Dump Car for Bike???

[Drunken Monkey]

While I still have a minivan (2 kids, having just a bike won't work for me) with my wife, I ride the bike to work everyday.

It's doable. In fact a number of friends of mine get by with just a motorcycle and just use zipcar/city carshare when they need to haul stuff.

One downside: Riding the bike on weekends can start to feel like nothing special. To avoid this I have a commuter bike (250 scooter) and a weekend ride (Monster)

[Jarvicious]

My car battery has been dead for a month and a half now and I didn't really have a problem with it.  The Monster has become my weekend twisties ride and the BMW has enough storage to fit a good sized shopping trip in the luggage.  I've been thinking about getting a truck as well, seing as how all i do with the car is occasionally get groceries, go camping, and take it on trips when i really really really don't feel like two wheeling it.  i don't think I could get rid of the cage all together though.  While I rarely use it, I'll fork over the minimal liability payments just to have it as a backup and just drive it once a month (and get a battery tender ) so she stays in driveable shape. 

[Willwork4aMonster]

I can't do it.

I have a Tacoma, and ride the monter and SM weather permitting.

Live in the Northeast and during the winter I've had awd/4whl drive car and trucks stuck in my driveway, so winter riding would be all but impossible.

Have a dog that I try and take with me as often as possible, also need a small truck to do yard work and hall the bike.

Ride as often as I can when the temp is above 40 and I can get out of my driveway.  During the riding season I may drive the truck 1 day per week.

I need a tank bag.

[Clickjack]

I was just curious how feasable it is to have *just* a motorcycle as my only form of transportation. 

I did this for 4 years.  It's a pain in the ass, don't do it.  Here is what I discovered.  Getting to ride a motorcycle is the best thing on earth.  Having to ride a motorcycle is miserable.   Ride your bike everyday.  get an old truck,  or car and park it.  I have the Duc, and an old 96 GMC.  Here's the thing, even a little rain and or cold sucks.  Some days you wanna wear shorts and flip flops.   Sometimes you wanna carry stuff and or friends from point A to point B.  Life is just easier, and riding more enjoyable if you have options. 

[killaimdie]

The only reason I got a car is because I had a kid. And it's ruining the time I have to ride. Agh!

He's lucky he's so damn cute.

[silentbob]

The only reason I got a car is because I had a kid. And it's ruining the time I have to ride. Agh!

He's lucky he's so damn cute.

That and the motorcycle was starting to hurt your mangina.

[xcaptainxbloodx]

after moving to portland I decided I dident need a car. sold it and used half the money to get my s2r. occasionally ill miss the car when I cant buy anything bigger than a shoebox and get it home but im alright with that.

[LA]

A used small pickup is a must have item as far as I'm concerned - $1500 to $5000.  Money well spent.

LA

[Vindingo]

I did this for 4 years.  It's a pain in the ass, don't do it.  Here is what I discovered.  Getting to ride a motorcycle is the best thing on earth.  Having to ride a motorcycle is miserable.   Ride your bike everyday.  get an old truck,  or car and park it.  I have the Duc, and an old 96 GMC.  Here's the thing, even a little rain and or cold sucks.  Some days you wanna wear shorts and flip flops.   Sometimes you wanna carry stuff and or friends from point A to point B.  Life is just easier, and riding more enjoyable if you have options. 

I agree 100%

I have been bike only for 2 years and I am getting tired of it.  I used to commute to work every day and ride all weekend long.  I got sick of riding and stopped riding on the weekends for fun because I was commuting every day.  It took a lot of the fun out of riding. 

I can carry a shopping cart full of groceries on the bike and I have been pretty creative with strpping shit to it.  I hate it.  There was a point there I would rather walk and take a bus places because putting on my helmet, gloves and jacket was a hassle.  I took a 2 week break from riding all together, and I started to enjoy it again.

I still want a truck though, and had no intentions of being bike only this long. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

What Vin and Clickjack said:

It's more fun if you do have an alternative. Getting on the bike everyday gets old.


Sucks when your working out. Sucks when you're dating-she has to drive, because really, you going to buy gear for her for a first date? Think not. Can't have *any* liquor, and get home, and even if you wouldn't in a car, you can at least get a friend to drive you drunk ass home in your car. Carry your gear with you everywhere, everyday. Get used to wearing full gear, walking in heavy boots, with extra layers on in the heat.

I might consider it on a GS with bags, so I could carry regular clothes and stow the gear. On a Monster with no way to lock it up? Hell no.

[DucofWestwood]

I did it. I too live in socal (LA) and I too was paying for a car what some pay in rent. But it was worth it to me at the time. Eventually I decided I couldn't justify the cost anymore and sold it and got a bike. No regrets at all. Significant cost savings. However, my wife has a car. So when it rains or its time to go grocery shopping or I'm just tired, I have that option. Get a cheap car that u can treat like a rental. Dents and dings are inevitable (esp in socal) and having a cheap car is stress-free.many people in LA drive performance cars they can't afford and will never get the chance to push them to the limits of their capabilities. A bike is cheap, it saves time (legal lane-splitting) and its much more fun. Go for it.

But do get a beater car for the trader joes parking lot.   

[ArguZ]

I did it 
I had a nice Jeep Grand Cherokee and gave it up when I moved to Copenhagen.
Reason one : Denmark wants you to pay 120% tax on every car you bring into the country and they estimate the price at the border.
Reason two : Best public transport in the world (computer controlled Metro, aircon buses, three meter wide bike lanes)
Then came the 695 and proved itself to be the perfect commuter bike and also fit for some tours and track days.
You dont need a station wagon, you need a friend who owns one

[KnightofNi]

i went bike only about 5 yrs ago.

there are times when it kinds sucks, but 99.5% of the time i love it.
i ride through snow, rain, cold, heat, ect...being in socal i believe you will only have to worry about the heat most often.

there was a thread recently about riding to work and how to deal with keeping your work clothes fresh. plenty of good advice there.

i bought a cheap pair of soft bags for the monster and things became much easier. i can carry dam near anything on the bike now, though there are times that my better judgement kicks in and i dont' carry certain things (full pieces of lumber for example)

i say if you want to doit then just do it. ween yourself off the car if you have to. do what makes you happy.

[MsTek]

Me?

Bicycle, public transportation and now my (new to me) S2R.

The only problem I am going to have this summer is that I still need to take public transportation when I need to take my guitar with me as that I can't see a way to put it on the monster at all without killing myself or the acoustic.

[Statler]

did about 7 years in school with bike only, but wife had car for last three for emergencies, shopping etc. 

bike's are great campus vehicles and my school had great motorcycle parking dirt cheap compared to horribly expensive and rare car parking.   No big deal to ride in rain etc. as a student either.   

In a professional field I think a car is needed.  Perhaps you can still bike most of the time, but there are times when it's just not going to work. 

But if you are younger and in a place where you can get away with it without it hurting your career or social life do it.    I learned more street survival skills commuting daily by bike in all weather than I ever would have just weekending it as a hobby.   

I think it's easier to start bike-only before you have a car than to go other direction.   Pretty easy to get used to air con, heat, dry, storage, passengers, safety.

And as others have said, the commuter vehicle is a tool.  A to B.   I like the bike to be a toy.  Point A to point A.   

riding as an event. 

something to get caught up in and get me away from the mundane monday through friday drudgery.     But I may not feel quite like that now if I didn't do the commute by bike thing earlier.  who knows.