Some people might think it doesn’t make sense to own and ride a motorcycle in Manhattan. The New York City speed limit is 25 mph and there’s always traffic, so your bike will never go past first gear. Not to mention the parking! However, here are the main reasons why I got into motorcycles back in 2007.
Similar to the development of the motorcycle, my passion for riding started with the bicycle. Growing up, I always had a bicycle and, in my college years, it became my primary means of transportation. However, there are some obvious limitations with a bicycle. In fact, I remember struggling to ride from the Lower East Side of Manhattan all the way to Flushing, Queens (13 miles). Trips like this made me wish my bicycle had a motor. Before this, I had no interest in motorcycles but that all changed with my desire to travel longer distances, ride faster and do so efficiently.
There were a few things I had considered before officially deciding to get a motorcycle. The cost of owning and maintaining a motorcycle is obviously an important factor to consider. Owning a car is very expensive in New York City. I am not exaggerating when I say there is barely any street parking available; and most other parking is littered with confusing signs and parking rules. According to the Office of the New York City Comptroller, 2015 parking ticket revenues reached over $500,000. Without ever owning a car I’ve had to pay for a lot of parking tickets. Parking is so bad in New York City that some people tend to not use their car when they find a good parking spot just to avoid paying potential parking fines. In contrast, motorcycles follow the same parking rules as a car, but they require a fraction of the parking space. With a motorcycle you can pretty much park in the gap between two cars. The idea of avoiding parking tickets and enjoying the freedom of using a motorcycle without worrying about where to park became extremely appealing to me.
Another important and obvious fact…motorcycles can cost much less than a car; especially when buying used. Since motorcycles are smaller than cars you would expect the price to be smaller too. Sure, there are certain motorcycle manufacturers that are high end and, therefore, cost more. However, motorcycles in general are relatively much cheaper than cars.
Next, insurance! Insurance in New York City can be expensive and even more so if you’re under the age of 25. From my experience, the cost of car insurance per month has been about the same as motorcycle insurance for the entire year. Insurance for my first bike, back in 2008, when I was 22-years-old, was about $600 for the year. When I renewed it the following year, my motorcycle insurance decreased to $300 for the year. Motorcycle insurance is significantly cheaper than car insurance and it keeps getting lower every year! The idea of not having to worry about expensive monthly payments made my interest in motorcycles grow even stronger.
Let’s also not forget about how much money you save at the pump! The average fuel tank size on a motorcycle is 5 gallons and motorcycles are more fuel efficient than cars. I think the most I’ve ever spent on gas for a motorcycle was $20 and that’s only when gas prices are high. Once I realized how affordable owning and maintaining a motorcycle can be, having a motorcycle in New York City makes the so much sense.
The last, and probably the most rewarding reason why I decided to buy a motorcycle is the rider experience. Riding a motorcycle allows you to experience the road and your surroundings in a more valuable way. Feeling the elements and seeing the road speed pass beneath your feet is exhilarating. Balancing on two wheels as you ride gives me this sense of floating on air. Under the right conditions, riding a motorcycle feels more like therapy rather than simply traveling from point A to point B. Yes, riding locally in New York City can be a bit stressful at times; bumped to bumper traffic and aggressive cab drivers are the worse. But remember… your motorcycle can easily and quickly get out of the city onto more beautiful and scenic roads. Owning a motorcycle in New York City has officially made upstate New York and beautiful scenic roads like Route 9 feel so much more accessible. I’m already looking forward to my next ride!
