Genuine desperate help needed please...

[mattgt]

Ok, where do I start. I'm a 19 year old, studying in london. I drive a Honda RVF400, just bought 4 weeks ago. I absolutely love it, possibly the best thing ever to happen to me. Though I have a few problems.

After all the talk on the chat rooms about bike safety etc, I get kinda worried. I have to park on the street in central london, and I find it hard to sleep due to worry of it being stolen. I spent about £3 grand on it, and being a student, my loan is sufficiently nil that this matters quite a lot.

Another problem is my mother. She loves bikes, but absolutely hates the fact that I drive one. She would rather buy me a car (no small feat) than see me carry on driving. I'm quite close to her, and so it hurts me to see her worry so much. I also (before mentioned) absolutely love riding. I am also a poor student.

What would you do, if you were in the same situation as me? I really am stuck, and don't know what to do. Some days I think I'll sell up, be sensible, have some money in my pocket and save myself from bankruptsy, keep my mum happy etc, but most of the time I look at my bike, smile, and go for a spin.

As you can see, I really get little sleep from it, and need help. Any advice is really apreciated.

Matt

[Rookie]

As you seem to realise, selling it would be the 'sensible' option. But hell, you're a student, you won't have this sort of freedom ever again. This is the time of life before you settle down, I say screw it. Stick it on the student loan and pay it off in 10 years, I bet you won't regret it then either.

[colin1]

I would get a chain big enough to chain it to a lamp post and I would see less of my mother. If she wants to buy you a car and pay your insurance on it, to use for functional trips thats fine as long as she knows your baby will be used for fun times on open roads with little dangerous traffic.

You cant stop your mum worrying unless you ditch the bike( dont even think about it) but you can stop her from being unhappy by being careful on the roads and not taking unnecessary risks.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Snake Eyes]

I think that says it all really, although your mum will be happy (very noble of you) on the flip side you will be sad while sitting in all that london trafic !!!!!
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[mchaggis]

You only bought it a month ago, and you're thinking about selling out already?! If you're worried about it getting stolen, sell the RVF and get a hack which no-one would look at, and some decent security.

At the risk of seeming rude, if your ma tells you she doesn't like you riding and wants you to stop, tell her where to get off. Not quite that abruptly of course.

Explaining and demonstrating that you're responsible, take all precautions you can and no unnecessary risks might go a little way to helping calm her fears. Try a post-test training course to prove your dedication to riding more safely. Mothers worry. It's what they do. She'll get over it. Just don't crash in the mean time.
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[tokarev]

I am in exactly the same position as you.

Live and commute in London. Have to park my bike in the London streets. My parents WERE worried about me riding (wanted me to get a car instead of 'dangerous' motorbikes) and I am also a poor student.

My mum and dad didn't want me to get the bike last year, saying that I was going to have an accident etc...but I really wanted it and so got it. The more time passed and miles on the bike went by, my parents worrying got less and less. Now a little more than a year onwards and they don't worry. They think it's good that I'm out and about on the bike rather than stuck indoors.

Now I have a hefty student fee to pay this year aswell. To make things worse is that I have absolutely NO money in the bank! The easy option would be to sell the bike and use the money to pay for that. But I love the bike too much, so what I am going to do is get a job (a couple of days per week), get out a loan, pay off the student fee with the loan and then pay back the loan money with my pay money from work. (Much harder than last years lazing around and sleeping till 2pm!).

The parking situation is a bit harder to really deal with. I just use a big chain through the backwheel and a disck lock at the front. If you can get a bike cover aswell as this will help to not draw attention to the sporty look of the bike and hence thieves. It's all I can do.

But it is up to you and how much you want the bike. Hope this helps though.

[tokarev]

Oops, I voted for the wrong option by mistake. I meant ' No - Keep the bike'

[mattgt]

That's exactly the kinda stuff I wanted to hear, cheers guys. Especially tokarev. Yeah I do chain it to a lamp post, covered, but no alarmed disc lock as of yet. I do love it to pieces, not to mention the fact that it's an absolute mint babe magnet (ruling out the idea of swapping for some ugly piece of junk). You're right, being sensible is for later in life (if that!) and cars are just shit, to be frank. STUDENT LOAN AND OVERDRAFT CAN PISS OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kath600]

[headlamp]

Anyone who rides a bike in London, has an increased risk of it being nicked - not least because there are more people around! As long as you are sensible with security then it should be safe. As for your Mum, just tell her that you don't ride fast in London because there is so much traffic. Most parents perceive that the dangerous thing about bikes is because they go fast. Convince her of that and you'll be fine.
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[quacker_boy]

[tintin]

You should be OK if it's chained to a lampost and covered, most bikes that are knicked are not chained to somthing solid.

