear swingarm lift (a frame that lifts the rear wheel off the ground by supporting the axle).  That saved me hundreds of dollars, I think, because on my bike, the operation involves removing most of the front fairing and the fuel tank!

Be aware of what you may be getting into.

Hmm I guess ill go with a car first, but i do hope to get a motorcycle later on in life

That's it!! Get the car for practicality and the bike for fun!.

Morphy wrote on Aug 5^th, 2011 at 5:34pm:

For a first vehicle I would go with a car. Not just because of the safety issue, although that would factor in. When you want to hang out with friends a car is more practical. Or dating. A motorcycle would work but not every woman is going to want to ride on the back of a motorcycle. Also moving from one apartment to another in college, it's really nice to have a car. There are a lot of good reasons to have a car. Whereas a motorcycle is mostly for fun. The gas mileage really isn't a huge deal unless you do a lot of driving or your driving a real gas hog. I can almost guarantee after getting caught in some bad rain a couple times or in the blazing sun the whole motorcycle thing is not going to be quite as cool as it seemed at first. They make great second vehicles when you can choose between car or motorcycle as opposed to being forced to ride them all the time no matter what.

Pretty much spot-on perfect post.

My motorcycle is a second-vehicle. I do use my car for times when the bike is not convenient or practical.

xxkid123 wrote on Aug 10^th, 2011 at 11:57pm:

Hmm I guess ill go with a car first, but i do hope to get a motorcycle later on in life

I think that's the right decision.  I had to wait until age 38, actually -- but it was worth the wait, for sure.  :D

bigkahuna wrote on Aug 11^th, 2011 at 1:18am:

That's it!! Get the car for practicality and the bike for fun!.

I second that.  My dad gave me the same sound advice, knowing full well that I'd ignore it.  I got a small motorcycle as my first vehicle and quickly discovered that I needed a car.  Though dangerous, motorcycles are great fun but the only time they're practical is when the weather is very nice.






 

Rat Man wrote on Aug 11^th, 2011 at 9:37pm:

bigkahuna wrote on Aug 11th, 2011 at 1:18am: That's it!! Get the car for practicality and the bike for fun!. I second that.  My dad gave me the same sound advice, knowing full well that I'd ignore it.  I got a small motorcycle as my first vehicle and quickly discovered that I needed a car.  Though dangerous, motorcycles are great fun but the only time they're practical is when the weather is very nice.

I feel that a huge part of the "danger" is injected by the behavior of the rider.
Obviously, if you get hit, the consequences are far worse than if you were in a car.

What I'm saying is that the rider has a lot of control over whether the ride will conclude safely or not.  Many of the crashes I read about involve riders who are either reckless in their riding (speeding, stunting, DUI/DWI) or are just not as attentive to their surroundings as they should be.  Or they are not conforming their riding to match conditions (going too fast around corners in wet conditions, going around blind curves too fast to be able to react if there is an obstruction around the curve. ...

Riders have to make their own safety.  I am fortunate that my observation skills were taught to me at a young age in an aviation setting.  My dad taught me to scan like a pilot when I was about 11 years old.  I watch for danger with a pilot's eyes, not a complacent driver's, and it has served me very well all these years.

peacefuljeffrey wrote on Aug 11^th, 2011 at 10:46pm:

I feel that a huge part of the "danger" is injected by the behavior of the rider. Obviously, if you get hit, the consequences are far worse than if you were in a car. What I'm saying is that the rider has a lot of control over whether the ride will conclude safely or not.  Many of the crashes I read about involve riders who are either reckless in their riding (speeding, stunting, DUI/DWI) or are just not as attentive to their surroundings as they should be.  Or they are not conforming their riding to match conditions (going too fast around corners in wet conditions, going around blind curves too fast to be able to react if there is an obstruction around the curve. ... Riders have to make their own safety.  I am fortunate that my observation skills were taught to me at a young age in an aviation setting.  My dad taught me to scan like a pilot when I was about 11 years old.  I watch for danger with a pilot's eyes, not a complacent driver's, and it has served me very well all these years.

The danger is injected both by the rider and by the various morons on the road making their lives difficult, just like bicycling. Some crashes are caused by idiot cyclists - these tend to be worse, as said idiot cyclists also have tendencies not to wear helmets. However, people who bike perfectly safely still get hit. For instance, I am a safe biker, which really didn't help when going through an are where parallel streets are connected by short roads, and a car going quickly enough can go around two corners before you can react. In my case, that constituted someone going about 40 miles per hour in a 10 mile per hour zone. That said, injuries are heavily reduced by awareness. In my case, I hit the brakes fast enough that only my front wheel was clipped, and because I wear a helmet I got away with only bruises. Someone not paying attention would have been hit full on, and probably been all sorts of screwed.

