Why do you ride a motorbike?

gerbear1

I'm a beginner to bikes, I don't actually own one. I started doing lessons at the start of the year, then I did my driving test on the instructors bike after several months (which I passed). My story is that I just had it in my head that I really wanted to learn how to drive a motorbike, I don't know why, I just wanted to know how to do it for ages, so finally went through the necessary steps. For the first few lessons, I really enjoyed it, the more I got used to the bike though, the less I was enjoying it, maybe it's because it wasn't as new to me any more. Now that I have the test done, I don't really have much interest in getting my own bike, at least not in the foreseeable future. My instructor loved bikes. He has a BMW RT1200, goes touring around Europe.

I'm just wondering, driving a big bike like that, seems to me like it costs almost as much as a small car to run, and you do sacrifice a lot of comfort, plus in general riding a bike comes with more risks, so I'm just wondering to all you bike fans out there, what's your reason for riding motorcycles?

P.S. I'm not putting down bikes in any way, I know they do have advantages over cars (as well as disadvantages). Just curious to see what peoples responses are to why they ride.

paddy147

Less tax to pay.
No need to be looking for a parking space and have to pay a meter every 2-3 hours.

Im sure that would be 2 main reasons for alot of people here,that commute to and from work on a bike.

sf80

- Cheaper tax, fuel, maintenance
- Pick up bikes cheap
- Commuting is much faster
- Sense of freedom; a car feels claustrophobic
- More interesting variety than cars
- Performance/responsiveness
- Community
- Fun!

mikemac1

Zip through city traffic
Can park in work but I couldn't park a car, those spaces belong to the top brass
Free parking in town
Waving at other bikers on spins
Cheap tax and low fuel usage
Girls thrown themselves at me
Can go for a spin in a group or on your own, both are great

bradknowell

Main reason is because bikes are just forking cool and cars are fair boring to be.
Obviously Im a shít cool person so I may aswell get wheels to match me.
Bugger all tax, and no traffic etc etc

Green_Martian

The freedom you get from riding the bike
Quicker commute to work
Not sitting in traffic
Can park in work, would not be able to with the car
Great for going on spins with the lads
Cheap Tax
And the thrill you get when you open up the throttle:D

professore

I love it. That is all.

The other reasons above are not enough. If you don't really enjoy it it's probably not for you. There are lots of disadvantages as you pointed out.

daenerysstormborn3

Cheaper, faster, better.

I just love bikes. Everything about them.

I also ride a motorbike because I have neither the money nor the inclination to put a car on the road and I have no access to public transport where I am.

Please Kill Me

Why? Cos I can! Cos I love them!

Yes there are all the reasons stated above, cheaper to run, cheaper to tax, easier to fix. Then the "not getting stuck in traffic" bit is a main reason for a lot of people. But for me, it's simply because I love the mobility, the noise, the smells, the sensations, the thrills. Yeah it's not very nice if it's pissing rain, but if you have the right gear on it doesn't matter.

I have a car (only cos I have kids) but it sits in the driveway 99% of the time because I'd rather take the bike any day!

KTRIC

Well I have a tiny cock, so naturally I needed a replacement so I went for the largest bike I could find :pac:

minidazzler

I got one because I'm 23 and realised it's time I learned to drive....

Then I decided, fcuk that, I'm far too cool for a car, and since my mam forbids my dad to own another motorbike I bought myself one (a 125 varadero for now).

So basically in a year I'm gonna convince my dad that he wants to go halves with me on a bigger bike

paddy147

minidazzler wrote: »

I got one because I'm 23 and realised it's time I learned to drive....:D

Dont you mean you learned to "ride" your bike???;)


Or do you drive your bike and ride your car??:pac:

unclebill98

Freedom from having to drive my slow van for work.

minidazzler

paddy147 wrote: »

Dont you mean you learned to "ride" your bike???;)


Or do you drive your bike and ride your car??:pac:

True enough, but I could always technically "ride" a bike, as in get it moving. Now I'm learning to use roads and stuff haha. So whenever I do learn to drive a cage I'll be safer than most

bladespin

It's the most enjoyable thing I can do with my clothes on (though haven't tried it completely without), all the above are good reasons I use to justify the bike but in reality it's just so much FUN!

