Biking certainly isn’t for everyone and not everyone is going to approve of your plans to trade in your trusty five-door for two wheels but then not everyone is you and not everyone has the longing to trade in your car for a much longed for motorbike like you do.
If you’re looking to go all in and buy a bike there are plenty of things to consider, including the pros and cons of bike ownership.
In this short article, we look at some of the things you can expect from owning and riding a bike and help you decide if you’re going to go for it with a Honda cb750 or similar, or stick to four wheels and play it safe.
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The Cons
When it comes to the downsides of motorbike ownership, we’re talking about two main talking points. The first has to be the weather and it’s not something you can do much about. The commute to work in glorious sunshine, weaving through the traffic and shaving minutes off your travelling time, takes on a whole new feel when you’re doing it in the driving, freezing rain of a February morning.
There are of course plenty of accessories you can buy to make this more bearable from heated gloves to thermally lined protective clothing and de-misting wing mirrors. The truth is, there’s nothing you can do about it, it’s just a part of the deal when you own a bike.
The second aspect is that of safety. With that driving rain comes poor visibility and the problem that car drivers encounter of not seeing or looking properly for bikes in their mirrors. While you might be a great driver, you aren’t able to account for the attitude and actions of other drivers and that makes you particularly vulnerable when out on your bike.
Pros
For all the doom and gloom of the cons, the pros look decidedly more fun. As mentioned up post the daily commute is a grind and cutting down the amount of time you spend on the road is a huge plus point. Consider too how easily you’ll be able to take smaller roads and negotiate your way around holdups and jams. The knock on effect is that you’ll be able to leave later and come home earlier, giving you more time with your loved ones.
Secondly, a bike is cheaper to buy and cheaper to run which makes it a great choice over getting a second car, for example. With lower running costs you’ll actually end up saving money each year.
Lastly, bikes are just fun. Zooming down the open road gives you a sense of freedom that you just don’t get in a car and you can’t beat it.
Go on, give in to your what you really want and start getting your four wheels cleaned up ready to sell and snap up that bike of your dreams. It’s a purchase you won’t regret so ignore the naysayers and get on your leathers.