Anyone ride a motorcycle (or scooter) to work?

RachH · Oct 15, 2010

I love my motorcycle and would ride it to work when I was a CNA in the hospital. Now I ride it to nursing school and clinicals. I pay about $5/month in gas. My insurance is $60/year with my father and I insured to ride each others bikes. I started out with a scooter, but it just turned out to be a gateway motorcycle. :) I live in Texas, so I understand how hot can be a problem. How far away from your workplace do you live? Will you be going fast enough to get good air flow or will you be stuck in stop-and-go traffic?

On REALLY hot days I wear my motorcycle cooling vest and it's almost like having an air conditioner on my bike, if I get good air flow (it works by evaporation.) It's well worth the $25 I paid. My dad also loves his cooling vest; when he makes the two hour trip to visit me in our 100+ degree summers, he says he's perfectly comfortable. The down side is that it will soak your clothing, so bring your scrubs in a backpack to change. Here's a list of cooling vests. I'm not sure if mine is on the list, I just went to a motorcycle clothing shop and picked one up.

No excuses, always wear a full-face helmet (DOT and SNELL approved) no matter how hot it gets! And there's no reason not to wear summer gloves. I don't have one (they get pretty expensive,) but there are summer vests that are mesh and kevlar. I own a very nice winter jacket, but since it's kevlar and thick black leather, I'll admit I don't wear it much in the Texas heat because I'd probably pass out.

Always keep rain gear in your saddlebags or backpack! I bought a cheap rain suite from Academy ($10-15) that came in a small, compact plastic package. I was out riding with friends when we were hit by the edge of a hurricane. It was so bad that we couldn't see more than 15 ft ahead of us through the rain. Anyway, I pulled over and put my cheap little, rain suit on over my gear, including my huge winter jacket. It made a very miserable ride a lot more comfortable because I was completely dry (no holes or tearing) and I feel that I was better able to concentrate on safe riding, since I wasn't wet and cold. There are a few cons: The cheap rain suites are pretty much one-time use only (I need to buy a new one.) They are also small, I'm a 5'4 girl and it felt like it was just a little baggy on me. There are bigger ones that will last forever, but they can get expensive and they aren't small enough to just leave in your saddlebag.

It's also really important to have backup transportation. I can ride the bus or beg my husband to drive me somewhere if I need it. For instance, now that I'm in nursing school there are so many days that I don't get enough sleep and I just feel too exhausted to be a competent rider. You should never ride when you don't feel like you're able to do so safely.

Other things to consider: Since you don't have access to a shower, you can use baby wipes to clean yourself up. If you're a girl, wait until you get to work to put on make-up. Your helmet will mess everything up and mascara will be blown into your eyes, make them water, and blind you. :uhoh3: Helmet hair can also be annoying. If you're used to spending an hour at home doing your hair before work, forget about it. There are only a few ways you can comfortably wear long hair under a helmet. I would usually arrive early to find a restroom at the hospital to do a little make-up and put my hair in a quick, neat bun before work.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! Take a rider-course, don't just learn to ride from a friend. They're offered at some high schools, most Harley-Davidson stores, and a few private places. Mine cost $150, but I hear they can get as expensive as $300. That will get your M class license taken care of, lower your insurance cost, and you will get a lot of good, personalized information about riding SAFELY.

Despite some of the compromises that I make, I wouldn't trade my motorcycle for anything. Good luck with your decision! :)

join_fuse · Apr 17, 2019

i own a moped & it is working fine for me. It gives me a decent mileage of 60Kmph & very low maintenance cost. Nowadays there are many stylish & fuel efficient mopeds are available, you can review few models here.