thinking again on get a bike

[Nacho-RT74]

Bill... the only way to get confidence and beat the fear is confronting... I have enough head to see if I'm able to do it and if not just forgett the idea. As I quoted from Ponch, I won't be riding on streets if I don't feel comfortable. However appreciate the advice

Troy, I allways wanted a 750 as minimun, but not affordable to me by now and this 400 still have the look

Chryco, still thinking on moving but Spain is not on good times now... I'm checking if I gor for a month or so by august-sept and check for job. However. think on with the high inflation we have down here ( 30% each year ) If I don't use it OR decide to sell when moving, is still an investment.

and even if the move comes to the truth, I'm taking my Charger with me, so... why not the bike with the gas prices there? LOL

[Ponch ®]

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on one. I'm gonna be commuting 45 miles round trip each day, 4-5 days a week starting in August. This may not seem like a lot to some of you mid-america country folk, but this is L.A., and in order to get to where I need to go, my two options are two of the most congested corridors in the world during rush hour (the 101 freeway into L.A. or the 405/10 freeways).  

Ive done a few test runs on the 08 Charger, and it will cost me about $15 to drive there and back every day, not to mention the amount of time I'll be in traffic.

I've heard all the horror stories and I've been lectured by just about any "grown up" (mom, boss, etc). While I by no means think I'm invincible and can't happen to me, I'm thinking for all I know I could just as well eat it in the car or maybe get stabbed if I take public transportation. Plus, it makes sense money wise (the wife is, for that reason, at least somewhat supportive).

I've never ridden before either, but I WILL take the riding course before I buy the bike, and prolly won't take the bike most of the time until I feel comfortable enough to do it.

Anyway, looking at a Dark Custom Iron 883 (hey...might as well do it in style  )

Paunch,

The 883 is a great bike...

IF... you're 5 foot 3 and weigh a buck twenty soaking wet...

If I remember correctly...

You ain't that petite...

You're going to look, and feel like an old, fat shriner on a mini bike...

Take a rider's course, and then go try out a few bikes before you buy.

yeah, I've heard that the 883 may not be enough for me. I gotta try one out, sit in it, etc...but first I gotta take the course and get my license. I'd like to be riding by the end of July, but who knows how the cookie will crumble. Dont wanna rush into it either.

[Budnicks]

Don't take this wrong guys, I'm probably beating a dead horse, but if you didn't grow up on a bike & learned to ride at an early age, don't do it, by a dirt bike or something & learn to ride in a controlled situation 1st, I am 52 I have been riding from the age of 7 years old started out on a Taco 44 mini bike, graduated to a Yamaha S-80 at 9, then to a 100 Hodoka Ace & a 125 Kawi. KX at 11, a CR250 moto-x dirt racer at 13, when I got my learners permit here in Calif. I stated riding street bikes, a Yamaha Daytona 350 2 stroke at 15, then 750 Kawi. triple 2 stroke at 17, Then a Yamaha V-Max Cruiser Hot-Rod at 20, then a Harley Electriglide cruiser at 25, had many 3 wheelers & quads too, still have a V-Max crotch rocket/cruiser, I have been riding some kind of 2 wheeled motorized machine for   45 years now, I consider myself a great experienced rider, I have been ran off the road, multiple times, I have been T-Boned at 40mph, I have had to step off a bike, "My Harley" that had a rear tire blow out at freeway speeds 55 mph, I was just cruising home, not doing anything stupid, in Calif. traffic, I almost got ran over by a Semi, no fault of theirs, I was a couple of blocks from my house merging into flowing traffic at 45mph, a guy turned left, right in front of me in a 72 Ford Country Squire Wagon I got launched over it, tore my pants off flew across the 4 lane rd. hit a stop sign with my head {thank god I always wear a helmet no matter what}, ruined/totaled my brand new bike, I had just bought a few days earlier for my 20th B-Day, I got 4 broken ribs fractured leg fractured arm eyes bleed or were blood red for 2  weeks, the bike was replaced by my insurance company... I have had many other close calls by others talking on cell phones or texting or just flat out trying to run me off the road or women doing their make up side swiping me in bumper to bumper traffic, I am an experienced rider that has grown up driving motorcycles, in one form or another, "not a newbee" that doesn't know what end of the bike does what, the problem isn't me, at all, it's the gravel, ice, water or oil you don't see that washed out the front wheel, the stupif freaken person eating a burger or booger while driving, taking you out or a unforeseen mechanical failure, taking you out... I would seriously think twice about getting on a bike in a traffic or especially in a large populated city setting, until you are 101% efficient & competent to ride in those situation, you will end up being a another statistic... I say go to any emergency room anywhere, look at the people that were all proficient riders, that are there because of the idiots in the cars/trucks that did something stupid & took them out & either injured or killed them... Be smart, not just because you want or feel the need to save a few buck on commuting gas costs, or just want or think you need a bike or think it cool or a pussy magnet... There are those riders that have "gone down" & there are those that "will be going down", no matter how good of a rider or how safe & aware you think you are.... I am very lucky, I haven't been killed several times over, I've had road rash all over my body at one time or another, I rarely even ride a street bike any longer, way too many freaken idiots on cell phones or women putting on make-up or eating, whatevere, making it much much worse, than it ever was in my youth... Good luck, be safe, learn how to ride somewhere other than the street & busy hwys, 1st & foremost always wear a helmet no matter what the laws are... Old farts rants over    

