ALT-1 How to tell if Riding a Motorcycle is for you
Riding a motorcycle is fun, but there is also an element of danger. Serious consideration is needed to the possibility of being involved in an accident. For teenagers, there is usually the desire for danger and excitement, coupled with the belief that they are immortal. As people get older they come to realize that they're not immortal and that they can get hurt if something goes wrong. To think that you'll never fall off a bike is naïve. It's not really true to say that motorcycles are more dangerous than any other vehicle. It's just that they are less stable than four-wheeled vehicles, and that in the event of an accident the motorcycle rider is more vulnerable and more likely to be the injured party.
If a person is able to ride a bicycle, then that person obviously has a sense of balance, therefore he or she has the ability to ride a motorcycle. A bonus when learning to ride a motorcycle is the capability to drive a manual car, so that it is just a case of getting used to having the controls in different positions. The clutch is operated by hand instead of foot, as is the accelerator. On occasion it is possible to be okay with learning to ride a motorcycle, but to be uncomfortable about riding in traffic. On a motorcycle there is a vulnerability that is not felt in a car. That is also one of the plus points about riding a motorcycle. You are not in a box, so you feel the effects of your environment.
Controlling a motorcycle is actually quite easy with a bit of practice and confidence, but if you are struggling to master clutch control, it is possible to buy an automatic scooter. These are called twist-and-go scooters. Put it into gear, open the throttle, and the bike moves forward. Easy!
One of the main aspects about riding motorcycles is that it's quite a lone hobby. Even when riding in a group, each rider is separate and makes his or her own decisions. Some riders prefer to ride alone anyway and, when out on the bike, there is no communication with anyone else. Having said that, there are now intercoms available, so that the rider can talk to the pillion passenger or even to other riders in a group. However, I feel that this goes against the spirit of riding a motorcycle.
There are really only a few reasons for wanting to ride a motorcycle: there is the danger and excitement element; there is the biker lifestyle and camaraderie; and lastly, with the soaring costs involved with motoring, there is the realisation that motorcycling can be a cheaper way of commuting to work. In the U.K., most towns and cities have separate parking bays for motorcycles, which are free to park in, and generally toll-bridges and tunnels don't charge motorcycles.
