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Originally Posted by BlueNinjaF18
As for safety gear I didn't skimp on that when I ordered it.
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If you were in the hospital for the last one, it seems like much of it might need to be replaced, including a new helmet, right?
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Originally Posted by BlueNinjaF18
The other issue is of course money, and though I do not think that everyone on this site is rich, I'm sure some are, and can afford anything that comes up. I am not wealthy, and do not think that it would be a fair statement to say if a rider cannot afford everything that everyone else does, that I should not be riding.
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I feel that this was a badly formed argument. It's not about affording everything that everyone else does, it's about having enough so you alone can afford everything that you alone need to in order to ride safely. Last time you skimped on training, bike purchasing, and bike maintenance, and you ended up in the hospital. You say that you want to avoid that this time. Some of it will take will and initiative, some of it will take money. It's not up to anyone else to determine your budget - it's solely up to you.
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Originally Posted by BlueNinjaF18
The MSF course here costs $340, plus the cost of transporting my bike there, which is 50 miles away. I would also have to incur expenses for a room. That's not feasible when you have a budget. Could I save for it? Sure. Do I want to?No, because as the instructor and I discussed it's not my best option. What I need is a veteran rider who I can learn from and ride with locally.
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I still don't get why you need to pay extra to transport your bike there (use theirs!), and I don't get you why you need to get a room for someplace that's 45 minutes away, shorter than many people's commutes. I feel like you're exaggerating the costs because you've decided you don't want to learn with other people, but it's also certainly your prerogative to determine where/when would be the best environment for learning.
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Originally Posted by BlueNinjaF18
I also have no intention of buying a used bike from a private seller. I have talked with about a dozen dealerships within a hundred miles, and they all have used bikes that are single rider owners, with no drops, and were well maintained. That's the other reason I'm doing that, because the owner of my previous bike obviously didn't care about anyone's safety, he just wanted the money.
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Every used bike on a dealer lot becomes a 1-owner machine that was only taken to church on Sundays by a little old lady. I fully believe you that the prior owner of your first bike took some liberties with maintenance. A large percentage of used bikes in the price range you are talking about are going to have the same maintenance questions, private sale or dealer lot, and will need to be gone over carefully by folks that you trust - and any issues need to be resolved. If you think the prior owner "only wanted money", I'm afraid to share what most dealerships exist for.