20+ Reasons We Should Never Ride A Motorbike

1. The pavement is a cheese grater

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Any vehicle crash can be bad, but the difference between a motorcycle crash and a car crash is the amount of exposed flesh. Flesh and pavements do NOT mix well together. You don't even need to be going that fast that cause some serious tissue damage, plus every bit of dirt and gravel is going to end up in your wound.

2. Falling down hurts a lot more than you think

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Falling off a bike hurts A LOT more than you could even imagine. Imagine falling over on the sidewalk, but at 65mph... You will be thrown around like a doll and bumped and bruised in every place possible. It's unlikely you'll be walking away without some pretty serious injuries.

3. Animals are not your friends

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Animals can pose a serious threat to motorbikes. Either, the animal is coming flying towards you like a furry missile which is going to cause you some damage and probably knock you off your bike, or you about to hit an animal in the road and probably lose control of the bike and end in a crash.

4. People who drive cars are oblivious

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You could be the best motorbike rider in the world, but you still have to hope that the cars on the road with you are aware of you, and chances are, they are not... You might be surprised to hear that people driving cars are very oblivious to motorbikes because it's likely they don't ride one themselves. This means you have to be hyper aware of all your surroundings for your own safety.

5. Cars are EXTREMELY heavy

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In a car vs. motorbike crash, who do you think will win? Definitely the car. Cars are VERY heavy, and if one of them hits you, you will be lucky to survive. The car doesn't even need to be going that fast to launch you into the air and break all your bones. You and your bike are no match for them.

6. Wrecks are more likely to be fatal

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If you crash in a car or a truck, the vehicle will take the worst of the force and you are more likely to come out relatively unscathed. There are safety features like the bonnet which will crumple and absorb the crash. If you're on a motorbike, there are no such luxuries. It is you that will take the brunt of the force! And it is very possible you won't walk away from the crash...

7. You don't have a seat belt!

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There are no seat belts on a motorbike! So there is nothing to hold you in place if you hit something or take a bad turn. You could quite easily just fly out of your seat. It's not out of the question that you could be killed from falling off backwards from your bike or going over the front of it, with no seat belt to hold you down.

8. There is no windshield

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The tiny, plastic windshields some motorbikes have don't go very far in helping or protecting you. They are not like car windscreens. They won't even stop flying objects from hitting you, let alone protect you from a crash. Hitting a rock on the ground at speed will cause this to fly into the air and very possibly hit you at speed too.

9. Tires can be deadly

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Bike tires are quite different to car tires and they can be a lot less reliable. In a car you will probably get a warning light on before you even realise there is an issue, but with bikes your tire will probably just burst in front you sending you anyway which way it wants which can result in a very bad outcome.

10. There is no shelter from the weather

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There is absolutely no shelter from the weather on a motorbike. Most people will avoid riding if there is a chance of rain, but sometimes you can't predict it. Not only are you going to end up soaking, you driving conditions immediately become very dangerous with less traction on the road. Your visibility is also drastically reduced.

11. Motorbikes are useless off the road

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Motorbikes are designed for the road and the road only. If you have to pull over onto grass, you will likely lose control and losing control can often mean being thrown from the vehicle (because there is no safety belt). Cars can quite easily manage when driving in many terrains, whether that's grass, sand or dirt.

12. Highway dividers

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Highway dividers are there to stop cars from crossing lanes, which is great for motorcyclists as it protects them. However, hitting a highway divider is a different story and actually a really common occurrence. In a motorbike crash, the rider is often thrown from the bike and won't stop until they hit the next stationary object... not a pretty sight.

13. There's not a lot of protection

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There is very little safety equipment on motorbikes. You don't have a seatbelt or windshield to protect you from any impact. You have a helmet, but all this really does is protect your head from impact, not your body. This is probably the number one reason most people won't ride a motorbike as the risks of injury are so high.

14. They can be really expensive!

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Don't underestimate the financial burden of owning a motorcycle! I would say most people who ride a bike do this secondary to owning a car (for the practical reasons we have discussed). So you have extra costs of insurance, fuel and any repair costs it might need. Let alone the cash needed initially to buy one.

15. It can get really hot in that outfit...

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Battling the rain and the wind on a motorbike is one thing, but the heat is another. You need your full leather biker outfits with a helmet to protect your skin in case of a crash. But in summer, these outfits can get VERY hot. You can expect to be arriving at your destination a very sweaty mess.

16. There's not a lot of luggage storage

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Bikes may get you to your destination a little bit quicker than a car, but all your luggage will still be at home... There is NO luggage storage on a motorbike, so whatever you need to bring best fit in your pockets or in a backpack. Not a very practical answer for doing your weekly shopping.

