I own or ahve owned at least 20 motorcycles. currently own two with one on the way.

Maintenance sechedules vary. What is the bike? Year, model, displacement is handy. 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

Bikes tend to get better mileage but many also tend to put out more emissions than a 72 valiant. 2 strokes are flat out eco-killers. Modern fuel infected bikes are better.

Big ass and older bikes around 1000cc should be in the vacinity of 40mpg and many newer bikes around 500cc or smaller can get 60mpg or better.

I put tends of thousands of miles on my bikes every year (well, not this year) and change oil regularly using synth and synth blends for some bikes and dino for others. I rearely go more than 3K miles and on older bikes like Thunderbolts and Eldorados for instance you may want to change the oil every 1000 miles (a bit extreme but these bikes are special).

There's plenty of regular maintenance to do on a motorcycle, much like with a car. One big difference if you have a chain driven motorcycle is to keep your drive train maintained through periodic inspection, lubing, adjusting, and replacing wear parts. Of course the owner's manual will have a comprehensive overview of the maintenance schedule. Here's an example from a 2012 Kawasaki Ninja (pdf document).  This particular bike recommends changing oil once a year or once every 7500 miles once it is broken in, whichever comes first.  I'd think if you were changing your oil yearly that you'd want to do so before the riding season begins, though I'd be interested to hear what other folks do.

In my experience, my 250 cc motorcycle gets about 60 mpg in regular city riding.  For a single occupancy vehicle, this is certainly more efficient than a small car and competitive with the best hybrid cars.  Bigger motorcycles get lower gas mileage, but they still tend to be comparable to small cars.  As a rider, it is certainly my opinion that more of us should be considering motorycles over cars for single occupancy vehicles, though I may be a bit biased.

You'll be fine, dump it in. Oil is oil. The only real concern is if you have pre-existing oil leaks and run a thinner oil than usual (the 5w20) you may see a little of that 5w20 leak out. It's not gonna be a big deal, just check that dipstick and keep it full.

Git er dun

Here are a few things off the top of my head. Hopefully others can fill in the rest:

1) Get the license plate number, and call your local Police Department's NON-EMERGENCY phone number. Call them and say this: "Hello, this is NOT AN EMERGENCY. I am buying a vehicle and I would like you to run the plate to make sure it has not been reported stolen please." They will be happy you checked with them. If you buy a stolen car, you're up a creek, so check first. Best to do this in advance or in private, so you don't rub the seller the wrong way.

2) Yes, the State of Washington will charge tax. I believe you pay this at the time of registration/title transfer.

3) If you are paying cash, meet in the lobby of a bank. Preferably your bank, but the seller's bank is better than nothing. Ask the seller if they are willing to take a cashier's check. It's up to them.

4) Ask for the VIN and run a carfax check on it. Avoid buying vehicles that have any accidents on the record, and avoid older vehicles that have spent any significant portion of their life in a snowy city that salts the roads. Salt kills cars. I would never buy a car from New England, Minnesota, Denver or Canada. A car from Seattle or a similar city that rarely salts roads is better.

5) The willingness of a private party seller to hold the car while you gather your liquid assets will vary. The general expectation is that "it's not a deal, until it's a deal." If you agree to buy the car for X dollars in five days, be prepared for the fact that if the seller gets an offer equal to or greater than X tomorrow, they will probably sell the car to the person who shows up first with the cash.

6) Haggling etiquette. It is almost expected that a little bit of haggling will go on, but don't be a dick about it. If the car is as-advertised, you should pay within a few hundred of what the ad said. Let's say the ad says the car is in good condition and is for sale for $11,500. You show up and see that it is in good condition, but there's a coffee stain on the back seat. You can offer $11,250 or maybe even $11,100. Don't show up and offer $9000. That's a dick move. On the flip side, if the ad says the car is in mint condition, and you show up and see it's got shitty tires and peeling paint, go ahead and offer something really low. But the bottom line is that if the car is generally in the advertised condition, don't try and undercut the asked for price by more than 5-10%.