My point is, safe riding can heavily mitigate danger, but it can't remove it. Similarly, extremely stupid riding such as the geniuses who are drunk, helmet-less, in the dark, wearing dark clothing, and without a light greatly exacerbates the danger. Though really, if you are dumb enough to try and ride a bike (in either sense) drunk, in the dark, without a light or helmet you deserve what happens to you.

But I was never saying, nor would ever say, that riding safely can remove all of the danger.  I have seen plenty of videos and read plenty of news stories about people who could never have avoided what happened to them while riding their motorcycles or bicycles.

I know someone who says that when he was a lot younger, he witnessed a bicyclist get struck by something that was sticking out the side of a truck; the cyclist was knocked to the pavement from behind and then his head went under the rear wheels of the truck and POPPP! He was dead, instantly.  Nothing he could have done, really.

Years ago, in two separate incidents, I was hit from behind by people who did not stop in time behind me.  In one case, I was simply stopped for traffic, and in the other I was stopped at a red light while a train went through a crossing.  Neither was severe, and no damage caused to the vehicles or occupants.

Recently (a few months ago) I was stopped at a traffic light late at night ON MY MOTORCYCLE, and I saw a car coming up behind me in exactly the same manner as I had seen the other two (yes, I had SEEN the other two approaching before they hit me, but I couldn't have gone anywhere).  When I saw this woman coming, I actually got off the clutch and moved about a car length forward, and she came to a stop where I would have been.  I did a bit of yelling and gesticulating at that point.  So, you even have to be looking BEHIND you; and even then, it can't always save you.

probably just going to get a cheap toyota when i'm 35-ish and if i somehow get rich then a decent motorycle. won't stop me from gettign a licence and taking a course though   ;)

Anyone here ride a Spyder by any chance?

  I agree with much of what pj says about the driver being in control of the amount of danger, at least to some degree.  One of my cars is an '88 Suzuki Samurai, that I bought new.  Right after I bought it Consumer Reports declared it unsafe.  Bull jive.  I drove army jeeps for three years then had a CJ-5 for six years.  I knew exactly what I was getting when I bought my Sammy.  It has a small wheel base and a high center of gravity.. that's great for off road.  Yes, if you try to do a 90 degree turn at 45 mph you'll flip. So don't do it. Duh!  I've driven my Sammy for 23 years and haven't come close to flipping it yet.  Yes, it's tiny, and yes, if I get t-boned I'm toast, just as on a motor cycle.  Driving anything is dangerous business these days.  Driving something tiny you have to be doubly on your toes.  But you can drive a "dangerous" vehicle and live to tell about it if you just keep your head out of your butt.  

Amen to that!
The first thing that my license instructor told us, was that ANY vehicle is a potential weapon, dangerous for both us and the surrounding people.
I once had the worst car accident of my life, when the driver got killed, and the car drifted 5 times before rolling 4 times on its roof. Until then, I've always wondered what would have happened to somebody coming from the other side of the road.
If he was on a motorcycle, we'd have knocked him out. If he was on a car, we'd probably injuried him seriously, because we were going VERY fast and the car took about 120 meters to stop.
Until that accident, I drive much more carefully.
To tell the truth, I drive my motorcycle carefully since I was 18, at least, even if sometime I enjoy riding it as fast as we can - but only in some contexts, for example at night, in places that I know to be deserted at that time. I simply enjoy too much the feeling of speed while I turn, lowering my knees almost to the asphalt! And after a second, the turn's done, and I can slow down.
But I never do that when there're other cars in sight.
Vehicles are weapons, and since I've experienced the death of a close friend, I don't want to get involved in it anymore!
Greetings,
Mauro.

But there is really no such thing as a place/time where there are guaranteed to be no hazards.  There could be something as simple as a possum crossing the road at the wrong time, and you are finished.  :-/

   Yep.  You not only have to hone your driving skills and be on your toes at all times.  You also need a good deal of luck, and that's the truth.  Driving is dangerous business.