17. Bikes are much easier to steal than cars

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Unfortunately, motorbikes are a lot easier to steal than cars. Mostly due to the fact they can be loaded in to a truck and driven off. There is also less protection as there are no doors, windows etc. This is one reason to think twice, especially if you don't have a safe place to keep your bike overnight.

18. Those seats aren't as comfy as cars

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We can talk about the lack of safety all day, but motorbikes are also super uncomfortable when compared to cars. The seats are nowhere near as relaxing as sitting in a car. You can't exactly recline the seat for a nap when you're tired. It might take a bit of training for your butt to get used to a bike seat.

19. There's no room for any passengers

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Carrying luggage, or lack of, is one problem. You also can't carry any passengers, or at least not easily. Some bikes have room for a passenger on the back, but their only option is to hold on to you so you better make sure you know them well enough for that level of intimacy.

20. Bikes take a lot of strength to handle

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Motorbikes really do take a lot of physical strength to handle, therefore require a lot of training and practice. They don't steer as easily as cars do and require actual strength to manoeuvre. So riding a motorcycle is not for the faint hearted and it's also not for those not serious enough to work for it.

21. Your family will probably judge you

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I would love for you to find me a mother who DOES want her child to ride a motorcycle. Chances are, your parents and family will disapprove heavily of you getting a motorbike. All they will see is the risks of you getting into a serious accident. So have a think if you can really be bothered to deal with the judgement.

22. Streets are a lot more polluted than you think

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The streets you ride on are a lot more polluted than you think. You have all the dust and dirt flying at you when you ride, but also all the smoke fumes coming out of other vehicles. You are more exposed to these than anyone and there is no air conditioning to filter any bad stuff out for you.

23. You need to take a second test

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Before you even get to the financial burden of buying a bike, you will need lessons and to take a motorcycle riding test to get a license. Your driving license won't cover you. This can be expensive and time consuming depending on how fast you can learn. There's a lot of hoops to jump through before you make it onto the road.

24. You can't chat while driving!

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There will be no chatting and catching up with friends while driving! In a car, you can chat away while driving to your destination, either with your passenger or on hands free. With a motorbike, you can do no such thing. If you do have a passenger, you won't be able to hear each other and if you don't, you won't be able to hear any phone call anyway.

25. It's actually really loud!

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Because you are so exposed to the elements on a bike, you are also extra exposed to all the noise! Cars roaring past you, especially on a highway, are very noisy. So not only will it stop you chatting with anyone riding with you, it also takes a lot of concentration to not get distracted by it.

26. You better get used to wearing a backpack

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As we have already mentioned the lack of luggage storage, the only real solution is to wear a backpack. Now, depending on what you need to transport, this can get very heavy! You also need something practical and well fitting that won't be distracting to you when driving. A lock will also be a great addition to any bag you choose.

27. It's really hard to see at night

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Weather conditions is one thing, but even on the best summer days, riding a motorbike at night can be extremely difficult and dangerous. Your visibility is very reduced and due to bikes being smaller than cars, there is only so much light the headlights can give out, meaning you're probably squinting to see more and not seeing things until the last second.

28. It's also really hard to BE seen at night

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Again at night, it is harder to BE seen as a bike. You give out less light than cars and are often dressed in dark, leather outfits and helmets. It can be very easy for cars not to see you in time, resulting in more and more accidents at night time. It would be sensible to not ride a motorbike at night time.

29. You need really good spatial awareness

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People underestimate that driving a motorcycle is like driving a car. It is definitely not. You need very good spatial awareness to drive a motorbike well. If you can't make quick, space-related decisions then you probably shouldn't be riding one. It is so easy to cause an accident from a moment of misjudgement.

30. It takes a lot of confidence

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There is no shame in being a nervous driver, but maybe just stick to driving cars. Riding a motorbike requires confidence if you're going to ride it safely and accurately. You need quick reflexes and decision making and if you're panicking then that's unlikely to happen.

31. Here are reasons you shouldn't date a biker, either... the grease!

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If you're dating a biker, the chances are high that they're going to bring the grease to bed with them, too. No matter how many times they wash, they just always seem to have that grease under their fingernails from tinkering away on their bike! So if you're a clean freak, probably not for you.

32. They're never going to ask for directions

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If you want a partner you never have to worry about getting lost, or who's not going to get you lost while you're riding on the back, then probably stick to someone who uses GPS inside a car! Bikers have a tendency to just go where the road takes them, which - for most of the time - is going to be in the wrong direction...

33. The helmet hair

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If one of the things you find most attractive about a potential dating partner is their luscious locks, then you're probably not going to be too impressed by a permanent helmet hair. Sure, wearing a helmet is non-negotiable for safety, so it's good that they're being responsible - but that kink...

