Getting to work

[equiraptor]

I recently started working for The Planet at their headquarters in downtown Houston. As a result of being downtown parking is limited. Most of us have to pay for car parking (motorcycle parking is freely available under the building and there's a bike rack available). However, the company will pay for a bus pass for employees. So I can either pay

Comments

[eliset]

I love my scooter, but it's not really logical to ride on cold/wet days, so you might factor that into your cost/benefit analysis.

[equiraptor]

They make rain gear for riding motorcycles that I hear is quite effective. That does add cost (buying more gear, and this'd definitely need to be good stuff), but a way to get to work on a motorcycle and stay dry exists. Honestly, I'm more concerned about my ability to handle a sport bike on wet ground. When the drive tires loose traction in the wet, the car stays upright. The bike? Well... I need some skill first.

There's a lot of "I'll pay more if I'm happier" in these equations, but there's also a lot of "how happy would X actually make me?"

There's also an aspect I forgot to mention. My group at The Planet is a 24/7/365 operation. The bus isn't available for some shifts. I may or may not be able to convince them to let me use some of the under building parking in "off" hours, but the bus may not always be an option if my schedule changes.

[eliset]

Makes sense.

My personal suggestions based on my experience:

- Absolutely take the class.
- Your gear, at a minimum, should include Snell-certified helmet, reinforced gloves, good boots (I wear Docs, but they make special motorcycle boots), and crash jacket.
- Don't give anyone a ride until you've been riding at least a year. I'm at 18 months, and I still haven't.
- spent a few months getting used to the bike before taking it out in inclement conditions
- install a louder horn (This is a good one - I literally met a Deaf guy who could hear it)
- assume people can't see you, and ride like that. I keep one finger near my horn at all times, and automatically give right-of-way to everyone else.
- get a used bike, not a new one. You will drop your bike. No sense in damaging a new bike unless you just love that model
- wave at other motorcycle riders. The wave is important! And scooter riders love the wave too. :)

[equiraptor]

Most of the riders I've talked to have provided similar (or identical) advice. I'll probably be going for the special motorcycle boots, just because I don't own boots yet. The helmet may end up being an SA rated instead of M rated. Apparently, the differences are that the SA protects better (multi-impact tested to more strict standards), but the M rules require a larger viewing area than the SA rules. So if the SA rated helmet I'll be buying for the track has a sufficiently large viewing area, I'll use it on the motorcycle, too. Either way, it'll be a full face Snell rated

[thomasj]

All of these are are great tips.

I did actually buy a new bike (Ninja 250) as my first bike, and I dropped it *the first day*. Used is good =)

[eliset]

I got my Vespa new too, but I expected to drop it - I was just very in love with a particular model.