[Transportation] Motorcycles & scooters

[Lore]

The technology predates electrical power by a few millennium. Virtually anyone can build a still. There are very few people that could build an electrical generating system from scratch, let alone an efficient battery.

[John_A]

The technology predates electrical power by a few millennium. Virtually anyone can build a still.

True, but people from modern civilizations seem to have grown quite stupid as of late. Overspecialization perhaps?

There are very few people that could build an electrical generating system from scratch, let alone an efficient battery.

True. Fortunately, we have lots of infrastructure in place so it doesn't need built from scratch, and the people that aren't stupid are still around to maintain and build these things, and peak oil might make it difficult for them to use gasoline to get to work but it won't strike them stupid.

[Ferretlover]

I used to ride motorcycles years ago, and have been thinking about getting another one for a while now. Finally took the plunge last week. Picked up a 2005 Kawasaki KLR 250, got a real good deal from a private seller on Craigslist (he'd just been laid off). I'm extremely happy with it, handles great both on pavement and on logging roads, much better bike than the other ones in that price range. Even came with an awesome pink camo bag (any ideas on how to change the color would be most appreciated---spray paint? dye?): ...
The main thing I'm worried about is safety, motorcycles aren't called “murdercycles” for nothing. A close relative of mine was killed on a motorcycle (hit by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign), so I'm not naive about the danger. I plan on taking a 3-day safety class as soon as possible, as it's been quite a few years since I've ridden. I'm not sure if the safety factor outweighs the other positive preparedness factors (and fun factor!)---if I had young kids it probably would, but I don't, so it doesn't

You will get 60MPG without even trying, probably near 100 on an eco-run.

Having ridden bikes of all sizes/types and without a serious smash up in 30 years riding, I will give this advice on staying alive on a motorcycle:

The proper attitude is everything:
1/ treat every single vehicle on the road as an enemy or potential deadly enemy (paranoia mandatory)

2/ remember if you hit anything bigger than a mouse at speed, you are likely to come off (unfenced/ poorly fenced routes/ bush tracks/ suburban driveways can all suddenly have large animals appear)

3/ horses for courses, the right bike for the job (road bikes are nearly useless in wet mud/ dirt bikes are underpowered for highway driving, unless you go for a big Tenere or something, in which case fuel efficieny will be half what Loki's bike will get)

Always expect the absolute worst out of car drivers. Treat them all like they are drunk, stoned, half asleep and on the phone. Remember that if they kill you they will get away with it just by saying "I didn't see him!"

[eastbay]

Excellent choice, Loki! Mine is an '07 650cc XMoto BMW which, with off-road tires, will climb any kind of road imaginable (as I understand). I plan to keep it on blacktop for now (maybe forever) but if I choose, it can be converted to something comparable to yours with a (fairly) quick tire switch.

Off road potential is the only way to go!

[SeaGypsy]

Very worthwhile to have 2 or even 3 sets of tyres on rims, ready to go/ sprocket adjustment being an added bonus as you an have a small sprocket on the road wheel, medium on the cross trail and huge on your dirt pull/ hill climb/ plow puller wheel.

[Loki]

Auddy, I think motorcycle taxis may work quite well in some US cities. I lived in Portland, Oregon, for many years, there's at least one bicycle taxi service there. Not sure how popular or financially viable it is, their range must be pretty limited. I could definitely see a motorcycle taxi service working there, or even better, a moped taxi (Portland hipsters LOVE mopeds). Of course it wouldn't be all that popular during the rainy half of the year, it'd definitely be a seasonal gig.

I took a motorcycle taxi within minutes of stepping foot in Bali back in the 1990s. No helmet, a giant backpack strapped to my back, zipping through traffic in a very foreign country. The young kid driving laughed at me for how hard I held onto him. Maybe I'd have felt better if a Hindu priest blessed the motorcycle like the bus I took later on in my trip

For US motorcycle taxis you'd need to figure out the helmet situation, people have different sized heads, and you'd need to be able to sanitize the helmet between users. I have no idea what insurance would cost, but motorcycle insurance for private motorcyclists is dirt cheap here in the US. Many taxi users here have luggage, not sure how that would work. Maybe a sidecar? A sidecar would definitely add to the appeal, and you'd be able to haul 2 people, or 1 person and their stuff, if your bike was big enough.

