Motorbikes & carrying ... stuff?

MEM62

Car_54 said:

Motorcyclists are known in medical circles as “organ donors”
Regrettably true.

and in the legal profession as proof that Darwin was right. 
Not heard that one 

Don’t let that put you off, you might be one of the exceptions. On the other hand …
The majority are the exceptions.  Most motorcyclists are well trained and skilled road users.  The problem is that the minority of idiots skew perception of the rest of us.  

Been doing it since is was 16 and I am now 64.  Try it, you might even like it  :-)

@B0bbyEwing A decent set of hard panniers will do all you need.  

silverwhistle

Things have changed since I had a motorbike for transport! I didn't learn to drive until I was 28, but passed first time after 6 hours of formal lessons due to my bike experience. The bike didn't arrive until a few years after uni as money was a bit short, but it was my only transport and used in all weathers. You could ride 250s on L plates in those days, and luckily my MZ 250 had a full fairing which made 65 mile trips to see old college friends a bit easier. No, I didn't have leathers, just heavy duty raingear from the company engineering stores and good old derriboots; stylish I was not!

These days riding a bike seems much more a leisure oriented past time, not a transport solution, and it's certainly more expensive from the learning point of view. My bike had a topbox, but for carrying more stuff I used a lightweight grip/holdall which I strapped to the passenger seat to get the CoG lower, and with that did my 65 mile runs.

How far is work? It seems to me that an electric bicycle (not an illegal one) might be a cheaper option. I use mine often although get the car when it's bad, but carry groceries 3 miles home in my panniers with no issues.

Nearlyold

MyRealNameToo said:

When in Sri Lanka saw two motorbikes coming towards us, only one with its lights on, with a sofa over the back of the two bikes. Certainly some are able to carry substantially more than a lunchbox and water bottle on theirs!

I've only know two chaps who come in by motorbike, one did so because he was doing 150 miles each way and with a bike he could park near the office for free whereas with a car he had to pay for parking in outer London and then get a tube the rest of the way in. The fact he'd have several beers before getting on his bike was concerning. The other chap didnt have a licence for a car and so used his motorbike when the weather was too poor or he needed to stay too late to cycle on his pushbike. 

With the faff at both ends if "speed" is the reason for doing it you may not find its much time saving. 

Yes you can see quite remarkable loads. We followed a battered Honda C70 type bike in Cairo. The dad was upfront, mum and child 1 were on the seat behind Dad, Child 2 was crouched down squeezed in front of Dad on a makeshift support and to cap it all a   flatscreen telly was somehow strapped to rear of the bike, no helmets, no safety gear as they weaved along avoiding donkey carts, cattle and top of the range Mercs with blacked out windows

Sachakins

An earlier comment pointed out that there are a lot of low mileage bikes for sale. And I can see why. My first bike was back in 1978 and had another 4 over the next 20 years. A bit of break, company car. then took it up again about 2005, lasted about 2 years, too many numpty drivers around now. No matter how well trained you are (yes I had training and was an instructor for a while) or how observant you are, there's always that lunatic that can get you.

In the end, I never drove in commuter belt any more, or for work, it was just too stressful. My riding was for pleasure only.

And that's the reason so many low mileage used bikes around.