Pipz

My dad used to race & build bikes, so I've been brought up on them. I first learned to ride a motorbike when I was 4, and I've had one ever since. Had a PW50, then a PW80, then went on the DT, and now have my R125, along with going on trips on R1's, Gixxers, Bandits etc my whole life.

There simply is no feeling like it. It's in my blood, and if my bikes were taken away from me, I'd actually feel incomplete.

The whole 'less fuel, quicker' etc stuff is all just a bonus for me, but if they were the only reason's I wanted one, I wouldnt bother.

I started biking because I couldn't afford a car at the time. Got hooked on it and now I literally cannot imagine not having a bike.

MrJoeSoap

Deleted User wrote: »

I started biking because I couldn't afford a car at the time. Got hooked on it and now I literally cannot imagine not having a bike.

Pretty much this, exactly. Have often thought of learning to drive a car, but I'm getting by without one this long so what's the point? Maybe if/when I have a family I'll get a car, but for now it just seems like two wheels too many for me.

KamiKazi

For the adrenaline rush.

Bingo481

So my other half cant fookin come with me. Simples!

Faith+1

Bingo481 wrote: »

So my other half cant fookin come with me. Simples!

Mum or girlfriend? :P

Bingo481

Lol....my significant other.

daenerysstormborn3

Everyday I'm thankful for my bike riding OH :P

Cienciano

Everyone in my family has at least 2 bikes, so it was the logical step!
Speed is the best reason for me imho. Not top speed, but just that acceleration.

Faith+1

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Everyday I'm thankful for my bike riding OH :P

She's a kepper!

Please Kill Me

Faith+1 wrote: »

She's a kepper!

HE! Pixiebean is a "she" mate. LOL

Hornswoggle

Like Pipz I've been biking from a young age, had a Honda 50, Kawasaki AR80, Yamaha YZ125, Honda CR250, Aprilia RS125 and CBR600RR race bikes etc. but only got my first road bike recently. Had intended to use the bike occasionally but I haven't set foot in the car once since I bought it, mainly because of the following reasons:

-There's nothing like the feeling, puts you in great form in the mornings on the way into and home from work
-Commuting time is significantly decreased for me
-My petrol costs have been halved since I picked up the bike
-I have a better parking space than my MD in work

It's going to be hard to get back into the car come November/December!

Faith+1

Please Kill Me wrote: »

HE! Pixiebean is a "she" mate. LOL

My Bad!

positron

Compared to taking the train, biking saves me 60-90 minutes on commute five days a week. It's way more expensive than taking the train (30 per week on fuel + maintenance + insurance + tax + gear compared to the taxsaver commuter ticket), but it's so much more fun than taking the train. And the freedom to come and go as it suits without having to adjust your life to some senseless train schedule, and not having to put up with being pushed around, crushed against, leaned on and sneezed at etc with very little ventilation... And that sweet sweet surge of acceleration when you open up the throttle... What is there to not like about biking?

Cienciano

I think I'd rather lose a ball than go back to public transport.

batman_oh

For fun now - no other reason. Dont commute or anything.
Cars are unbelievably dull in comparison although have their uses

skapegoat

I think the poblem here is why you feel bored.
I think the learner legal bikes that you practiced on are why, it's easy to "ride" a bike and pass a test.

It's hard to Master a bike!
You need more performance, what bike do you want now?

I would reccomend a restricted Suzuki sv650, then you can de restrict it after two years.
They are a lovely bike with lots of low down grunt and good enough handling.
Master one of them then try a sports 600!

I love all things bikes (not a fan of choppers though) restoring, fixing, maintenance, touring, racing, being at legal and illegal speeds.

