Who here rides? How did you get started? I want to start riding because bikes a cheaper than cars but I'm scared...

Who here rides? How did you get started? I want to start riding because bikes a cheaper than cars but I'm scared. Stories?

Shameless bump

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>be 15
>no friends
>everyone in school has a moped
>get moped
Get friends
>do stunts
>engine breaks 69x
>have fun

Basically bikes break easier. Prepare your wallet fag

>moped

Wanted bike, went out got bike.
Crashed, shattered collar bone
Got bigger bike rode for years, crashed, broke femur,
Got bigger bike, still have it, it's an 05 GSXR 750, It's a nice bike

Riding is at least 13.5x more fun than cars

Feb 23rd, 2014, bought a zx1400, woke up a week later with a titanium plate between my shoulderblades on my spine. 7 days of amnesia from the head trauma, don't even know what happened. Got a Suzuki Boulevard and fixed the Ninja, still ride. Zero memory of accident, zero fear of riding.

>blow out transmission
>need car
>can afford one
>find a 75cc scooter I can afford
>get it
>like it
>get money
>decide to upgrade
>talk to coworkers that ride motorcycles
>they say that where I've gotten over the initial 2-wheel learning curve I should get a big engine
>can always not go full throttle with a big engine
>can't pull more power out of a small engine
>find Shadow A.C.E. 1100cc
>buy it
>love it

I've raced cars on a semi pro level and have fucked up a million times. Scared that one fuck up a bike will kill me or shit just get hit by a car. People drive like crazy as Sholes where I live.

Totally I love riding, I crashed because I was stupid. Just learned to be more careful and respect the bikes more. They are amazing

How long did you have the scooter before upgrade?

>>can't afford one

I got some deployment money. Spent most of it on a brand new triumph
Thruxton. It was my first bike. Only been riding for about a month. Went up into the canyons thinking I was hot shit and ready. Lost traction. Flew off my bike smashed my back into a pole, face planted into a pile of rocks. Road burns tore off all the skin on my hands. Airlifted to ucla hospital. Swelling around spine has left me temporarily paralyzed or something. In extreme pain. 20000 hospital bill. Drugged up most of the time. Bed ridden for a good couple of weekes. Pissing and pooping blood for a good while.

I regret nothing. Still have the bike. Still riding. It's been a few years since then. I prefer it to driving any time of the day. Especially in this southern California traffic. I would recommend you not make a idiot young person mistake like i did, and buy a brand new bike. Buy like a cheap medium sized bike. Then buy a newer one down the line

How strong do your legs have to be? Feel like I'll fall over while stopped

Just sign up for a basic riders course at your dmv. It will help you stop from any fuck ups and you wont be as scared

I want a thruxtron BAD

about 2 years
but 15 months of that was in Iraq driving boots and MRAPs

not very if you kkeep the bike balanced

How do you start? Go to a school or what?

>be 17
>buy crappy 125cc for freedom
>ride it everywhere for 2 years
>only fall off once (wet road, but traveling less than 30mph)
>breaks
>sell it
>be 27
>ok job and wage
>remember my old 125
>start lessons on a 500cc
>few months, pass first time
>get a Yamaha 600 Fazer
>don't ride it as much as I should

Once you are sitting on it and balanced up right, it doesn't matter how strong your legs are or how much weight you have on your bike. It takes minimal leg strength to stay balanced upright while stop. It's only when you start tipping while stopped that you have a problem, and you end up having to push up 400 pounds plus on one leg if you don't want to drop your bike.

People where I live don't slow down. The figure if they hit you it's your fault so fuck my brakes.
>mfw I die

I ride a 2012 Bonnie. Really easy to ride first bike. Totally love it!

Why would you tip? Have you ever dropped you bike?

Thruxton are fucking sick. I love it. And I have been riding it for years. I haven't grown tired of it yet, and don't plan on buying another bike any time soon. Only problem is that insurance is a real bitch. Very expensive. Also expensive to get replacement parts if anything happens to it.

That's a shame. Such a beautiful bike.

