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owning a bike in New York


rewplayff

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It might be possible I could be moving to the new york city area for work. I'm in California right now and was wondering what sort of differences or challenges I'll be facing if I take my bike with me. I already see it being a lot less practical then in the bay area here. There's no lane sharing iirc right? That will be a very hard habit to contain. :(

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cars there are worse than Cali for their awareness of motos
i lived in pittsburgh for a while and would travel to NY for a family visit every other weekend
i could barely stand driving a car there... i couldnt imagine owning a bike unless you were up north in the countryside
 

ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by.
 

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Agreed with what's been said. I don't think I'd be down to drive IN the city... Now out the city, now that could be great. Nice long sweeping roads with barely any traffic when I went to Montauk.
 
Parking might also be an issue... cars have bumper protectors out there because it's the norm to bump to get in and out of parking spots. I'd be cautious.

Instagram: @meekmade | You don't need to flat foot a bike to ride it.

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Thats what those lumps were? I never asked

ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by.
 

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I grew up in NY. But i Live in CA now.
 
Riding outside the city is Fine (long island, upstate, etc).
 
DO NOT RIDE IN THE CITY.
 
Insane Traffic, cars + cabs + Bus's weaving all over the place, oily streets, potholes, terrible smells.....had enough? lol..
 
 

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Riding in NYC is fun and challenging and once you get used to it you'll be a better rider. The yellow cabs drive like maniacs and people will walk out into the street against the light. One big concern is security. Invest in a good chain, an alarm with gps, disk lock, etc .. and Keep it covered when it's parked outdoors.

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I live in Brooklyn and commute to Midtown on my FZ-07. Well not right now because it's too damn cold. But if it's above 40* you can bet your arse I'm on my bike. The commute is not that bad. I only had 2 or 3 near death experiences this year.
 
All kidding aside, taxis are insane and there are a lot of potholes. As long as you're not speeding too much you will be fine. I usually filter my way to front of the pack at every red light and accelerate fast to get ahead of the group. I lane split but not always, it depends on the situation. If it's gridlock traffic, you will be glad that you're on your bike.
 
Lots of people commute to work in NYC on motorcycles. Don't listen to these guys on here.
 
With that being said, riding your bike is the fastest and most efficient way to get around in the city. If you do end up making the move to NYC, hit me up and let's go riding!

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I have not rode through the city yet but its sounds like fun to me. The pedestrians are nuts and walk against the lights, I'M GUILTY :). The big thing I have researched is parking. I ran into a woman on her scooter and she recommended attaching the license plate with velcro. This way you can get away with parking on sidewalk, dont do it too often or in high pedestrian traffic area. Just take off the license plate and go. Cops cant give you ticket either, unless he's smart and knows where to find the VIN number.   Most people have no idea where it is.  The VIN number was in broad daylight on her scooter and she said she has never gotten a ticket for it.  But when it gets warmer outside I will be taking it there and will test it out.
 
@pattybags by any chance is your FZ07 blue/purple? I think I may have seen it a couple months ago near Columbus Circle.

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thanks guys, I'm not out there yet. If i do it might be a trial run for a few months. But if it comes to me living there I don't want to give up my bike. I like it too much. I used to take public transit for school but absolutely don't like it. So I wanted to see if others have utilized their bikes on the other coast similar to here. I'm guessing there are magic times just like any other place where its free and not grid locked.
 
@pattybags I think you're the first positive I've heard that applies to my situation lol.

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AlbatrossCafe

RIP, I would never move to NYC no matter how much of a salary increase I got. Overcrowded, overpriced piece of garbage. The cops there are SUPER against lane splitting. There was a fiasco a little over year back where the cops road-blocked a highway near NYC (can't remember which one) with the SOLE intent of entrapping motorcycles who split to get to the front of completely stopped congestion. They would walk up to their bikes and yank the key out. Drivers & riders both were furious. I have also heard from at least one friend who lives there about similar levels of tolerance for splitting on other various occasions.
 
 
Edit: Found the clip, dunno where the story went to
 

 
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Thats terrible! and it seems more dangerous then just making it legal. I've never come across anyone here that was visibly bothered by me coming through. :crossing fingers:
 
But i'm gonna have to say housing in the silicon valley feels like a joke to me. apartments over in new york actually sounded appealing.

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I have not rode through the city yet but its sounds like fun to me. The pedestrians are nuts and walk against the lights, I'M GUILTY :). The big thing I have researched is parking. I ran into a woman on her scooter and she recommended attaching the license plate with velcro. This way you can get away with parking on sidewalk, dont do it too often or in high pedestrian traffic area. Just take off the license plate and go. Cops cant give you ticket either, unless he's smart and knows where to find the VIN number.   Most people have no idea where it is.  The VIN number was in broad daylight on her scooter and she said she has never gotten a ticket for it.  But when it gets warmer outside I will be taking it there and will test it out. 
@pattybags by any chance is your FZ07 blue/purple? I think I may have seen it a couple months ago near Columbus Circle.
 
