decision: motorcycle or car!?

5:12

5:12

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hello forumites,

i was hoping to get some reasonable input from everyone here. since this is a motorcycle forum, it might be a little biased ;) anways, here is the situation/background:

trying to decide either to buy a car or a motorcycle.

factors:
1) Currently I don't need a car. I take transit to and from work and no issues going around the city on transit. (used to live downtown toronto, but recently moved towards mississauga but still on transit line, so not much issue going around town).

2) though car is not needed, it is pretty handy with groceries/shopping and just going around places.

3) wife prefers a car but no issue with getting a motorcycle. though wife thinks about the risk of being cage free.

4) motorcycle is a want/luxury/toy. but if acquired, will serve as:
a) mode of transport to and from work whenever possible
b) will also be used to get to places
c) satisfies the 'want to get a motorcycle'

5) car will cost more (car price, insurance, gas, maintenance)

6) motorcycle will cost less

7) motorcycle not usable on extreme weather conditions (or would prefer not to use on extreme weather conditions)

8) either one can be financially acquired but not both (unless a really cheap car and a really cheap motrocycle present themselves).

Thanks in advance. I'm just trying to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages and ultimately the decision is mine. and would like to hear people's thoughts on this.


enjoy the weather.
 
Depending on which bike insurance and gas could be more. If you are accustomed to taking transit for everything now, work, groceries etc then bike is your answer. If you can't ride, then ttc!
 
IMHO, for most of us in Canada motorcycle is more of a toy than consistent mode of transportation. Not many people are brave enough to go grocery shopping on a bike in the middle of January. If I were only able afford car OR bike, I'd obviously go for a car. And don't kid yourself regarding the lower cost of having a bike - insurance, maintenance, gas - it all adds up. May not cost as much as a car, but if you'll have just the bike, the overall cost will most likely be comparable. Maybe get a car, which is fun to drive, not just a "transportation" vehicle?
 
5:12 said:
hello forumites,

i was hoping to get some reasonable input from everyone here. since this is a motorcycle forum, it might be a little biased ;) anways, here is the situation/background:

trying to decide either to buy a car or a motorcycle.

factors:
1) Currently I don't need a car. I take transit to and from work and no issues going around the city on transit. (used to live downtown toronto, but recently moved towards mississauga but still on transit line, so not much issue going around town). As long as you don't mind taking a bus in the winter when you could be travelling in a warm car.

2) though car is not needed, it is pretty handy with groceries/shopping and just going around places. Also in the rain, want to bring friends, winter, tired.

3) wife prefers a car but no issue with getting a motorcycle. though wife thinks about the risk of being cage free. Is she going to ride to or is she subject to only going places when you want because that can start alot of fights ;)

4) motorcycle is a want/luxury/toy. but if acquired, will serve as:
a) mode of transport to and from work whenever possible
b) will also be used to get to places
c) satisfies the 'want to get a motorcycle'
You could always go with a cheaper car and motorcycle and satisfy everything?

5) car will cost more (car price, insurance, gas, maintenance)
Maintanence is about equal for car and bike if you don't do your own work.
Depending on the bike car but you can get both for about the same price.
Insurance depending on alot of factors the motorcycle could be much higher then a car.
Unless you get a Yaris, yes the bike will be cheaper on gas.


6) motorcycle will cost less
Until you get Mod-happy

7) motorcycle not usable on extreme weather conditions (or would prefer not to use on extreme weather conditions)
You can still get 8-9 months out of the year on a motorcycle if rain or cold doesn't bother you.

8) either one can be financially acquired but not both (unless a really cheap car and a really cheap motrocycle present themselves).
How much do you have to spend on a vehicle? What style of bike are you looking at?

Thanks in advance. I'm just trying to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages and ultimately the decision is mine. and would like to hear people's thoughts on this.


enjoy the weather.
Click to expand...

