Help Me Understand the Appeal of Motorcycles

[Anonymous]

Maybe this is a because some guy just rode down our street on a motorcycle that was super loud, but I'm trying to understand the appeal of these vehicles. Do the riders just like operating a machine that makes a loud noise? I admit I've never ridden one before, but from the accident reports I've heard, they seem extremely unsafe and don't even get me started on riders I see without helmets. Does anyone on hear own a motorcycle, and if so, what's the appeal?

[Anonymous]

Very unsafe.
Usually loud.
Rough and tough riding.
Wind burn, road rash, rocks and bugs hitting you at 70+mph
The appeal is all of that and more, to most riders.

They are also extremely popular in poor countries due to the 75mpg. Add a sidecar and it's a grocery getter or carpool machine.

[Anonymous]

Many motorcycles are not loud, that's a choice made by individual riders. Louder bikes are arguably chosen by riders who want you to notice them; draw whatever conclusions you like about why that might be the case.

People ride for various reasons, including social purposes when riding with clubs and groups. Such group exist not only for people who ride certain brands of motorcycles, but also as affinity organizations for people with similar backgrounds, e.g., firefighters, law enforcement officers, Freemasons and others all have motorcycle clubs for people of like backgrounds. They often engage in fundraising for charitable purposes.

People also ride for the pleasure of the experience, which is quite different from that of riding enclosed and protected from the elements in a car. Riders feel closer and more integral to their environment, and the performance offered by most motorcycles can be exhilarating. Swooping around a curve on a motorcycle is a much different experience than turning a steering wheel to negotiate the same stretch of road. Riders also feel the road more viscerally than is usually the case in a car.

[Anonymous]

Motorcycling has risks, which can be managed but not eliminated entirely. That's true of all forms of transportation, though.

Some motorcyclists fail to manage risk at all - they are not licensed to operate a motorcycle, they have no formal training in operating one, they ride after consuming intoxicants or when emotionally upset or otherwise distracted, and they don't use quality/sufficient protective gear. such riders sometimes ride irresponsibly, speeding excessively, weaving through traffic, or otherwise behaving incautiously.

Others are very risk-conscious and take measure to minimize their risk. They have a motorcycle license, they have had formal training in operating their bike, they never ride after drinking, they don't use drugs, they wear high quality full-face helmets and armored protective clothing (including gauntlet-style gloves and proper motorcycling boots), and they use airbag vests for an additional layer of protection. They ride as if every driver around them is distracted by their cell phones.

[Anonymous]

LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES

[Anonymous]

Organ donations

[Anonymous]

Drive a motorcycle and find out. It’s like asking why do people bother to buy sports cars? They’re loud and annoying.

There are people who drive a Prius to get from point A to B. There are others who want to enjoy driving. A motorcycle is the most enjoyable vehicle to drive due to handling and performance.

[Anonymous]

I know two people who died in 2023 in motorcycle accidents. One was 19 and the other was 50. Both accidents were caused by other drivers. Both victims loved riding and were aware of the risks. Neither one probably thought it would happen to them. There is nothing either could've done to avoid it, other than not riding a motorcycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Motorcycling has risks, which can be managed but not eliminated entirely. That's true of all forms of transportation, though.

Some motorcyclists fail to manage risk at all - they are not licensed to operate a motorcycle

A "license" has nothing at all to do with safety. It's merely another tax or extortion scam.

[Anonymous]

I spent a day riding on a Harley around Miami and Fort Lauderdale (behind a guy with extensive motorcycle experience. It was SO MUCH FUN! Because you're outside you feel like you're going faster, the wind, the speed, it's awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because you're outside you feel like you're going faster, the wind, the speed, it's awesome.

You certainly notice the ground moving beneath you! Plus even average motorcycles can outrun basically any other vehicle on the road. The acceleration is crazy fast.

[Anonymous]

If you haven't been on one it's impossible to explain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Motorcycling has risks, which can be managed but not eliminated entirely. That's true of all forms of transportation, though.

Some motorcyclists fail to manage risk at all - they are not licensed to operate a motorcycle

A "license" has nothing at all to do with safety. It's merely another tax or extortion scam.

Licensing incorporates a skills test. The bar is quite low, just as it is for other types of motor vehicles, but it is there. There are unlicensed motorcycle riders out there who don't actually know how to safely brake, turn, or accelerate, and who ride nonetheless because they don't care. Still, those who take the licensing test and abide by the results would be weeded out and would not be on the road.

Licenses are neither a tax nor a scam. They are a barrier to entry to certain kinds of activities where a minimal level of competence is required by the government and public. Income and property taxes are purely sources of revenue; those who pay them are doing nothing more than working or own property, neither of which calls for any specialized skill and neither of which can potentially injure the public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you haven't been on one it's impossible to explain.

Have you ever had a dream of flying? I felt it was the most like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Motorcycling has risks, which can be managed but not eliminated entirely. That's true of all forms of transportation, though.

Some motorcyclists fail to manage risk at all - they are not licensed to operate a motorcycle

A "license" has nothing at all to do with safety. It's merely another tax or extortion scam.

Licensing incorporates a skills test. The bar is quite low, just as it is for other types of motor vehicles, but it is there. There are unlicensed motorcycle riders out there who don't actually know how to safely brake, turn, or accelerate, and who ride nonetheless because they don't care. Still, those who take the licensing test and abide by the results would be weeded out and would not be on the road.

Licenses are neither a tax nor a scam. They are a barrier to entry to certain kinds of activities where a minimal level of competence is required by the government and public. Income and property taxes are purely sources of revenue; those who pay them are doing nothing more than working or own property, neither of which calls for any specialized skill and neither of which can potentially injure the public.

TLDR. Licenses are just another extortion scheme created by the mafia.
Government started using them after noticing the income generated by it.