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Author
Topic: So, motorcycles...
Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 01:23:06 AM
Gas prices and my budget being what they are, I'm strongly considering getting a motorcycle rather than replacing my car. I do a lot of in-town driving, which gets pricey in my old wreck of Pontiac, which is inicidentally in less-than-ideal repair; the cost to do all the stuff that needs done to make that car last exceed the sale value so I'm not too keen on dropping that kind of cash.

So, what I would like from you folks is twofold: recommendations on good entry-level bikes and, preferably, a website for motorcycles similar to cars.com where I can look up some reviews. Right now, I have a hard-on for the Ducati Monster 695 but that mainly based on how it looks (sexy!). Any advice on the matter is much appreciated.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Mr. Gainsborough
posted 04-22-2007 03:40:00 AM
this will not help your love life
Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 03:52:37 AM
quote:
This one time, at Mr. Gainsborough camp:
this will not help your love life

No, it won't, but it'll save money on gas, which is the point.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Pvednes
Lynched
posted 04-22-2007 05:04:09 AM
From the day he was born
He was trouble
He was the thorn
In his mother's side
She tried in vain
Alidane
Urinary Tract Infection
posted 04-22-2007 06:04:46 AM
Call 'em what they really are--donorcycles.
Noxhil2
Pancake
posted 04-22-2007 06:06:39 AM
If you've never ridden a motorcycle it isn't a great idea to start with a 700cc bike. Also, realize there are additional associated costs with owning a motorcycle, and you should really do the math and think hard before you make this change.

An old Civic or Corolla will get in the high 30's in town.

Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 10:52:09 AM
quote:
Noxhil2 had this to say about pies:
If you've never ridden a motorcycle it isn't a great idea to start with a 700cc bike. Also, realize there are additional associated costs with owning a motorcycle, and you should really do the math and think hard before you make this change.

An old Civic or Corolla will get in the high 30's in town.


Could anyone enlighten me as to these costs? I really know nothing about what I'm getting into and, as ever, I don't where to start my research. As it stands, I'm dropping about 50 bucks every week and a half on gas, which is quite a bit too much for my budget; a motorcycle will always be significantly more efficient than any car in that respect, which is why I'm giving the idea serious consideration. A friend of mine knows of a good motorcycle class I could take and possibly has a bike I could practice on before getting my own.

The other consideration is the cost of vehicle itself, both immediately and for maintenance. If it came down to it, I have better chances learning how to fix a bike than my car. Motorcycles are also cheaper initially if I shop around bit for a good used one. Regardless of any other factors, I'm not in a position financially to procure any new vehicle at all until late this year or sometime next year, so I'd like to start my research now.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

nem-x
posted 04-22-2007 11:05:41 AM
Maradon!
posted 04-22-2007 11:06:44 AM
quote:
Peanut butter ass Shaq Damnati booooze lime pole over bench lick:
Could anyone enlighten me as to these costs?

You can't ride a bike in snow or hard rain, and you really don't want to ride a bike in very cold weather. In short, you'll still need a car. That means two sets of insurance, all the car associated expenses like inspections and maintenance, plus all the bike related expenses like gear and so on.

All in all, unless you live in an area with notoriously favorable weather and can ditch your car, you'll probably end up spending more just in insurance than you would save in gas.

Bikes are a fun, expensive hobby, not a money-saving commuter.

At least, that's how it worked out last time I looked.

indegloriafeestbeest
Not Smart
posted 04-22-2007 04:58:16 PM
Consider this.....
Last year I had an accident with a motorcycle. I was in a car,and was making a leftside turn. Out of nowhere a bike came,and crashed with me. the guy flew about 12 meters trough the air,bike and all. He had to be rushed to hospital where he sadly lost his left leg, cut of a little under the knee.... (bumper hight). Of course it came to a court case and i was fined for not giving way while making a left turn,but the court ruled the accident was not my fault due to the speed of the bike (120 km/h in a residential zone where 50km/h is allowed....). So the insurrance is not paying him.
My point? As a motorcyclist you're very very very vunreable,in a car you at least have some protection (i had absolutely nothing,but the car was totalled)
Stay in a car,PLease! I still have problems driving near motorcycles.....
you're born as a child and you die like a child..... inbetween you have a identitycrisis.....
Ryuujin
posted 04-22-2007 05:28:03 PM
quote:
Everyone wondered WTF when nem-x wrote:
get a vespa

i would


If you weren't buying a gun

nem-x
posted 04-22-2007 07:12:17 PM
maybe i'll get both

that'll show you

Maradon!
posted 04-22-2007 07:42:21 PM
Yeah, motorcycles are dangerous, but so is eating, going outside, and living in chicago, and lots of people do those things. At least on a motorcycle you have a fairly great degree of control over HOW dangerous it is.

