Do it. I would venture to say that those who would never ride on a bike could never really understand the desire deep inside that draws a person to ride. I have yet to buy one, but it is definitely on my list. My dad had a bike when he was younger; I think it's in my blood.
To further add to my yes, I would say that if everyone went around fearing everything life would be a boring place. A buddy of mine is afraid of the perils of driving, thus he never takes the highway. He never drives past 11PM. Get the point, if you let fear dictate your life, not only can life get boring, but also inconvenient.
Who said anything about fear? Just because people think motorcycles are dangerous doesn't make them fearful. There's a difference between not wanting to die and being afraid of dying.
Had to remind my wife (just the other day) that it's all about the "ride", not the destination. Some love the ride, some don't. Some will take a single bad experience and make it universal, some don't. Some will take someone else's bad experience and make it their own, some don't. Ride fearlessly into the night! Personally, I ride a Road King now...only because I can afford it. But the previous dozen or so bikes were Japanese, with a strong lean towards Suzukis. So enjoy your ride and keep the wind in your hair, and know you will lay your bike down...at least once. RR
I have had a couple of bikes, the last one a Honda Magna......and Iwould ABSOLUTLY get one..... If you want to give it a go.....go for it....... Take the safety course, but most importantly be very careful when riding.....people sometimes don't see the motorcycle, so it is imperative that you are ultra alert. Get one, find a group you like and ride baby !!!! I did, had kids, got tired of it, had no one to ride with and sold it, but my college buddy is thinking Harley and if he gets one........Well, I may just have to get one too. DD
I wouldn't buy one. However if i were you i would. If you have been wanting to buy one your entire life but your ex made you not buy one. then buy one. it is never to late to realize a dream.
My brother purchased a Vulcan 500 early last year. The family went nuts, but now they seem to be ok with it. I told him the same thing that many people have mentioned in this thread. Take what they say and make your decision. The family does not need to live with his decision, rather their own fears. I like the black one too.
i don't know if it's been said. i haven't read a single reply in here but a WORD OF ADVICE: if you've got a wife and kids, take out a huge insurance policy if you haven't done so. i'm straight serious man. you should have one anyways but especially if you're riding a bike. Two weeks ago, a friend's husband crashed his bike on West Rd and 290. he died. they had just gotten married about 6 months prior and had a 9 month child. they just bought a huge house 4 months prior to the crash. he had no insurance policy. now she's stuck with the mortgage, car note, and raising a child alone. it will give your family some peace of mind. they'll still worry that you're riding but at least financially they could survive.
My gf's ex had a harley for a while with 2 young kids - not exactly the smart one. To top it off he didnt at the time have life insurance!!! He went riding without a helmet one day with his GF when it was rainy and they were both wearing swim suits. The bike slipped, he fell and got severe lacerations while she broke her arm. All in all a pretty stupid and irresponsible thing to do with 2 young kids - IDIOT!! HOWEVER, If you are responsible (sounds like you are based on you wanting to take saftey courses) and decide to ride this bike leisurely (weekends, nice days) I think you should based on what you have said. Just be careful and think about your loved ones. Always wear a helmet for chrissake..... I dont know why they took that law away....
Here's a clue... Riders like to use the term "lay it down" because it's a gentle way of saying "crashing". If, while standing still, I slowly lowered a bike from its two onto its side.. that would be "laying it down". When you're riding your bike and you crash. That's not "laying it down"... It's crashing. Let's call it like it is. It's crashing. You're going to crash. As weslinder (and most bike-riders) point out, it's not a question of "if"... it's a question of "when". Again, this is not fear. Choosing not to ride does not mean that people are fearful.
I always wanted one as well. So, I bought one to get it out of my system. Trouble is, I'm just a car guy at heart, and every day that was great to ride was a better day to roll down the windows in the Mustang and blast the stereo. So....I've got a bike. For sale. Its a 1994 Honda Shadow 1100cc V-Twin with only about 6,000 miles on it. Nice, loud pipes and a great bike to learn on. Good power, but nothing a beginner can't handle. It is the one and only motorcycle I've ever ridden myself. Again, I'm just a car guy. I've honestly barely ridden it. If you're interested, drop me a line at Lynus302@yahoo.com. I paid $3,500 for it. Its yours for $3,000, and I'll even give you a (full-face) helmet, assuming it fits. I'll also get it to the shop for a full tune-up and to make sure all is in good order (as near as I can tell, everything is great).
I'm going to take the Basic Rider Course (BRC) as Awesome Cycles. I need to get me a helmet and boots. I'll probably borrow one of my brother's helmets, but I need boots. I was thinking of this pair of Harley Davidson Soldier Motorcycle Boot (Men's)
The last time I rode a motorcycle I spent two years on crutches. If its got a motor I prefer walls and more than two wheels now.
