hi guys

This is my first post here, so hi. I have a dilemma which i am sure some of you have some good answers to. In the last six months i owned a 2002 cbr600fs and i loved it to bits. It was my first bike after my direct access and it was perfect. Unfortunately do to starting uni in september i had to choose between my bike and my car. Thus the bike went as i thought my car would be more practical during the cold season. But i cant escape the rush of the bike and thinking about selling my car and just riding everywhere. What i want to ask is, how easy is it to ride during winter, the cold, the rain the icy roads. Is it worth it? Is riding in the winter as dangerous as people make out? Does it kill the fun riding every day? Any opinions and advice would be great cheers

 

Any thread I've ever read like this said having a bike as a daily driver sucks after awhile. You get rained on, can't really carry anything, uncomfortable, etc. How the hell do you go to the grocery store on a sport bike? When I go I fill up my damn back seat in my F-150. Make 10 trips? lol

I love bikes but I would not want mine to be my daily driver.

 

I agree. a motorcycle is not allways practical. There are times when you just need a car.

 

Yeah, even living in Florida where we can ride year round, a bike as a daily driver gets old pretty quickly. My boyfriend thought he'd do that when he got his, and he only lasted a few weeks riding it alone. It's just not the same doing your morning commute as getting out for a good relaxing ride on the weekends, he said.

 

i love riding but even I hate hate hate riding frozen to the handlebars.

my bike is a rain virgin

 

i've riden in everything from 28 degrees to torrential down pours.
that being said, i do like the fact that i have my car. it's more practical. wouldn't ever get rid of the bike but a car is a must!

 

the f4i is my only form of transportation. I walk to work so i never HAVE to drive it. I commute to wisconsin every weekend (3hrs). It sucks when it rains but so far this year it has only happened twice. Grocery shopping isnt that bad since i only need groceries for myself, i use a backpack and a rear seat bag.

 

I love my bikes & ride almost daily *but* if I had to make a choice btwn car & bike as primary source of transportation altogether, I'd have to choose the car (shhh, don't tell my wife) Its just nice to park the bike, grab the car & go get groceries, run errands that require picking up larger items, etc.

That being said, I have had periods where my bike was the only source of transportation for a wk or two at a time...& yes, it can get tedious for some situations...especially in rain. It stinks to leave a warm & dry house to immediately being wet & cold for miles & miles, only to have to stay wet at your destination. I've tried various rainsuits & no matter how good they are, you will still get wet in places. Some rainsuits are great at keeping out the majority of the rain but will make you sweat, which is worse in my opinion. I'd rather be wet from rain that soaking wet from sweat. As for groceries, I have worn a backpack & picked up several things at a time but didn't have to ride all that far from the grocery. So yes, a bike alone can be done but you will sacrifice some comforts of having a car.

There are pros & cons to each, like anything, but the car will give you more utility in the long-run. No, not as much in the yippee-factor department...that is unless you're driving a fancy little sportscar. Keep in mind that my viewpoint is from an old married guy w/ family obligations & duties. So, utility is a concern. My pros vs cons chart just flows that way. Yours may be different.

Happy motoring!