7) Run it through Kelly Blue Book, but don't rely on Kelly Blue Book alone. Look at craigslist ads and see what comparable vehicles are actually going for in the area. KBB says they incorporate these regional differences, but they don't compensate enough. Example: Subarus command a premium in Seattle, pickup trucks sell for less here than they do elsewhere. Simple supply and demand.

8) Google known issues on the model car you buy. Example: I like Subaru Outbacks. They need head gaskets and timing chains replaced around 100,000 miles. A car that has already had this done is worth more to me than a car that hasn't had it done yet. Find out if there is a known issue on the car you are going to buy and learn if it's been dealt with yet.

9) Ask the seller why they are selling it. I usually say "If you don't mind my asking, why are you selling it." You want to hear things like "I got a promotion at work, and upgraded to a newer one," or "we're having another baby and need a bigger car." You do not want to hear a bunch of hemming and hawing and subject changing. If it's actually a good car, they probably have a good reason for letting it go. Ask.

10) If anything rubs you the wrong way, walk away. You're in charge. You aren't obligated to anything until you shake hands and exchange money. Trust your gut. You're the boss.

Hope this helps.

If you want to do it yourself you can get small sandblasters for around 30 bucks but you have to hook it up to a compressor which a small one would be around 100 bucks. If you go that route remove everything from the frame, make sure to wear long sleeves, gloves, glasses etc the oversprat gets everywhere and it hurts. Of you're doing it outside ( which makes sense since I doubt you have a spray booth in your garage) use fine sand not a composite grit so any you dont sweep up afterwards isn't putting random stuff into the environment. If you lay down some cardboard about three feet in each direction outside the frame you can scoop it up and re use it so there is less sand you need to buy to get the job done. The small sandblasters usually have a hopper for about 30 lbs of sand. There are hacks I've seen on the Internet with 5 gallon buckets but you will still need a compressor and a hose and nozzle for the spraying.

You might try contacting auto body shops if you want someone else to do it but it will probably be pricey. I looked into this when I lived in Philly and to blast and powder coat a bike ( which is better wear and tear wise than straight up painting) was around 500 bucks

It seems as though your question has been thoroughly answered. Something that drives me crazy (no pun intended), is when I see Seattleites take a left turn in the wrong direction in a roundabout. What are they thinking?!

Interesting...we must be driving in different neighborhoods, Whenever I encounter a traffic circle, the other drivers don't just drive right on without slowing down--they stop dead and refuse to enter it, without regard to other traffic (or lack of). It's like they've never seen such a monstrosity before and they are totally flummoxed about how to proceed, and they're not going to just yield and merge--they're not budging until they've thoroughly figured this out.

The question has been quite well answered here and LLR indicates complete awareness of the yielding issue.

I wanted to write and mention the interesting point that in the law the right of way is never technically given to anyone, but instead who must yield the right of way is very well defined. I remembered this point from driver's education some 40 or more years ago and found this reference to support that premise. They taught us never to think "I have the right of way" and instead to look for the other driver to yield it. Later it is part of what would be called "defensive driving".

http://www.safemotorist.com/articles/right_of_way.aspx

The correct answer is "The one that is already IN the circle or roundabout has the right of way." If you pull out in front of an oncoming car, you're not only in the wrong, but you're also liable to get broadsided. Wait for traffic to clear, even if you have to come to a halt and hold up other traffic behind you.

Most chains need to be oiled to run smoothly, so if you don't want it to be greasy you might have some trouble keeping the chain running smoothly you might want to talk to some bike people to get an alternative lubricant, but you'll need something if you want it to last. You can get connectors to string multiple chains together, so if you go with russ's suggestion see if you can buy the connectors and then start stocking up on standard sized chains that have gotten too loose for peoples bikes ( after a while of riding they stretch out, some people will take out a rung to tighten it, but alot of people just get a new chain, the looseness shouldn't be a problem because you're not on a fixed size like the bike). If you hit a few bike repair places and tell them you're looking for em they could start saving them for you and you should amass a decent supply pretty quickly. Also an add on craigslist might help, when the weather gets a bit nicer the fair-weather riders will be dusting off their bikes and realize they should have taken better care of things like that last year and will be taking them in for general maintenance it's the best time of year to be looking for too used for riding but fine for other things parts. Also gears that may be sticking too much for smooth shifting up the hills will be in the junk bins as well

