Owning a Motorcycle in Southern California?
As we all know gas prices are quickly rising to outrageous prices, for myself owning a V8 Titan and not being able to get rid of it to save my life is killing me every month on the gas bill. Even though it freaks my girlfriend out I am strongly thinking about getting a Honda cruiser or something a long those lines. Some bikes are 5 grand brand new and get nearly 50mpg, only costing about 20-30 bucks to fill up. I wanted the bike to go to and from work Huntington Beach to Santa Ana (11 miles). I wanted input from people living in the Orange County area who use a motorcycle to get to and from work, is it as scary as everyone makes it out to be? Is the danger worth the money you save? I need some convincing either way. Thanks for the help, Dom. Just a side note, I've never driven a motorcycle in my life. I'm only thinking about it because of gas prices and it seems and I've heard it's very relaxing and gives you a lot of freedom.
Motorcycles - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I live by Knotts Berry Farm, ride to work next to Long Beach Airport (10 1/2 miles). Are we comparing apples to oranges here? I've been riding for 33 years. Are you new/never rode/long time rider? Orange County's about the same as most places around here. You ALWAYS have to have your eyes open and your mind wrapped around what you're doing. The route you ride will make a difference. Some roads are less traveled than others, less traffic. But usually that's because of a reason, like many long red lights, etc. Like life itself, it's a trade-off.
2 :
I live in So California and have ridden off and on most of my life ,yes riding a motorcycle is dangerous but so is driving a car ,riding on the freeway is probably the most dangerous part of riding as car drivers don't look for you and they will change lanes right into you ,when your riding a bike you have to be very aware of what is happening it front of and beside you at all times it's when you let your guard down or take your mind off what your doing that something happens and you go down
3 :
I live in Northern California. You have a great advantage in California in that you can ride all year round, so you don't have to store the bike for several months every year. Yes, bikes are dangerous but there are ways to minimise the danger. Go to YouTube and search for 'motorcycle' and you'll see why they're so dangerous--it's the testosterone-poisoned young men that are dangerous, not so much the bikes themselves. 8^) If you want a cruiser you are probably already safer than the average rider--the average rider wants a hot sport bike. Cruisers are for relaxed, laid-back biking, which is safer. They are easier to ride, too, especially for newbies. And I think freeways are safer than city streets. Your biggest hazard are the people in the cars. They don't see you (because they don't LOOK for you!) They will pull into your lane, but you learn to anticipate that. You learn to stay out of people's blind spots. At least of the freeway everyone is in his own lane and going the same direction, there are no idiots backing out of driveways without looking, or making a left turn right in front of you. It's worth it to take the MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). You can hook up with them through your local DMV. Money well spent! You also need a helmet, and want a good abrasion-resistant jacket and gloves. About half of all motorcycle accidents (and fatalities) happen in the first year, so safety is your primary concern when starting out. There is more in the economic equation than gas. Bike tires don't last as long as car tires but cost as much. If the bike is chain drive you need a new chain and sprockets every 10,000-20,000 miles. OTOH Japanese bikes are as reliable and long-lasting as Japanese cars. I wouldn't recommend going out and buying a shiny new bike. You should get an older bike (I mean like 5-10 years old) for your first bike. You're going to be hard on your first bike! You're going to abuse the clutch, and you might even drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it. If you get an old 'beater', you can ride it for a year, then sell it for about what you paid for it. And by then you'll have a better idea of what you really want.
As we all know gas prices are quickly rising to outrageous prices, for myself owning a V8 Titan and not being able to get rid of it to save my life is killing me every month on the gas bill. Even though it freaks my girlfriend out I am strongly thinking about getting a Honda cruiser or something a long those lines. Some bikes are 5 grand brand new and get nearly 50mpg, only costing about 20-30 bucks to fill up. I wanted the bike to go to and from work Huntington Beach to Santa Ana (11 miles). I wanted input from people living in the Orange County area who use a motorcycle to get to and from work, is it as scary as everyone makes it out to be? Is the danger worth the money you save? I need some convincing either way. Thanks for the help, Dom. Just a side note, I've never driven a motorcycle in my life. I'm only thinking about it because of gas prices and it seems and I've heard it's very relaxing and gives you a lot of freedom.
Motorcycles - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I live by Knotts Berry Farm, ride to work next to Long Beach Airport (10 1/2 miles). Are we comparing apples to oranges here? I've been riding for 33 years. Are you new/never rode/long time rider? Orange County's about the same as most places around here. You ALWAYS have to have your eyes open and your mind wrapped around what you're doing. The route you ride will make a difference. Some roads are less traveled than others, less traffic. But usually that's because of a reason, like many long red lights, etc. Like life itself, it's a trade-off.
2 :
I live in So California and have ridden off and on most of my life ,yes riding a motorcycle is dangerous but so is driving a car ,riding on the freeway is probably the most dangerous part of riding as car drivers don't look for you and they will change lanes right into you ,when your riding a bike you have to be very aware of what is happening it front of and beside you at all times it's when you let your guard down or take your mind off what your doing that something happens and you go down
3 :
I live in Northern California. You have a great advantage in California in that you can ride all year round, so you don't have to store the bike for several months every year. Yes, bikes are dangerous but there are ways to minimise the danger. Go to YouTube and search for 'motorcycle' and you'll see why they're so dangerous--it's the testosterone-poisoned young men that are dangerous, not so much the bikes themselves. 8^) If you want a cruiser you are probably already safer than the average rider--the average rider wants a hot sport bike. Cruisers are for relaxed, laid-back biking, which is safer. They are easier to ride, too, especially for newbies. And I think freeways are safer than city streets. Your biggest hazard are the people in the cars. They don't see you (because they don't LOOK for you!) They will pull into your lane, but you learn to anticipate that. You learn to stay out of people's blind spots. At least of the freeway everyone is in his own lane and going the same direction, there are no idiots backing out of driveways without looking, or making a left turn right in front of you. It's worth it to take the MSF course (Motorcycle Safety Foundation). You can hook up with them through your local DMV. Money well spent! You also need a helmet, and want a good abrasion-resistant jacket and gloves. About half of all motorcycle accidents (and fatalities) happen in the first year, so safety is your primary concern when starting out. There is more in the economic equation than gas. Bike tires don't last as long as car tires but cost as much. If the bike is chain drive you need a new chain and sprockets every 10,000-20,000 miles. OTOH Japanese bikes are as reliable and long-lasting as Japanese cars. I wouldn't recommend going out and buying a shiny new bike. You should get an older bike (I mean like 5-10 years old) for your first bike. You're going to be hard on your first bike! You're going to abuse the clutch, and you might even drop it once or twice before you get the hang of it. If you get an old 'beater', you can ride it for a year, then sell it for about what you paid for it. And by then you'll have a better idea of what you really want.
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