We've invited Paul Crowe of Kneeslider over to give us his argument for why motorcycles are better than cars. Let the flame war begin. — Ed.
Cars are neat, I like them a lot and I've been fortunate to have had a few nice ones, but motorcycles have a long list of advantages over their 4 wheel cousins.
In my experience, if you like bikes, there's a good chance you appreciate cars, trucks, boats and airplanes, too, not all to the same degree but a particularly nice example of any motor driven vehicle can bring on a smile. Eventually, though, most of us have to choose among the categories if we're going to invest our resources on one or two vehicles (or more) and when the choice has to be made, motorcycles have a lot to offer.
Here's my personal list. It might vary from one person to another, your list might have items I haven't thought of, but I think these give you some food for thought.
1. You can fit 3 or 4 bikes into the space occupied by one car. Make maximum use of a small garage, buy motorcycles.
2. Motorcycles use less gas. 30 miles per gallon is on the low end and smaller engines can get triple digit mileage.
3. Motorcycles outperform cars. Sure, some exotic cars can keep up with a Hayabusa, but not many and the cost is usually 10 or 20 times the cost of the bike, or more.
4. You can rebuild a motorcycle if you're mechanically inclined, you don't have to do very much body work. Not being particularly skilled in body and paint, I appreciate this one.
5. Motorcycles cost less. Even classics and collector bikes can often be purchased for the price of a very plain used car.
6. Motorcycle riders are safer, they don't text on their phones while riding.
7. Motorcycle riding can be really cozy. If you want to be a little closer to your passenger, brake a little quicker for the next stop.
8. Motorcycle riding gets you out in the fresh air. Smell real pine trees, not the scent of a pine shaped deodorizer hanging from the mirror.
9. Motorcycle riding develops your coordination and balance. Brake and clutch levers for your hands, brake and shift gears with your feet, learn to balance at slow speeds, many drivers could never do it.
10. Best of all, there has never been a recall for unintended motorcycle acceleration.
That's a start, how many more reasons can you add?
Paul Crowe is the editor and publisher of The Kneeslider: Motorcycle News for Positive People where this story first appeared on on March 15th, 2010.
Photo Credit: SpeedSportLife