What's your riding experience baseline?

I currently ride or I've ridden seriously in the past — I have real saddle time; Some — I've ridden a dirt bike, a scooter, or a friend's bike a few times; None — I've never actually ridden a motorcycle

Will you take the MSF Basic RiderCourse (or your state's equivalent) before riding on the road?

Already done it, or I'll definitely take it before I ride on the road; Probably — I see the value, but I haven't committed to a date yet; Honestly, no — I'd rather learn from a friend or just figure it out on my own

What's your primary use case?

Recreation — weekend rides on backroads or scenic routes, light traffic mostly; Daily commuting in real traffic — I'd be on it most days the weather works; I haven't really thought through how I'd use it

What's the riding season like where you live?

Long — 8+ months a year of comfortable riding weather; Moderate — 5-7 months a year, with real shoulder seasons; Short — under 5 months a year, or harsh weather most of the year

Where would you actually store it?

Secure garage or covered space at home; Workable — covered storage, dedicated parking, not perfect but not exposed; Street parking only — exposed to weather, theft, and the elements

How are you really, with the elevated safety risk?

I've looked at the data and I'm comfortable, eyes open; Some real hesitation, but I think I can manage it with the right precautions; Honestly, the per-mile fatality stats really worry me

Who depends on you financially or physically?

No major dependents — no kids at home, no one financially relying on me; Some — I have responsibilities, but life insurance and a partner who could carry on; Significant — kids at home, a partner financially dependent on me, no real safety net

Will you commit to full protective gear every single ride?

Yes — helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, riding pants, every ride, no exceptions (ATGATT); Helmet always, but I'd skip the rest in summer or for short rides; Honestly, just a helmet (or even just a helmet sometimes)

Does the budget actually work — bike, full gear, insurance, maintenance, training?

Yes — all of it fits without stretching; Tight, but workable; I'd be cutting corners somewhere — usually gear, insurance, or training

Should I Get a Motorcycle?

Answer a few honest questions about your experience, training, use case, gear plans, and the people who depend on you, and this Decision Guide will tell you whether to go for it, build the prerequisites first, or hold off.

Published May 15, 2026

Questions in this guide:

What's your riding experience baseline?
- I currently ride or I've ridden seriously in the past — I have real saddle time
- Some — I've ridden a dirt bike, a scooter, or a friend's bike a few times
- None — I've never actually ridden a motorcycle
Will you take the MSF Basic RiderCourse (or your state's equivalent) before riding on the road?
- Already done it, or I'll definitely take it before I ride on the road
- Probably — I see the value, but I haven't committed to a date yet
- Honestly, no — I'd rather learn from a friend or just figure it out on my own
What's your primary use case?
- Recreation — weekend rides on backroads or scenic routes, light traffic mostly
- Daily commuting in real traffic — I'd be on it most days the weather works
- I haven't really thought through how I'd use it
What's the riding season like where you live?
- Long — 8+ months a year of comfortable riding weather
- Moderate — 5-7 months a year, with real shoulder seasons
- Short — under 5 months a year, or harsh weather most of the year
Where would you actually store it?
- Secure garage or covered space at home
- Workable — covered storage, dedicated parking, not perfect but not exposed
- Street parking only — exposed to weather, theft, and the elements
How are you really, with the elevated safety risk?
- I've looked at the data and I'm comfortable, eyes open
- Some real hesitation, but I think I can manage it with the right precautions
- Honestly, the per-mile fatality stats really worry me
Who depends on you financially or physically?
- No major dependents — no kids at home, no one financially relying on me
- Some — I have responsibilities, but life insurance and a partner who could carry on
- Significant — kids at home, a partner financially dependent on me, no real safety net
Will you commit to full protective gear every single ride?
- Yes — helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, riding pants, every ride, no exceptions (ATGATT)
- Helmet always, but I'd skip the rest in summer or for short rides
- Honestly, just a helmet (or even just a helmet sometimes)
Does the budget actually work — bike, full gear, insurance, maintenance, training?
- Yes — all of it fits without stretching
- Tight, but workable
- I'd be cutting corners somewhere — usually gear, insurance, or training

Whether you should get a motorcycle depends less on whether motorcycles are 'too dangerous' (the per-mile fatality data is real, but the riders dying at the highest rates are the ones making known-bad choices — no training, no gear, sport bike as a first bike, riding impaired) and more on whether YOU are set up to do this carefully. The strongest first-time motorcyclists check five boxes: real training before they ride on the road (the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic RiderCourse is the standard, 15 hours total, taught at 2,500+ US sites and waived in most states for the on-road portion of the motorcycle endorsement test); full protective gear every ride — ATGATT, All The Gear, All The Time — since CDC data show helmets alone are about 37% effective at preventing motorcyclist deaths and roughly 67% at preventing brain injuries, with the rest of the gear preventing the road-rash and limb injuries that helmets don't touch; a sensible first bike (250-500cc, light weight, both feet flat on the ground when seated — not a 600cc supersport); a workable climate and storage setup so you actually ride enough to build skill; and an honest accounting of who depends on you, because the IIHS shows motorcyclists die at roughly 22 times the per-mile rate of car occupants and that math doesn't get gentler when someone is relying on you. If those line up, motorcycling can be one of the most genuinely rewarding hobbies of your life. If you'd cut corners on training or gear, or you'd be impulse-buying a powerful first bike, or you have a heavy stack of dependents with no real safety net, the answer isn't 'never' — it's 'not yet, and not like this.'

Sources

Fatality Facts 2023: Motorcycles and ATVs — Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws — Effectiveness and Lives Saved — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Basic RiderCourse — Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF)

Should I Get a Motorcycle?

Sources

Related Decision Guides