Okay, first off I realize I’m a ‘square’ and am in no way, shape or form anything resembling being cool, nor am I trying to be one 😀
So, here’s the thing. For years and years I’ve wanted to get a bike. I’ve never been on a bike, but the whole concept of riding fascinates me.
Even more since I plan on doing a coast-to-coast trip across America one day, and doing it on a nice Harley or something would be that much better.
Circumstances and social economic problems are causing me to sell my car, and looking through the sales websites I see that there are a few relatively cheap motorcycles available, and this has sparked the biking idea anew in me. I see I can get a riding license for (again) relatively cheap, so why not finally realize a dream AND go cheap at the same time 🙂
Here are the questions:
1.) Not knowing anything previously about engines, will that be a problem? Do all motorcyclists know how to rip the engine apart and fix whatever’s causing problems?
2.) Compared to cars, are motorcycles cheaper to maintain? Do they break down a lot, requiring expensive parts?
3.) Riding in gravel and ice… (which is about 80% of riding in Iceland)… is it as sure a way of killing yourself as one would imagine?
Yeah.. I think those three are a good place to start.
didnt realise you were over there buddy….
i used to chat with a bloke on the ham radio a few years ago, he was air traffic controller at Reykjavik airport.
he sent some photo’s over of when they all went out at the weekends with their snow mobiles and 4×4 transits etc…. also photo’s of picnic tables cut out of solid ice with chainsaws and chipping axe’s…. looks like an absolutely awesome place 😉
I’ve been riding since I could legally get my bike licence (and before that too ;))
1. I know jack sh*t about motors and the like, I only know how to fix the very basic things that could go wrong, which I learnt when they did go wrong from someone who showed me how to fix it. If you buy a newer, reliable bike, you should be fine.
2. They’re a lot cheaper to run, fuel wise. For a service, they can be pretty pricey, but still not as much as a car (also depends on what sort of bike you get)
3. Riding in the cold and in winter isn’t fun at all. Rain hitting you in the face feels like you’re getting your face tattooed. A full face helmet can fix that up, but I’ve found a lot of them like to fog up (even though they advertise that they don’t). It’s probably not a good idea to ride on ice, gravel on its own is bad enough.
Where I live, the statistics show that you’re 27 times more likely to suffer a fatal accident on a bike than in a car.
First off, you should in no way listen to anything I have to say on the subject of motorcycles. I haven’t ridden in two years, my license expired a year ago, I’ve wrecked my bike five and a half times, and the last one kinda ruined my ride. No bigge since that old rice burning piece of crap is a year older than I am, but still.
Now, with that said, here’s what I gotta say.
1) No, most riders don’t service their own bikes. My cousin (who’s one of the biggest dicks I’ve ever met) runs a stupidly successful Harley Davidson repair shop, and it’s made that uneducated jackass rich. If most riders fixed their own bikes, he wouldn’t have anywhere NEAR the business his has.
2) My experience is that bikes are just like cars. Depending on the make, model, type, and the age of the machine, the prices and maintenance can be almost nonexistent or through the damn roof. According to my cousin, Harleys typically require less maintenance than your typical rice burner, but once they do break down, they cost a god damned fortune.
3) Gravel’s negotiable. Ice, you will go down sooner or later. Not maybe, will. Any experienced rider will tell you that rain or ice is a serious hazard on a bike, and that a wreck is more serious on a bike than a motorcycle because you don’t have all that cary protection. Another consideration is wind chill. When you’re riding at a good clip, the wind can lower your body temp severely, even in the ass-sweaty heart of the summer. It’s why all good motorcycle jacket are insulated against the cold–to protect from hypothermia.
A motorcycle will NEVER replace a car. You need a car for when the weather doesn’t permit cycling, or when you need to haul home groceries, as bikes have little to no storage space. On the bright side, a well maintained bike gets better gas milage than a well maintained car.
Just the two cents from the worst cyclist who ever lived.
Love. Peace. Metallica.
So I see you want another addiction in addition to the ink. Motorcycle are great. I love mine. I’ve owned several. Some cruisers but sportbikes are my preference. On to your questions.
1. With the modern bikes, you really don’t have to have extensive knowledge. If you are able to check your fluids and perform routine maintenance, you will be fine.
2. Cheaper? I don’t know. Of course the there is fuel savings. You need to consider insurance. I have no idea what that is like in your country. As Joker said, you should allocate money for riding gear. Once again, if you find a reliable bike, you shouldn’t encounter major repair costs.
3. Sounds like you need a good dual sport bike. Lots of manufacturers make good dual sport models that you can take on or off road. BMW, KTM, Kawasaki, etc all make dual sport models.
Keep us posted on the decision. Also, there are some good motorcycle forums out there if you are looking for more input.
@
To answer a few of your questions from my own opinion because I am not a mechanic and I have only been riding for a few years. With that said, not every rider builds and re builds their own bikes. I would say that almost all know the basics though, not a 100% though and this is because motorcycles are harder to maintain. Little things happen all the time especially when you are new, and I am not talking about the engine but little things like mufflers and siding and handle bar damage. Things that happen when you drop the bike or just don’t ride it perfectly. So you should know how to use a screw driver and wrench. Riding on gravel is fine, ice is a definite no for riders in general not to mention new riders. If you do take the cross country journey plans post your route on my online map at allstate insurance route map or allstate insurance moto map. I am an affiliate of allstate and thus I use their web pages sometimes for my own stuff. Thanks and good luck.
David Lipsky
1.) Not knowing anything previously about engines, will that be a problem? Do all motorcyclists know how to rip the engine apart and fix whatever’s causing problems?
2.) Compared to cars, are motorcycles cheaper to maintain? Do they break down a lot, requiring expensive parts?