[Chargen69]

my next door neighbor didnt tie his jacket down properly (sitting with it on the tank), jacket went into the back wheel, he lost control ran off the interstate, hit a tree, but didnt die right away.  found him a week later with his hands over his eyes (to keep the birds from pecking out them)

another friend got thrown off, his heart exploded

another friend got thrown off the back while riding with somebody, run over by a semi

cousin got t-boned by a van, completely crushed, but lived 3 days, and he was alert for all that



be careful, in an instant...

[nvrbdn]

i bought a harley. rode in all the poker rides. had fun.never wore helmets unless i rode across the river to missouri  for bikers for babies where they have the helmet law. not saying it was smart, just didnt. one thing that got me to slow down and sell the harley was to see these guys getting wasted on the first stop, then riding all day. that was nuts. i was bike free for several years till now.

[Daytona R/T SE]

i bought a harley. rode in all the poker rides. had fun.never wore helmets unless i rode across the river to missouri  for bikers for babies where they have the helmet law. not saying it was smart, just didnt. one thing that got me to slow down and sell the harley was to see these guys getting wasted on the first stop, then riding all day. that was nuts. i was bike free for several years till now.

I went on one poker run.

At the first stop, there were about 25 bikes.

Everybody was slamming beer and shots as fast as they could.

Getting drunk...very drunk...FAST...

I had one beer in the hour or so I was there.

The Ol' lady had a coke.

As the time came to start the "run"

Somebody yells "Last one there buys the first round"

25 drunken idiots and their fat Ol' ladies roared off at full throttle to the next stop...


Effin' Idiots...


We went to lunch.

[ITSA426]

Be sure your organ donor card is up to date and on your person.  I used to work for an air ambulance/charter company and our summer business picked up just flying parts around the country.  We just called motorcycles "organ donors". 

You could find yourself part of a celebrity.

[Indygenerallee]

Good points all around, It's a choice and I am glad we live in a country (for now!) where we all can still decide what we want to do!!!

[1969chargerrtse]

My first car was a bike.  Got it when I was 14.  1965 Honda ca110. I've been riding on the streets since I was 16 and I'm 56 and still alive with 95% of the time wearing no helmet.  The key to me is being extremely defensive.  Trust no one.  I've had people look right at me and pull out when I got closer.  
The one concern I have is the Harley.  Not the bike to ride sitting in traffic.  It will melt.  I drive a 86 Honda Gold Wing.  Drive shaft, water cooled, 4 cyl. Cheap and fun.
Every time people say drive safe, I say you drive safe and I'll be O.K.  

[ACUDANUT]

NO. I just lost a good friend on a Motorcycle. He had been riding for 30 years.

[1969chargerrtse]

Sorry for the lost.  I lost friends in car accidents,  people die in all different ways.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would never ride a small bike ever..... sometimes riding defensive means getting out someones way & having the power to do so quickly .
Panama is interesting to say the least .... where it is suicide to ride between the lanes of traffic in Panama city everyone does it , I figured there should be a law to prevent doing this but no , even the cops ride between the traffic lanes usually with a second rider on the back carrying an Automatic rifle LOL . Even though it would be easy to hit a Motorcycle just changing lanes it never seem to happen . Virtually every rider is on a 125 cc & has a top speed of mabe 40 MPH . They even ride down the highway on them & you come up on them fast , moving that slow . The craziest thing I have seen here is a guy on a 125 riding down the highway @ 40 MPH @ night with nothing reflective on him or the bike with nothing for a tail light !!  I have seen 1/2 dozen people doing this ... just stupid LOL !!
The cool part here is there really isn''t traffic laws or enforcement but there are far less accidents than I am used to seeing in North America . Laws put you to sleep , here every driver is super alert as anyone will do anything at any moment , it is intimidating to drive here at first but once you get used to it I actually prefer it here .
Have you thought about moving to Panama Natcho ??

