To ride or not to ride... that is the ?

THIS IS SOMTHING THAT SOME MAY NOT HAVE THE STOMACH FOR... SO BEWARE!

I was out riding dirt bikes this past weekend and I was having a great time.

So great of a time that I started looking into the pros and cons of riding motorcycles.

I was thinking of getting the kind of bike that you can take both on road and off...

I did some "research" and here is what I have come up with so far...

Some of the "pros"...

Pretty inexpensive to buy.
Insurance is dirt cheap.
Gas is very inexpensive, because it can run for weeks on 1 tank of gas.
FUN TO RIDE! ;)

Some of the "cons"...

DISCLAIMER/WARNING:
The following pics are not for those with week stomaches. This site contains some very graphic pictures and if you are at work and school, I wouldn't recommend going here.

This has pretty much changed my mind about getting my own bike...

You'll see why here.

MY ?:
Are there any AO members that ride and do you think that I should get a bike or not.
I am going to keep my car either way, and I won't be riding on the interstate... just around town and off road.

I know how to ride pretty well and I'm a very fast learner with almost everything that I do.
I really like doing things that get my blood pumping... and riding bikes def. does that.

Everyone I've talked to has a story about someone they know...

I want one... but I don't....

Well, I'm not hungry anymore.

I've riden bikes my whole life, and I must agree that here, South Florida, Its just not a good idea anymore. I've had two of my friends end up in coma's because of them. As safe as a rider you think you are, the drivers always seem to find a way. If you live in a rural area, then go for it. Otherwise if your a city dweller, like me, then I would advise against it.

The thing I would suggest is purchasing a dirk bike instead and when you get a chance, put it on a trailer and drive out into the country and drive it out there with some friends.

You mentioned driving it out on dirt roads, so this could be a solution

It just seems that there are too many dangers with bikes on the road.

awwww man i saw the title and was expecting something else altogether :(

grrrr had my hopes all up - hehe
wonder how peps viewed this thinking the same???

v_Ln

I agree with tyger_claw here, I own two bikes, a large powerful road machine and a fairly large off-road bike.

The road machine rarely gets ridden these days and the dirt bike is trailered to the bush where my friends and I have a scream - lots of thrills and spills, but at low speeds and we are always dressed up like gladiators with all the protective gear - in this environment we are almost always in control of our destiny, unlike on the road.

We have just come back from a day out and had a laugh a minute, must have fallen off 1/2 dozen times trying to put these things where mountain goats wouldn't go - but I am still in one piece and not in pain. Has to be a bonus.

With the roads becoming congested as they are, motorcycling among the traffic is extemely hazardous to your health and there isn't really anywhere you can ride the large road bikes these days to use them to their true potential - (except at a race track) where you could end up like the man in the picture or in jail.

Go with a dirt bike, keep it off the roads and have a ton of fun but remember to respect the area you are riding in or the authorities will close it off to bikes.

I have two Honda bikes and I would never trade them in. I've had my share of spills, some definately worse than others, but most aren't too bad. Purchasing a bike, like anything in life, has it's risks involved. Xmaddness makes a very good point: although you may feel like you're in control, control of any vehicle, especially a bike, is a complete illusion. Someone may hit you, you may hit a puddle and hydroplane, you may hit a branch or something else on the road and lose control, you may brake too hard and fly off you bike, you may simply blow a tire and fly off the road. If you're considering a bike, you have to take all of these risks into consideration. I personally, am a proponent of bikes as long as you are mature enough to handle the risks involved and you take the time to respect the power of the bike.

AJ

Sorry if my post is incoherent, I haven't been sleeping too well.

Alright that was quite shocking to say the least, but my dad doesnt let me buy a two-wheeler because he believes it's really really dangerous. He sayz there is still chance for you to live if you are in an accident in a 4-wheeler than a 2-wheeler. I guess it's true, so i dont press him much. Moreover, who would mind driving a nice car ?

Dirt bikes rule, but I'd never take one on trafficked roads.

Thank you all very much for your opinions/advise.

I think I am going to go ahead a get a dirt bike and just ride it up into the "country"...

The back woods are only like 15 min from where i am now.

Again, Thank you all! ;)

if you think that can't happen to you on a bike in the woods, oh well!

those pictures could very well have been of pedestrians hit by a truck, sucked into a passing train, passengers in a car or plane, someone watching TV in a house that a plane hit. if its going to be you its going to be you. nothing you can do about it.

you should buy a bike thats made to be used the way you intend to use it. I think you made a good choice.

I have 2 cruisers, an 1100 and an 1800. I ride almost every weekend. I live in Southwest Florida. I ride VERY defensivly (?sp). I think there are inherent dangers in off road and on road riding. You just need to understand what they are and ride with that in your head. It gets kinda ugly here during tourest season but I try to stay off the more congested roads. It makes for nicer rides anyway.

