By MARK SIMMONS
Owning a motorcycle may be the solution to transportation for students who are strapped for cash -- if they are willing to face the risks involved with riding one.
Motorcycles have many benefits that fit the unique needs of college students. These include lower maintenance costs and better gas mileage. Of course, the benefits coincide with the obvious risks that go along with riding one, like being squashed like a pumpkin by a semi.
Mike Stevenson, 22, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering technology, said he bought a motorcycle seven months ago because it was the only transportation he could afford. 'My 83 Honda Shadow only cost me $750 dollars. Before that, I relied either on my feet or my bicycle to get to class or work.'
Motorcycles are cheaper than cars, whether they are new or used. The bulletin board on the first floor of the Wilkinson Center advertised used motorcycles or mopeds from $650 to $2400. A new sports bike will cost between $2500 to to $11,000, said Dave Shelley at Duff Shelley Kawasaki in American Fork. A new bike with a 550 cc engine will cost about $4800, Shelley said.
Besides the substanially lower cost of a motorcycle compared to a car, motorcycles also get better gas mileage. Mike Fisk, a junior from Decatur, Ill., majoring in family science bought a used motorcycle about a year ago for $1300.
'I get 50 miles to the gallon with my 83 Honda XL,' Fisk said.
Insurance coverage is also much lower for motorcycles compared to cars. 'My liability insurance is only $85 for a whole year,' said Fisk's roommate Mike Thomas, 24, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering who also owns a motorcycle.
Thomas and Fisk said one of the greatest benefits of owning a motorcycle at BYU is the close parking near their classes. Major lots are adjacent to the JKHB, ELWC, and the FARMS building on the south end of campus. There are several smaller close spots throughout campus. 'I know I save about 10 minutes by taking the bike to school,' Fisk said.
In contrast to other states, Utah traffic laws give motorcyclists the same road rights as other motorists. Utah's Department of Motor Vehicles makes sure potential motorists are prepared before they grant motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license.
Qualifying for a motorcycle permit entails passing a written test and a road test at the DMV. Applicants must pass 80% of the written test, and can take it over three times before they are turn down an endorsement. The road test is also very stringent. The DMV makes sure that motorists are competent before they are allowed to drive a motorcycle legally.
But even after the state decides you can operate a motorcycle safely, serious accidents do happen. The high risk of death or injury is probably the biggest deterrent from motorists owning a motorcycle.
At least one student and one faculty member have been killed from riding motorcycles in the past three years, according to BYU's Newscentral archives.
Troy Hamler, 25, a senior majoring in agronomy from Colo., knows the risks involved with riding a motorcycle. While driving on University Parkway, he said a young girl didn't see him and merged into his lane. 'Her car hit my bike, but luckily I didn't wipe out after she bumped into me,' Hamler said.
Hamler said his attitude about riding bikes didn't change after the accident. 'Not everybody is used to looking out for motorcycles, so you have to look out for them,' Hamler said. 'It's especially dangerous here in Provo, since there's so many college students who swerve in and out of lanes.'
The Utah State Motorcycle Booklet that the written test is based on emphasizes that if you drive defensively, take caution around intersections, and keep a safe distance away from other vehicles, the risk of getting in an accident will be greatly reduced. 'I have been close several times to getting in an accident, because cars will pull out in front of you,' Fisk said.
Variable weather conditions also discourage many students from owning a motorcycle. That's why insurance companies give annual coverage rather than six-month coverage -- not many cyclists are willing to drive during the winter season.
'But when you only have to travel short distances, using a motorcycle is really a good way to get around,' Thomas said.