[ACUDANUT]

NO. I just lost a good friend on a Motorcycle. He had been riding for 30 years.

He left behind 2 10 year old Daughters.  It really sucked seeing him dead.

[Fred]

Yeah reality hits hard. Makes you realise how vulnerable we all really are and how quickly it can all be over.
Have to admit, I do feel safer in a car. Might be a false sense of security but I hope I'll never have to find out.

[Nacho-RT74]

I would never ride a small bike ever..... sometimes riding defensive means getting out someones way & having the power to do so quickly .
Panama is interesting to say the least .... where it is suicide to ride between the lanes of traffic in Panama city everyone does it , I figured there should be a law to prevent doing this but no , even the cops ride between the traffic lanes usually with a second rider on the back carrying an Automatic rifle LOL . Even though it would be easy to hit a Motorcycle just changing lanes it never seem to happen . Virtually every rider is on a 125 cc & has a top speed of mabe 40 MPH . They even ride down the highway on them & you come up on them fast , moving that slow . The craziest thing I have seen here is a guy on a 125 riding down the highway @ 40 MPH @ night with nothing reflective on him or the bike with nothing for a tail light !!  I have seen 1/2 dozen people doing this ... just stupid LOL !!
The cool part here is there really isn''t traffic laws or enforcement but there are far less accidents than I am used to seeing in North America . Laws put you to sleep , here every driver is super alert as anyone will do anything at any moment , it is intimidating to drive here at first but once you get used to it I actually prefer it here .

Here we have from small bikes to big bikes without difference. Because the economical inflation and hard to afford the bike itself year by year, small cc bikes are becoming popular, but not for the gas prices, like maybe it could be in Panama.

Here bikers drives exactly the same including authorities, with a diff: the law doesn't allow that... butt... who will tell you not to do it if traffic authorities do the same. However we do have accidents.

Another problem is the small cc bikes ( China made mostly of them, from 100cc to maybe 150cc ) are used by thefts to steel in between the traffic, with guns. If you see two men on a bike like that, BECAREFULL, mostly the rear passenger is an armed thief.

We even have "MOTOTAXIS" ( taxi bike ) what are easy to confuse with thiefts

Have you thought about moving to Panama Natcho ??

not really. I have a friends who have relateds living there though. And actually is who talked me about the bike

[1969chargerrtse]

Yeah reality hits hard. Makes you realise how vulnerable we all really are and how quickly it can all be over.
Have to admit, I do feel safer in a car. Might be a false sense of security but I hope I'll never have to find out.

This can be a topic on it's own.  You have to level the playing field on the logic.  Of course riding a bike as a much as you drive a car increases the chance of being hit and or killed.  I use mine for light enjoyment.  But I've been driving for 40 years on a bike, many decades when I was younger and stupid I drove all day/night and fast.  But here I am alive.  So I'm not ignoring my enjoyment of 40 years of riding by telling others, oh no you may get killed.  I read daily all the people in my city area that get killed by guns.  Way way more than any bike accidents or death, but I'm not telling anyone not to buy or own a gun.
You guys are spooking me out, you're gonna make me afraid to ride.  Back to the original thread .

[Budnicks]

My post wasn't to scare anybody   , but just to think about learning on something else, before you drive on the busy streets or hwys, have fun but be very defensive, it's the guy/gal you don't see or that doesn't see you, that is the main problem   ... Buy away, ride away, stay safe, bikes are very fun & fulfilling riding enjoyment... Good luck, ultimately "it's your life, do what makes you happy", I'm just trying to share 45 years of experiences riding, to make you think...  

[stripedelete]

My post wasn't to scare anybody   , but just to think about learning on something else, before you drive on the busy streets or hwys, have fun but be very defensive, it's the guy/gal you don't see or that doesn't see you, that is the main problem   ... Buy away, ride away, stay safe, bikes are very fun & fulfilling riding enjoyment... Good luck, ultimately "it's your life, do what makes you happy", I'm just trying to share 45 years of experiences riding, to make you think...  

You don't need to explain anything about your post.

There are as many dead or maimed, safe, experienced, bikers as there are dead/maimed, unsafe, inexperienced, bikers.  That 17 yr old texting his/her possse doesn't really care about anyone's experience level. 

Imo, a long healthy life is about shaving the odds.  For me, two wheels out on the road is a high risk, low reward, proposition.
So, buy a dirt bike and go crazy. 

[Fred]

Yeah reality hits hard. Makes you realise how vulnerable we all really are and how quickly it can all be over.
Have to admit, I do feel safer in a car. Might be a false sense of security but I hope I'll never have to find out.

