Thinking about getting a motorcycle

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

When I turned 16 I had always planned on buying a street bike and the night before I was supposed to go buy one I found a bloody girl in shock and a dead guy I knew in a bean field. They had taken a ninja zx10 around a corner at 120. I always took that as a sign and never ended up getting one. Now I'm in college and a few of my friends have them so Iv been thinking about trying it out. I hate to sound like a ***** but to be honest after growing up on dirtbikes and 4 wheelers I'm worried about it and still picture that night I found them. Now my question is... What have been your experiences with bikes and is it really worth it to put your life in the hands of all the ignorant drivers out there?

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[retrojordans 10+ year member]

You will die like a number of very close friends of mine who have died on street bikes. Way too fast.

I was a porter at a Chopper dealership here in Michigan and one of the mechanics there test drove all the bikes after they worked on them.

A woman in a Honda Civic facing into the sun pulled out in front of Rob -- who was a lifetime redneck type Harley Davidson hardcore rider -- who grew up riding everything...Not one **** thing he could do about it..

The only thing that narrowly saved his life leaving him paralyzed was the fact that the 50,000$ Big Dog chopper he was on annihilated the Civic killing the woman and the front end of the chopper broke Rob's spine at the hip...I was with the crew when we rushed out there...

If he was riding a puny street bike, not only would it have exploded into a mangled mess of plastic and lightweight garbage...he would have flown 100 feet instantly dying...The high handle bars and rake of the chopper just broke his spine in half he was lucky..

Don't do it dude...

 

[retrojordans 10+ year member]

This all happened between 20-30 mph....For christ' sakes humans are not evolved enough to deal with 170 mph and potholes and curves, rain, tires, traffic, animals, glare, sun, anything we are monkeys...Do not get on one of those death machines..

You say you will play it slow but you will take risks, which is fine on a race track, with no horrible ******* morons who can't drive plowing into you...

Dude no..

 

[hzsogood 5,000+ posts]

lol wow a kid turns 16 and wants a bike.. shocking.. see ya at ur funeral at 17 kiddo

 

[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

You didnt read the thread ^^^^

I dont blame you for being weary OP that would have been a bad thing to see... However my brother has a few bikes including a custom chopper and a Suzuki GXSR and he loves them and loves riding... then again he gets sent to war for a living so dieing from a crash isnt his biggest worry lol

 

[Ignatowski 5,000+ posts]

When I turned 16 I had always planned on buying a street bike and the night before I was supposed to go buy one I found a bloody girl in shock and a dead guy I knew in a bean field. They had taken a ninja zx10 around a corner at 120. I always took that as a sign and never ended up getting one. Now I'm in college and a few of my friends have them so Iv been thinking about trying it out. I hate to sound like a ***** but to be honest after growing up on dirtbikes and 4 wheelers I'm worried about it and still picture that night I found them. Now my question is... What have been your experiences with bikes and is it really worth it to put your life in the hands of all the ignorant drivers out there?

mind if I take out a 250,000 life insurance policy on your with me as the benificary ?

 

[Flastrongman 10+ year member]

Just going off my personal experience I'd implore you not to get one. I'm one of the lucky few that survived a wreck that I shouldn't have. And I really got off lucky because I can still walk and have recovered about 90% I'd say. A car jumped their light making a turn at an intersection right in front of me. I t-boned the car and went flying. Actually totaled the car LOL. Got air-lifted to the nearest hospital, right as they get their the paramedic figures out I have a torn Aorta and I have to be taken to another hospital where a heart surgeon was on duty. Now they told me most people bleed to death in about 2min from a 1/2cm tear. I had a 4cm tear and a open hip fracture, Fibia/Tibia break, compound forearm break and a fractured femur. I pulled the ACL, MCL, and PCL and after 2 knee surgeries and about a year after the accident I was able to walk again. Being confined to a wheel chair for a year and the thought of being stuck there for the rest of my life is what really made me stop riding.

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

If its for a "Sunday" drive through the hills out in the boonies...then sure go for it.

If its for city driving, hell no. Too many assholes that do not pay attention.

And for the " I will not drive my rocket hard..."

Ok sure, then why waste the $$$$$ on a rocket not to use it.....

Just my opinion...

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I watched a guy die in front of me when I was in HS. Someone pulled out in front of him, he swerved to avoid and hit a street light pole instead. Lots of blood. Lots of pain. Nothing I could do but watch him die several mins before the ambulance arrived. After all these years, I still toy with the idea of getting a bike once in a while. But the difference between a street bike and a dirt bike is, with dirt bikes you generally aren't putting your life in the hands of every irresponsible and careless driver around you. If you get one is your choice, but make sure you understand the stakes every single time you get on it and pull out into traffic. You cant let your guard down even once, which is MUCH easier said than done.

 

[orangecounty1 10+ year member]

i agree, dont get it.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

I have been riding for 13 years now and I love it. I have been down several times(most were my own doing), but I love to ride. Most people who claim you will die from a wreck or simply going to fast are just regurgitating many falsehoods that come with this scene. The reality is more cruiser style motorcycles die every year then street bike riders(mainly do to alcohol and there "skull" helmets).

In most cases you will go down some how some where sooner or later. However, if you pay attention and wear your gear you will be just fine 95% of the time. The down side is there is still 5% left. If you do the math the danger is there, but no more then a fatal car crash.

I should clarify though...

If you are going to ride like an idiot odds are you will be that 5%.

 

[tipnitty 10+ year member]

I want a busa very bad, and will have one at some point. Obviously I'm not ready for a bike of that caliber yet. So at the moment I have a just a little 250 bike to get used to and I will be upgrading in summer 2012 to a 600 to get used to a bike with more power. Only after I'm used to a 600 will I actually consider the busa. If you learn to ride correctly and not hot dog and try to be one of those ignorant piles of crap, you shouldn't have a whole lot of trouble on a bike.

 

[Liquid Bass 10+ year member]

I'm actually looking for a way to save on gas around te city so not much highway driving at all. I just don't trust all te idiots out there that are doing anything BUT paying attention to what's around them. I think I'm just going to sell the jeep and get me a car because as most people say it's just not worth the risk.

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

I ride in STL on a daily basis(when weather permits) in traffic, and it is not as bad as you think. However, there are two kinds of people. Those who ride, and those who don't. Not any two ways about that one. lol

 

[lowriderram_95 10+ year member]

make sure you know what you're gettin into, fyi the hood of a truck is almost at the perfect level to bash your head into if you get rear ended....and it hurts like a *****. but that don't keep me off my bike, I just wear a helmet now