If I won the lotto I would just bike all day everyday.... That's the dream.

Faith+1

skapegoat wrote: »

If I won the lotto I would just bike all day everyday.... That's the dream.

Second that!

copeyhagen

originally bought my first bike for college commute few years ago, got off them when started working, but back on now 3 years, have a car aswell for normal day to day stuff in the evenings / weekends.

but love the freedom the bike gives, cannot be beaten..

daenerysstormborn3

Faith+1 wrote: »

She's a kepper!

He sure is :P Glad I don't have to worry about my other half nagging me when I disappear on the bike for a few hours after saying I'm going to the shop to get milk, couldn't deal with that! That's the difference between someone who understands biking and someone who doesn't, couldn't be with someone who doesn't.

blu3r0ri0n

pixiebean22 wrote: »

Glad I don't have to worry about my other half nagging me when I disappear on the bike for a few hours after saying I'm going to the shop to get milk

Oooo how I LOLed when I read that, my otherhalf isnt a biker but she is the understanding type and doesnt wait until the milk is completely gone before asking me to go to the shop thankfully!

I don't like car's...at all and love bikes, I have to stick my head out the window when in the car to feel normal! Thats why I ride!

BlackWizard

After driving a bike for nearly two years, I find driving a car pretty scary. I'm not used to it at all. It makes me nervous.

On my bike I see and notice everything. I feel in full control. But in my car I feel like I'm on a conveyor belt with limit vision.

blu3r0ri0n

BlackWizard wrote: »

But in my car I feel like I'm on a conveyor belt with limit vision.

I would have thought that you would be more observant and aware of your environment in the car or have I misunderstood you?

thomashood10

The joy of riding mainly, if it's just a machine to you then you need to look for some inspiration.

Modern bikes are engineering marvels though, if you have an appreciation for the mechanics of stuff then bikes will usually grab you.

With a car it's usually mostly designed around comfort and well.. being a car. With a bike though it's crafted in such a manner that it's meant to meld with the human form in a certain way. The idea that you are literally sitting on the engine, that power is something crazy too. With a car it's in the hood or tucked away at the back maybe, but with a bike it's almost directly connected to you and your wrist.

And it's all yours

YCHGTBOY

gerbear1 wrote: »

I'm a beginner to bikes, I don't actually own one. I started doing lessons at the start of the year, then I did my driving test on the instructors bike after several months (which I passed). My story is that I just had it in my head that I really wanted to learn how to drive a motorbike, I don't know why, I just wanted to know how to do it for ages, so finally went through the necessary steps. For the first few lessons, I really enjoyed it, the more I got used to the bike though, the less I was enjoying it, maybe it's because it wasn't as new to me any more. Now that I have the test done, I don't really have much interest in getting my own bike, at least not in the foreseeable future. My instructor loved bikes. He has a BMW RT1200, goes touring around Europe.

I'm just wondering, driving a big bike like that, seems to me like it costs almost as much as a small car to run, and you do sacrifice a lot of comfort, plus in general riding a bike comes with more risks, so I'm just wondering to all you bike fans out there, what's your reason for riding motorcycles?

P.S. I'm not putting down bikes in any way, I know they do have advantages over cars (as well as disadvantages). Just curious to see what peoples responses are to why they ride.

If you have to ask the reason why...... then you should already know bikes are not yer cuppa....

Tomohawk

I ride a scooter for the sheer pleasure ofthem...

I now even ride a bike for work all day too...:D:D:D

minidazzler

I just found another good reason. Bikers are fcuking sound. Bike just wouldn't start there a minute ago after filling her up. Was turning over but not firing. There was another biker at the petrol station just about to leave when he saw my trouble and me looking like a learner. He gave it a shot too, but nothing was working. Eventually it just started, still have no idea what happened will look at it in a minute, but it was nice of him to try to help.

Maybe 1 in 20 cagers will stop for a broken down car because they assume someone else will. But this guy just took time out to try to help. Kudos to him!