Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watarts.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watarts!molefeuvre
From: molefeuvre@watarts.UUCP (Michael O LeFeuvre)
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Considering a First Bike
Message-ID: <8382@watarts.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 7-Apr-85 14:17:10 EST
Article-I.D.: watarts.8382
Posted: Sun Apr  7 14:17:10 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Apr-85 02:12:17 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 46

I have been planning a long tour of North America (and maybe S.A. too)
for some time, but it only occurred to me a few weeks ago to buy a 
motorcycle for transportation.  I have still not decided if I want to 
do this.  The freedom of my own transportation is a the one advantage
of this idea, but the disadvantages are many.	

  - High cost (I can buy a lot of air/bus/train tickets for $2000)
  - High risk (by Ont. stats, 10 times as many serious injuries as cars)
  - Property I have to look out for (how secure are locks on motocycles?)
   
What has really shocked me is the cost of things other than the bike itself.
I had figured on buying a second-hand bike around 500cc for not much more
than $1000, but then I began to consider incidentals.

   - Lessons (I've never been on one)                         $130
   - Insurance (Legal min: 200K liab. & accident benefits)    $210
   - Licencing (Myself & the bike in Ontario -- a guess)       $50
   - Protective clothing (Just a guess at a mininum)          $300
   - Saddlebags (another guess at a minimum)                  $200
   - Fairing (near the bottom of the range)                   $200
   - Helmet  (yet another guess)                              $100
                                                          ============
   Ouch!!                                                    $1190

Actually, I have come to the conclusion that my best bet would be to 
buy a bike which already has a fairing and bags -- for about $1500. 

Now the point of this posting is to get some comments a few questions,
to help me decide if this is worth it.  My mother keeps telling me I
can by a car for $1500 and be a lot safer and more comfortable.

1.  How reliable is a 5-year old, Japanese-made, 500cc bike with about
    25,000 Kilometers on it.  How far can I reasonably expect it to go
    without major maintenance.

 2. What kinds of problems am I most likely to encounter with such a 
    machine on such a trip (I may do up to 15000 klicks in 6 months)?
    What would they cost me to solve?

 3. How much of a problem is theft?  I don't plan on insurance against
    theft (which would cost me $100) 
     ...but maybe I should reconsider.

           Curiously awaiting reactions,

                    Carlo @ the U of Waterloo