UrbanMan replies:There advantages and disadvantages to motorcycles in my opinion. The military uses motorcycles for scout platforms, to recon routes and such. Also to take communications gear to higher terrain that can’t be accessed with larger four wheel drive vehicles. Motorcycles in past conflicts have been used as messengers. In law enforcement, motorcycles allow for patrolling of remote or otherwise inaccessible areas, or to rapidly move to a subject(s) location.
These are what I think are the common disadvantages and advantages of motorcycles for use in the collapse.
Advantages
· High Mobility. Motorcycles because of their narrow width and high clearance are much more mobile than four wheeled vehicles including All Terrain Vehicles.
· Economic Fuel Consumption. Motorcycles are much more fuel miserly than the common four wheel car,….with the possible exception new of the VW Diesel Jetta, which a couple people have reported 50+mph miles per gallon!
· Speed. Motorcycles are very quick both in flat out speed, but agility as well. May save you butt in egressing from a threat.
Disadvantages
· Maintenance intensive. I hated owning motorcycles because of their intensive maintenance requirements. Maybe be easy for a motorhead, but not for me. When I had government maintenance workers maintain and repairing my bikes, I made sure to smooze them from time to time. When I used commercial mechanical support,…..well you paid through the nose. I include tires in this maintenance category as a disadvantage. I have treid the green slime that you pump into tires to seal punctures, and that never worked very well for us. The canned Fix-a-Flat actually worked better as it also provided air to inflat the tire.
· Noisy. Motorcycles are noisy so they are hard to hear over. This takes away one of your best threat detectors and that is your hearing.
· Substantial Skills Required. Not everyone can ride a motorcycle. Most people can be trained, but how much time and fuel are you going to have for that.
· Can’t Fight very well from the Motorcycle when moving. You generally have to have both hands on the machine when you are moving. You may be able to operate the motorcycle for short periods of time with one hand if you can shoot a handgun or operate a radio with the left hand, as most throttles are on the right hand side of the handlebars, but when maneuvering in rough terrain this would be very tough.
In closing Mikali, I choose not to procure or maintain motorcycles for SHTF. A couple of the guy on my team have ATV’s which we may use for specialty purposes. We can more easily carry two people on an ATV with the possibility of the passenger engaging threats, at least with a handgun.
We have a couple, a four-stroke 400cc enduro and a two-stroke 125cc dirt bike. Agreed on your advantages/disadvantages. The 400 is part of our bugout plan, it's coming with us in case we need to abandon the primary BOV for any reason. Would hate to leave all the gear in the BOV, but ain't going to camp on the side of a road and it beats walking the rest of the way to the retreat. Our ATV already at the retreat is better suited for most things, but nothing compares to the mobility of a motorcycle when you have to get from point A to B.
ReplyDeleteBuy a new motorcycle and maintenance should be minimal. The quality is so much better now then 20 years ago or even ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteOff road bikes can be extremely dangerous especially for inexperienced riders. The biggest risk is simply that they are so much fun and so easy to ride that people become over confident. An accident is only one simple mistake away.
Smaller engines and good mufflers can make a motorcycle pretty quiet. and the smaller engines are also great on gas.
There are three good bugout routes for me but with a motorcycle there are hundreds. Additionally a motorcycle can be very evasive in ways a car or other wheeled vehicles cannot. I can go cross country and I can cover miles in minutes.
I have a Kawasaki KLR 250 that fits on a hitch mount carrier behind my 4X4 Sequoia. It allows the ultimate in on and off road reconnaisance in a neat package. Plus the Kawasaki gets 60 miles per gallon. And its fun to ride. I guess I'm experienced having had 20 or so bikes over 40 years.
ReplyDeleteMy nickname is Nightshift and although I agree with your points I disagree with your final "NO" on motorcycles. If the SHTF is economic, a bike that gets up to 80 mpg could allow you to still commute to work. I drive 38 miles one way and could pay for a 250 in a year. A used one. My buddy bought a $12,000 1300 cc bike that gets 35 mpg to save gas? I get that with a corolla but it is the wifes. I drive a truck. Get over the cool factor and find a cheap commuter. A Suzuki GZ250 is rated at 84 mpg.
ReplyDeleteLike your blog. Just found it.
well if you are irritated with the noise of your motorcycle. Maybe you will need to replace the exhaust.
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