Try talking to the folks at Recycled Cycles. They may be both a good source of decent parts (or reference point on finding good junked ones) and appropriate advice on design, lubrication (maybe construction?).

http://www.recycledcycles.com/

This is what the email I got said: "Because of persistent icy conditions, Community Transit will provide limited commuter and local service on Jan. 19. Downtown Seattle and University District commuter routes will operate first and last scheduled trips, except for Route 414. Route 414 will not operate. If possible, additional trips may operate in between.

Local service will be limited Jan. 19. Buses will operate on every route, but they may not be on regular schedule due to conditions. Local bus routes will operate the first and last scheduled trips. Other than that, buses may only operate every hour or every two hours, but there could be even longer periods without service.

Regular Community Transit 40-foot coaches will operate on the Swift route. Swift is scheduled operate on its Saturday schedule.

For the morning of Jan. 19, Sound Transit will operate its Sunday Route 512 schedule, with an additional trip at 4:55 a.m. The Route 512 trips will include a sign to remind passengers that the Route 512 will replace Routes 510 and 511.

Sound Transit also will operate the Route 535 on its Saturday schedule with additional trips at 4:48 south from the Lynnwood Transit Center and 5:45 a.m. north from 10th & 102nd.

Routes 513 and 532 will not operate. Route 532 passengers wishing to reach the Eastside can take Route 512 to the Lynnwood Transit Center and transfer to Route 535."

This is part of why you have your own insurance. Call your own provider and get a claim number (you won't get charged for it). You'll get to be on the right side of your very own claims adjustor. It's his/her job to wring appropriate money out of the responsible parties in an accident, aka subrogation.

This is useful in many situations--you're probably going to get calls from the guy-who-hit-you's insurance company, wanting your description of the accident, for one. Don't talk to them, as they will fish for a reason that you were partially at fault and thus pay you less. Just tell them to call your guy Vinnie (the name of the claims adjustor I had when I was involved in a 37 car pileup, and he was/is awesome).

Your adjustor will also help you deal with the other insurance company (or structure of the claim, if guy-who-hit-you is also one of their clients) as far as what documentation you'll need to submit for reimbursement and repairs, and also how many estimates you need to get. They can also help you figure out what else you might be able to claim--did you miss work due to the accident or doctor's appointments? You can probably get compensation there. Had to stay in a hotel because you couldn't get home? Compensation.

Dad Griffin was a claims adjustor. He's also an asshole much of the time. A claims adjustor is one of the few careers in life where this is actually a benefit to the consumer. Good luck.

I don't have much helpful advice here, except to say that being in a car accident really jolts your entire body more than people sometimes give it credit for. It wouldn't surprise me if your pain goes away in a couple of days. That being said, potential spinal injuries are nothing to mess around with, so I think your decision to go see a doctor is a good one.

Just wanted to express my sympathies. I hope you feel better soon, and I hope your car is okay and the whole situation is insurance nightmare-free.

In order to get a fair payment out of the other insurance company you need an advocate. Insurance companies try to pay out as little as possible but with a lawyer you can get a better settlement.

I was rear-ended at a stop sign in 2000 and got horrible whiplash. I waited to settle but decided to get help and found Bruce Wolf in Seattle to be a highly ethical personal injury attorney. He was very clear with me about each step of his handling of my claim and in the end I got a settlement around $7000, of which I got around $3800 after his fees.

It is not unheard of to have physical symptoms contine to emerge after a year or two. I went to see a chiropractor right away and went for regular massage therapy and still just over a year later I woke one day and couldn't turn my head and felt like I had screws going into my forehead. I had to go for physical therapy for 5 months and was prescribed muscle relaxants by my doc.