 
 
 
 
I'm right by Columbus Circle but that wasn't me.  Mine is Red.  
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RIP, I would never move to NYC no matter how much of a salary increase I got. Overcrowded, overpriced piece of garbage. The cops there are SUPER against lane splitting. There was a fiasco a little over year back where the cops road-blocked a highway near NYC (can't remember which one) with the SOLE intent of entrapping motorcycles who split to get to the front of completely stopped congestion. They would walk up to their bikes and yank the key out. Drivers & riders both were furious. I have also heard from at least one friend who lives there about similar levels of tolerance for splitting on other various occasions. 
 
Edit: Found the clip, dunno where the story went to
 


Wow that sucks.  From my experience, that is not typical in NYC.  After that motorcycle gang beat the crap out of the Range Rover guy the NYPD came down hard on all motorcycle riders.  That lasted for a little while but they seem to have calmed down since then.  
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@pattybags Red is the best  8-)   I am always at Columbus Circle; When the snow clears up I'll bring her in for the first time.  Lets keep in touch and get in a city ride. 

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@pattybags Red is the best  8-)   I am always at Columbus Circle; When the snow clears up I'll bring her in for the first time.  Lets keep in touch and get in a city ride. 
My bike is in the shop.  They're trying to figure out why it's stalling on me.  Of course, they say "We can't duplicate the problem" so I'm letting them hold onto it for a little bit.  Too much snow to ride anyway.   
But once I get my bike back, and there's no more snow.... hell yeah let's ride.
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  • 1 month later...

Its official, I'll be moving to New York within a couple weeks. I won't be taking my bike just yet. After I settle down I'll probably have it shipped over. Riding season is just starting too. bummer -___-

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@rewplayff Take your time getting situated. Make sure you have a garage where you will be living. Dont worry about riding season just yet. Even though we've had a mild winter it can still get quite cold in March and April. Which neighborhood have you decided to move to?

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cookfreeordie89

Riding in the city, isn't bad. Keep your head on a swivel. Keep an eye out for large steel plates on the grounds near construction sites that can get slippery when wet. When parking, try to park near other bikes and get a good lock and cover. Looking at parking garages might not be a bad idea, depending on location. Prices go up the closer you get to places like Times Square, or mid town. There is great riding in any direction leaving the city, Long Island, upstate, Pennsylvania. Also check insurance company's because rates will go up if you are in the 5 boroughs

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I agree with all NYC riders here, it's great riding into the city while people are just sitting in traffic. I live in Queens and take the 59th Street Bridge to work(spring, summer, fall April-November). Riding in the early morning (6:30am-8am)is awesome and beautiful on two wheels. Love the fresh cool air over the bridge, when riding thru Central park or on the west side hwy. I work uptown on the west side so I have to ride across and then north and I can honestly tell you it is great but be careful of cabbies. In the afternoon (5pm-630pm) is the worst time but you're on two wheels and as long as you make smart decisions (look out for cops if your going to do something dumb) you will get home quicker than all. I recommend a garage if you can for peace of mind at nights, had my first bike stolen a few years ago. I've been riding for ten years and have only been stopped once, totally doing something dumb earlier on and I have never seen anything like that video in my years of driving or riding.

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I'm moving to queens, and working in the garment district in midtown. my map says its a 34 minute one train ride to work. But I still want my bike for scenic routes, outside of the city. or store trips etc. I'll have to figure out bike shipping but one step at a time. Oh, and I think I will have access to a garage. I'll be staying in a duplex.

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There's a post on reddit from few days ago that has everything that you need to know:
 

 
 
Hope that it helps.

#weridenyc
2012 FZ8 (Grizzly)
IXIL Hyperlow XL L3X Exhaust
CRG Levers
Traf-X LED Turn Signals
OES Frame Sliders
 
 
 

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I agree with all NYC riders here, it's great riding into the city while people are just sitting in traffic. I live in Queens and take the 59th Street Bridge to work(spring, summer, fall April-November). Riding in the early morning (6:30am-8am)is awesome and beautiful on two wheels. Love the fresh cool air over the bridge, when riding thru Central park or on the west side hwy. I work uptown on the west side so I have to ride across and then north and I can honestly tell you it is great but be careful of cabbies. In the afternoon (5pm-630pm) is the worst time but you're on two wheels and as long as you make smart decisions (look out for cops if your going to do something dumb) you will get home quicker than all. I recommend a garage if you can for peace of mind at nights, had my first bike stolen a few years ago. I've been riding for ten years and have only been stopped once, totally doing something dumb earlier on and I have never seen anything like that video in my years of driving or riding.
 
we should link up when it warms up! buddy just got a white one as well , (im with the older big brother fz8) in Queens. Start an FZ club lol.

#weridenyc
2012 FZ8 (Grizzly)
IXIL Hyperlow XL L3X Exhaust
CRG Levers
Traf-X LED Turn Signals
OES Frame Sliders
 
 
 

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we should link up when it warms up! buddy just got a white one as well , (im with the older big brother fz8) in Queens. Start an FZ club lol.
 
 
Sounds like a plan.
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cookfreeordie89
we should link up when it warms up! buddy just got a white one as well , (im with the older big brother fz8) in Queens. Start an FZ club lol.
Sounds like a plan.
 
 
I'm in! Out on long Island, but got to the city often
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