Money. Man. Machine.

Motorcycles are tempting. Muse on the money, the man, and the machine:

The Money - Costs will include a motorcycle course ($240), additional insurance ($20-$400+ per month), a helmet ($50-$100), and the purchase price of whichever bike chosen (average $14,491), not to mention taxes, appropriate clothing, accessories, tools, maintenance costs, etc. However a Master's student/young professional should very well spend less than $10,000 for the first year, gas included. My car's cost of gas will be about twice as much as an average bike's. Personally, I get around 20 mpg and still hope to drive 330 miles each week for work alone. Today's low $30 difference would take 333 weeks (6 16/39 years) to match the maximum (and preposterously high price of) $10,000. Higher gasoline prices will actually save more money per mile if riding a motorcycle rather than any car.

The Man - Safety is my biggest fear. And my girlfriend's gravest concern. And my mom's worst nightmare. Statistics across the web are sobering. Common sense (and heeding safety tips) such as sobriety, helmets and proper attire, daytime riding, valid license, and using safer roads/divided highways, are correlated with fewer accidents and fatalities. In my car I feel confident, aware of unpredictable drivers and my environment, and will be driving off highways on these gorgeous canopy roads.

The Machine - I don't know the first thing about clamps, gaskets, and carburetors, oh my! I've even tried twice just to finish Pirsig's novel. I "read" the technical sections the same way I skim over biblical genealogy. There are videos, articles, and books to study routine maintenance. Hopefully I won't need to do any major repair myself or drop it off somewhere for a long time. Pirsig didn't know much about how bikes worked before he did his research, so there's hope that my own dreams of philosophical musings while riding intimately amidst country roads can also be accompanied by such knowledgable care and obsessive upkeep.

Maybe there is no rush to decide. I suppose I can't see a bike outside my door anytime soon, though I do know I would proceed with a careful budget, immense caution, and enough attention to detail. Final conclusion for the time being: Jose Miguel, Stephen, and yeah, Dad, you too for this matter - Don't challenge my self-control. Surely I'd be quick to explore the local shops!