Nice to see the thread pop up again.... The death of a close friends child recently reinforced my "fuck it" attitude..... I say and I say again you're only on this world once so enjoy it will you can, and while your able to...
Live 19 miles from work. Commuting time in a car: 50-90 minutes Commuting time on bike: 15-40 minutes I like being able to see my family from Monday to Friday. No brainer for me.
10 Miles for me each way but, in the middle of summer in gridlocked traffic either way my journey is about 15 mins or so....lovely. Riding a push bike (which I did do for 7 years) is a false economy. Parts for bikes are through the roof, eg a pair or rubber brake pads for a push bike are 13 quid and last about 6 months (doing the miles I do) - a sintered set of brake pads for my RSV4 are 20 quid and last 5000 miles...I have to clock into work also so, when I get a puncture I have to work late and get home late (the journey on a bike is about 40 mins each way) and if its windy add on another 20 mins...it did get to the point where I was running 2 bikes as one usually needed spares...
The other halves should think themselves lucky. You could be......A smoker......A gambler.........Messing around behind her back. Instead you probably get yourself out to work to pay for your habit, keep yourself out of her hair tinkering in the garage while she watches Corrie and sometimes make a profit when you sell a bike; and buy her a nice little prezzie. And as previously said, how many pairs of shoes can you wear at once?
I love cars and motorcycles, but i dont have enoth money to have a Ferrari...so... I have a Ducati The second bike is more difficult to justify, but if she can have 50 pairs of shoes, 50 handbags, jewel and . Why I can not have two bikes.
Good thread this, as this often runs through my mind on almost a continuous loop - not justification in terms of cost - my other half is chilled and really doesn't mind. She's not into bikes one iota - won't even sit on mine for a photo - but she understands it's 'my thing'. My dilemma is that of self trust and risk of injury over death, if I'm being honest. I'm a family man and have young kids. Like many other have commented in this thread, my choice to ride is something I invest in for myself and makes my soul happy. I invest in my marriage and kids in different ways, but to be successful in the these, one must look after the self first, I believe. Whilst I have those moments of sheer elation when I'm on my bike, within the same breath I often ask myself, what the hell am I doing, blatting around the countryside with a full tank of petrol and a motor between my legs. I feel guilty, if I'm honest, for not picking a 'safer' hobby. Yeah of course I tell myself that a life without risk is a pretty boring one and I'd much rather be the cool Dad with a Ducati (my kids would argue this) rather than he Dad who lived to 100 and had a deathly boring life. Plus, I don't personally know anyone who has died or has been seriously injured on a bike - but I have lost 2 friends from breaking their neck ski-ing, one who broke their back riding a horse and a cousin who is paralysed from the waist down from a car accident. Oh and one who was killed by a motorcyclist whilst crossing the road (not the biker's fault I might add). My biggest fear is not getting killed, but getting seriously injured and not being able to graft a living for the family. That's where I sometimes struggle with the justification, from a personal perspective. But maybe it's all just a perception thing - attitudes - most people I know or meet seem to take a sharp intake of breath when I mention my passion for two wheels.... 95% of the time I don't care what they think... there's just that 5% that gets to me from time to time....
I gave up work when I was 45 and moved to France with open roads an little traffic, a country that has no road tax and no MOTs for bikes. I don't need to justify anything as my wife will get her bike out when I get mine out, and with our weather that happens very regularly. The only trouble with this life of leisure and cheap biking is that the garage is now full of bikes!
Same as alpinescars for me....got a family, got kids, and I do think about them while im out as I could be riding one day and someone will hit me through no fault of my own....but, in agreement id rather get old knowing that my body has been well used....so far, bad back on the right hand side, quite extensive scaring on arms and legs from "going down the road a number of times...", extensive nerve damage from metal flue cutting through right wrist and hand and im 46, last week....not bad going so far...
Agree with you 95% apart from the fact I have lost a good friend and a few a acquaintances on bikes. I do worry about dying, so much that I wouldn't take the bike out for a few days before Fathers Day, my son's birthday etc as I'd hate for specific dates to be associated with my demise. I don't worry about not being here myself, I worry about not being here for wife/kids. Ever since the wife fell pregnant I have refused to let her on the back of my bike. She can go on the back of somebody else's, just not mine. Losing one parent is unfortunate, but I won't risk them becoming an orphan. I have no justification for having 2 bikes (actually its 4 but my dad has not passed on the other 2 yet). I don't even commute as I work from home 99% of the time. Sometimes I think I'd like to work in an office so I could commute and justify another bike, but i'd much rather be at home to be honest. I think I only get away with the bikes because: A: I already had one when wife and I first met and have been riding almost solid for 30 years. B: Wife thinks I look sexy in leathers.
Yep - my wife used to love going on the back (pre kids) but now wont go near it as she has the same thoughts.....if we both get knocked off that's both of us out of action...although last year when my daughter forgot her coursework I dropped it into school just before the bell went (on my hyper making loads of noise in the car park) - her street cred went through the roof when they found out "the bloke on the bike" was her dad....
"Ever since the wife fell pregnant I have refused to let her on the back of my bike" I don't think that it was that that made her pregnant.:Angelic:
You don't have to be hit off your bike even I came off mine through a front end slide on a wet road It can happen anytime My kids are the reason I didn't get back on (for now)
I work in agriculture and I'd never really thought about it until someone pointed out that it accounts for the highest rate of work related deaths per hundred thousand people than any other industry. So when I'm not being chased by a bull, sat on by a cow, falling from a height, being run over by a tractor, coming into contact with overhead power lines, ploughing through gas mains, getting tangled in machinery, drowning in a slurry pits or grain stores, poisoned or accidentally self administering animal drugs I take the bike out because it keeps out of danger :Blackeye:
2006: Wife was p*ssed that I bought a second bike in a year. Said if I bought another one she would leave. So I bought another the next weekend. She left. Win win.
I have to say my bike has been my emotional crutch. Didnt start riding till I was 30 and it was my wife who suggested it. At time in life when I was on the brink of self distruct the bird says "why dont you do your bike test" my reply was "wtf do I want to do that for" her response was " least no one can ring you whilst your on the bike" I agreed to do my test but I wasnt going to purchase a bike ha ha. Well at the time I was restoring a 66 mustang convertible. Once restored I ebayed it and purchased an MV f4 1000 since then I havent looked back. Riding a bike I have met real people and had some wonderful times, even purchased a track bike lol. Joined a forum of like minded window lickers and havent looked back. My bike is my sanity and my make everything right with the world thing. Not to mention what a fanny magnet they seem to be pmsl
