Posts: 333
Joined: 9/7/2014
Location: Lock Haven, PA USA
Okay so heres the big question... What to do with your bikes while at college?
I graduate Highschool in 2016 and plan on pursuing a mechanical engineering degree. What did some of you do? I don't know how my roommate would feel with a 450 stuffed in the dorm.
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Location: Fayetteville, AR USA
Purchased a house, rented the other rooms to pay the mortgage, and stored the bike in the garage.
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Location: Flowood, MS USA
Josh Cartwright... Making SX mains while fulltime at Florida State pursuing an engineering degree. I kept mine at Auburn U while going through architecture. Time management is your friend. Beer, well...
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Location: Conway, AR USA
Edited Date/Time:
hahaha, i'm only being sort of serious. sort of.
In all seriousness, if moto is a really important part of your life then of course, find a way to keep at it. If you can do without, then it won't kill you to put it on the back burner for 4 years. It's crazy how fast 4 years of college passes by. Not to get too off topic here, but I definitely recommend getting involved on campus when you are there. Get involved in something. It's ultra competitive coming out of college now and the GPA is only part of the equation.
Good luck with this chapter of your life and enjoy it!
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Location: Lock Haven, PA USA
I have a half clapped out motovan, its my daily driver. I don't think it will still be alive through college, My dads 2008 nisan titan will be payed off so that may be a possibility for a vehicle.
oh and I'm considering Rutgers University by the way
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Joined: 2/23/2014
Location: Steubenville, OH USA
I would sell it & focus on school also... Soon you will have the $$$ to buy a new 2 stroke every year...
Who Ever Dies With The Most Toys Wins...
No Point Waiting Till Then... Newman Wins
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Location: Fort Dodge, IA USA
hvaughn88 wrote:
Sell it. Focus on school.
I kind of agree. Here is the thing. You won't have that much time to ride it in the next 4 years. Meanwhile your bike will be depreciating in value each year even though you put maybe 1 or 2 hours on it. You will be losing money every year that you keep that bike, essentially. Once you are done with school and get a full time, high paying engineering job, you can go to the local dealer and pick up a new bike :-)
Plus walking around campus on crutches sucks....
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Location: CA, USA
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if you're a genius you can probably balance the two
most likely you aren't and you'll either spend your whole life studying to get a M.E degree or drop out and switch to business
not trying to be a dick but are you sure you're smart enough to get a mechanical engineering degree?
most of the "moto" people i've met weren't the brightest bulbs out there.. lol
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NewBrunswick, Nj (Rutgers) has a whole slew of decent tracks that are pretty close, English town, speed citi, Snakecreek.
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Leave it at your parents hous and ride while on break. While at school... Focus on school.
I commuted and paid my own way. I worked part time, rode and attended school. Some days I was practicing in the morning and at school on the afternoon.
Was fun but ai missed out on some of the normal crazy times that college can bring.
Typed on iPhone... Sry for errs
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Location: Plattsburgh, NY USA
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Dude if you're going for M.E. you won't have time. Leave it at home and ride during your breaks.
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Dissident wrote:
if you're a genius you can probably balance the two
most likely you aren't and you'll either spend your whole life studying to get a M.E degree or drop out and switch to business
not trying to be a dick but are you sure you're smart enough to get a mechanical engineering degree?
most of the "moto" people i've met weren't the brightest bulbs out there.. lol
I'm pretty smart but basically what you stated is the plan, try for the engineering degree and hey if I can't do it back it down to business degree. But why not try for something better? Thats my logic at least... but hey I'm 17, I know everything right?
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You'll meet some new mx friends at school. I kept mine at a guy's house who had the same major as me and lived near the campus . He also had his own private track and tons of tools & equipment, so it worked out well. Great way to get some relief from the grind of an engineering degree. We always prepared for our exams, and found time to work on and ride our bikes.
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Joined: 5/15/2014
Location: Mission Viejo, CA USA
Edited Date/Time:
I went down the same path as you did. I graduated as an ME in 2012. You may be able to ride the first couple of years that you are in college while you go through your more basic GE classes and lower level ME classes. That being said, I would recommend not riding and try and become more active in your schools other programs that relate to ME. One club that I highly recommend joining is the formula SAE team. Its great hands on experience, you learn a lot, make a lot of friends that will become connections within the industry (very important in getting a job right out of school), and it also forces you to get outside funding/ help from outside companies (again building connections). Once you graduate and get a job, you should have enough time and money to ride as much as you please.
Edit: That being said you can still find time to ride during the breaks between semesters/ quarters.
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Location: Ogden, UT USA
Do you have a better chance at making a living at MX or engineering? Answer that and you have your answer.
