For most people, the daily commute isn’t exactly the peak of the good life. At best, it’s tolerable and goes by quickly. At worst, it can be miserable.
What if you could make your commute a little better? What if you could actually make your commute something to enjoy and treasure—or, failing that, at least a little bit faster?
Now you’re starting to understand why some people commute to work by motorcycle! Here are six reasons why many riders find that using their bike to commute is a practical and fulfilling experience.
1. You save gas.
If you gained nothing else from commuting on a motorcycle, you would at least save some cash. Motorcycles, as you probably know, are extremely fuel-efficient, with a typical bike getting 35-40 miles per gallon or more. Stack that up against the average of 25 mpg that you’ll get from a passenger vehicle, and you’ll see why the savings can add up quickly.
2. You get more time to ride.
Many riders struggle to find the necessary time to ride as much as they want to. When you commute via motorcycle, you can get at least two rides in per work day.
Think about it: You start your day with a ride that helps you focus your mind for the day ahead. Then, when it’s time to go home, you have another ride to look forward to. For most people, that will add up to at least half an hour of riding time per day, and usually more.
This can be especially useful if you’re a newer rider. The extra practice that you get from commuting will help you develop a firm grip on the fundamentals of everyday riding.
3. You start the day with something fun and exciting.
There’s nothing like a little jolt of adrenaline to wake you up, and a commute by motorcycle can provide just the boost you need to have a better day. For a little extra fun, take a scenic route to work. Seeing the sights from the back of your bike will give you some good perspective to begin your day and help you appreciate the world you live in.
If you can schedule an occasional ride with friends as part of your morning, even better. Grab a motorcycle helmet communicator like the Cardo Packtalk Slim and catch up while you’re riding, or ride in silence and enjoy the quality time that riding creates.
Prefer commuting alone? Create the perfect soundtrack of the best classic motorcycle music or the best motorcycle podcasts and get lost in your Bluetooth motorcycle speakers. It’s all about creating an environment that will give you a pleasant start to your day.
4. You can get some time alone with your thoughts.
Do you find that your days suffer from a lack of peace and quiet? Ever find yourself wishing you could just grab 10 minutes alone to put yourself together? Riding a motorcycle could be the meditative experience you need.
Riding forces you to concentrate fully on the road, which is actually a good thing for your brain. While you’re locked in on what you’re doing, your subconscious has room to play, which can be a big help for working out complex problems. By the time you arrive at work, you just might find that you’ve figured out how to attack that big project.
5. You might be able to make your commute faster.
This will depend on local traffic conditions in your area, and it’s worth emphasizing that the rules of the road apply to motorcycles just as much as they do passenger vehicles. But for some people, commuting on a motorcycle can make for a significantly faster commute.
That’s because motorcycles are much more agile and can more effectively navigate tightly packed city streets. According to the Motorcycle Legal Foundation, if lane splitting is legal or not prohibited where you live, you may be able to turbo-charge your commute speed by snaking through rows of gridlocked traffic. Just remember to obey state and local laws at all times.
6. You’ll have more parking options.
There’s nothing worse than getting to work and searching frantically for a parking space. On a motorcycle, you may have extra options for parking that someone in a larger vehicle won’t have.
Note that this doesn’t mean that it’s OK to park in handicapped spaces or on sidewalks. A motorcycle still doesn’t belong in these spaces. But if your morning commute tends to include spending five minutes or more looking for parking, think about whether you see spaces a motorcycle could easily fit into.
If you’ll be parking in a parking garage, make sure that it’s equipped to allow motorcycles, as a bike won’t trigger the automated sensors that allow you to park in some garages. Remember also that you might need to get a separate parking permit for your bike if you have to park in a permit zone.
Image Credits
Source: oneinchpunch / Shutterstock
Source: mimagephotography / Shutterstock