Sorry for resuming this topic, but I was just willing you to know that I broke an engine's valve for the second time  >:(
It seems that I run too fast, or that my motorcycle can't bear my driving  >:( >:( >:(

I finally made a picture of both two my motorcycles... here they are, with my dog and a friend of mine  :)
The broken motorcycle is the one on the left:

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/IolemotoeTito12.jpg


Kid, do you still look for a motorcycle??
Greetings,
Mauro.

Well at least you're fortunate enough to have a spare, plus a good looking friend.

Of course, I am a really lucky boy, these things happens and are not the end of the world  ;)
Just wanted to see if kid's still decided in buying a motorcycle as he'll grow older!
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro, you are getting a message from Santa Vitessa the patron saint of motorcycling. If you insist on over-revving you must get a Ducati Desmo. No more floating valves.

You're absolutely right (Ducati 749, toghether with MV Agusta F4 and Honda CBR, are my favourite sport bikes!), but I also know my limits and I'm gonna die riding one of these monsters  ;D
Plus, anyone can go fast with them, but try to follow a Ferrari 348 with a 25 years old custom bike  :D
Of course we were on a road that almost canceled Ferrari's strength points, it was all narrow turns and very short straights... now that I think of it... we're going to the period of the year when this road is really scarcely busy... as I'll get my bike back, I'll try to convince my friend to lend me her helmet camera and perhaps I'll show you this road!
Greetings,
Mauro.

still want a motorcycle. probably not for actual driving- just joy rides on scenic routes or something. maybe when i get a decent job (some time off)

Hi Dude,
At the risk of soundily like some boring old man here is my .02 cents worth.
Motorcycles are a lot of fun, they are fast and manoverable and a good ride can give you a high that will last for days
They are also dangerous and any small mistake can have serious consequenses, other drivers are you main worry but not the only one.
So ......
The head says Totota Corolla
The heart says motorcycle.
8-)Brian

Your 2 cents are worth a billion  :)
Greetings,
Mauro.

Thanks Mauro for your kind words  8-)
My last bike was a Laverda Mirage 1200 bit of a beast that one but It had its good points too. I would have liked a Ducati but the engines are too fragile and while they are pretty you need a spare. I always thought Guzzi was a reliable and solid bike but i never owned one.
Bikes are not just for sunny days xxkid123 in order to be a good motorcyclist you need to ride all the time and so the bike becomes an extension of your self not some machine you just happen to be sitting on.

I had a variety of bikes, the last about 1975.   I picked up one of those little Honda 90cc street bikes long about 1970 and that started me out.  I was primarily interested in off-road riding and eventually got involved in sportsman-level motocross.
Campaigned a much-modified Hodaka 100cc for a while.    

Went through a variety of off-road and dual-purpose bikes; Montessa 250, DKW 125, Suzuki, Honda 350..... My last bike was a Suzuki 550 triple two-stroke.  Nice bike; sewing-machine smooth.
However, I got married and we fell on tough financial times, and also being in police work I kept handling motorcycle accidents with the rider variously mangled... That will make you think...

I admit I still miss riding, but bikes have gotten so vastly expensive now.  I confine myself to the pedal-driven variety now.

xxkid123 wrote on Nov 24^th, 2011 at 6:09pm:

still want a motorcycle. probably not for actual driving- just joy rides on scenic routes or something. maybe when i get a decent job (some time off)

I predict that if you do get one, you will not end up limiting yourself to those scenic joyrides, but will use it all the time. That's what happened with me, anyway (although I never did predict that I would limit my riding).

I can remember taking off on my bike on the spur of the moment with no destination in mind whatsoever and being gone for like twelve hours.  With a tiny 60cc bike I was getting probably over 100 miles/gal so why not.  It was great fun and I've never just taken off like that in a car.  Even though I'm old and should know better there's still a part of me that wants another motor cycle.  I'll probably get one one day.  If I were to get one right at this moment it would probably be this one:
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/DR-Z400/2012/DRZ400S.aspx?category=dualsport

---

I had one like this in the mid 80's. Very quick and fun dirt bike!

---

Now I ride this one with 4 wheels.

---

Four wheels so we can get to places like this.