If buddy hadn't been speeding like a retard and had better situational awareness he'd have a leg today.

Mortious
Gluttonous Overlard
posted 04-22-2007 08:01:24 PM
Motorcycles are for middle aged guys that are having a mid life crisis, desperately clinging onto their youth through their bike.

But sage does look good in those leathers.

nem-x
posted 04-22-2007 08:56:22 PM
Tier
posted 04-22-2007 09:06:53 PM
Mass transit.
Maradon!
posted 04-22-2007 09:23:00 PM
quote:
Peanut butter ass Shaq Asha'man booooze lime pole over bench lick:
Mass transit.

Not viable in the vast majority of cities. In every town I've ever been to, using mass transit of any kind, be it bus, subway, monorail, whatever, turns a 15 minute commute into a 45 minute - 1 hour commute, and that's IF it's running on time.

And then there's the hassle of having to build your entire work day around their schedule, running to catch the last train or bus, or sitting in a terminal waiting for one.

Absolutely the dregs of transportation, to be avoided at all cost.

Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 09:38:18 PM
As far as weather goes, I live in San Diego; we get rain about 6 times a year total here. Insurance was one of the concerns I had; it's not problem to maintain my car insurance, I get that really cheap, but I don't know what it costs to insure a motorcycle.
Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Maradon!
posted 04-22-2007 10:28:49 PM
quote:
Peanut butter ass Shaq Damnati booooze lime pole over bench lick:
As far as weather goes, I live in San Diego; we get rain about 6 times a year total here. Insurance was one of the concerns I had; it's not problem to maintain my car insurance, I get that really cheap, but I don't know what it costs to insure a motorcycle.

From what I can tell, it's actually a lot less than auto insurance, but your health and life insurance both go up >_<

Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 10:55:32 PM
quote:
Maradon! had this to say about Punky Brewster:
From what I can tell, it's actually a lot less than auto insurance, but your health and life insurance both go up >_<

I know it's bad but I don't have either of those...I need more income badly. -_-

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Greenlit
posted 04-22-2007 11:07:27 PM
Then don't buy a fucking motorcycle.
Mr. Parcelan
posted 04-22-2007 11:10:51 PM
quote:
How.... nem-x.... uughhhhhh:
get a vespa

i would


Me too.

Let's start a gang.

Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 11:16:02 PM
So, none of this really helps in starting some research on the pros and cons of motorcycles. My income at the moment isn't entirely relevent as I won't be buying until the end of this year at the soonest. Before then, I need to have a good idea of what I'd be getting into. What kind of expenses to expect, pitfalls, benefits, etc. I understand they can be expensive but I need to know what kind of expensive.
Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Densetsu
NOT DRYSART
posted 04-22-2007 11:33:45 PM
If you do not have health insurance, do not buy a motorcycle.

This should honestly be the end of the discussion. Yarp.

I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl, we ate lobster, drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over, and over?
Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-22-2007 11:35:26 PM
quote:
Verily, Densetsu doth proclaim:
If you do not have health insurance, do not buy a motorcycle.

This should honestly be the end of the discussion. Yarp.


Like my income, that's apt to change by the time I can afford to be actually buying a bike.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Karnaj
Road Warrior Queef
posted 04-23-2007 09:35:23 AM
quote:
Aw, geez, I have Maradon! all over myself!
Not viable in the vast majority of cities.

It's true. Any city that was really built-up after, say 1900, is car-centric, which basically means every city that's not in the BosWash megalopolis, and maybe a few others scattered across the country.

And if you live west of the Mississippi(with a few exceptions, of course), forget about it. Mass transit is for the poor and homeless and illegals. You wouldn't want to sit next to a Mexican on a bus ride, now would you?

Of course, in my case, it makes complete sense. It costs me around $10 per day to commute via mass transit. To drive into the city would cost me $13 in tolls, plus around $50 for parking, plus gas and wear and tear. And it would take me even longer than my 1.5 hour 1-way commute. I'm sure that if I lived in Phoenix or Austin, I'd easily be able to zip along some freeway to my job in half the time.