Ride safe.

Quote:

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Originally posted here by Phat_Penguin
I agree with tyger_claw here, I own two bikes, a large powerful road machine and a fairly large off-road bike.

The road machine rarely gets ridden these days and the dirt bike is trailered to the bush where my friends and I have a scream - lots of thrills and spills, but at low speeds and we are always dressed up like gladiators with all the protective gear - in this environment we are almost always in control of our destiny, unlike on the road.

We have just come back from a day out and had a laugh a minute, must have fallen off 1/2 dozen times trying to put these things where mountain goats wouldn't go - but I am still in one piece and not in pain. Has to be a bonus.

With the roads becoming congested as they are, motorcycling among the traffic is extemely hazardous to your health and there isn't really anywhere you can ride the large road bikes these days to use them to their true potential - (except at a race track) where you could end up like the man in the picture or in jail.

Go with a dirt bike, keep it off the roads and have a ton of fun but remember to respect the area you are riding in or the authorities will close it off to bikes.

---

The important thing to remember is that all of us have to take the responsibility of our actions. Phat_Pengiun sounds like someone who uses all precautions in their power. I hate to speak ill of those who can't defend themselves, but I imagine he was not.

I have been riding dirt bikes for probably the last ten years and I would say dual purpose bike or not on pavement they just dont cut it. You made a good choice.

Dirt bikes are great...nothing quite like being on a designated hiking trail, ejoying nature when some guy comes up on and exrtemely loud and smelly dirtbike. In fact, I really love how the exhaust fumes subtly mix with the nice outdoor scents. And what kind of crazy person doesn't like loud, high pitched whines?

Sarcasm aside, there's nothing worse than being out somewhere nice and having one of these things (or worse, a convoy) drive by. It's even worse when the trail specifically forbids dirtbikes, and they come anyway. Even on trails where they aren't prohibited, they are still quite loud, and dangerous to pedestrian traffic on the narrow trails.

i was gonna get a bike but my girlfriend is very scared of the idea so im not going to .. i suppose it hasnt helped that i have showed her most of the pics on rotten.com and bangedup.com etc hehe

i have seen a few accidents in my time people on bikes trapped under cars etc. i think if you dont break the speed limit and do all things safety you are still not safe it is just a much safer idea to have a car... in my opinion

mind you risks are fun and meant to be taken whooot

Dunno about others, but i believe most countries in asia (or at least south east asia), half the roads are trafficked by motorbikes. Why? because most of us here can't afford buying and maintaining a car (buying gas, paying taxes, etc). I myself used to ride a bike (not the dirt one) when i was in highschool and univ. Now i have a job and I own and drive a car, but i really miss those days... feeling the wind in my hair...

So what can say? Wear a helmet, wear a jacket, ride safely, and u'll be fine.

Peace always,
<jdenny>

good desision PP80
i used to own a kawasaki ninja, but where i used to live it was a quite place and nice to ride bikes.

the main problem is not you or the bike, but the idiot and stupid intruders ( car drivers )
some of them just think that this bike should be driven off the road and not with car.

so, it all depends on the place you live in.

but in all cases, i prefer to ride your bike in a special track fro bikes.
it would be even more fun.

enjoy the ride bro, and take care

I am going to give you a mother's and a nurses view of dirt bikes and motorcycles..One of my sons was extremely athletic. You name the sport and he could do it.Perfect eye to hand co-ordination. I accompanied him once three wheeling and it was fun and we laughed like crazy but it was in a safe flat desert. He went dirt biking in the woods up on a mountain , hit a rock , the bike fishtailed and he slammed into a tree split his helmet in half and somersaulted over the handlebars, landed on his back and broke his femur, had he not been with another fellow he would never have been able to get help it was far into the woods. They tried to pin him couldn't operate because he had deveoped blood clots so he had to lay in traction for a couple of months taking coumadin(a blood thinner)He deveoped further complications the bone wouldn't meld He was then transferred home and had to lay in a body cast in a bed in the living room for six months We had to transport him ouselves after the insurance wouldnt pay for ambulance rides any more to the hospital for x-rays and examinationsTotal cost for us out of our pockets 16,000. and a year lost out of his life He almost went crazy lying there. Needless to say he sold his bike.In the hospital where I worked (surgical floor) I saw young heathly people with one leg shorter than the other from bike complications , faces scarred, bodies wrecked and some people who would not be able to enter their profession because they had put thier lives on hold some temporarily some permanently The orthopedic people had a saying "support the orthopedic department ride a motorcycle. " Not funny but true. Auntie