---

Quads are amazing, a squad of quadders rescued me when I was once lost at the top of a mountain - it was the 13rd of January, there was snow and ice on the road, I had fallen from the motorcycle and was unable to lift it (I was riding alone and the motorcycle was half in the road, half out against some trees)! Luckily I met these quadders while I wal walking down the mountain to reach a tiny village...  :D

It seems that you have a predilection for cross bikes; I find them very nice and would love to have one, but I then can't imagine myself riding a bike in the silence of the wilderness... I'd rather walk  ;)
Still, cross motorcycle are very funny indeed!
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro, you are right. The CR was too loud to ride in a place like that. The Quads are really pretty quiet but we parked them at a trail head and hiked three miles to that lake. My wife snapped some nice pics of two cow/calf pairs while I fished of the other side of the lake. I have done a lot of hiking and backpack camping but as I have gotten a little older and fatter the ride on the Quad is nice :)

Indeed, like everything, it's the way one use its motorcycle that matter.
I saw some idiots in two different occasions: two of them were riding CR in a National Park, while I was watching birds, while a whole group of others came in the small village I had my base in, riding very fast. Now, that village is almost uninhabited, but being a Medieval village it has very narrow streets, and house's doors opens on them. It was imprudent to drive like that, but they found much fun in the fact that streets were not covered with asphalt  >:(
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro Fiorentini wrote on Nov 29^th, 2011 at 8:16am:

It was imprudent to drive like that, but they found much fun in the fact that streets were not covered with asphalt  >:( Greetings, Mauro.

Of course we know what the streets of a village would have been covered with back in medieval times, don't we?  

:D I explained badly - these streets are not still the same of the Middle Age; better, they follow the same track, but have been "improved" by covering them with cobblestones!
Like this for example  ;)

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/42065_acquapendente.jpg

Greetings,
Mauro.

This is my new bike.It's a '74 Yamaha DT-360A Enduro.The oil injector is working well,but I add a little to the tank,just in case.

Brett

Oh,picture missing..Well,exactly like this...

http://www.gogocycles.com/images/1974-yamaha-dt360-for-sale-21333599.jpg

Nice, Brett.  

Hey, it's amazing! It looks like a XT (which I don't know if was more recent or not than your bike).
A guy in my town made a special out of that CR bike, he has done quite a nice job (at least I like it!), I should take a picture of that bike....
Greetings,
Mauro.

Japanese "chopper", looks like maybe 90cc. Kumamoto City.

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It's still raining here, so I'm stuck at home with nothing to do...
I went on youtube and see what I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCT_GjKcZ18&feature=related
Lamborghini Murcielago vs. Fiat 500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dhHbxX5WNo&feature=related
Mika Hakkinen vs Piaggio Ape 50cc  ;D

Greetings,
Mauro.

Young pilots grow  :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=UYWEYRZDGA4

Greetings,
Mauro.

When I lived in Seoul there were a lot of three wheeled trucks there.  They always looked unstable to me, though I never saw any tip over.

Italian ones are producted by Piaggio, and are called "Ape" (Italian for bee).
Together with the "Vespa" (Wasp) they have motorized Italians back in the '50es, along with other tiny motorcycles as the Moto Guzzi "Guzzino" 65cc, the Motom "48cc", and the Ducati "Cucciolo" (Puppet), always 48cc.
Ape and Vespas are one of the most long-lived vehicles, still being built.
However, I believe (but am not sure) that the first Italian 3-wheel truck was the Moto Guzzi "Ercole" (Hercules), a 500cc originally designed for the army (under the name of "Mulo meccanico", Mechanical mule, it had track instead of wheels!), but it may also have been a model of Gilera which name I'm now missing...
When have you lived in Seoul??
Greetings,
Mauro.

In 1975 and 1976.  Ancient times.  I have a friend that lives there now.  He says it's a lot less wild than when I was there.

Speaking of Italian bikes, my Dad had one of these that he rode to work back in the 60's It had a large basket on the back and he would put my little brother in there and ride to town. No seat belts. It's a wonder they are still alive!

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That is the Lambretta!
Lambrettas were the main opponent of Vespas, legal or illegal races between the two bikes spread more or less throughout Italy during the 60's.
In my town, the road to the main church is uphill, with 3 U turns and long (for a 50 or 125cc bike) straight passages.
This was one of the favourite circuits for such illegal races; another one was a very long avenue, where Lambrettas generally had the upper hand, until two brothers created a special Vespa motorized with two 125cc engines, called "L'uovo" (the Egg) because of the special bodywork they made!
I'll look for a picture  :)
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro, I knew you would know these scooters.
I think the Vespa was a little more common in the US but I like the way Lambretta comes
off the tongue. I used to sneak my dad’s scooter out to the hills behind our house and pretend it was a dirt bike. My orthopedic surgeon uncle convinced my father that motorcycles were not safe so he would not let me have one even though he rode his scooter. I was an adult when I finally got my dirt bike.