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Dissident wrote:
if you're a genius you can probably balance the two
most likely you aren't and you'll either spend your whole life studying to get a M.E degree or drop out and switch to business
not trying to be a dick but are you sure you're smart enough to get a mechanical engineering degree?
most of the "moto" people i've met weren't the brightest bulbs out there.. lol
Bressler11 wrote:
I'm pretty smart but basically what you stated is the plan, try for the engineering degree and hey if I can't do it back it down to business degree. But why not try for something better? Thats my logic at least... but hey I'm 17, I know everything right?
Don't let some Joe Dick tell you that you're not smart enough. And college isn't ALL about learning the content. It's also about learning how the teacher grades and focusing on catering to that degree as well. Some of the classes that don't pertain to my degree, I've just worked the class system because I don't really give a shit about the content. History and English Literature are two great examples. . .
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You'll probably find it hard to ride often during college or even after, BUT, I wouldn't suggest selling it. It might also be tough getting a bike. I bought and sold too many during college and after, it was silly and I wasted cash. Get yourself something you can step onto and have fun without it tiring you out straight away or being an issue because you haven't ridden in a while and have fun–keep it, keep it well and wait till you're set up before you go all crazy spending your first bonus on something new.
Cheers, Crush
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I guess it all depends on where you go to school and what the local mx community is like. You might find some local family that is close by which might let you park the bike in some corner. Things like this can be tough though , as yours and their schedules may not always line up. Good luck on your degree kiddo!
And there goes Jeffro. One of God's own prototypes. A super high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.
Pimpin' Ho's , Rollin' fatty's......drinkin' beers , beers , beers!! ~ Ja
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Joined: 9/7/2014
Location: Lock Haven, PA USA
Crush wrote:
You'll probably find it hard to ride often during college or even after, BUT, I wouldn't suggest selling it. It might also be tough getting a bike. I bought and sold too many during college and after, it was silly and I wasted cash. Get yourself something you can step onto and have fun without it tiring you out straight away or being an issue because you haven't ridden in a while and have fun–keep it, keep it well and wait till you're set up before you go all crazy spending your first bonus on something new.
so a 55Hp 450 with "arm ripping" rekluse torque is a bad idea then?
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Joined: 10/4/2011
Location: Baraboo, WI USA
I rode full local schedules while in school for Engineering.
Study during the week, ride on the weekends. It can, and has been done.
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Location: Fayetteville, AR USA
All the down time at races could be used to catch up on studying.
one poster said to sale the bike because it will just depreciate sitting there even if you put low hours on it. I would throw that out the window. If you are worried about losing $$$ this probably isn't the right sport for you. Keep the big and enjoy it when you can. When you get out of school and land your first job you can sell the depreciated bike and upgrade.
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Panic_Rev wrote:
All the down time at races could be used to catch up on studying.
one poster said to sale the bike because it will just depreciate sitting there even if you put low hours on it. I would throw that out the window. If you are worried about losing $$$ this probably isn't the right sport for you. Keep the big and enjoy it when you can. When you get out of school and land your first job you can sell the depreciated bike and upgrade.
exactly
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Location: Mc Kinney, TX USA
I didn't sell my bikes, I left them back at my parents' house 5 hours away. I could still scratch the itch when needed, but that itch came less and less the longer I was in school. I met new friends and my future Wife, found new hobbies associated with campus life, studied hard and got degrees that really set me up for a secure future. Within a year of graduation/marriage, I took my own money and bought a bike, gear, tools, etc., and hooked back up with my old riding buddies just in time for the +25 class! 5 years total off the bike, but I wouldn't change a thing.
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Location: Hurricane, WV USA
I received a petro eng degree from wvu and there is no way I could have done it having a bike there as a distraction. If you are going to a reputable school and want to get one of the better engineering jobs out of school, I highly reccomend leaving your bike with at your parents and ride when you go home. Riding will be there when you go home and classes are a b**** to retake. Just my 2cents.
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GrapeApe wrote:
I didn't sell my bikes, I left them back at my parents' house 5 hours away. I could still scratch the itch when needed, but that itch came less and less the longer I was in school. I met new friends and my future Wife, found new hobbies associated with campus life, studied hard and got degrees that really set me up for a secure future. Within a year of graduation/marriage, I took my own money and bought a bike, gear, tools, etc., and hooked back up with my old riding buddies just in time for the +25 class! 5 years total off the bike, but I wouldn't change a thing.
^100% the same situation as myself.
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Edited Date/Time:
Considering "Durring" is actually spelled "during", I might recommend focusing on school. 
Sorry, I had to do it.
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