Don't Mock Motorcycle Mechanics

Reading the news you'd think that the people in charge of America are taking the good drugs. They responded to the Paris attacks with "but the real danger is climate change." That does wonders for scaring people. Even the liberals are buying guns now. I am told that mainstream muslims consider ISIS to be genocidal wing working their way through a suicide cult prophecy where they all plan to die somewhere in Eastern Syria. I wish they'd hurry up and die, already. Apparently, the mainstream muslims will step in if things get worse, and put them down like mad dogs. Well? Get on with it.

Buying guns and not practicing with them is pointless and expensive. Fifteen years ago I put in several years of practice, enough to get good at rifles but then what? It is smarter to not be in places that get home invaded is far more valuable than having a gun.

Squaw Valley resort, created for millionaires.
Housing on top, shops on the bottom. 

Inner Cities could be turned into ultrarich compounds, with heavily armed cops on every corner to keep out the trash and the terrorists, but most rich people don't want that. They move far away from the thugs and crime and build beautiful and remote villages of mansions, though they sometimes experiment with resort settings like Squaw Valley (above). Good for visiting, probably not full time living though.

The Middle East only has about 10% of the world's oil production, rather than the 70% they used to claim. They aren't as important as they used to be, and this is the underlying cause of their panic and madness. Their population expanded with oil-for-food trading over the last 70 years. Without the oil, they won't have the food, and they will die. ISIS is killing them in advance of the famine, more or less. In the real world, the USA is the largest oil exporting nation at this time. Russia is second. People still think that the middle east is the biggest producer but that is no longer true, however Perception matters for people panic-buying oil and fuel after some atrocity happens.

• Please note that yesterday's terrorist attack in San Bernardino was committed by Muslims from Saudi Arabia, not Syria, but this does not preclude an ISIS connection. The FBI is investigating. Whether they will report any ISIS connection publicly..? I do not know.  

Many people skeptical of govt efficiency are taking out the Prepper Insurance Policy. Instead of trust in Popes and Presidents, these survivalist/preppers are working at Plan B also known as Beans, Bandaids and Bullets. Beans (food), bandaids (first aid), and bullets are relatively easy to stockpile, but I personally consider finding a safer neighborhood worth more, even if you end up spending money on your commute. Not getting shot in your bed or at the local grocery store because YOUR community doesn't have Muslims is worth a lot.

$80K+ Tesla S. Battery-electric. 

This leads to a different problem. The work commute. Your average car gets 25-30 mpg. You can buy a new car that gets 45 mpg, but then you still use fuel and have to pay a car payment in a world where muslims have nuclear weapons. This is a bad thing, and a pretty big risk financially. If the fuel is rationed (this has happened 3 times in the past), you might not get enough to get to work. What are your options, assuming the business you work in still has any value when transportation is strictly controlled? You could spend $80K to buy a Tesla S, but that's a motive for carjacking on wheels. It says you can afford $80K for a car, and that you're willing to drive when nobody else can. This is very unwise if you wish to avoid trouble. You'd be better off staying home than risk ambush on your commute, or at the very least angry neighbors with matches. Don't flaunt your wealth in times of trouble. It's more than rude.

Many preppers buy a bicycle, but that limits you to a 20 mile daily commute, and you're at risk the entire route. It's better than walking, and offers a sort of egalitarian approach, especially if your bike and old, used, and not showy. Just be prepared for flats, so plan ahead and remember that wider tires and lower pressure, while a little slower, also suffer fewer flats and are more comfortable on bumpy roads.

A better option is motorized, with a personal fuel stockpile. A cheap used 250cc motorcycle gets around 80 mpg, nearly double what a Prius gets and able to use bike paths and trails through the woods, uncommon sites for ambush if you're smart about it. Preppers know this and are struggling to learn how to be a motorcycle mechanic after doing the basic stockpiles. This is personally expensive, but useful if things go sideways. While I LIKE the looks and charm of a motor scooter, and their fuel efficiency is unquestioned (100+ mpg), unless you live in town and commute in town (which you could do by bicycle), they aren't great on rough roads and have poor suspensions. A taller dirt bike like the above "dual sport/enduro" motorcycle is better. You trade a little fuel economy for a vehicle than can deal with rough roads, gravel, dirt, potholes, etc, and still manage to get onto the freeway in a pinch. Not a great way to ride, but you can do it. Experienced riders use these for adventure rides over mountains, carrying camping equipment and a credit card for gas stops and bed and breakfast inns with good cuisine nearby. This is a sane response to an uncertain world.

Keeping these running, and figuring out any upgrades to expand/improve performance or ride quality (progressive shocks, larger fuel tank, better seat, heated grips, better headlight, slick tires) are better done now, while the parts are available, than later when they aren't. Whichever model of motorcycle ends up most popular will also have the cheapest and most available replacement parts. Keep that in mind if you don't own your own personal machining tools. There is considerable variety out there. I do not recommend the Harley, however, because they are low-riders, too close to the pavement to make turns at speed, and lack the ground clearance and balance to deal with gravel roads. Don't laugh. Asphalt is made out of tar, and we're mining tar to turn into oil in Canada and the USA (fracking?). This caused the price of roads to go way up, and any troubles which shut off Middle Eastern supply are likely to drive the price much higher, to the point that many roads will only be paved in city limits. Not joking. That may be 10 years away, but 10 years passes pretty quickly. And it might be faster than 10 years. It is hard to predict when dealing with Muslim terrorists with nuclear weapons. After an attack, anybody who forced Tolerance about Muslims on the public? They're looking at a Blacklist. The issue is contentious, certainly, and deserves due consideration as a likely outcome from the Paris attacks. Things escalate, and there are many BAD people involved on both sides.

As American citizens, it is not our job to correct Islam. We can best serve our own security by staying out of the way of the extremists and hopefully live through this ugly chapter of history. Keep going to work, keep paying your bills, but don't take stupid risks or drive yourself crazy with worry. If the motorcycle is too much money, buy a bicycle and ride it once a month. If terrible things happen, see if your boss can work with you from home, or come up with alternative housing during your work week. People have done this before. It's not very comfortable, but you can get by this way. If that doesn't work, can your skills find you work closer to home, and if you need different skills for that, can you learn them? Give it serious thought.