Motorcycle Commuting and Commitment

Gas will never be $2.00 a gallon again, and the rain has stopped, so you find yourself thinking about the dust-covered motorcycle that’s been sitting dormant in the garage for three years. Or you think about Bob down the street who mentioned last week that he was selling his old Honda. Or you just picked up a “basket case” at a yard sale for $100 that the seller swore up and down only needed a tune up to get ‘er runnin’ good.

After you realize that all of these prospects will cost you several hundred dollars (or more) to make road worthy, you press ahead anyway, justifying it with the savings you’ll enjoy once you start riding. And you think about how cool it will be to ride a bike again.

But on that first day of commuting, amid the noise and congestion of those big scary automobiles, you are jolted to reality. The drivers are distracted by their cell phones and the application of their make-up in the mirrors. And they don’t really give a rip about the rules of the road. When you were safely ensconced in your car/suv/truck, these observations were minor annoyances, safe as you were within “the cage.” But now, out here on two wheels, where there is no such thing as a fender bender, those bad habits and bad manners suddenly carry a new weight and a new reality. Those people could kill you!

And it is kind of hot out here without air conditioning. The heat bounces up off the pavement, off the engine, and off all the cars around you. And the wind! Wow, it really dries out your mouth and nose, not to mention the buffeting your ears take from the turbulence.

Through all this, if you quell those doubts with a shrug, because deep down, riding is just plain fun, then welcome to the club. If they keep nagging at you, and you find yourself pining for climate control, cruise control, and a place to hold your latte, then just give up already. Sell the bike to someone who will love it.

Commuting daily on a motorcycle is a lot like marriage. It takes commitment and a willingness to accept the bad with the good. But with the right mind set, a little flexibility, and the right partner, it can be beneficial in even more ways than you expected.