Man of Honour
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Shame about the cost of getting a bike licence. It is something I will do at some point though.
Dear car owners ..
- Thread starter britboy4321
- Start date
[TW]Fox;15262080 said:I haveNearly sprained my ankle in the process
Trust you to ruin my point
Please tell me you weren't driving at the time though
For what it's worth, I have considered a bike on numerous occasions - every point the OP makes is valid, the cost savings, the time savings, the performance, even the ease of parking. However, what happens when you want to go to ikea or the tip? What if you want to ferry some friends over to sunny plymouth for the day? What about when I need to carry servers around? What if I want to get to work without developing frostbite and piles?
Sure you could have the best of both worlds by having a car AND a bike, but that renders most benefits useless to me
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Man of Honour
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He was probably 'ghost riding the whip'
Brian Harvey would like to disagree with you.
I drove, my brother fell off and cracked his head open. Now had he been on a bike he would have been fine
I'm looking at doing my CBT in the spring once the cold weather is over. I can't wait!
What did he do?
Fell out of his own car and ran himself over.
ive already noticed patchs of ice on walls when im taking my kid to school in the mornings i guess it wont be much longer until he posts a thread about sliding across the floor and losing all the skin on his bum
We should be rationing oxygen for people who manage to do stuff like that.
My point remains anyway - if the only people to manage it are the sub-pool of human existance, then the rest of us don't need to worry!
I ride a bike and drive a car so am fairly objective and can see both sides.
You're riding a small engined bike. Very quickly it will bore the hell out of you and you'll be hankering for something bigger. When this does happen (and it will), you will be trading you awesome MPG figures for something more like an average family car. For example my DL1000 got 32mpg, my ZZR1100 gets 50mpg.
Not too bad at all. But then consider that whereas a car can typically carry 5 people, a bike will normally carry 1 or very occasionally 2. Divide the MPG figure by the number of people being transported and then the eco credentials start to look less favourable.
Practicality is also a big compromise on a bike. Whilst it may take me 10 minutes less to get to work on a bike, by the time I've factored in kitting up and de-kitting to the journey time, the car actually wins.
Want to give a friend a lift? Car wins unless your friends all have their own PPE and carry it with them on the off chance you'll give them a lift.
Going to a gig/show/movie? Enjoy sitting through that in your gear balancing your lid somewhere safe. Failing that, spend the entire evening wondering if you backbox will contain anything when you get out.
Going to Ikea? Givi luggage is good, but it isn't that good!
Snow? I've ridden daily in snow. It's possible, but is sphincter clenchingly scary.
Cost? Bikes are cheaper than cars mainly, insurance isn't necessarily. For your putput it is, but get to 600cc bikes and it evens out or swings the other way.
Add to the cost of the bike the money that you can (should) buy to protect yourself, then work out what you need more than one of and add that on. Then security items etc etc. It's not cheap when done properly.
Safety. You can ride as safely as humanly possible, but it's everyone else you need to be aware of. Your chances of being in an accident aren't significantly higher than when driving a car, but the likelihood of being killed or seriously injured are massively increased. It's fact. Rationalise it how you see fit, but know that it is a far bigger risk than being in a car.
That said....
I get more pleasure from 10 minutes on a bike than 10 days in a car. Driving for me is functional, riding is something to look forward to.
I'd seriously suggest more people try riding, if only to see why so many people are willing to overlook the negatives I have given. also so they can get an idea of how it feels to have to treat every other road user as someone with the intent desire to kill you!
You're riding a small engined bike. Very quickly it will bore the hell out of you and you'll be hankering for something bigger. When this does happen (and it will), you will be trading you awesome MPG figures for something more like an average family car. For example my DL1000 got 32mpg, my ZZR1100 gets 50mpg.
Not too bad at all. But then consider that whereas a car can typically carry 5 people, a bike will normally carry 1 or very occasionally 2. Divide the MPG figure by the number of people being transported and then the eco credentials start to look less favourable.
Practicality is also a big compromise on a bike. Whilst it may take me 10 minutes less to get to work on a bike, by the time I've factored in kitting up and de-kitting to the journey time, the car actually wins.