34. They'll probably look at their bike the same way they look at you

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If you're someone who struggles with jealousy issues already, you're also going to have to prepare yourself for getting jealous over a machine. To a biker, their motorcycle ride is their pride and joy, and they're going to look at it with as much adoration and love as they look at you...

35. You won't be able to use your own garage

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If you're sharing a home with a biker, you're going to have to accept that all the garage space is going to be taken up for their bike. It might be where they keep a full collection of them, or be the space they need for a full maintenance garage so they can tune up their ride. Either way, your car isn't getting a look in.

36. It won't be ideal if you like to stay in

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If you're an introvert who prefers to stay at home a lot, even if the weather is nice, because your favorite hobbies are indoors, you're probably not going to see much of your biker partner - because come rain or shine (but especially shine) they're going to be hitting the open road.

37. You're going to have to play host to biker friends

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It's 99.9% likely that a biker is going to have a group of other biker friends - and they're going to want to come over a lot. Probably to spend time in that motorcycle garage we mentioned, too. So if you're someone who can't cope with having people over all the time... well, that's a ton more bike grease in your home, too!

38. They probably won't have a lot of money spare

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Regardless of whether you share a bank account or not, you're probably going to be disappointed on the expensive vacation, home improvement or nights out front, because most of their hard-earned cash is going to go into their beloved bike, maintaining said bike, and probably buying more bikes.

39. You'll really need to love the smell of leather

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Just like helmet hair and grease, bikers are going to have a certain smell about them at all times - and that smell is likely going to be gasoline and leather. So, if for some reason you have an aversion to the smell of gasoline and leather to the point it makes your stomach turn, it probably isn't going to work out.

40. You'll never have their full attention

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Sure they might be cozied up with you on the couch watching a Netflix movie, but a small part of their brain is going to be wandering to the garage, thinking about their bike, thinking about what they need to work on on their bike and where their next road trip is going to be.

41. The noise

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If you have different sleeping and work routines, you'd best prepare yourself for being woken up VERY loudly by a revving bike engine every single morning as your partner rides off to work, or an early morning day-off drive. You're going to want to tear your hair out.

42. You're going to have to worry about them every time they go out

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Bikers are notorious for being at risk of car accidents, whether it's another cars fault or if you have a reckless biker going too fast. Either way, you're going to be worrying about them a whole lot more every time they head out on the road, especially if they're a biker who is too impatient behind cars!

43. You'll need to be on-call for picking them up

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Bikers are more at risk than car drivers to run out of gas unexpectedly, or end up somewhere they didn't plan (surprise surprise, because of the lack of asking for directions we mentioned) so you best be prepared to go and rescue them in your car to bring them home!

44. You'll likely need to get involved with their bike

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A lot of work that needs doing on a bike can be a two-pair-of-hands kind of job, so you should expect for your partner to call you into the garage to help them with something, to hold a tool for them, to point the torch or get grease on your own fingers to sort their bike out with them.

45. Date night is probably going to be something bike-related

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Biking is their life, so they're going to want to make everything about biking - which includes date night. Bikers are going to want to hit up the latest biker bar or a bar filled with leather-wearing patrons rather than the trendiest restaurant. So it depends if you're going to love biker bars, too!

46. They'll wear biking gear everywhere

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They're not just going to wear those leather pants, riding boots and jacket when they hop on their bike for a ride - they'll probably keep them on after they've got off their bike at your destination, or have the riding boots as their go-to for anywhere and everywhere you go.

47. You'll have to listen to family and friends' worries, all the time

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If you're dating a biker, you're going to have to put up with many, many comments from family and friends about how you should be worried about their safety, about how they once knew a guy who had a motorcycle and hurt himself, or just a mother being a mother and fretting about it.

48. Constantly answering the door for motorcycle subscriptions

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Bikers are very likely going to be subscribed to every motorcycle magazine known to man, and they're going to get them physically delivered so that they can keep a copy in their garage with their bike rather than reading on their devices with greasy fingers. So be prepared for the doorbell going off A LOT.

49. You'll have to spend a fortune if you want to join them

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If you want to share their biggest passion with them and get involved so that you can bond, it's not going to be cheap - or easy. To even go out on a ride with them on the back, you're going to need all your own expensive safety gear. And if you want to get more involved by getting your own bike, there's that expense too.

50. You'll have to deal with their grief if they sell a bike

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If, for whatever reason, your partner would have to sell one of their bikes, or their only bike, you're going to have to be prepared for a very, very long grieving period where they're going to be in a bad mood, very upset and acting as though they've lost a favorite child.