If you are looking for a cheap way to commute and get into work or school then it is hard to beat a small motorbike or scooter. Small bikes such as a 125cc scooter or 50cc moped do not cost very much to buy. They are cheap to insure and they use very little gasoline. Even better is that they are easy to park because they do not take up very much space. Often you can just squeeze them in to a small spot near home or in the city.
There are, however, a couple of things that you should keep in mind when considering using a scooter for your daily travelling.
The first thing you have to keep in mind is that motorcycles and mopeds do not provide nearly the same level of safety as cars do. This is for several obvious reasons. One is that you are only riding on two wheels instead of four. While it is very difficult to get a car to roll over, falling off a motorcycle is unfortunately rather easy to do if you hit a slippery patch of road while taking a corner.
The second reason is that you are not enclosed in a protective cage with airbags and safety belts. As a result, if you do have a collision you are far more likely to get badly hurt. Although motorbikes only make up a small proportion of traffic on the roads in most countries, they generally account for a disproportionate share of fatalities in accidents.
A third reason is that you are much smaller on the road so cars may not see you. In the vast majority of accidents in which motorcycles and cars collided, the driver of the car said that he did not see the bike coming.
There are steps you can take to mitigate these risks. The first is that you should be properly trained. Get some lessons and then take up an advanced course. This will help teach you essential skills for avoiding accidents.
The second step you should take is to make sure you are visible. White helmets and luminous vests or brightly coloured bikes may not look cool, but they can play a huge role in keeping you safe. Official studies have found there is a significant reduction in the risk of accident and injury in instances where bikers make themselves clearly visible to other traffic.
The third safety step you should take is to wear proper protective gear. A full face helmet, gloves and leather jacket can really provide a lot of protection in the event that you do come off your motorbike or scooter. Be sure these are all double stitched and from reputable companies. Normal stylish clothing or ski gloves will not be adequate. Many people simply wear some denim jeans, but these will not provide very much protection against abrasion to your legs from a rough road surface. Protective boots are also important as feet, legs and hands are the body parts that are most frequently injured in motorcycle accidents.