>It's only when you start tipping while stopped that you have a problem
Shadow guy here
>killed the engine once trying to turn uphill out of a driveway
>was barely able to keep it from falling over
>luckily friend was watching and helped me get it upright again
only down side of a larger bike
but even then there are tricks you can do as long as you have some leg and upper body strength to pick up a bike that big

Yeah. I dropped it once or twice while stopped. And a few times while going really slow. It's all about balance. Especially for newer riders. It's kinda like learning to walk. A baby trips and stumbles a few times before it learns to properly balance itself for walking.

How embarrassed were you? Did you need help? My fear is ill drop it and be stuck with the fucker on the ground like a bitch

be I was turning right out of a T junction when this white van cunt who was parked just pulled out in front of me.

I guess I panicked and just hit the breaks. Stopped in the middle of the junction with my bike an at angle. I just could not keep it up with one leg.

I just lay it down as best I could and ended up lying in the middle of the road like an idiot.

Fucking van just kept going.

Hahahaha. Yea. First time it happened. I fell outside of a 7-11. I got stuck underneath it. A good Samaritan came over and helped me up. It is really embarrassing. But with a can of man and some gumption, you could lift a bike up by yourself no problem. But once you get some experience on your bike, you learn the nuances of its balance, and you'll be able to stop yourself and get upright before the point of no return when your bike hits the ground.

Ugh. Those kind of drivers get under my skin. I was on the freeway a while ago. Some mini Cooper being driven by a blonde teen wasn't looking to her left or right as she barreled through lanes. Didn't see me on her left. Pushed me right of the road into the dirt. I was lucky enough not to crash into anything.

Thank for all the info guys! Holy fuck /b gave me confidence for once!

>be me almost a decade ago
>16
>mother and father had a fight about a boring life
>they reconcile and get bikes to go out on weekends and ride together
>mother has some shitty 250 cc honda
>drives it to work some times
>she teaches at the middle school across the street from my high school.
>get called to office
>mother "wrecked"
>she didn't wreck, she just laid it down
>she was scared to take it home, so I offered
>first time on a motorcycle but had driven quads and bikes so how hard could it be?
>loved it, got a permit and drove it instead of a car
>it was a gay bike but she was too shaken to ride again
>begged her for it when she said she was selling out of fear
>she sold it anyways because she's a massive pussy
>father sold his
>my goal is now to own a Honda CBR repsol edition
>it's not practical to own a bike this far north
>one day....

Not practical to own this far north? What do you mean? You live in Canada?

Svalbard, Norway

I got this.
It's only 50ccm but I love this small motorbike.
I started with buying this totally destroyed. I've spend all winter rebuilding this, but it's worth.

That's goofy as fuck. Third world country?

Almost, Near buffalo
>Winter is brutal
>leaves in fall
>on the green side of the mountains so summer/spring are wet

There's 4 good months but when you acount for rain it's less than to 2. So I just buy SUVs and stuff to drive around in the snow and ice.

started when i was 14 got a scooter and now im on my 3rd motorcycle. first one was a kawasaki vulcan 500, then a honda shadow 1100, now im on a XSR900

Nahh, it was produced by German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in 80's.
It's just a small motorbike, not a full motorbike, but it's reliable as fuck.

Hmmm. I've always wanted to ride in snow. I just didn't know the technical side to keeping a bike operational in such cold weather

>German Democratic Republic
>reliable as fuck
I guess they had to put their German heritage of precision engineering somewhere
they sure as fuck didn't put it into the Trabant

Bought first bike like 10 years ago, cash.

Biking looks cheaper than driving a car but only if you live in the city or don't need a car. If you're doing it to save money you might be better off with a bicycle/public transit.

Lots of fun, every day of the year if you live someplace like southern california.

