Dear Jim,
The roads are getting worse, gas prices are high, and the taxes keep going up. Something has to give. So far road maintenance seems to be one of the breaking points. I have witnessed roads evaporate. I have witnessed them get consumed in vegetation. I have traveled in the Sierras in places where the 4WD was getting stuck and knew an off road or dual sport motorcycle would cross these places easily. I can’t help but think while I’ve learned to shoot rifles and purify water and stitch wounds, shouldn’t I put at least as much effort into examining alternate transportation options?
So long as law and order remain, we still need to keep jobs to pay the taxes, and complete collapse seems very unlikely at this point. It seems to be more a matter of accepting new standards, and figuring out ways to retain the ones we value most, ones like freedom of travel. The world is already changing due to the end of cheap oil, and the financial melt down also results in various system failures, including road maintenance. Is it not reasonable to see roads get so much worse, particularly where people don’t live to pay taxes for upkeep, that rural roads will become patchworks of pavement, gravel, and dirt? If so, and in the face of fuel shortages, what is the best way to get around?
Motorcycles. Ones that can ride on the dirt, light enough to pull out of the mud yourself, and yet remain street legal once you get to the “highway”. We’ve seen them running around in the countryside, exploring fire roads and logging roads, country lanes, that sort of thing. We’ve scoffed at the MZB acronym, but what if we should be learning to ride a motorcycle ourselves, just as we’ve learned to shoot? Isn’t this just another critical skill? I have been investigating this for several years now, including watching video of travel in deeply rural locations and been impressed by the terrain a motorcycle can cover in a day. I can’t pedal that far or fast. Knowing that a motorcycle can go around many obstacles which would stop or delay a car or 4WD truck/jeep is points in its favor. True, its not going to carry much, but You are the most important part, and as a getting-around vehicle they’re very good at what they do.
As for safety the number one threat is yourself being foolish, and the number two is cars not paying attention. If the roads continue to fall apart (and they will continue) and gasoline rationing gets instituted by the government, both threats will be much reduced. Finally, safety also relies on proper gear, not all of which is expensive. Expensive gear is better, just as a more expensive rifle probably shoots more accurately, but a motorcycle bought for a few hundred and some elbow grease applied is just as good for travel as one costing thousands and may be easier to maintain or convert to E100 you can make on your ranch or buy in town at the co-op or general store. Being able to safely go faster and further than a 4WD SUV on the same road has its benefits and while the SUV still has value on grocery day, the motorcycle will get you to work (or the rail station in town) the rest of the time. Barring rain or snow, at least. Not fun in a thunderstorm, but what would be on a dirt road? We’re used to driving anyway, because on pavement it doesn’t matter much, but once the roads go to dirt we’re going to get used to finding a motel and wait it out. That may seem ludicrous, but think about the world prior to Eisenhower’s interstate highway system. Its not unreasonable at all. We’ll adapt and adjust because we’ll have to. Preparedness means thinking about all the options. Give the motorcycle serious thought. Best, – InyoKern