I'm sorry you were in an accident and I do wish you and your family a quick recovery.

operating -
Ramps and HOV lanes and the Express lanes of North 5 and I-90 are all ok for motorcycles to use with a single rider.
Used to be you didn't have to insure your motorcycle so that was a big get.
While 520 is no cheaper, the ferries, and highway 167 hotlane are free or cheap for motorcycles.
With better MPG comes fewer gas taxes paid - and gas taxes have gone up over 15% in the last ten years.
Best reason: motorcyclists here are hardy, observant, and very supportive of one another.

Parking -
You don't have to purchase a RPZ permit to park in zoned neighborhood parking with a motorcycle -as of about two years ago.
Parking is significantly easier to find in neighborhoods that are generally a nightmare --such as pioneer square, capitol hill, belltown - since you can slip into end spots, and spots that are too small for cars.
Spread throughout the city are parking slots for motorcyles ONLY. If you happen to do business a lot where these are, then you win the parking lotto.
Many parking garages let motorcycles park free in the wasted triangle spaces (until these spots are filled).

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=111289349892739264829.0004656bf6227d23b2c61&z=13
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parking/motorcycleparking.htm

Hey Reutte, the bridges will be back and forth with traffic for a while. The 520 toll is here to stay and will be locked in at the present rates for several months. It'll just take some time for drivers to get used to the rates and adjust their schedules/acceptable driving costs.

If you're moving back, I'd recommend living nearer to I-90 if you can. With the 520 toll and continuing construction on the new 520 bridge, both bridges will have traffic issues, but I-90 may just be easier in the long run.

Full Disclosure: I'm a roadway engineer that specifically bought a condo along I-90 a couple years back to ensure we'd avoid the impending mess on 520 :)

I recommend that you/he also visit Hub And Bespoke in Fremont to source some fashionable and functional clothing for the ride. Plus, the couple who run the shop will give great advice on the questions you have. http://www.hubandbespoke.com/

So, I'm one of the people who is directly affected by the tolling. I live in Greenlake, and commute to Bellevue. When I did the math, if I continued to drive myself alone to/from work each day, it would have added nearly $200 a month to my expenses, which is more than I'm willing to stomach.

However, I've been taking the bus recently, and although it is waaay slower than driving (an hour and ten, vs. 25 mins driving), I find I'm using the time to work, read, listen to podcasts, etc. While it's not ideal (I really, really, really wish there was a bus that went from a park and ride north of Montlake directly into Bellevue without first going into downtown Seattle), I'm making it work.

I do also drive still one day a week, but that's usually on days when I have errands, so I'm not hitting the tolls at peak times. One of the benefits of occasionally driving is that the drive is now WAY faster -- 15-20 mins, compared with 35-40.

If I were moving and expected to live in Seattle and work on the Eastside, I would make sure I was moving somewhere with a transit option that I could be happy with.

There was a time (ten to fifteen years ago) when it was legal to park your bike in between cars in Seattle. That was helpful.

In short, I don't think there are any significant Seattle-centric advantages to owning a motorcycle.

State law does not require mandatory insurance for motorcycles. I pay about $100/year for pretty comprehensive coverage anyway so the savings aren't that much (but I don't own a $20K Harley). Not unique to Seattle.

Motorcycles are faster in most types of traffic as they are smaller, more nimble, quicker and slightly less likely to create road rage driving competitions and challenges. I do things on a bike that I would not do in a car but nothing egregious. But not unique to Seattle.

You cannot lane split in Washington so that advantage is a non-factor. There are times when, if traffic is ridiculous, I will zoom ahead to see what the heck is going on. Ditto on unique.

Most bikes get at least 40MPG which is pretty good. However, older bikes probably put out more GHG emissions than a brand new Hummer. And the 2-stroke bikes and scooters are flat out eco-killers. Applies everywhere.

Parking isn't as Wild West as it was a decade ago but there are lots of places you can stick a bike that you can't stick a car where it is free to park and safe. Under the viaduct and at the ends of overpasses like the ones that come off of Capitol Hill and first hill into downtown. A little sketchy sometimes...

One of the biggest advantages is that if you get a parking ticket for not having one of those little slips you are supposed to stick on your headlight you can contest the ticket and so long as you are not there daily the judge will let you slide. Tell him you had one but it got stolen. It's a lie but I'll leave the ethical quandary up to the individual.