Buy your first bike cash, comprehensive on a motorcycle is disgustingly expensive.
Expensive helmet, the pricier ones are more comfortable and look cooler. They all protect you the same, unless you don't wear it because you hate it.
Gear drive is the best for your first bike because it's the easiest to take care of.
Nicer tires are worth it, trust me on this. You will be able to tell.
Previous aside, high speed rated tires on a commuter bike are wasted money. Friends don't let friends ride with a chicken stripe.
Protective gear costs $500-$1K (not including helmet) get nice gloves and a nice jacket at a minimum. You don't need riding boots, but they will make your ride better. Racing suits look funny if you get fat.
Don't run from cops, they chase you because they like to go fast. Get a gopro and let them explain in court if you weren't speeding. Post to youtube if you were speeding. Get over it.
Tickets are a cost of doing business. Got one in a parking lot once. Kickstand down, engine off. "You looked like you were going fast." Lost that case. Get over it, pay them, vote for people who aren't assholes.

>www.ural.com
knobby tires and 3 wheel drive

Probably gonna buy a Vulcan 500 for my first bike. I've heard the exhaust sounds stupid though so I'm thinking of getting some after market mufflers with it. Any suggestions?

sadly only had the bike for 2 years before it broke never really got into after market stuff my bike was a 1992.

How was the exhaust sound? Would you describe it as high or low pitch? and quiter or louder? I would just go on youtube but all the vids of the 500 are low quality

wasent to loud was a higher pitch

You know nothing, Jon Snow.
I think you're from US and your knowledge about European machines is low. Yes, it is reliable. I know what I'm saying. It's quite slow, but what would you want from 50ccm? It's normal. Maybe in the future I will buy some japanese motorbike, but now it will last for me.

Start small, under 600cc. 300-450 is a good starter bike.

Buy a used bike, like really used. You're not gonna keep it. You buy a cheap used bike to learn on. That way if you thrash it, you aren't out much. After a year, sell it to the next guy.

Dress for the slide: Sliding on pavement hurts, like REALLY FUKKIN HURTS!! Remember that before you jump on a bike in shorts and a t-shirt.

Take a motorcycle safety course. It will teach you important skills and may get you a discount on insurance

Just got 29k because some stupid bitch tried to beat me through an intersection without a traffic signal. It was a personal injury claim and I'm about to fix my bike and get a car. Its still not worth the pain and suffering.

got a 72 suzuki t500 cafe racer. thing is terrifying

They say all accidents on a motorcycle are your fault and preventable. How did you crash?

Take a good safety course to boost your confidence. 2 wheeled travel is heaven.

If you are taller than the bike it makes it easier as well, I'm 6'5 on a GSXR650 and I just hover over it with my bike between my legs. It also looks like I'm humping a football when I'm riding.

I bought a 500 and got a crash course. I'm a good driver but it was a weird transition. Once you get used to shifting it gets easier

Riding a motorcycle will not save you money. Buying a shitbox Mazda2 or a Nissan Versa will save you money.

Riding a motorcycle is the most fun you can have that isn't sex. I have been riding over 40 years. Started in the dirt on minibikes. I have owned close to 40 bikes over the years, I now have 3 in the garage. But I still have a car because it is needed a lot of the time.

18 y/o bought my bike yesterday. 2001 custom Nighthawk 750. Buy a newer honda or some rice burner if you don't know shit about motors like me. I've ridden it over 120 miles in the past 48 hours. Wear a helmet or some good eye protection. You may look badass w/o a helmet but shit a bug to the eye hurts like a bitch.

I've dropped mine because I have a sport bike and the kickstand is low to the ground. Just make sure your kickstand is engaged before you start learning it over.

It's beautiful. I like this type of motorbike's body.

Kek that's the worst. I had that happen to me when I was first riding but had jeans because I was paranoid. I thought the kickstand was engaged and tipped it then the bike trapped my leg. I had to push/kick my leg out from under it then dead lift it back up. It's only a GSXR600 tho

What do you think, guys, about Zephyr 550? Does it worth to buy it? How about reliability and repair costs?

I don't know that model specifically, but Kawasaki has a pretty good reputation, I'd say second only to Honda. I've owned both.

If you really want to save money in the long run, get a super efficient car. I've only used 8 gallons of gas since I bought this last fall. I generally go weeks of commuting without using a drop of gas. My Buell is more fun though.

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