Want to give a friend a lift? Car wins unless your friends all have their own PPE and carry it with them on the off chance you'll give them a lift.
Going to a gig/show/movie? Enjoy sitting through that in your gear balancing your lid somewhere safe. Failing that, spend the entire evening wondering if you backbox will contain anything when you get out.
Going to Ikea? Givi luggage is good, but it isn't that good!
Snow? I've ridden daily in snow. It's possible, but is sphincter clenchingly scary.
Cost? Bikes are cheaper than cars mainly, insurance isn't necessarily. For your putput it is, but get to 600cc bikes and it evens out or swings the other way.
Add to the cost of the bike the money that you can (should) buy to protect yourself, then work out what you need more than one of and add that on. Then security items etc etc. It's not cheap when done properly.
Safety. You can ride as safely as humanly possible, but it's everyone else you need to be aware of. Your chances of being in an accident aren't significantly higher than when driving a car, but the likelihood of being killed or seriously injured are massively increased. It's fact. Rationalise it how you see fit, but know that it is a far bigger risk than being in a car.
That said....
I get more pleasure from 10 minutes on a bike than 10 days in a car. Driving for me is functional, riding is something to look forward to.
I'd seriously suggest more people try riding, if only to see why so many people are willing to overlook the negatives I have given. also so they can get an idea of how it feels to have to treat every other road user as someone with the intent desire to kill you!
Thought about buying 125cc chinese chopper many times but every time after reviewing all the pros and cons I conclude 125cc biking just doesn't work for commuting:
1. I never met a biker that had several years of experience and not have any accident. Any guy with a bike i can think of had something stitched, torn, ripped, cut or put in cast at some point. Such is the character of South East.
2. 70 mph morning traffic on A road to London, and you have about 50mph with wind from behind of screaming at the top of RPMs chinese technology to pull your weight in and out of HGV lane for 30-40 miles. Stuff is going to happen sooner or later.
3. 40 miles commute each way adds up to 400-500 miles a week. That's what - small service and oil change every month. Who has time?
4. You wake up, put on your gear, go outside, it starts raining cats and dogs. Too late for train, wife already took the car. There goes your entire master plan for the working day.
5. Summer, autumn or spring, business meeting or mate's birthday, you turn up to work in the same worn, road dirt, rain and wheel splatter tanned Power Ranger outfit. Could be worse I suppose. You could be one of those nerdy push bikers that turn up to the office in gloves, mirror sun glasses, tour de france crotch bulging lycra outfit and plastic bed pan on their head and then expect to be treated according to the title on their business card.
1. I never met a biker that had several years of experience and not have any accident. Any guy with a bike i can think of had something stitched, torn, ripped, cut or put in cast at some point. Such is the character of South East.
2. 70 mph morning traffic on A road to London, and you have about 50mph with wind from behind of screaming at the top of RPMs chinese technology to pull your weight in and out of HGV lane for 30-40 miles. Stuff is going to happen sooner or later.
3. 40 miles commute each way adds up to 400-500 miles a week. That's what - small service and oil change every month. Who has time?
4. You wake up, put on your gear, go outside, it starts raining cats and dogs. Too late for train, wife already took the car. There goes your entire master plan for the working day.
5. Summer, autumn or spring, business meeting or mate's birthday, you turn up to work in the same worn, road dirt, rain and wheel splatter tanned Power Ranger outfit. Could be worse I suppose. You could be one of those nerdy push bikers that turn up to the office in gloves, mirror sun glasses, tour de france crotch bulging lycra outfit and plastic bed pan on their head and then expect to be treated according to the title on their business card.
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Man of Honour
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Soldato
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The 1st thing I ever did on a motorbike was fall off. I'm not very good on them.
I commuted to work for two years on a motorbike.
I got fed up of having to spend my life getting changed, having bad hair and having a creased shirt. However ultimately, it really was the rain and cold that got me in the end. That and I realised that I could get a car that cost less on tax and was more fuel efficient than the motorbike.
It was enjoyable at first though, however when whatever you drive/ride every day becomes a chore, the love dies.
