There’s something idyllic about motorbike life that intrigues a lot of people. For some, it’s liberty. Being able to be close to the road and feel that beast purring right under you also adds to the experience. But owning a motorbike is a lot of responsibility, and there are some inconveniences to being an owner that you need to know. In most cases, you won’t hear people talk about them, but they have to be taken into consideration if you don’t want to end up with an unpleasant surprise. Here are some of the things most people won’t tell you about owning a motorbike.
It Probably Never Will be Your Primary Vehicle
A lot of people assume that they will take their motorbike everywhere when they buy one, but chances are you will still use your car more often. While you might go a bit crazy in the first few weeks, the novelty of it will start wearing off after a while. After a few weeks of using your bike to do the groceries, you’ll soon realise how much you miss the comfort and cargo a car gives you. You will still use the motorcycle, but for many, it becomes a weekend vehicle, which is not a bad thing since you’ll be able to preserve it for longer.
Insurance Can be Costly
Another thing you have to be prepared for is insurance costs. These can be very high, especially if you’re a new driver. The good news, however, is that there are plenty of services that will allow you to keep those costs low. Quotezone is a good example. Their service allows you to compare motorbike insurance from over 20 different providers. They will allow you to get a snapshot of different policies and see which one could be the best option for you. You can then decide to take this policy right from their website without going through the hassle of dealing directly with the company.
Not Everyone Likes Motorbike Riders
One thing you have to be ready for is how you will be treated on the road. You might get some honks here and there, but there are also people who are downright hostile to motorbike riders. Some may try to cut you off or yell at you for some totally safe and legal manoeuvre you did. This is just something that comes with the territory. While this is not common, this is something you should be on the lookout for.
Bugs
Another thing that no motorbike owner ever tells you is how many bugs of all sorts seem to love motorcycles. And we’re not talking about the cute ones here. Don’t be surprised if you see a giant spider popping right in front of your visor while you’re doing 70 miles per hour on the highway. But the most fun ones are the wasps. For some reason, wasps seem to think that motorbikes make for great nests, and if you don’t want to get poked repeatedly in the leg by angry wasps while you’re riding, you will need to take the proper precautions.
The first one is making sure that you have storage space for the bike. If you don’t have one, then think again about buying one. Not keeping the bike in the garage can not only lead to bug infestations but will deteriorate parts of the vehicle faster. Humidity is one of the worst things for any motor vehicle, but even more for motorcycles where most of the parts are directly exposed to the elements.
So, don’t expect that you’ll be able to just leave your bike in the driveway and have it stay in tip-top shape. Even the best bike cover will not protect your bike, so make sure that you will be able to protect it by giving it its own space.
Buying the Right Bike Isn’t Easy
There’s also a lot of work and research that goes into buying a motorcycle. Before you buy one, you may have a lot of learning to do. You cannot assume that every motorbike will be perfect for you. You might have eyes on a particular vehicle, but don’t know how comfortable the ride will be. Then you have to check the specs and see which ones would work the best for your application. Some behave better on city roads, and some are better for long distances. These are all things you’ll need to take into consideration before picking one.
As you can see, there’s more to owning a motorcycle than what most would have you imagine. So, before you decide to make the jump, make sure that you know everything there is to know about owning one and ask as many questions as you can.