But fuck that noise, the Northeast is where it's at.

That's the American Dream: to make your life into something you can sell. - Chuck Palahniuk, Haunted

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith



Beer.

Y.O.T.C
No longer a Towel Girl
posted 04-26-2007 01:59:59 AM
If your not going far a vespa is a viable option.
Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-26-2007 02:13:21 AM
quote:
Verily, Y.O.T.C doth proclaim:
If your not going far a vespa is a viable option.

Doesn't seem much less expensive than a motorcycle, though, and has most of the same drawbacks.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Alidane
Urinary Tract Infection
posted 04-26-2007 02:34:12 AM
quote:
Karnaj posted

But fuck that noise, the Northeast is where it's at.


I've always been curious about the northeast, because it seems so different from california, but I don't know if I could really handle actual seasons. Plus, I mean, jobs.

Bloodsage
Heart Attack
posted 04-26-2007 12:29:04 PM
1. Don't learn on a sport bike. That's stupid.

2. Don't learn from a friend. That's stupid.

3. Take an MSF course. Period. If you can't afford that, you can't afford to ride.

4. Good helmets cost $$. Anything under $300 is more fashion than protection.

5. You'd also need boots, leather gloves, and a leather jacket. Anyone who rides without boots and gloves is an idiot. Aerostitch makes protective suits you can wear over street clothes. $$

6. It's cheaper to buy a used car.

7. Don't buy a used motorcycle unless you know what you're doing. You don't.

8. A 500cc Honda Shadow (if they still exist) or a BMW F650 are good beginner types.

9. Buy a used car.

To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

--Satan, quoted by John Milton

Batty
Doesn't Like You. Specifically you.
posted 04-26-2007 12:37:18 PM
For once, I agree entirely with Bloodsage.
Damnati
Filthy
posted 04-26-2007 01:15:21 PM
quote:
Bloodsage had this to say about Duck Tales:
1. Don't learn on a sport bike. That's stupid.

2. Don't learn from a friend. That's stupid.

3. Take an MSF course. Period. If you can't afford that, you can't afford to ride.

4. Good helmets cost $$. Anything under $300 is more fashion than protection.

5. You'd also need boots, leather gloves, and a leather jacket. Anyone who rides without boots and gloves is an idiot. Aerostitch makes protective suits you can wear over street clothes. $$

6. It's cheaper to buy a used car.

7. Don't buy a used motorcycle unless you know what you're doing. You don't.

8. A 500cc Honda Shadow (if they still exist) or a BMW F650 are good beginner types.

9. Buy a used car.


Most useful post thus far. The friend with the bike recommended a class he himself took, I intend to take it over the summer. My contentions with buying a car have been stated; gas costs, insurance costs, and the cost of the car itself is generally more than a bike...or so I understand. The point of this thread was to find a starting point to assess those costs. As for protective gear, I anticipated dropping around 500 bucks on it but if it's more, whatever. Safety is more important than money.

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides and life and death alike follow in its wake. -Phèdre nó Delaunay, Kushiel's Chosen

It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java the thoughts aquire speed, the teeth acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.

Karnaj
Road Warrior Queef
posted 04-26-2007 01:44:54 PM
quote:
Alidane screamed this from the crapper:
I've always been curious about the northeast, because it seems so different from california, but I don't know if I could really handle actual seasons. Plus, I mean, jobs.

Here's the skinny on seasons in the Northeast:

In the winter, it's too damn cold.
In the spring, it's too damn rainy.
In the summer, it's too damn hot.
In the autumn, it's actually very nice.

And all year 'round, it's too damn crowded. But I think you'd find ample employment opportunities in the Northeast, especially for IT or Pharmaceutical positions.

That's the American Dream: to make your life into something you can sell. - Chuck Palahniuk, Haunted

Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith



Beer.

Maradon!
posted 04-26-2007 02:35:11 PM
The north east has four seasons:

1. Almost winter
2. Winter
3. Still winter
4. Road construction

Maradon!
posted 04-26-2007 02:41:15 PM
quote:
Over the mountain, in between the ups and downs, I ran into Maradon! who doth quote:
four seasons

~fooooouuur loves...

Maradon! fucked around with this message on 04-26-2007 at 02:41 PM.

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