Always considered a dangerous hobby, motorbikes have proved to be one of the most loved forms of transport around the world. For many, it’s their first love, for others a way of getting away from the stresses and strains of their working lives and hitting the road on their own with just their thoughts and the sound of the engine beneath them for company. Bliss.
While many sceptics are critical of motorcycles and the riders, claiming that they’re “unsafe” or “accidents waiting to happen”, studies have shown in recent years that it is actually the car drivers who are more likely to be involved in accidents.
With so many advantages to riding a motorbike – not to mention the sheer passion for the speed, handling and power that you can experience on the rare occasion that the sun does come out – it’s hard to pinpoint just five, but raising the awareness of the advantages of travelling to and from work on two wheels is important. Many commuters spend the majority of their trip to work stuck in traffic – the global average commute time is around the 45-minute mark – so any way of reducing that is beneficial, and motorcycling is one way. Here are five reasons that commuting by motorbike is the best way:
Economy
Sitting in traffic, cars are using up fuel and giving off emissions without actually going anywhere. This is not only bad for the environment, but bad for fuel consumption too, with many struggling to do the trip averaging above 40mpg. Some motorbikes and scooters can average around 55mpg along the same route, with many averaging more than that depending on the size of the engine, riding style and so on, either way, it saves money and fuel.
Customisation
One of the main advantages to a car over the bike is storage space. Having a boot, passenger and rear seats and such like allow you to take briefcases, holdalls, suit bags and other essentials to work with you. While you can’t put a boot on a motorbike, you can customize it to accommodate your daily essentials by adding panniers which allow you to take your important files and, most importantly, your lunch, on your bike. This is one method used by those in the motorcycle courier industry, who turn their hobby into a profession by delivering goods around towns and cities quickly and easily.
Parking
Finding somewhere to park in the city can be a long and difficult process, especially if you’ve then got to go off and pay to do so, which means it costs you to go to work. The same is true at offices, where you could end up parked a significant distance from the door – a nightmare if you’re late or if it’s lashing down with rain. Bike parking is often much more friendly with plenty of spaces, and the majority are much nearer the building too.
Environment
We’re all being encouraged to “go green” wherever possible and motorbikes are much “greener” than cars, buses and vans, so you can think to yourself that you’re doing your bit to protect the environment by riding to work, (as well as having fun of course!) Sitting in traffic, cars emit harmful gases into the air. At least riding you have a smaller engine and can keep moving, reducing the amount of harmful emissions.
Fun
Most importantly, commuting by motorbike is an opportunity to get out and have some fun on your bike! For many, work and family commitments prevent them from getting out on their bike as much as they’d like, so take advantage of the opportunity to fire it up and zip on the leathers and ride to and from work each day.
Riding a motorbike is all about freedom and having fun, feeling the power of the machine at your fingertips. You shouldn’t have to arrive at work at the stroke of 9am with the boss already clearing their throat to have a go at you for being late when you’ve spent half an hour sat in traffic. Get out on two wheels and ride calmly and freely to work, taking advantage of the motorbike lanes which are appearing in more and more cities and save money on fuel as well, all while having fun on your beloved motorbike.
Stay safe, and happy riding!
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This article was written by Chris White, a motoring journalist with years of experience in the industry, currently working with uShip. Chris has covered a variety of motorcycling topics ranging from the latest bike and gear releases to covering races around the world and providing great tips for motorcycle riding.