Hope that helps a bit.
 
thanks for the quick input peeps.

the wife will eventually ride her own bike.

i actually just wanted to get a small engine bike (250cc), cruiser or naked bike preferred. sports bike would be third. reason for 250cc is insurance. i dont have vehicle insurance history in canada. im 31 this year. and 250cc seems to be the most reasonable for insurance cost. if i step to 500cc then the insurance will be higher and will end up just getting a car. i used to have a scooter (50cc) and a 250cc street legal suzuki dirtbike (in a diff country).

im completely fine taking the transit. winter will be transit. so motorcycling will be whenever possible.

this is the dilemma im in hahah. also, we can do without both this year. car just seems more practical and logical. but motorcycle is motrocyle as we all know. the way im kinda seeing it now is that im hitting two birds with one stone if i get a motorcycle (in a way will satisfy both want/need regarding transportation and wanting to have a motorcycle). though a car will also satisfy want/need of transportation, it doesn't satisfy the motorcycle part. u guys get what i mean? also i start up my insurance history with cheaper cost.

if an affordable car AND motorcyle come my way, i will get both. but spring is here. maximize riding time!!!

i've got all my motorcycling gears and all, just need the motorcyle.

decision decision. it's 50 50 right now, im just looking for the 1% that would shift this either way since i've definitely hit a wall here from my perspective. hence my posts.
 
I had this dilemma a 2 years back and decided to go with motorcycle instead. I bought a 2008 cbr 125r and hammered out 2 years with it all season long travelling 60km a day to school and back. My experience with riding in the snow is really light on the throttle and really light on the brakes haha. A car on the other hand would be more economical since you can go grocery shopping, do laundry, and pick up any large items without needing a rental. I sort of regret not buying a car because riding all season you have to be prepared to be soaked, frozen, or baked in traffic, but given the chance to do this all over again i would probably still choose a motorcycle over a car cause i'm crazy =/.

Right now I'm riding a Yamaha Fz6 and sort of miss the small cbr125r not because of the power but the ability to swerve in between traffic down town. The small little bugger makes commuting awesome. Although I prefer my Yamaha Fz6 because my huge saddle bags that I can use to get groceries and do some laundry. Also the fact it can go long trips more comfortably then my cbr 125r. I can't believe i did the 500km trip from Ottawa to Toronto mid march two years ago with my cbr125r on the 401. Being logical though, a car would be more economical and you could get a bike later on since they are rather cheapish.
 
Since you've managed to get by without any vehicle at all, then it sounds like both the car and the bike could be considered luxuries, or 'toys'.

So which one is the better toy? :D
 
in Canada you do need a car!!! just buy a cheap car (like others said) and a nice bike.
The end.
 
Stay car-free for as long as you can. Even if the maintenance is low, you can never avoid gas, insurance and licensing costs.
Once you have a car, I can only imagine how hard it is to go back to being without.
Get a small bike. Have fun and feel the freedom when you can.
 
I would say that I just came out of the same dilemma - a few thousand dollars poorer, but with two more wheels than I had before. Go with the bike! If you've been able to manage not having a car without it getting the better of you, then go for the bike. Worst case scenario is the crappy weather forces you to keep doing what you're doing. Nothing new to deal with there. In any other case, you'll be enjoying the bike. Obviously, this is a biased opinion - a car would be more practical. Also, I know that I largely based my decision on cost. I'm sure it's easy to make owning a motorcycle as expensive as owning a car, but it's just as easy to make it a whole lot cheaper. Capital costs, insurance (at least in my case), fuel, and maintenance are all typically cheaper with bike ownership.
 
5:12 said:
...car just seems more practical and logical.
Click to expand...

You answered your own question.

Trust me, it's a godsend to have a car handy when you need to get groceries, or want to go out with friends somewhere, or need to go out with the g/f and purchase stuff, etc. etc.

Living in downtown T.O., things are typically nearby, so real no need for your own transportation. But if you're out in the 'burbs now, things aren't as close nor convenient...



P.S. And depending on a host of variables, you may find that insuring a car may in fact be cheaper than insuring a bike (note, this is completely dependent on lots of things and of course may be completely non-relevant to your situation, but something you should consider).
 
Meh..makes no sense to me, personally, to be without a car. Cottage, skiing, mountain biking.. Bike I can live without. Your mileage may vary..
 
Another factor you may want to consider is depreciation value for either choices; if you decide in a year's time to change your mind and sell the car or bike, you'll most likely lose less on a bike than a car. Personally I'd vote the car based purely on practicality, but the other part says go for the bike if you're already used to using public transportation for everything else.
 
other things to think about ...
Danger: a minor incident on a bike (more likely on a bike than car) may render you unable you to perform your job. (If you were a... i dunno... pianist and you sprained a finger on a low side)

Are you clumsy? Are you likely to drop the bike? You can get a cheap 250. Do you like having your bike immaculate? You'll be paying for fairings if you low side.
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