3.) Riding in gravel and ice… (which is about 80% of riding in Iceland)… is it as sure a way of killing yourself as one would imagine?
No you don’t need to know ALOT about maintenance, but you should know how to do some of the basic’s like cleaning and lubricating your chain sense you are going to be doing this every 500-1000 miles, at least that’s what I do.
Also don’t start off too big maybe a 500 or something would be great, thats what I started on, Ninja 500 and worked my way up to a ZX9 which is what I ride now.
Also the MOST important thing, buy gear LOTS of it, you should have your budget with gear in mind probably spend around $400-800 on gear. You don’t wanna be a road crayon…
DON’T BE A SQUID (look it up if you don’t know what it is and no its not a fishy thing in the ocean)
Well, I’ve been AFK for a while (was moving) so I haven’t been able to reply yet. There are a lot of replies, and I thank you all very much.
Outlaw: Aye, I am a Viking and all that 🙂 However, there is absolutely no snow here now. You lot seem to have stolen all of it, and we want it back!
Rest of you: I’m beginning to see that the biggest cost right now is going to be the protective gear. I’ll not a full package for a penny less than $2000 if I decide to start.
I am an electrician so I know my way around a screwdriver and I think I’d manage small stuff like chains and mufflers and the like. But I’m not sure I could replace a cylinder or something if it came to that. I guess a motorcycle engine isn’t all that simpler than a car engine, and I certainly wouldn’t expect to know how to fix anything in there.
I kinda figured that it would be as you said.. the make and the model of a bike will always play a part in it’s durability and general maintenance requirements. As I would probably start with something really cheap (there are some OK looking Chinese choppers being sold here) I guess I can expect to have to do need more than less maintenance. Insurance is calculated from horsepower, and a fast pocket-rocket costs $3200 to insure (per year). Thankfully most riders only ride for a few months a year, so they don’t insure their bikes in the winter.
I’ve been talking with some Icelandic riders and they tell me that they generally do not ride during the winter (for obvious reasons) but that the gravel is not as bad as I’d expect. Having an emergency on gravel, though, is apparently never pleasant!
They’ve also told me that there are only two types of bikers; Those who have crashed/hurt their bikes and themselves, and those that have not YET done so. 🙂
I’ll definitely need to get myself another (cheapie) car, but at a time of financial restructuring, it’s always good to restructure SOMETHING towards fun :p
ontwo: Yes… like I need more addictions! I want a chopper, so I’m not sure if I’d like a dual-sport thingie. Not much into the whole sportbikes thing. I’m a serious speed-lover so if I’d get a sportbike I’d be dead in 40 minutes (I’d hit 400, road would turn but the bike would not, and I’d hit a lamppost!)
DavidL19: The cross country trip is still a few years away, but I’ll check out those sites once I get there.
jamdemos: I looked up SQUID (was difficult to find a consensus on the actual meaning, but I managed to get the gist of it) and I’d definitely try not to be one. Gear would be top-notch, but I’d sure as hell drive too fast for comfort 🙂
yo just thought id chip in a few words, i didntt rea all the posts so i may be repeating things
ive ridden a bike for ten years and ten chilly finger numbing tears in the eyes winters! im 26 and am finally giving in and having driving lessons 🙁 mostly for work related issues though
if youre intending to ride on gravel and ice id go for a supermoto style bike (i want a suzuki drz) from someoen who has 2 sets of wheels and tyres, slicks for road riding and knobblies for offroad (gravel + ice) if you fall off on a fancy harley or a sports bike and ruin it you will be heart broken that you wrecked your baby.. i know lol
you can get heated clothing that runs off the bikes electrics that will keep you warm. a full set of leathers or textiles clothing that zips together is a must because it keeps your back warm and it wont come apart if you happen to slide down the road one day.
treat all car drivers like theyre idiots who havenmt seen you, practise having eyes in the back of your head and if you can do it id suggest riding a small cc engined bike for a few months to get used to the controls and handling of a bike before you take it up a nitch and get a bigger bike
get a bike, be safe and have a blast… bikes are fucking awesome!!!!
I have read that it takes more brain power to ride a motorcycle then to pilot a fighter jet. I’m sure that came from a biker not a jet pilot. 😉 I have been riding a motorcycle for over 40 years and I believe that statement. Take every class you can get for rider safety. While riding try and look way ahead on the road for stupid people (you can’t fix stupid) and road hazards. Get the best bike you can afford. I have ridden many bikes. I’m riding a Harley Classic full dresser at the moment. Gravel is not fun to ride on. Ice, well you won’t be riding much you will be falling alot. I’m sure if you can master gravel and ice you will be a better rider then me.
If you are over 40 and never ridden a motorcycle I don’t recommend starting. It’s better to start when your reaction times are good ( think young) and you heal faster.
Bikes are just like cars. You ride or drive them they will break and you will pay to fix them. The mechanic is the key factor in this equation. Find a good one and pay him what he wants. You can’t say if a bike is cheaper them a car because we don’t now what kind of car. I’m sure it’s cheaper then a Lamborghini.
Most people will do what they want and ignore these threads, So good luck buy lots of good protection gear and try and keep the asphalt under the tires.
JUST MY TO TWO CENTS WORTH.:D
Well, luckily I’m not most people 😀
I ask because I want input and I listen to the input I’m given 🙂
Just last Friday I finally sold my car, so now I have nothing to sit in or on.
As Knighthawk explained to me, a bike will never replace a car, so I’ll have to treat the biking fancy as a hobby. I’ll get a good bike and all the gear and I’ll strive to not become a squid 😀
I appreciate all the cents given. They compound exponentially and amount to more than just a few dollars.
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