Parking in garages can be cheaper or even free. Some garages have gates that are not manned and lots of bikers just slip in and out of those. Some garages will charge a very low monthly rate for parking bikes- as little as $25/month. All on the up and up.

Of course having such excellent hospitals in Seattle is a big deal. Everybody eventually crashes. And if you don't make it, your organs will be that much fresher for donating to someone who needs them.

Compared to other parts of the world Seattle drivers are quite deferential to motorcyclists. Ever since I eschewed my leathers and cafe racer for a dual sport bike and Hi-Viz yellow/green road gear with orange helmet I have had virtually zero issue with drivers. If you've ever ridden a bike in California or New York/New Jersey you will understand how much better Seattle drivers are. And if you count Mexico or the Philippines than Seattle drivers are the epitome of grace and forbearance. Sure, there are the occasional knuckleheads and dumb-asses but I swear it feels like open season on bikers in parts of California at times.

The proposed registration fees like the ones defeated on the last initiative really pissed me off. I own several bikes because I am a hobbyist. To pay $80, $100, $120 for each bike is bullshit as I can only ride one at a fucking time. And that it cost the same as a car at all is also total bullshit. I voted for it anyway as I am a supporter to the things that the initiative was trying to accomplish but it pained me to do so.

In Seattle you can pretty much ride year round. That’s pretty awesome. So long as there is no ice I’m riding. There is heated riding gear available if you need some extra warmth.

Seattle has a decent motorcycle infrastructure. Nothing like Southern California but still OK. The Suzuki shop on Aurora is staffed by some good guys and the Moto Guzzi shop up the street is probably the best motorcycle dealer I’ve ever dealt with. The BMW dealer (Ride West) is good and Mick Valentine’s shop on Aurora can handle nearly anything German and English at a cheaper price. My experience with the Honda shop has not been particularly good and I’ve heard mixed things about Lynnwood Cycle (Kawasaki and Triumph et al). I hate 99% of all Harleys so don’t know anything about them or the local resources. There is also a good café racer scene here with some specialty shops staffed by reasonably knowledgeable fellows. Langlitz Leathers is all the way down in Portland but they are considered one of the best makers of leather gear in the world.

Well, I probably digressed into some points that were not exactly pertinent to your question, but if you have any follow up I’d be glad to try and help.

Well you'll save on gas and it is easier to sneak into a parking space. Most scooters can't go on the freeway unless you get the bigger engine type ( my sister just got one that will do freeways I think it was a 110 type). She had a scooter then went back to a car for a year and then got a nicer scooter cuz she missed it so much but she's never really been a car person. I think it depends on what you want from your vehicle. But yeah parking is the same price , just don't usually have to hunt as hard for it

I have a similar commute. I've found that, given Seattle's weather, the key to riding every day is to make it as painless as possible. This means being prepared, but keeping things minimal.

The bike:
Don't get a narrow-tired, lightweight road racing bike for commuting. You want something a little tougher, that can take wider tires.
I prefer touring bikes, but a lot of people ride mountain bikes. "Hybrid" commuter bikes are a good compromise. The difference between the three is mostly about rider position. The touring bikes have a more aggressive geometry, with the rider leaning farther forward and down. This makes the bike feel more responsive and powerful. It also means that if you use a backpack, less of its weight is on your shoulders. The mountain and hybrid bikes have you sit more upright. This is, in some ways, more comfortable, but I think it makes a bike feel sluggish.

Equipping the bike:
There are three absolute must-haves: fenders, lights, and a lock. You will probably also want a rear rack and some sort of pannier (saddlebag). I prefer the open-topped "grocery" style pannier.

Clothing: I ride in regular clothes and shoes, but always carry rain gear. Lightweight, unlined waterproof/breathable gear like REI's "ultralight" rain pants are best. All rain gear gets a bit damp, and the light stuff dries out more quickly and doesn't smell moldy.

