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Worth having a bike in FL?

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  abenn26 
#1 ·
Hey guys I'm moving to Melbourne in Aug and I'm planning on once again purchasing a bike but due to my financial situation I will have to sell my car. Is this a good idea? Weather, traffic, etc wise?
 
#3 ·
The answer to your question is "it's all relative..."

Where are you moving from?

1. Riding in the summers here = Hot as hell. Especially if you're doing the right thing and wearing the right protective gear. But, the fall/winter/springs are obviously a lot milder than many other places, which means more riding in those months.

2. Everyone thinks they have the worst drivers, but I think Florida really may be the worst I've seen. Between the tourists, old people, and general stupidity of people...

3. Insurance rates in FL are probably higher than a lot of states due to the higher risk of bikes being stolen and accidents, nevermind the fact that FL doesn't require helmets.

4. Florida is 90% straight roads. And I hope you like sitting at traffic lights. If you can get away from the cities, there is some decent riding, but even then....it's not going to be much of the twisties. More like straight roads through the rural areas or the everglades.

5. Gas isn't cheap in FL, so I guess the better gas mileage of a bike will work to your favor.

6. I can't speak for Melbourne, but up here in Jax, the summers are always a risk because it tends to rain every day in the afternoons. Morning are sunny and clear, but by noon the clouds roll in, thudnerstorms for an hour, then it stops and gets hot and humid again.

Personally, I'd rather have a car than a bike if I had to choose just one.

Anywho, just some info from my standpoint...not trying to steer you one way or another. Just giving you some things to think about. With that said, I just bought my first bike a few months ago. :) (But I have my car too lol)
 
#4 ·
+1 on what gsxrhokie said...I would say if you can afford the bike go ahead and get it, your gonna want one once you get here because everybody rides.:cool: I would say you will need a car or truck no matter what, some days when it rains there is no way you can ride unless you wanna get struck by lightning or your an idiot.:lol: If you can't afford a new bike just save $4-5K and you can pick up a very descent used bike on craigslist.

Im in Orlando which is about 45 minutes from Melbourne and ride with a bunch of people from there...most of these guys are track sluts so they know where the good roads are. You do have to ride a good hour or more from where Melbourne before you hit some nice roads. Melbourne isn't as bad as Orlando, it still has that small town feel and the traffic isn't as bad.
 
#6 ·
The question of "Is it worth having a bike in FL" the answer is HELLS YEA!!!!! you can pretty much ride all year long... you just need to dress accordingly

But givin your situation, a car seems more logical for you... gsxrhokie has given you some pretty good unbiased advise and IMHO a bike is a novalty not a necessity. Car is a necessity...

If oyu want to have your cake and eat it too i'd suggest that you save up a few bucks and keep an eye on craigs list for used bikes... you can pick up a 1/2 way decent few yr old bike pretty cheap down here b/c bikes are a dime a dozen.

get ur self a used bike so you can enjoy the ride untill you are financiall in a better position to buy the bike you want

http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/fl here is the FL link, find the closest are to you and search it.. Good luck
 
#7 ·
i have 2 friends down here, that just own bikes, no cars.. weather is always a factor here, so just be prepared to ride in the rain...
 
#9 · (Edited)
Unfortunately, nothing beats a car in terms of shear utility. Generally a car is gonna b able to do everything a bike can't. But knowing your situation as a bike was my main mode of transport for a long time, also in FL. It worked out well for me, I can't say much about melbourne, but gainesville was nice. Rain in Florida is pretty much an everyday thing so carrying around an xtra poncho isnt an issue, get urself a backpack thats big enough for groceries as well as fairly water resistant. A clear and a tinted sheild. You will have to make more trips to the grocery store and you wont be able to carry much stuff around but it's definitely doable. A bike, ninja 250, older 500cc bikes, are generally reliable and efficient as well as cheap($1500-$3000) and easy on gas. I commute on my bike everyday, the weather is nice, most ppl are old so just make sure you are always...ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS watching cuz they begin to become blind to fast moving projectiles with two wheels. GL

*Edit* Sry slow loading computer didnt load all the posts before I posted mine. Good decision to stick with the car but like everyone else said, there isnt any other place better to ride IMHO
 
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