It's not a bad idea, I think you could find a niche market in some US cities---maybe focus on the drunk Saturday night types?

[Loki]

Very worthwhile to have 2 or even 3 sets of tyres on rims, ready to go/ sprocket adjustment being an added bonus as you an have a small sprocket on the road wheel, medium on the cross trail and huge on your dirt pull/ hill climb/ plow puller wheel.

Thanks for the safety advice SeaGypsy, I'll definitely be a lot more paranoid about other drivers when I'm on my bike. The safety lit I've googled says turning drivers who "didn't see" the motorcycle are the main culprits. Exactly what happened when I got hit by a car while riding my bicycle back from work a couple years ago, an elderly driver who "didn't see me" smacked me broadside as she was turning.

Good idea about having a set of spare tires mounted. I have knobbies on there now, think road tires would make it any faster? It'll keep up on the state highways near where I live, but barely, and I hate to push the RPMs so high. Wouldn't dream of taking it on the interstate. It'll go 70 mph, but it's really pushing it and it doesn't feel stable at that speed.

[Loki]

Excellent choice, Loki! Mine is an '07 650cc XMoto BMW which, with off-road tires, will climb any kind of road imaginable (as I understand). I plan to keep it on blacktop for now (maybe forever) but if I choose, it can be converted to something comparable to yours with a (fairly) quick tire switch.

Off road potential is the only way to go!

Thanks Eastbay, I didn't even consider a road bike, I really wanted something that would handle logging roads w/o problem. So far I'm very happy with the KLR on gravel roads, feels extremely stable. Won't be doing much off-road per se, except to get around logging road gates.

I thought about getting a KLR 650, but the 250 came up on Craiglist at the right time and it was a deal I couldn't refuse. It's plenty heavy even though it's only a 250, not sure I could deal with a 650 in an off-road situation. Also wanted the best mpg I could get. A bit gutless for highway travel, though, which I expected. Better than the diesel VW Rabbit truck I used to own, though, that was truly a gutless wonder

[SeaGypsy]

Roughly 10% faster, up to 20% less fuel per mile/

[shaun64]

I've got a Kick scooter used mostly for tooling aimlessly around the local neighborhoods and gathering strange looks from coworkers. Kids kept suggesting tricks, so I learned to track stand on it. I've also been known to tool around work on a scavenged scooter with 12" tires.

Kick Scooter

[TommyJefferson]

TJ, how comfortable is the KLR650 on long road trips?

Very, very, very UNcomfortable.

For long road trips you want something that:

- is heavy with a long wheelbase.
- has wind protection.
- has big pistons with flywheel effect.

The KLR has a short wheelbase. Great for squirreling around trees. Exhausting when trying to maintaining a straight line for hours.

Seven hours of wind buffeting your helmet and being peppered by road debris from passing cars is painful. Wind protection adds safety and endurance.

Buzzy small-piston engines like thumpers and inline fours are taxing when trying to maintain a constant speed for hours. Constant throttle attention is required when grinds on you mentally. Big twins like BMW's alleviate this.

Long trips on KLRs are best avoided if possible. I've done them because I was poor, had no other transport, and need to be somewhere. I don't recommend it.

[Loki]

I did a long day trip last summer on my little KLR 250, it was definitely tiring. The lack of a windshield and having to sit bolt upright means you get blasted by the full force of the wind.

Had an adrenaline-inducing motorcycle experience a couple weeks ago, as I was going down a country road my clutch cable broke. I managed to get it stopped, figured out what was wrong and tried to limp it home. I could shift it, but it was difficult. Luckily there was no traffic at all.

The hardest part was starting off from a stop, can't feather the clutch out, it's all or nothing. Managed to do it once successfully, but less than a half mile from home I had to stop at the highway and wait for traffic to pass. When I tried to get going the bike did a wheelie a good 2 or 3 feet off the ground. Thankfully I managed to control it, didn't dump it and it stalled out before it went out into the highway. I pushed it back to the road I live on, then push started it. Duh, should have push started it to begin with. Live and learn

Still waiting on the clutch cable to come in, so it'll be another week or so before I can ride again. I'm glad I got the KLR, it's been a great bike aside from the clutch cable, and the inconveniently located air filter clogging up.