I'm thinking of getting a motorbike. What's involved? Cost?

Reindeer

It's like a lot of learning curves. You start out trying to be careful, with little skill, and hopefully nothing bad happens until you make the gradual step to skilled. Then you have to survive the time from between when being skilled and being wise come together.

Sonics2k wrote: »

I'd actually say those beyond learner are the most ignorant. A learner will typically aim to be a lot more cautious, hold back on filtering or going the speed limit.

A more experienced ride (usually on a racing bike) will tend to be a bit more arrogant. On Thursday morning in Cork I saw a lad on the road from Ballincollig to Cork driving between cars on the bends, each car was probably going about 110Km/h and he was just zipping between them.

Ignorance and arrogance are certainly the big killers for bikers, I think anyone would be mad to argue that. I had one bad accident when I was young and was far more cautious from then on, and over 10 years later I'm back driving my bike everyday and a hell of lot more wise for it.

Reindeer

The most expensive cost is likely 'addiction'.

rustynutz wrote: »

Costs of owning a motorbike (in my experience anyway)
Training
Bike gear
First bike
Good weather bike gear
Nicer bike gear
Big supermoto (while keeping the first bike which is a sportsbike, got to have a bike for all occasions)
First track day
Trackbike
Serious of trackdays
Annual trip to spain for three day track day
Isle of man TT trip every second year
Performance upgrades to make trackbike faster
Training to make me faster
Motocross bike
Motocross gear
Service costs
Tax and insurance on both road bikes
More trackdays
Track tyres
Broke an ankle and a hand over 20 years of riding
And it goes on and on and on......

I purposely haven't put any money against all these items as it would probably depress me to think how much I've spent, if I had my time back again would I have got into bikes? Hell yes, what else would I have spent my time and money on!

gonko

antiskeptic wrote: »

The stats indicate your being 35 times more likely to die and 16 times more likely to be seriously injured in an accident compared to a car. You could add a multiple of the latter to the chances of your sustaining a life altering injury - not serious but something which inhibits and dogs you for the rest of your life. Those figures are averages. You can crank them upwards significantly when the population considered involves the learning years / commuting riding / wet/frosty condition. In considering biking, a sober appreciation of the risk league you are planning on stepping into needs to be understood. This needn't stop you biking, but it might inform the approach you take when entering it. Training and practicing techniques, quality of gear, starting out in optimum conditions (dry weather, daylight, quiet routes), good quality tyres.

With 25 all year round biking to protect me, the impending arrival of my son made it a no brainer: if I wanted to be around for him, and run around with him then biking had to go. The risk, even though far, far less than those you'd be facing, weren't possible to run.

No doubt posts will follow decrying what I say. The reality is the reality however. And something that ought be faced head on.

That's pretty sad dude. Living in fear of what if. I've two girls and they know daddy has a bike, nice car, lots of active stuff....I even mountainbiked (gasp).... fun......that's me.
My 2 little girls I hope would follow in my footsteps, so far as doing what makes you happy. Life is too short and precious to be wasted on fear and worry.

I had an off last week. I'm already back on the machine. Live life man, have fun. Your kid will look up to that. My little one came home with two toy motorbikes today, saying look at my bike like daddy's. Priceless!

Be careful, not scared.

BTW I am only biking 6 months. Car driver 13/14 yrs

rustynutz

A lot of people don't seem to realise ....... Nobody is getting out alive. Your choices are: Never take risks, never put yourself in danger, don't pursue what you enjoy for fear of getting hurt, and live an unfulfilled life, and die in a nursing home full of regrets ( or get hit by a bus, cancer etc and die young anyway)

or.... Pursue the things your passionate about, if you want a motorbike? Buy one, don't ignore the risks, get training and use common sense and you should be ok. And you know what? You might still live into old age in a nursing home, but at least you will have some happy memories to keep you company.

Reindeer

The difference between facing reality, and not facing it, is NOT having fear. It's accepting the situation and dealing with it as best you can, instead of ignoring it and hoping for the best. Mitigating the odds of danger is a SMART thing to consider. That should be the takeaway. Not the fear of dying in bed.

If you've been biking 6 months, you have a LOT to learn, son. I had more than 6 months experience at the age of 11 - that was many decades ago. There are a lot of riders here with years and years of experience. I would do more listening than talking if I were you.

gonko wrote: »

That's pretty sad dude. Living in fear of what if. I've two girls and they know daddy has a bike, nice car, lots of active stuff....I even mountainbiked (gasp).... fun......that's me.
My 2 little girls I hope would follow in my footsteps, so far as doing what makes you happy. Life is too short and precious to be wasted on fear and worry.

I had an off last week. I'm already back on the machine. Live life man, have fun. Your kid will look up to that. My little one came home with two toy motorbikes today, saying look at my bike like daddy's. Priceless!

Be careful, not scared.

BTW I am only biking 6 months. Car driver 13/14 yrs

Synthol

Stop being a pussy and go ride, just like every single biker you will learn everything with experience.

TallGlass

Don't drive like a lunatic, drive aggressive and read some books on motorcraft driving.

There are things you'll get away with in a car, like running an amber and having a small bump. That small bump to a motorcyclist could be them coming off and getting a serious injury. Stick to rules of the road and treat the machine with respect.

No joke, literally each time before I set off I make sure the horn is working, it not working on a motorcycle could be the difference between staying on the bike or coming off.

We are seriously talking no room for error on a motorbike. You might see lads flying around, filtering in and out. Overtaking down solid whites, moving cars across junctions. These are the folks playing against the odds. Don't get me wrong, we have all done it me included. But sometimes you have hairy moments and it's them moments you learn from and you'll be certain you won't be trying that again.

That all said and done. I wouldn't tell anyone not to go for a bike. Its a great feeling out riding, yes it is risky but I do think at the same time the statistics are blown way out of proportion. The way it's made out is, if you get a bike your going to certainly die. Its not the case at all.

Nomis21

Motor bike riding is about reading the road further ahead.

Getting a Class D bus licence first helped me a lot.

JGZero

Nomis21 wrote: »

Motor bike riding is about reading the road further ahead.

Getting a Class D bus licence first helped me a lot.

Having just started riding a bike this summer following 13 years experience driving a bus I fully agree.
Of course being a novice bike rider means there's a lot to learn to become a competent rider but the defensive and anticipation skills picked up driving a bus through Dublin are a real help to keep yourself safe. That sixth sense of anticipation only comes from experience