-I have a moped and I enjoy riding a lot
-it forces me to be more engaged on the act of driving (therefore safer)
-I like feeling the weather and the appreciation of the indoors and good weather I feel after a tough ride.
-when I started driving, I got into a few accidents so I got a stick shift and I haven't had an accident for 4 years. I feel the more I'm forced to focus on the road, the safer I am.
-save money (my wife has a car, and we don't make a lot of money and cannot afford a second car)
-I don't want a special sport bike, I just want an A to B driver. I have no intention of taking unnecessary risks or chasing any thrills.
-where I live (in Germany) a motorcycle license requires weeks of classes and exams and I feel confident that I'll be more than prepared.
My wife and mother and mother in law and father in law all express concerns for my safety. Should I listen? Or should I do what I feel is best?
Your reasons are totally valid to me. I rode street bikes in Okinawa when I was young and fearless. 20 years later, I decided I needed to do something to feel alive, to break out of the rut of work, work, work that I found myself in. 2 wheels and 750 cc's fit the bill perfectly. The difference between then and now is that I am more aware of my mortality. And Chris is totally correct. When you ride, you are completely at the mercy of your own maintenance. If you are unwilling to learn about your bike and put in the necessary work, you shouldn't be riding. One can get away from this by hiring a personal mechanic, but who has the money for that? Personally, I think that if one does not have the desire to become a motorcycle mechanic, then he has no business riding. Myself, I am faced with rebuilding my forks in a freezing cold garage, something I have never done before. But it has to be done, and so I will. You can either listen to your family or be your own man. If listening to them is what you consider being your own man, then do that. Nobody can tell you what to do.
There is no cut and dry answer. There was a time many years ago that I needed to ride a motorcycle which didn't bother me as I love riding but at that time I couldn't afford to buy a car/truck. If you decide to buy a motorcycle remember ONE BIG thing- they are not partially safe with 7.5 billion other people in the world and you need to stay FULLY concentrated on the bike's maintenance and OVERLY so to know that when sh!t starts to happen to seems quicker and you have very little protection from that sh!t.
No one can tell you whether you should listen to your family or not...that is your decision to make.
Before I bought my first motorbike, my mom expressed her concern but I still went ahead and bought it. I've been riding for some years now and I love the feeling. But that is only my personal opinion and experience. What you choose to do is completely up to you.
Since you're in Germany, Glückliches Neues Jahr.
As I already said:
You and I are not idiots. Go on the Internet and see all of the collisions of the idiots on motorcycles and ask your family if they actually think you ride that stupidly? Do they not TRUST you?
(Jay -- all moms worry, but when I got first bike she said "Same as your Father!")
