Public Transportation vs Motorcycle Only

[zooom]

  buy a cheapo bike that is cheap to run and service yourself using real cheap tyres that last a long time 

something like a big single thumper of the DR650, XT600, XR650L, KLR650(or perhaps a DRZ400) variety where parts are cheap, mods are cheap, and fuel range and efficientcy it better...

Thats why you have an 86 honda dirtbike off craigslist you traded for an old guitar, planning ahead

yarrrr!...CL and bartering....good things can come with relative ease if you have the time,patience, and wherewithall to keep the radar going....

[badgalbetty]

maybe i should ask a Ducati rider( guy) if he wants to learn to change his own tires and do all his own service work as used to I do  (before I sold my bike and my tools)..... best pick up line ever! hahahahahaha
BGB.

[cokey]

250 gets wat, 60+ mpg? New ones don't look bad..   I use to go from Williamsburg to the end of the fdr in 15-20 min when I started at 1030. As long as someone didn't crash.  With commuting you also have the fun factor.  Rather be on a bike then a train. Taking the train once in a while isn't bad though considering all the chicks you can see on them..

[He Man]

here is the raw math.

If you spend $512 extra a year operating 1 motorcycle.

These are the prices that you can basicaly neglect

Tires -$280
belts -$50
vlaves -$40

so $512 -370 = -$142 deficit. but you only spend $736 assuming 55mpg. So you end up saving $272 a year operating a 2nd bike. Counting the deficit of the 1st bike, you end up saving $130 a year. Which is the maintence cost of something like a ninja 250 (no torque, so the tire wears out SLOWLLLYYY).

HOWEVER, id still be cranking out $360 a year for insurance (because im 23 in the city). so really, i save only $150 bucks on operating a 2nd bike. And it takes up space in my garage. And I dont always commute via motorcycle. so its a hit or miss. Not worth it for my personally because of the insane amount of snow fall across the states, i didnt log more than 300 miles between december and today.

If i had to go back and buy another motorcycle to do everything, id pick the SV650. The monster actually sucks pretty bad for carrying shit, comfort, and track duty.

[WarrenJ]

Another factor, irrespective of the costs - are you happier riding your Monster or happier riding public transportation?  X number of minutes more per day being happy is a big plus in my book.

[Turf]

life is short, ride a bike

[the_Journeyman]

Why not ride the Monster on the train tracks.  Just watch out for oncoming trains and the rest of the traffic issue is not a problem 

Suspension maintenance may factor in for that scenario...

JM

[lethe]

Why not ride the Monster on the train tracks.  Just watch out for oncoming trains and the rest of the traffic issue is not a problem 

Suspension maintenance may factor in for that scenario...

JM

He Man--->BlankMan?

[He Man]

life is short, ride a bike

bike will make life shorter, especially if i ride in the rails!

[Drunken Monkey]

something like a big single thumper of the DR650, XT600, XR650L, KLR650(or perhaps a DRZ400) variety where parts are cheap, mods are cheap, and fuel range and efficientcy it better...

Used Duke II. I ride it to work (8 mile round trip) in downtown SF everyday.

I hate the bus.

[akmnstr]

I'm wondering about the time saving of riding the bike.  I ride to work sometime and love it.  But it takes time to put on gear and then pack the things I'll need for work.  The train takes longer in total time but while on the train you can do other things like prepare for work (ugh), read, listen to music, play games with the faces of strangers, and meet people.  You could end up meeting your life partner on the train!  How much would that be worth (damn expensive when ya have kids, send em to college, get divorced, pay a lawyer, pay child support).  So, forget about the life partner.

I also think you are a little low on the cost of riding your bike.  The more I ride the more my bike needs, like that carbon fiber clutch I just got.  Okay, I didn't have to buy the clutch cover, but the bike just blew about a header and that cost almost $300. 

I'm not sayin you give up riding to work.  I think you should do whatever feels good on any given day.   [moto]

[cokey]

The wife might finally start working again just in time for good bicycle riding to arrive.. tht means ill have to drive the baby to sitters rather then saving money on transportation.  She better get paid well... 

[zooom]

I'm wondering about the time saving of riding the bike.  I ride to work sometime and love it.  But it takes time to put on gear and then pack the things I'll need for work.  The train takes longer in total time but while on the train you can do other things like prepare for work (ugh), read, listen to music, play games with the faces of strangers, and meet people.  You could end up meeting your life partner on the train!  How much would that be worth (damn expensive when ya have kids, send em to college, get divorced, pay a lawyer, pay child support).  So, forget about the life partner.

I also think you are a little low on the cost of riding your bike.  The more I ride the more my bike needs, like that carbon fiber clutch I just got.  Okay, I didn't have to buy the clutch cover, but the bike just blew about a header and that cost almost $300. 

I'm not sayin you give up riding to work.  I think you should do whatever feels good on any given day.   [moto]

let me offer you the flip side...commuting home...on the train you stew and wallow in whatever sucked at work while you sit on the train...or you put on your helmet and you glide right into your zone and put those worries and cares away....worth the decompression IMHO!

[akmnstr]

let me offer you the flip side...commuting home...on the train you stew and wallow in whatever sucked at work while you sit on the train...or you put on your helmet and you glide right into your zone and put those worries and cares away....worth the decompression IMHO!

Good point.  But, I avoid riding when feeling high emotion.  For me, that anger or frustration just doesn't go away because I put on my helmet.  I find I need a cool head to ride.  It may be a personal thing.