pros and cons of riding a motorcycle

[geormiet]

I'm toying with the idea of learning how to ride a motorcycle. I live in San Francisco, and would use it for commuting to school, and getting around places where I would otherwise be driving alone.

Here is what I envision the pros and cons to be:

pros:
-More fun than driving
-Cheaper than driving (in terms of gas, insurance, and vehicle)
-Faster, i.e. avoiding traffic lines
cons:
-more dangerous than driving


I'd like to hear from anyone with experience what their thoughts are on motorcycles, especially on how safe they are. Friends of mine say things like "every person who rides a motorcycle will eventually have an accident," which make me worry and dissuade me from doing it. How much truth to statements like these?

[Chris Daddy Cool]

[ QUOTE ]
cons:
-more dangerous than driving

[/ QUOTE ]

i don't think you realize just how much more dangerous it is.

[bluef0x]

I also don't consider it more fun than driving, but that's because I prefer to have control over my vehicle at all times. Have you ever driven a motorcycle? It's not like a video game...

Cons:
Useless in rain. Crazy dangerous in extreme winds.

[kerowo]

Pro: Woot! I'm riding a motorcycle! Ha, ha suckers!

Con: Needing someone to help you poop.

[Tom Ames]

Try Googling "spinal cord injury"

[perfectpokar]

Its much harder then you would imagine depending on the type of bike your looking at. Def take a safety course on proper way to ride; such as while riding on the road you have to stick to either the right or left side of the lane instead of the middle due to the way roads are and oil spots. They are not useless in the rain, you just have to be a well experienced rider and in my opionion if you have dirtbiked then you would be just fine in handing your vehicle on a rainy day.

My dad was in a motorcycle accident when he was t-boned by a pick-up truck and almost died as well as lost his leg.

[LeapFrog]

[ QUOTE ]

Cons:
Useless in rain. Crazy dangerous in extreme winds.

[/ QUOTE ]

I will also add wet leaves and gravel as possibly causing you problems. Fun to ride in nice weather and light traffic. I would not want to be in a freeway accident on a motorcycle.

If you do decide to get one take it easy. Practice on the smallest one you can find in say a large empty parking lot to get the basic feel. Take a safety course.

[Blarg]

Pros: chicks dig it
Cons: Your safety is almost entirely dependent on others, and others suck. At least on the road. No amount of skill will ever change that much at all.

[illeagle]

[ QUOTE ]
I also don't consider it more fun than driving, but that's because I prefer to have control over my vehicle at all times. Have you ever driven a motorcycle? It's not like a video game...

[/ QUOTE ]
And cage automobiles never get out of control?

[ QUOTE ]
Cons:
Useless in rain.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is utterly wrong. It sucks to ride a bike in the rain but it's definitely not impossible.

I agree that anyone who rides a motorcycle for any significant time will have some sort of accident. The real danger isn't the motorcycle, it's the general obliviousness of the unobservant cage drivers around you.

And motorcycles are WAAAAAAY more fun than driving a cage.

[RED FACE]

I think I'd assess your most common commute, to school and back. Is there a lot of single lane traffic? Is there a lot of visiblity at the intersections? Is there very little commercial truck traffic?

I'm no expert but I think if the answers are yes it might be reasonably safe in good weather.