You'll find two kinds of people on bikes (motorcycles of any kind);
1) Bikers
2) Riders

Bikers have that certain je ne sais quoi, that reputation of being badassed mommy pajamas, always drunk, too dumb to get a good job so they rob car drivers and get tatoos saying "Born to ride". And they only ride Harleys but can't ride the twistys on a curve.

Riders have the respect of other motorists, they dress nicely and have bikes that cost as much as your first car. They take care of their rides and their wives and/or girl friends. (not "Ol' Lady")
Riders know how to keep out of trouble and wear helmets anyway.

I'm 61, ride a 2006 Yamaha Road Star, 1700cc. I've been married 41 years to the same wonderful woman and have two great kids. I've never had to drop my bike but had to do some life-saving maneuvers a time of two. My wife loves riding in back of me.

My advice is simple:
First: take your state's Motorcycle Rider's Safety Class before get on a bike. Living is worth every second.
Second: Always use a helmet and carry a second one because a spare helmet is a chick magnet.
Third: Get a job and save your dough until you can pay cash outright. NEVER go into debt if you can avoid it.

Dead Seriously,

Tom

On TV Japan, which we get on satellite, there was a show on the 3-wheel trucks, featuring a guy who loves them and restores them as a hobby. The opening scene in the animated film Totoro has one of these trucks. My late father-in-law may have had one for his business, too.

I would love to have a motorcycle, but after much thought, I am just too afraid of the idiots I'd be sharing the road with. I drive around all day for work, and people regularly try to kill me with their driving. That's with me in a red station wagon... I shudder to think how it would be on something a lot less visible like a scooter or motorbike.

Galvanicfish wrote on Jan 30^th, 2012 at 9:44am:

I would love to have a motorcycle, but after much thought, I am just too afraid of the idiots I'd be sharing the road with. I drive around all day for work, and people regularly try to kill me with their driving. That's with me in a red station wagon... I shudder to think how it would be on something a lot less visible like a scooter or motorbike.

I went through the same thought proces in my early twenties. Thinking about getting a bike (really liked Moto Guzzi Mauro). But then a couple of friends and clasmates had some pretty gruesome accidents with these vehicles, and I decided against it.
Nowadays I tame horses, goes to show wisdom does not always come with the years....

Moto Guzzi officially presented its new motorcycle in Miami: the new 1400cc California.

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/2Guzzi_California_1400_2.jpg
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/1Guzzi_California_1400_1.jpg

A doubt haunts me: why did they present a motorcycle called California... in Florida?! (note that Moto Guzzi also had a model called Florida: rumors says they're going to present the new Florida in Los Angeles).

Seriously, as an owner of the very first California, produced in 1973, I must say this new bike does not amuse me.
But it's big, reasonably light, hopefully powerful and with a good frame.
Moto Guzzi has always made particularly fast touring bikes and I'd really love to test this new one  :D
Greetings,
Mauro.

Hey guys, it's been 2 weeks I'm back home and I've always been on my motorcycle since then!
So here's a picture of us, yesterday we went to the beach and there's the tower that French soldiers built there in early 1800s.

http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q503/Mauro-Fiorentini/Torre.jpg

It's a wonderful spot for swimming and fishing and, in this season, watching wild pigs that go swimming too, at night  :D
Greetings,
Mauro.

Break out the atlatl and darts, it's time for a barbeque.  I love hunting wild pigs with a bow or with an atlatl.

I've been riding for about 8 years now, and have only had 1 serious accident.  I was riding home from work late one night (I worked 2nd shift, got off at 1:30 am) and a 10 point buck decided to commit suicide with the front of my motorcycle.  Both me and the bike went flying.  I got away with my life, and that's what counts.  I chalk most of it up to my gear.  I had gloves, a leather jacket and a helmet.  My leather didn't tear, but also wasn't made for a bike, and so it didn't do what it should have, which was protect the skin on my wrists.  Got some road rash there.  It also pulled up on my side when I slid across the pavement, giving me some bad road rash there as well.  I actually landed on the back of my head and shoulder, which cracked my helmet about halfway up the back.  Broke my shoulder blade, and had a really really sore hip from where I landed on that side (where I had the road rash).  ATGATT.  All The Gear, All The Time.  Learn it, know it, love it.  I still ride, even after that happened.  They can be dangerous, but the cop who showed up at the scene said he'd see much worse accidents with cars running off the road and the deer walked away.  So yeah, I may have been better of being on the bike.

