Pokémon Go Ride

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54)
07/15/2016 at 15:10 • Filed to: pokemon go, two wheels good

DO NOT PLAY WHILE RIDING!!! Sorry for shouting, but I had to say that first thing for all the people who will flame me without reading past the title, which is what happens with !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . By no means should you even think about playing !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! while operating any kind of moving vehicle, whether it’s a motorcycle, car, bicycle, chainsaw powered skateboard, Soyuz capsule, etc. From here on, let’s just assume that you’re a responsible rider that wouldn’t do anything so foolish.

Read on Right Wrist Twist or continue below

Don’t do this.

I played !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! on and off, Niantic’s geekier predecessor to the latest fad to hit our phones. Like Pokémon Go , there are real life locations – portals, rather than Pokéstops and gyms – that different factions battle for control over. This requires actually traveling to these places to play the game and do whatever it is you’re going to do. Both games are intended to get you outside and walking, and Pokémon Go seems to be !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . If you live in a densely populated area, this is great, because you have many of these locations within easy walking distance. But if you’re out in the ‘burbs or the middle of cow country, it could be miles between Pokéstops, making walking impractical. You can get in your car and drive, with the driver not actually playing while in motion, of course. Passengers can play all they want, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . But when I actually reached some destinations, I ran into a small but devastating problem – there was nowhere to park. I remember trying to reach one particular Ingress portal located toward the back of a cemetery, except I couldn’t stash my car anywhere safely. I couldn’t even do an ill-advised drive-by because the portal was so far away from the road, making it impossible for me to reach it without abandoning my car in the middle of the road and taking a walk. (I didn’t.)

The solution: a motorcycle. They’re much smaller than a car, and can safely park almost anywhere. You may want to bring a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for parking on loose dirt just off the shoulder, but that’ll let you park out of the way and still catch a Clefairy.

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There are other benefits as well. You can plan a ride to a series of Pokéstops to stock up on items, or to various gyms to train your critters or battle rival teams. Town centers often have plenty of both within short walking distance, so if you don’t live in a “target rich environment,” hop on the bike and go to one. And then another, if it strikes your fancy. Weather permitting (or not, if you’re hard core), isn’t it more fun to make the journey by motorcycle than by car? If you plan a particularly fun route between Pokéstops, going back to the same ones again to get more stuff after they refresh is a perfect excuse to attack the same twisties multiple times. Just don’t try to catch a Charizard while banging apexes.

Many have written about how Pokémon Go is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . If some of your biker buddies are also playing, why not gather them up and take a group ride to a Pokéstop with some lures to catch more critters together? You could even coordinate your efforts to take over a rival gym. Teams Mystic, Instinct, and Valor could become virtual biker gangs, with all the rivalries the stereotypes bring with them, but fought out by Pokémon in gyms rather than people beating or killing each other in real life. Then after the battle we can all go out for ice cream together, regardless of who’s on what team, because we’re all in it for the fun, right?

These are just a few of the ways I could think of off the top of my head that motorcycling and Pokémon Go could be safely combined. I’m sure there are more. Got any bright ideas? Let us know in the comments.

And go Team Valor.

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DISCUSSION (17)

MonkeePuzzle > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:18

ugh, team valor? why don’t you just go play while riding, we don’t need your type!

Justin Hughes > MonkeePuzzle
07/15/2016 at 15:20

Kinja'd!!!

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:28

Ugh, I was preparing to star this, until I saw that flaming heap of douche Moltres. Articuno all the way!

(Full disclosure: I don’t even own the game, thanks Obama Windows Phone)

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:44

I have a feeling most responses to this post will be making fun of your awful team choice. :)

Kinja'd!!!

Team Mystic FTW!

Justin Hughes > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
07/15/2016 at 15:49

So far, you’re absolutely right!

I only chose Team Valor because that’s what my wife chose and I wanted to be on the same team as her.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:52

Of course I’m right, I’m on Team Mystic!

Decay buys too many beaters > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:57

This is absolutely the world’s best Pokemon Go vehicle. Bar none

Kinja'd!!!

Also, you chose the wrong team, god damn redcoat.

Chris Clarke > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 15:57

Don’t show this post to McMike.

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Justin Hughes > Chris Clarke
07/15/2016 at 16:09

I’ll bet he’s not even on Team Valor.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Justin Hughes
07/15/2016 at 21:49

I spent this week searching for stops and gyms. Now that I know where a bunch of them are, I’m ready to take my son out for a trip around town so he can fill up on supplies and take a shot at a few gyms.