With 2012 just around the corner, here are Get On’s top ten New Year’s resolutions!
1. Save money/get out of debt
With household bills, rail fares and petrol prices all rising, we’re all feeling the squeeze. Switching to a motorbike or scooter for your commute could save you thousands of pounds. Use our Travel Savings Calculator to find out how much.
2. Get in shape
Okay, a motorcycle won’t help you lose weight or get fit in itself. Riding isn’t exactly strenuous – though off-roading can get pretty physical. But you could save a third of the time it takes you to commute by car, so you’ll have time to stop at the gym or the swimming pool on your way home. And, er, you won’t be able to snack as you ride along...
3. Spend more time with my family
See 2 above. Get home from work faster – and in a better mood – and have fun with the ones you love. If it’s your partner you’ve been neglecting, get them riding pillion. Nothing nicer than having someone snuggled against your back as you travel!
4. Do more for good causes
Motorcyclists are good citizens, always raising money with sponsored rides or volunteering their time to deliver vital medical supplies. You could start by supporting Riders for Health, who provide motorbikes for health workers in remote parts of Africa.
5. Travel more
Riding a motorcycle is all about freedom. Whether you fancy a weekend ride to the seaside or a six-month round-the-world trek, you’ll have more fun than any number of package holidays can provide. Check out our top ten tips for motorcycling abroad.
6. Get out and meet new people
Motorcyclists are a friendly lot. You could join a local group or go on an organised motorcycling holiday, but just arriving on a motorbike is usually enough to start a conversation. Envious non-riders will probably wander over too, so you may be able to introduce somebody new to the joys of motorcycling!
7. Cut down on the alcohol
It can be hard to find the willpower to say no to a drink, even when you want to cut down. But if the choice is between a drink followed by a long bus ride home (or an expensive taxi) and a quick, convenient ride through quiet streets after an evening on soft drinks, it suddenly seems more appealing. Motorcyclists are less likely than other drivers to mix alcohol and the road. Perhaps that’s because we’re having so much fun already, we don’t need to get drunk!
8. Get a better job
We realise it’s unlikely that becoming a motorcyclist will open up a whole new career (though paramedics and emergency plumbers make good use of a motorbike’s traffic-busting qualities). But since motorcyclists arrive at work more punctually and up to 457% happier* we must be more productive and easier to work with. And that’s got to help with getting that promotion. Alternatively, you could just apply for jobs further away from home, knowing you won’t be spending all your pay rise on train fares.
* we made this number up. But if you look at their faces you can tell it’s true.
9. Stop smoking
You won’t need nicotine when you’re enjoying every minute of your journey. Also, it’s quite difficult to smoke while you’re riding a scooter or motorbike.
10. Learn something new
Learn to fly. Learn Spanish. Learn the periodic table of the elements. Or learn to ride a motorcycle, a skill that could save you time, money and hassle, and will certainly give you fun, freedom and an excuse to get out in the fresh air and make new friends.
Best of all, you can try it for free, with a qualified motorcycle instructor near you, at a time to suit yourself. Just enter your details on the left and we’ll organise your free motorcycle ride. That’s your first New Year’s Resolution sorted.