Yeah, motorcycle accident can be really serious! I've been riding since childhood (I was 6 so it's 20 years now!) and had 13 or 14 accidents, but none of them was as serious as your!  :o
I've learnt, however, that gear helps: I'm not a fanatic of super-protective outfit because I feel much more free with my leather jacket and the helmet, and therefore I feel more comfortable and ready to look around and avoid accidents, but I see the advantages of protective gear!
Yeah you was really lucky!
I once saw a sport bike that was lying on a side of the road, it had hit something because its forks were... devastated! I hope the pilot didn't get hurt (too much).
Bill, you'd have a lot of fun here! A friend of mine lives inside the Park, therefore he's allowed to hunt there: he kills from 30 to 50 wild pigs each winter!!!  :o (with a rifle... loser)
Greetings,
Mauro.

When you're first learning, don't get a bike too big for you to handle. There's far too many novices rolling off the dealership lot with an expensive 600cc+ bike... only to lose control and lay it down a block or two down the street.
When you're first learning on a street bike, try and learn on a used 250cc. Actually: If you don't mind the aesthetics of a crotch rocket, then a used 250cc Kawasaki Ninja is a great bike to learn on. Two of my step-siblings swear by them for that purpose. It even has a high resale value for when it's time to graduate to a bigger bike in whatever style you want.


That, and ALWAYS wear good-quality/proper motorcycle leathers and a helmet. Motorcycles may get in less accidents than your average car, but the one's they do get in are usually a bit worse than the average car accident. I don't care how hot it is, t-shirts and jeans provide absolutely no protection whatsoever, and are a Darwin magnet. Proper motorcycle leathers can mean the difference between looking like you went through a meat-grinder and walking away with just a couple of bruises...

(Also, laying a bike down slows you down significantly less than staying on your wheels and braking properly. Sometimes you can't avoid it, but some people like to cover their embarrassing loss of control by saying they "had to lay it down". It sounds better that way. ::))

Rat bikes: ever heard of them?
No? Then here you get an idea of what I mean:
http://www.ratbike.org/
http://www.rataplan-ratbikeclub.nl/Paginas_UK/RatbikesCSS.htm

I realized I own a rat bike only after I discovered these two sites. Since I let the rain only wash my 350cc Guzzi Florida, and I fix its damages in a very optimistic amateur way, it is a rat bike  :D
Talking about classic motorcycles, we have 2 philosophies here in Italy: restored and preserved.
Restored bikes are equal to the day they went out of the fabric. My other Guzzi, a 850cc California made in 1973, is a restored bike.
Preserved ones are bikes who show signs of their ages (and this's my Guzzi Florida) but still have everything original (and this's not my Guzzi Florida).
I personally like the original rat bike's philosophy: a bike showing its age and its past has more value because it means it has actually been used and not religiously glorified: it's a vehicle and not a fashion object.
I will never intentionally modify a bike just to reach a rat bike status, but I'm somehow satisfied to know that I'm not the only one for which signs of use are a positive surplus on a bike  :D
What do you think??
Greetings,
Mauro.

Streetfighters were sport bikes that have had the plastic fairings removed after being damaged a few times in street races. The look got so popular that now they manufacture sport bikes without fairings. Streetfighters are my favorite looking motorcycles. I've still got my eyes on an entry level Ducati, if I can ever scrape up the money for it.

Which Ducati are you looking for? If it's a Monster, then I suggest you the first version, 600 or 620cc with carburetors, because its maintenance is easier and it's the cheapest.
I once almost bought a 750cc Kawasaki Ninja Stinger model at an auction for slightly less than 50 dollars, but when I tried the motorcycle I found its engine was seized up  >:( That would have made a fine streetfighter even if I'm a bit scared by that kind of bike's power!
Greetings,
Mauro.

The smallest available Ducati is the Monster 696. If and when I get it it will be my second bike. A honda or suzuki sportbike in 250cc will be my first. I don't want to start riding on a 700cc sportbike. :o

Wise choice, I begun with 50 and 125cc and eventually on a 350cc before using the 850cc!
One must learn to drive 2 wheels in the traffic and it's much safer to learn with a slow, lightweighted bike than with a nervous one. By the way I'm really happy you like motorcycles, I'm sure you'll be satisfied with them. Have you seen the new Kawasaki Ninja 300cc? Or the new Honda CB 500? The last one is a sportbike, but weakened, so it's a very good and fascinating entry-level!
Greetings,
Mauro.