1. I second the recommendation of just going to a shop, talking with the staff, and looking at a bunch of bikes to determine what he wants/needs bike-wise.
Fenders, a horn and/or bell, and front and rear lights are the only things you'll really need to add on to the bike initially.

2. http://ridethecity.com/ is an excellent resource for route suggestions. Google maps is good too. Neither is perfect, and I often use a combination of the two plus my own knowledge of the streets.

3. I found I didn't need any special clothing - aside from my helmet and gloves - for my ~2 mile commute from Greenwood to Greenlake. I just rode in my regular clothes. If he's committed to riding rain or shine, he'll probably want some sort of rain gear, but he doesn't need to get all spandexed-up for such a short commute. Some padded shorts will make longer rides much more comfortable.

Sorry to be short on specifics. People are so individual in what they require comfort-wise and those needs will change as he rides more. There is such a huge array of products designed to facilitate riding that almost any issue can be addressed with a tweak of gear or components. Develop a relationship with a bike shop, maybe look online at forums devoted to bike commuting to see what lots of other folks are doing and just...ride like you belong on the road.

This sounds like Google, if I'm not mistaken!

I'm not an expert and don't have many specifics, but having recently bought a bike, I'd recommend going into Recycled Cycles and talk to them. Not saying you won't get good advice here, but it helps see a bunch of bikes, talk with an expert, and go over what he needs and wants. I've had great luck with them, and as an added benefit they are close to you and close to his commute (kind of under the U bridge), so they can be your neighborhood shop.

A lot depends on his personal preferences. Does he want a cool, sporty road bike? Maybe he should get a cyclocross bike with disc brakes (which do better in Seattle rain and stop faster). Or maybe he wants a more traditional cruiser/commuter. Or maybe you want him to have an ugly piece of junk, because you don't want him to think he's too cool and start taking risks? I don't know. :)

From my perspective, as long as he wears a helmet, has a back red light and a head light, and maybe gets a yellow wind jacket, he'll be very safe. That's a pretty simple and safe commute.

It hasn't stopped calls to the police as this 11/23/2011 Pubicola story mentions that 28 calls came in on possible attempts in the eight month period after the fence was complete on it.

The Seattle FRIENDS group (FRemont Individuals & Employees Nonprofit to Decrease Suicides) stopped keeping statistics on their website in 2008. Presumably the mention of deaths there were seen to be as counterproductive to preventing people from making the attempt (keep it out of the public discussion and it is less likely to be seen as an obvious choice).

I would suspect that the fence will not stop a person committed to being successful at the act there, but it makes it harder and perhaps gives more time for emergency personnel to get to the scene and provide the appropriate support to stop someone from following through. There is some interesting information on their website about how other such fences have been successful in other locations where implemented.

I believe the question that you want to ask yourself in order to help answer this question is: What is your car worth?

I would say that the lower the value, the less you will want to spend on the selling process.

Cheapest: Craigslist. Cost: Free.

I have sold cars on craigslist before and the only real hassle is the Nigerian scammer. Then again, if you are one that likes to have fun with said scammers it is a gold mine. Really, deleting an email isn't that difficult and if you make sure to make your address anonymous, there is no harm. Like with the next option, you will want to have decent pics to upload. Craigslist takes maintenance and you may have to re-post and use appropriate key words to get hits.

Next cheapest: Auto-trader
Cost: Between $20 and $60 for the standard service and between $160 and $360 for the VIP service.

I have also sold a car using this option in the past and it was painless. I ended up having to re-post once and I believe this was offered at a discount. The nice thing about auto-trader is that there is a built-in and defined market - people go there either to look for cars, figure out what their car is worth (browsing) or research new vehicles. If your car is worth $10K, then $20 only represents 2/10s of a percent of the price.

Consignment: definitely the most expensive, but perhaps the least hassle?

I spoke with one agency here locally who indicated that there aren't really any up-front costs unless the car needs to be made ready to sell. For instance, you might need to have it detailed or fix a cracked windshield or put on new tires or touch-up paint.

At the time of sale, they would take 10% of the selling price with a minimum of $500 and maximum of $2000 being the fee.

They host the car and do all of the leg work.