Do a Bikesafe course with the police, this will help you mum feel you are trying to be a safe rider.
https://www.bikesafe.co.uk/Bikesafe/Bikesafe2000/england/london/cityoflondon.html

Last of all, you're a student, all students are supposed to be poor, live off beans on tast and beer, save money by not washing and get a bar job.
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The older I get the better I was

[Ragdoll]

OK, as I see it, your bike is insured so if the worst does happen it's not the end of the world. As many of the guys have already said, you're a student, you won't have this freedom all your life so make he most of it. You have years ahead of you to be sensible.

Now, speaking as a mother, it doesn't matter what you do...we worry, it's our job. We worry about you not eating properly, we worry about you crossing the road, we worry about you stubbing your toe! However, at the end of the day, it's your life and no-one can live it for you. If your bike makes you smile, I'd say keep it.

*ETA I should just say that my kids don't think I'm normal anyway, they think mums should drive sensible cars and not know the words to Linkin Park songs so my advice might not be the best
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1st bike - Honda Rebel; 2nd bike - CBR125; next bike - husband's 'blade hehehehe
Lancashire Bikers Facebook Group

[Sparks!]

My mum said she would throw me out if I bought a bike.

That was 2 years ago, I've had about 10 bikes since then, she's been on two rideouts with us and has been to a local bike club meet at the pub a good few times, as well as making friends with some of the people there..!

She still worries about me, and me showing her pics of my KTM upside down in a ditch doesn't help but she understands that I'm never going to give up and she respects that...

So basically all I'm saying is that your mum will come round to the fact you ride a bike sooner or later.. don't let her stop you, she will learn to understand soon enough etc...

She even asks me to print track day/wheely pics so she can show her friends at work
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[Gazdaman]

Sell it, get a less expensive, less nickable bike.

I'm a student, and I'm struggling to run an MZ 250.

Gaz

[Mongrel]

Fairly simple really, let Mummy buy and insure you a car.

Keep the bike chained to a lamp post with a ferkin' great chain and lock and when you have a bit of time and decent weather conditions...just let the good times roll...on two wheels


If you ever try and drive your bike while I'm around then expect a good slapping and also, it's about time you got a job, sponging bloody students


Do NOT sell the bike, you WILL miss it and WILL regret it. I did for about 7 years before I decided to sod everyone who disapproved and bought the Thundercat.

[sickpup]

There are a lot of opinions on the site about London traffic and the London theft rate. Most of the opinions are voiced by people who don't live in or ever ride in London.

At present in my parking space I have the following vehicles...

VFR400
GSXR750
ZZR600
NTV650
NTV600
CBR900
CD250
Lightweight Landrover

and none of them get touched as they are chained up and I will bitch slap anyone who does.

I live right on the edge of the city in one of the highest theft areas in London.

Chain your bike, if paranoid add an alarm and stop listening to people who scare monger.

[quacker_boy]

[Robby]

Personally If I was riding something I couldn't afford to replace and I thought there was a tangible risk of being stolen, and a free car (free driving lessons too?) was on the cards, I'd take the car if I could get to work in it.

Cars are fun too. Don't always believe the blinkered views of 17 year olds that can ride bikes but not drive.

[A J]

I am in the same position, im a 19 year old student and my mum doesnt like me riding etc.

But after being skint etc and all the bad points riding a bike is well worth it to me.

[muddycoffee]

To add my comments to this debate

1) Almost nobody's mother likes them riding a bike

2) Everyone is paranoid about someone nicking their bike, nomatter where they live, and it is always chronic for the first 3 months or so.

3) A car driving license is as valuable as a Degree for employment prospects in most of the country

Personally speaking I would sell it and get something cheaper. I spend the whole of my Higher education riding a 12 year old 125 then a 15 year old 250. If you have a distraction like a nice bike to go off on in the good weather, you will be less focussed on your studies, and when you finish and get a career then you will be able to get what you want.
How are you going to afford things like servicing, new tyres etc on a posh bike like that?
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