My only car was totaled by a drunk driver while it was parked outside of my house about a year ago. The driver had great insurance that settled for well over the value of the car, so I did the reasonable thing with the money and bought a second motorcycle.
I have a wife and kids. If I HAVE to drive a car, I use my wife’s car. Usually, I ride if at all possible.
This is where I’m supposed to list all the practical things, like easy parking, good gas mileage, better for the environment… Those things are nice, but I ride because I love to ride.
Most destinations around here are 20 - 30 minutes away. I HATE driving. That is 20 - 30 minutes of sheer boredom and frustration. When I ride, I can fill that time with something I enjoy doing. I’m way more agile on the road. I can see all around with with no blind spots. I can feel the breeze, smell things around me, feel temperature changes. I can drive over a wash or bridge and appreciate the breeze and cooler temperatures. In a car, its just another road.I also enjoy the challenge of riding. My favorite bike is an 87 Harley FXLR. It does NOTHING for me. I have absolute control of the throttle, the breaks, the handling. It takes concentration and skill to make it do what I want. All the while, it takes concentration and skill not to be killed by the rest of the drivers, probably all hating driving as much as I do.Even harsh conditions are rewarding. The same way an athlete feels accomplished after finishing a race, I’m grinning ear to ear when I dust the frost off my gear, pour the sweat out of my helmet, or dump the water out of my boots.My wife laughs at me because I will ride my bike in a downpour before borrowing her car to get from point A to point B.I ride a motorcycle instead of a car because I hate driving and love riding.
Ola Hansen