A Year on Two Wheels

"Brian Tschiegg" (WritingInCars)
11/04/2016 at 10:00 • Filed to: Two Wheels Good, Lanesplitter, Travel, Vietnam, South East Asia, Motorcycle

I’ve spent the past year in Vietnam teaching English to small hordes of children who I can only sort of understand and who only sort of understand me. In that time, my main mode of transportation has been a moped or small motorcycle. I started on a Yamaha Nouvo 3, an automatic (“squeeze, go.” as the man I rented it from helpfully instructed) 125cc scooter, and ended up on a Suzuki GN125, a manual 125cc motorcycle. After an entire year on a motorcycle, I don’t know if I want to go back to four wheels.

During a recent trip in a taxi, I realized that I had started to get car sick as I sat in the back. Granted, the driver was swerving and accelerating and decelerating very quickly trying to pick his way through rush hour traffic, but it was not something that I usually experience. Many of my Vietnamese friends have to be careful to avoid being car sick. They take motion sickness pills before long bus and car trips, and it seems like I might have to start doing the same. You never really get the side-to-side G-force that you get in cars since you are always leaning into the turn on a motorcycle.

The fact that a motorcycle leans also makes it more fun to ride and much easier to maneuver in city traffic jams. I know most places will not allow you to ease your way through any gap, drive on sidewalks and down the wrong side of the street, and generally just get through a traffic jam any way possible like you can in Vietnam, but motorcycles can pass and park easier than a full size vehicle. As long as you maintain a safe speed and stay aware, driving in a city on a motorbike can be easy and rewarding.

Speaking of rewarding, how much are you currently paying in gas to get to work? My roundtrip commute is about 6 km so it ends up being 30 km a week. Because of Vietnam’s oil holdings and government subsidies, gas only costs about 16,000 VND per liter ($0.71 USD) which works out to roughly $2.68 USD per gallon. On my Suzuki, I use about two liters a week which includes any extra trips around town. To travel the same distance in my 2006 Volkswagen Jetta, I would use at least twice as much fuel. A motorbike could be an easy way to save on fuel costs, especially if you are driving mostly in a city.

There are some cons to riding a motorbike, and I’ve had my share of drops and bumps, but thankfully I’ve avoided getting smushed by a bus or wayward concrete truck so far. Ho Chi Minh City’s traffic is actually pretty ordered once you learn to see the flow. There have been some close calls, but luckily everyone is looking out for everyone else. The biggest issue I’ve faced (and I’m sure this is common for anyone living in a climate with extremes) is the weather. It is a terrible feeling to be driving along and then see a wall of rain coming at you. I fixed this issue by purchasing a good rain suit complete with booties to keep my feet dry. Depending on where you live (I’m looking at you Minnesota), it may not be feasible to ride all year long, but that will just make it more enjoyable when you get out of your cage in the Spring.

I’ll be here in Vietnam for another year, so I don’t have to worry about what I’ll do when I head back to the States. I plan on getting my motorcycle endorsement when I’m home in December (then I get to ride bikes over 150cc in Vietnam!); however, I’m a little scared that American drivers might be too selfish to make it a good idea for me to commute on a motorbike. Despite the risk, you won’t be able to keep me off a motorcycle for good. I’m hopelessly and completely hooked after a year on two wheels.

DISCUSSION (10)

punkgoose17 > Brian Tschiegg
11/04/2016 at 10:45

I was saving toward getting a motorcycle then one day on my way to work I saw the results of a fatal motorcycle accident. Now my motorcylce fund is a Saab 96 / Renault Dauphine fund.

Now_looking_for_a_cheap_car > Brian Tschiegg
11/04/2016 at 11:02

I Used to ride all the time when i lived in India, but despite the crazy traffic it was not so bad. That was because everyone was looking for the bikes and knew what to avoid.

What has kept me away from riding in america (detroit metro), is the fact that car drivers are mostly distracted with their phones and don’t really look for motorcycles. Also the higher average speeds mean that any spill can range from getting hurt bad to a disaster.

But to be clear, I do have a Motorcycle Endorsement.

loki03xlh > Brian Tschiegg
11/04/2016 at 11:19

Are most bikes in Vietnam the smaller moped/motorcycle variety? Do you see many heavy cruisers or sportbikes?

bob and john > punkgoose17
11/04/2016 at 12:07

I saw the results of a fatal car accident once. my car fund became a bike fund.

JEM > Brian Tschiegg
11/04/2016 at 12:27

Great write-up. This should be on Lanesplitter! I commute in the US at least half the year by motorcycle, 80 miles round trip and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My commute is almost all highway though which is safer since there’s no crossing traffic. Glad to hear the moto bug bit you and you’re enjoying it!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > punkgoose17
11/04/2016 at 12:45

I appprove of your fund choice :D!

Brian Tschiegg > loki03xlh
11/06/2016 at 01:49

Because of the tiered licensing system and low speeds, 98% of the motorbikes on the road are under 150cc. Most of those are also the scooter set up because having the gas tank and engine under you seat frees up room to carry more people/things. My Suzuki makes it hard to grocery shop because there’s no where to put the bags.

There are a fair share of bigger bikes. The Kawasaki HF 800 seems to be the most popular, but I’ve seen everything from Ducati Monsters to brand new HD Iron 883s. They are just rarer because a new Honda Wave semi automatic scooter is about $500, but a brand new Honda CB500 is $5,000 if you can even find one for sale. Plus it costs more money to maintain, insure, and get licensed for. There’s definitely some variety for gear heads though. I love hearing something with more than one cylinder coming up behind me. It’s a big difference.

Brian Tschiegg > punkgoose17
11/06/2016 at 01:54

Yes there’s more risk than in a car, but most accidents are caused by risky drivers making bad decisions. Wear all your safety gear (no matter how far you’re driving) and stay sensible, and you shouldn’t have any problems.

Brian Tschiegg > JEM
11/06/2016 at 01:00

Yeah I need to message them to see about submitting articles. I’m glad you liked it!

Crossing traffic is definitely the scariest. I just got side swiped by another scooter who realized his turn was happening at that moment. It’s the hardest thing to learn in Vietnam too since traffic doesn’t stop most places. People just cross slowly and let everyone go around.

I’m looking forward to getting on something bigger in the states. When I get back to Vietnam in January, I want to find a small dual sport or something I can convert so I can go trail riding. The country side is littered with dirt paths through mountains and rice paddies.

Brian Tschiegg > Now_looking_for_a_cheap_car
11/06/2016 at 01:04

The speed is really what scares me. I haven’t really gone over 60 mph since I’ve been here even in a car. Average speeds are only around 30-40 kph here. People still use their phones here though and they are the main cause of accidents. The government even put up billboards telling people not to play pokemon go while driving.