Actually I'm drooling on this: http://www.subito.it/moto-e-scooter/honda-vf-1000f-fermo-55911196.htm
Less than 500 dollars and it would be mine!
Oh if only
- I had a job
- I could sell my Florida
- and so on....  ;D
Greetings,
Mauro.

One of my patients rode this to my office today and I thought  that Mauro would like to see it. Looks like a very nice bike! I have not seen one before. I don’t think they are very common here. It looks very simple (no fancy electronics) and very well made.

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Close up

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I grew up riding motorcycles and averaged 8k miles a year on a Honda CB750 aka Nighthawk. I suffered pretty bad hypothermia riding home from work once, 12 miles in 16 degree Fahrenheit weather. I was bundled up and had a windscreen, but it didn't matter. My father spent two weeks in the ICU after a bad motorcycle accident and my brother broke both bones in his lower leg on a motorcycle. I have had friends and acquaintances injured and also die from motorcycle accidents. Honestly, There was never a time I got on a bike and didn't think for at least a moment that this might be the day that I die, but I rode anyway. When I was 25 I was laid up from a car accident and in the hospital for two months  and then proceeded to ride motorcycles again. It took about 3 years for me to realize that I enjoy two legs better then two wheels and I couldn't afford to be scooped up off the road again. I still dream of owning a black and yellow Honda Valkyrie with a cut back seat and larger Valkyrie Interstate gas tank. Then I come back to reality and realize I have a wife and daughter now and I don't want them to see me get hurt, or worse.

If you are going to ride, try and keep the sticky side down. It is dangerous, but you don't ride a motorcycle because it is safe.

Best regards,
Dave

Life is about assumed risks. No matter where you are and what you're doing, it could be the end. Rather than worry about what activities are safe, I just try to be as safe as possible in whatever activity I'm doing.

Since posting about the Ducati I've taken a motorcycle class, got my motorcycle license, bought all my safety gear, and tried to buy my first bike (A 500cc Honda cruiser that a coworker was fixing up). The deal fell through, but I'm not done looking.

My first bike was a 1957 BSA 650. Then a honda 360. Then a 350 and then a Honda 750 magna. Totaled the first doing a wheelie at about 50 mph (cops chasing and me being too cool) 8-).  Not as coordindated now, so i've resisted the serious temptation to ride again :'(. Wife might have a little something to do with that decision ;D

Working at sea, I am currently risking something, but I don't feel I'm risking more than anyone else working ashore - I can drown and someone else can have a car accident, or be kidnapped, or...
Riding my bike, I know it's risky so I behave in the safest way, leaving the way, not running, avoiding crazy manoeuvres, wearing PPE, etc...  ;)

Scooteball, that should be a California EV, I'm not really expert on these models. It should be a fine ride anyway, motorcycles of that class (Guzzi, HD, Yamaha, Honda...) are generally well-built and equipped with a sturdy and powerful engine  ;)

It's about time I change the tires of my ride - last night it was raining and she was skiing on the asphalt  :o
Greetings,
Mauro.

Soooooo I recently bought myself a belated Xmas gift:

http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/DSCN1528.jpg
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc428/MauroFiorentini/DSCN1530-1.jpg

I am now the proud third owner of this shining 2007 Piaggio Vespa. She has a little, quiet 150cc engine, four strokes, three valves. Max speed is about 100km per hour (about 50 miles) and top range in 122 kilometers, which means the engine drinks one liter of gasoline every 22 kilometers, not bad!
Fact is that I have been looking for a cheap scooter to replace the Guzzi, which is quite aged now and deserves a better and more careful treatment. I was planning to spend no more than 300 € for the scooter but as I saw the Vespa last month she entered in my mind for the following 20 days until I took all my courage and 2000 € and bought it.
Now she better run well without problems for the next 30 years or so!
Anyway she makes me very happy - she's fast in the traffic, light to ride and has a good load capacity. Even the Guzzi is now satisfied because she's enjoying a well-deserved rest (did you know that my Guzz has been published on an Italian classic bikes magazine?)
This is it, I feel like I'm 16 years old again!  :D

   Good for you, Mauro.  Nothing like a new toy to liven things up. It sounds perfect for city traffic.