I got fed up of having to spend my life getting changed, having bad hair and having a creased shirt. However ultimately, it really was the rain and cold that got me in the end. That and I realised that I could get a car that cost less on tax and was more fuel efficient than the motorbike.
It was enjoyable at first though, however when whatever you drive/ride every day becomes a chore, the love dies.
I got a YZF-R125 in June, to get to work quicker and cheaper. I still use the cars on occasional days. But the way I looked at it, as Ford Fiesta 30-40 MPG, YZF 80 - 100 MPG, toll tunnel Ford Fiesta £1.08, YZF £0.18, plus on the way back from work, I can bypass between half a mile to a mile of toll tunnel waiting traffic by going right down the middle.
Been riding about 4 years now, through 3 winters and coming into the 4th now.
Im abit bemused why people are afraid of riding in the wet, its not that bad at all, especially with some good sports touring rubber underneath you.
Much like others though, I used to love biking so much when I started but as I ride everyday the love of it just dies and it becomes a chore.
I tend to combat this by changing bikes almost yearly
Would love to get a car but I would have to give up biking in order to afford it.
Something Im not willing to do.
Im abit bemused why people are afraid of riding in the wet, its not that bad at all, especially with some good sports touring rubber underneath you.
Much like others though, I used to love biking so much when I started but as I ride everyday the love of it just dies and it becomes a chore.
I tend to combat this by changing bikes almost yearly
Would love to get a car but I would have to give up biking in order to afford it.
Something Im not willing to do.
Associate
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Some good points made above, especially with the cost. A bandit 650 did about 50mpg in a commute - and obviously more on the motorway, but the tank is small (~20 litres) so you do fill up much more often. The cost of gear and insurance adds up, and biking in awful weather is no fun at all.
Depending on the journey you can save anywhere from a lot of time to hardly any time, if you include the time taken to get the kit on and off.
It's great that you're trying it, but you'll soon move up from a 125, and ultimately you probably won't bike to work everyday, especially not in the winter.
Keep the bike for fun, and it'll stay fun. Use it everyday and it'll become dull and a bit boring.
Depending on the journey you can save anywhere from a lot of time to hardly any time, if you include the time taken to get the kit on and off.
It's great that you're trying it, but you'll soon move up from a 125, and ultimately you probably won't bike to work everyday, especially not in the winter.
Keep the bike for fun, and it'll stay fun. Use it everyday and it'll become dull and a bit boring.
Associate
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Some interesting points but I think at the end of the day it depends what type of person you are to how much you ride and enjoy it.
I started out on a CBR125, did that for 5 months to get used to biking and see if I would like it...I did and found I could ride for hours on the 125 easy, even on A roads where I had to scream it to hold 60
Ok now the weathers started to get a tad cruddy but still I enjoy riding, even tonight which was City to Luton Airport leaving at 4pm, It wee;d down and the M1 was a slow joke of a road with heavy rain and frankly retarded drivers.
But I still got to the airport dry under my gear, had a mental and physical workout on the way and beat any car or train from the City to airport.
Biking, as said above, is so involving compared to - once Id got used to the 125 and now my CBR600 I drive a car differenlty to before biking and being honest find driving even easier.
I wish all road users had to spend time on a motorbike, I reckon it would make lots drive better and frankly remove the usless ones from the genepool!
I started out on a CBR125, did that for 5 months to get used to biking and see if I would like it...I did and found I could ride for hours on the 125 easy, even on A roads where I had to scream it to hold 60
Ok now the weathers started to get a tad cruddy but still I enjoy riding, even tonight which was City to Luton Airport leaving at 4pm, It wee;d down and the M1 was a slow joke of a road with heavy rain and frankly retarded drivers.
But I still got to the airport dry under my gear, had a mental and physical workout on the way and beat any car or train from the City to airport.
Biking, as said above, is so involving compared to - once Id got used to the 125 and now my CBR600 I drive a car differenlty to before biking and being honest find driving even easier.
I wish all road users had to spend time on a motorbike, I reckon it would make lots drive better and frankly remove the usless ones from the genepool!