Total Motorcycle Community Forums

It seems like everyday for the last month or 2 I have seen at least 1 person I know getting a new motorcycle because of the cost of gas. Most of them get bikes like mine that get 60mpg, some think its to whimpy and go with a 1000cc bike that only gets 40mpg and some are smart and get a suziki or honda rebel to get 80mpg.

Looks to me like people would rather buy a motorcycle than a hyrbrid cause $30 grand for a hybrid for most people now adays is a stretch but 3-7 grand for a motorcycle is more feasable. Alot of these people are financing these bikes and very few are paying cash. Has anyone learned from this credit crisis america is in that if you dont have the cash you shouldnt buy it??????? Other than a mortgage I see no reason we should be paying for things with credit except for emergencies. I have been in this credit situation and am getting out of it and thats what I have learned from all this. I havent used credit in almost a year now, thank goodness, and thats credit of any kind like credit cards etc etc etc. Yes I paid cash for my bike.

I'm seeing a lot more people looking toward bikes as the price of gas approaches $4/gal. My boss just bought a Civic hybrid that actually gets better mileage than my bike (49 mpg on his last tank). Of course, hybrids are not cheap, so bikes still look very attractive to most people.

Even though busses and carpools have gain popularity, I'm still seeing a huge number of folks driving huge SUVs (solo) to work every day. It makes me wonder how high gas prices would have to get before they wised up.

I think if more people started using bikes as basic transportation (like they do in Europe and Asia), we in the U.S. might start seeing some of the more practical bikes appearing in our showrooms. I think something like the little Ninja (minus the plastic, add luggage rack) would make an ideal commuter. At 60-65 mpg it's efficient, yet still has enough reserve power to tackle the Interstate highways.

ofblong wrote:It seems like everyday for the last month or 2 I have seen at least 1 person I know getting a new motorcycle because of the cost of gas.

This is what scares me. Every bozo out there thinks that "OH! I'll just buy a motorcycle and save money."

Look for a lot more accidents and deaths.

Bubbas_brother wrote:

ofblong wrote:It seems like everyday for the last month or 2 I have seen at least 1 person I know getting a new motorcycle because of the cost of gas.

This is what scares me. Every bozo out there thinks that "OH! I'll just buy a motorcycle and save money."

Look for a lot more accidents and deaths.

not really. at least most of the people I see getting them are getting the honda rebels and scooters. some are doing what I did and getting say a 600cc cruiser. Very few go bigger but they still do it cause its "cool". Pft I would rather stay alive than think "Im cool".

I know people who gave up with the rush hour traffic and just take public transport. I only use my bike for leisure, and plus My work is a stone throw away from the station and its 9 stops from my house. But i'm lucky to live close to public transport

Erg0n wrote:I know people who gave up with the rush hour traffic and just take public transport. I only use my bike for leisure, and plus My work is a stone throw away from the station and its 9 stops from my house. But i'm lucky to live close to public transport

yeah my public transit would take 30+ minutes just to get to my house and it would cost more than riding my bike everyday to work (I have a 12 mile commute one way).

I must be living by a lot of conservatives or something. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "no! I'll kill myself on a motorcycle" even when regarding the gas prices.

I got the third degree from a friend of mine about "getting myself killed" on a motorcycle. He actually told me "Why don't you just buy a magnum and ride that around before you shoot yourself." I put his fears at ease (he'd lost a friend or two to bike collisions), and thanked him for being concerned for my safety.

I didn't point out the irony to him, but it was abundantly clear to me.

The person who signed up voluntarily for the US Army and then was sent to Iraq is telling ME I could get MYSELF killed.

I haven't been on this forum for a week or two, because I usually hang out on one of the Ninja 250 forums, but this site is great and has great people so I always come back to check in. If you're a regular here you probably haven't noticed it, but I see a lot more newb questions posted here than before and they're from some real newbs. As in, people who never thought of getting a motorcycle until gas prices became absurdly expensive. I'm all for helping them, but I don't like this current trend at all. Three times already this week I've read stories about dealerships selling out of scooters and small motorcycles and what a great "alternative" to high gas prices it is. My favorite was the one with the picture of a new scooter owner in Chicago on her brand-new ride at the dealership. This woman had to weigh 400 pounds and all you could see of her new scooter was the wheels, which appeared to be directly attached to her ample buttocks. The picture scared the heck out of me. I could just picture this woman riding down Main Street trying to make a cell phone call while riding this scooter.
It is obvious that these people for the most part are going to bring many of their bad auto driving habits with them into the 2-wheel world. Many of them are going to injure or outright kill themselves, all in the name of cheaper commuting. There is a big difference between a noob who knows that riding on 2 wheels is a different and more dangerous pastime and those that think it's all about getting from point A to point B if you save a few bucks. I think motorcycling is about to go through one of the worst PR nightmares we have ever had with all these new riders. Inept riders and outright squids will be everywhere on the roads and the reputation of motorcyclists, which has never been the greatest, can only take it on the chin even more. As that old movie promo said, "Be afraid...be very afraid."

TrueFaith wrote:There is a big difference between a noob who knows that riding on 2 wheels is a different and more dangerous pastime and those that think it's all about getting from point A to point B if you save a few bucks. I think motorcycling is about to go through one of the worst PR nightmares we have ever had with all these new riders.

I hear you on this one, and the possibility IS there, but I'm not sure if we should immediately assume a sudden rise in fatalities (or at least, stupid accidents) because of the rise in übernoobs.

I still think people who get into motorcycling for recreation are potentially more dangerous than people who get into it as basic, gas-saving transport. Both the kid who thinks a 600 supersport and the 40+ year old who thinks a 500+ lb cruiser are "cool" first bikes are still more likely to get into trouble than someone getting a scooter (or a Honda Rebel). Of course, I gotta admit, I'm making a heck of a lot of assumptions and sweeping generalizations here.