To Brrrm, or Not to Brrrm

January 21st, 2008
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Miscellaneous | 8 Comments

I’m thinking of buying a motorcycle. I don’t have money this year to buy a car, and a sexy brand new Yamaha YBR-125 is only 31 thousand Lempiras. (about $1,600) If I earn more than six thousand Lempiras a month, (which I do) I don’t even need to make a down payment. The monthly payments are a very affordable Lps. 1,700 (about $90)

My major fears are the extreme danger on the streets of Tegucigalpa, and the nagging I will inevitably get from every female member of my family. I am sure that the moment my parents realize that I’m driving a motorcycle they will start a prayer vigil for me to get rid of it. But I can’t afford a car! I’d need at least $5000 for that! My dad, whose middle name could be Murphy, always assumes worst-case scenarios. He will say nothing, but will suffer in quiet desperation.

This already gives me pangs of guilt, as an uncle of mine, the youngest of my father’s brothers, died before the age of 40 in a grotesque motorcycle accident. I would look to statistics in the hope of believing that this will not be my fate. I haven’t bought one before only for this reason.

Should I wait?

Image by Lairto Simionato Jr., used with a Creative Commons license.

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  • Anonymous

    What about a pre-owned, or as we say in our neck of the woods, “gently used vehicle”?

    I know of too many bad endings of friends and others after getting into an accident on a motorcycle. Not that it can’t happen in a car…

    kman

  • Aaron Ortiz

    Sadly, a pre-used car would probably cost 4 or 5 thousand dollars (80-100 thousand Lps). Maybe I’ll get a high paying job later in the year and be able to afford it, but not with my current salary.

  • wolfie_cr

    as we say in Costa Rica, you want to become a muertociclista?

    another question is not “will the others be scared for you?” but “will you not be scared?”

    when I was younger I wanted to get a nice ‘pandillera’ bike……well now that I can afford it I won’t simply because I have seen too much :(

  • Aaron Ortiz

    Ah well…my dream is deflated… :)

  • Daniel

    My friend…I also am the proud owner of a sexy Yamaha YBR 125. Ill level with you, its dangerous and stressful but on the other hand you fill the tank with 7 USD and it lasts 2 weeks…about 160 km/gllon.
    Youll never be stuck in traffic again, youll have more cash to spend, you can wake up later in the morning AND motorcycles are so eco friendly…..

    if you need riding lessons let me know man, im thinking of opening a YBR riders club….

    Oh yeah…Ive had my accidents too but a good leather jacket, helmet and riding boots do the trick ;)

  • Bob Barbanes

    Aaron, life is full of risks. Yes, motorcycles crash. Yes, there are people a-plenty who’ll tell you not to get one.

    I’ve been a rider all my life, and I’ve never crashed. You just have to take defensive driving to the highest possible level – a level car drivers can never imagine. Don’t forget a good helmet. Only you can tell if you have the proper hand/eye coordination and the other “right stuff” to be a biker (it’s not for everybody). If you do, I say go for it! You only live once. And we’ve all got to die sometime…

  • Daniel

    Aaron….listen to Bob, take his advice. i also agree, we all have to evantually die…can you imagine living forever? ughh what a bore!

  • Anonymous

    Aaron, I can’t argue with the fact that we all have to die sometime.

    Question is, who NEEDS you to be around for awhile?

    kman

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