I apologize in advance as this is EXTREMELY OT, but with how diverse a group of people we have here I figured there were bound to be some knowledgeable ones who could help me out. :) Feel free to reply to me off-list so as to keep the mailing list free of too much OT clutter. I'm going motorcycle shopping in a little while. I've always really wanted a bike, and now I finally have the financial means to buy one. But I've got a few concerns. To normal people, this is probably way overboard, but I think we're mostly all geeks here so I'm sure you can understand my desire to understand everything there is to know before I do anything. :) 1) I'm hoping to make this my primary YEAR ROUND vehicle. (I live near Chicago.) The cold SHOULDN'T be much of an issue. I love skiing, and I figure downhill at 40 mph in -20 degree weather is about on par with 75 mph in 10 degree weather. But what about handling and the such? Just how nasty is it to try to control a bike during the winter? And is there any way to comfortably ride in the rain without getting drenched? 2) I've always wanted a sports bike. But, from what I understand, they're uncomfortable for more than a few minutes at a time. Any thoughts on this? And are there any 'hybrid' bikes out there that have the look and handling of a sport bike while still letting you sit up a bit so you don't get sore too quickly? 3) New or used? I can afford (well, WILL BE able to afford when I go to buy one) to buy a new bike, but is it worth it? Should I get a used bike as a starter bike, or no? 4) Traveling with gear. Being that I'm a professional computer geek, I take my laptop and about 30 lbs of accessories and cables everywhere with me. I've got a backpack-style laptop case, so I don't think it'll be a problem, will it? Also, any ideas on keeping the laptop dry if it's raining outside? 5) Safety gear. A helmet is a definite for me. What about jackets, boots, gloves, pants? Obviously, for max protection, I'd imagine I'd want all of it, but what's reasonable? (Also taking into account the fact that I'd be wearing it year-round.) Note that having to change my entire wardrobe once I get to work is NOT reasonable. :) Shoes or coat wouldn't be a problem though. TIA for any help on this. I apologize again for the extreme OT-ness of it. :) -- Alex Malinovich Support Free Software, delete your Windows partition TODAY! Encrypted mail preferred. You can get my public key from any of the pgp.net keyservers. Key ID: A6D24837
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