I always read thread posts about people being bashed for the model of bike they ride. Sportsters seem to be the favorite whipping post which I could care less because its one of the best bikes every built. All the bashing going on made me think about what it takes to be a motorcycle rider.

Ilooked at all sides of being a motorcycle rider and came up witha few things..

I want a bike!
First off, being able to buy a motorcycle is an expensivefeat within itself.Ignore this paragraph if you have cash to plunk down on a$10k+ bike, because your the man!For the rest of us working stiffs,a loan is the only route to own thattwo wheeled beauty. With stellar credit the best average motorcycle loan interest ratehovers at 8.5% (outside of a manufacturesspecial offer low interest loan). I have friends who have an average credit rating and pay 12-20% interest on there loans. People just assume a bike loan is the same as a car loan and they are going to get a 2% loan. Sorry motorcycles are considered a high risk loan so the banksprotect themselves.

Insure me!
If you actually want to protect yourself and not just the bike, getting a full coverage insurance policy can get pricy. Some motorcycles likemost cruiser bikesare very reasonably priced for a full coverage policy...butsomething along the lines of a sportbikecan run you several thousandsof dollars a year even with a great driving record.

Ride me!
So now you got the bike... now can you actually ride it? The other day I witness a couple out enjoying the great weather, the guy was on a Fatboy and the girl was on a Honda Shadow. She was probably 5'4" tall and looked like a dwarf on the bike. After being stuck behind them for a while I noticed she drove with some confidence but had that appearanceif things got ugly, thesize of the bike would get the best of her. Also I overheard her other half make a comment about her needing to ride more often to keep her skills up. Goodadvice for anyone.
I have several friends who want toown a bike butIquestion there I hand coordination and there concentration skills to ride amotorcycle and don'tencourage them to buy one..using other tactics other than what I really think.
I think the best riders are the ones who zinged around on a Honda 50 when they were kids and kept the motorcycle riding momentum goingthrough out there life. There truely is no replacement for experience. I think too many peoplebelieve riding a bike is like driving a car, everyone can do it. In reality riding a bike takes more than just knowing how too ride and the rules of the road...I compare riding bike to flying airplanes (I have 15 years as a commercial pilot) it takes the ability to multi-task what you encounter on the road and being able to react quickly and correctly to the situation.

So after thinking about all this I came to the conclusion that being a motorcyclist truely puts us in the elite class of drivers.

 

?
My Sportster ate 2 sets of connecting rods. Not the best bike for me.

I had people tell me its a girls bike.

I have a Dyna now, and there are people telling me it is not really a big twin??

People dis baggers - ?

I took a loan on my Sportster and paid 8.2% interest on it.

My Sportster insurance was MORE than my Dyna.

My Dyna is more than $10 k and my bank has NEVER charged more than 11% on any loan I have ever had.

???

I agree with much of what you said, but elite, naw.

Being a commercial pilot - now that is something!

 

I guess I didn't have the regular hassles.
I could have PIF for my bike - but decided to write out a check from my credit card - for the reward points.
2.9% till it is PIF ... however long or short I want that to be, no penalty for paying out early.
My bike insurance is around $180.00 a year... but I do have a MSF discount on that.

I do agree that scoots are not for everyone. I learned under my brother whom I would, and have, trusted with my very life. He has ridden all his life, my sister has ridden all her life. Most of my life I was in the backseat (minus that summer when I was 15 and had a honda 750 at my disposal).... but I have one family member who would scare the bejezers out of me on a bike. For their sake & everone else's sake out on the road. I do believe I would have to flatten some tires if this one ever decided to drive a bike, just to make sure that never happened.

but I have to agree with farns on the pilot thing ... I have dreams of flying!

 

Wow, so if I can ride a motorcycle I can fly an airplane? cool maybe I'll try that sometime!

 

I have a pilots license and a motorcycle license. I get what you are saying about staying ahead of the craft. That goes for anything you pilot, some more than others. A bike you have to stay ahead of a little more most of the time since the ground is a good bit closer. I think where they compare the most is, riding the twisties and anapproach to landing. You need to be on the ball on your transitions...

 

I can't fly a plane, but I use to do HALO jumps out of them.

Does that count, as that's flying without the plane.

 

I agree you need to ride to keep the skills up.
My loan is 9% because it was put in for a personal loan but if it was a motorcycle loan it would have been 7% or something.

 

I ride a bike and I've rode on a plane.
I rock.


Me Everyone else
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Yeah I think it would take a lot of guts to jump out of a perfectly good aircraft, its on my bucket list...
What I said before still applies I imagine, you need to be on the ball when you get close to the ground.

 

yer def L33t Before you know It "all our base will belongs to you"