First post from someone considering the move from a 250cc Vespa to an e-bike for city transportation (Toronto). Trying to assess the relative benefits/safety of access to bike lanes to the middle-of-road, speed-of-traffic position of a motorbike. Any thoughts from those who've made the transition?
I have some Rad-specific questions and will post them separately.
Edit: I just noticed the recent post on this topic, but I'm interested in the perspective of city riders especially.
I'm definitely not an expert and to be honest, I don't even drive. I'm responding mainly because I happen to live in Toronto and have been riding my RadRunner around the city for about six months. Ironically, my dream was always to buy a Vespa! (I even wear a Vespa helmet). Most of the time I'm able to ride right past the Vespas because the traffic on the bike lanes is comparatively lower. I can ride my eBike to most places much faster than a vehicle stuck in traffic. The bike is a moped style, so you feel like your on a scooter, but it has the versatility of a bike, so I can ride it to many places you can't get to on a scooter. I ride through the ravines; especially along the Don River. I highly recommend it. In terms of safety, I have been shocked by how many people don't look out for bikes. When riding on bike lanes you always need to watch out for people who jaywalk right through the bike lane without checking for cyclists. Drivers likewise don't check for cyclists and quite often pull over in unprotected bike lanes. More and more of the bike lanes are becoming "protected" and as long as you keep an eye out for jaywalkers, it's truly a joy to zip through the city.
I appreciate your perspective. Riding motorbikes in the city for over forty years, I've always felt safer in the middle of the lane moving at the rate of traffic than on a bicycle sandwiched between moving and parked vehicles. Ironically, my preferred routes on the motorbike are ones without bike lanes, as they offer greater opportunity to bypass lines of stopped traffic. That has caused me to take notice of the proliferation of bike lanes, which has led to the current line of thinking that switching to an ebike makes sense for the riding I currently do, while adding access to places where the motorbike cannot go, as you point out. It's a very different perspective on urban transportation, and I realize that posting on this forum is speaking to the choir. Thanks again!