This can be a topic on it's own.  You have to level the playing field on the logic.  Of course riding a bike as a much as you drive a car increases the chance of being hit and or killed.  I use mine for light enjoyment.  But I've been driving for 40 years on a bike, many decades when I was younger and stupid I drove all day/night and fast.  But here I am alive.  So I'm not ignoring my enjoyment of 40 years of riding by telling others, oh no you may get killed.  I read daily all the people in my city area that get killed by guns.  Way way more than any bike accidents or death, but I'm not telling anyone not to buy or own a gun.
You guys are spooking me out, you're gonna make me afraid to ride.  Back to the original thread .

Don't listen to me. I'm at an age whereby I'm no longer prepaired to take risks. 

[1969chargerrtse]

My post wasn't to scare anybody   , but just to think about learning on something else, before you drive on the busy streets or hwys, have fun but be very defensive, it's the guy/gal you don't see or that doesn't see you, that is the main problem   ... Buy away, ride away, stay safe, bikes are very fun & fulfilling riding enjoyment... Good luck, ultimately "it's your life, do what makes you happy", I'm just trying to share 45 years of experiences riding, to make you think...  

You don't need to explain anything about your post.

There are as many dead or maimed, safe, experienced, bikers as there are dead/maimed, unsafe, inexperienced, bikers.  That 17 yr old texting his/her possse doesn't really care about anyone's experience level.  

Imo, a long healthy life is about shaving the odds.  For me, two wheels out on the road is a high risk, low reward, proposition.
So, buy a dirt bike and go crazy.  

No no no. Don't get a dirt bike!  I know someone killed on one. How about powered parashutes?  That looks like fun and the shutes always open.  

Billions of people ride bikes world wide. You wanna bike. Buy one. Be safe and enjoy life.

[Nacho-RT74]

Guys, ppl get death on cars too, so

My post wasn't to scare anybody  , but just to think about learning on something else, before you drive on the busy streets or hwys, have fun but be very defensive, it's the guy/gal you don't see or that doesn't see you, that is the main problem  ... Buy away, ride away, stay safe, bikes are very fun & fulfilling riding enjoyment... Good luck, ultimately "it's your life, do what makes you happy", I'm just trying to share 45 years of experiences riding, to make you think... 

You don't need to explain anything about your post.

There are as many dead or maimed, safe, experienced, bikers as there are dead/maimed, unsafe, inexperienced, bikers.  That 17 yr old texting his/her possse doesn't really care about anyone's experience level. 

Imo, a long healthy life is about shaving the odds.  For me, two wheels out on the road is a high risk, low reward, proposition.
So, buy a dirt bike and go crazy. 

No no no. Don't get a dirt bike!  I know someone killed on one. How about powered parashutes?  That looks like fun and the shutes always open. 

Billions of people ride bikes world wide. You wanna bike. Buy one. Be safe and enjoy life.

LOL I was thinking the same

[nvrbdn]

just to be safe, you cant eat red meat, red m&m's, go out in the sun, walk across the street,(even when the light is in your favor), go outside at night because of mosquitos, run with scissors in your hand, have unprotected sex, jump from a moving train....... seems like all the fun things are bad for you. im riding again, and enjoying it. take a class, watch what your doing, enjoy.

[Indygenerallee]

Hey in the end we all have to die so enjoy life a do what you enjoy and if you happen to die while doing it at least you were not couped up fearing your last moment!! 

[stripedelete]

Guys, ppl get death on cars too, so

My post wasn't to scare anybody  , but just to think about learning on something else, before you drive on the busy streets or hwys, have fun but be very defensive, it's the guy/gal you don't see or that doesn't see you, that is the main problem  ... Buy away, ride away, stay safe, bikes are very fun & fulfilling riding enjoyment... Good luck, ultimately "it's your life, do what makes you happy", I'm just trying to share 45 years of experiences riding, to make you think... 

You don't need to explain anything about your post.

There are as many dead or maimed, safe, experienced, bikers as there are dead/maimed, unsafe, inexperienced, bikers.  That 17 yr old texting his/her possse doesn't really care about anyone's experience level. 

Imo, a long healthy life is about shaving the odds.  For me, two wheels out on the road is a high risk, low reward, proposition.
So, buy a dirt bike and go crazy. 

No no no. Don't get a dirt bike!  I know someone killed on one. How about powered parashutes?  That looks like fun and the shutes always open. 

Billions of people ride bikes world wide. You wanna bike. Buy one. Be safe and enjoy life.

LOL I was thinking the same

Ok here's another option.   A kidney is worth about $450k on the black market.  Sell one now (instead of giving it away) and put the money towards gas.   

 

[Ponch ®]

not to freak you guys out, but I know of people that have died as a consequence of using the internet.