To buy or not to buy? That is the question...

Well here we go.  I bought my bike for $4150 with tax & registration (bike ~ $3750, tax ~ $300, reg ~ $100).  Then I did a tune up for $280.  I still don't have insurance & my body work is incomplete (from the mechanic).   However, the body work has come in....

So my question is do I keep my bike OR do I sell it & buy a pickup truck?  You must be saying WHAT?  Buy a pickup truck?  Half the reason you went to cali was to ride year round!  True, Very True.  I also wanted to gain experience riding a 600 cc Sport (racing) bike. 

But you know what the problem is... No one here is willing to help out when you need a ride.  It's to be expected, cause if you have a car you're not gonna wanna drive your friend for a haircut, or say to buy groceries.  You're just kinda get lazy.  But that's the problem in california - YOU NEED A CAR.  The public transportation sucks.  Atleast back home if you can't get a ride you can rely on the TTC bus/subway service.  But here no luck.

So what do I do if I wanna get a haircut?  On a bike it's next to impossible, cause my hair is short & any cut hair easily gets lodged into my helmet & leather jacket - which are impossible to wash!  Or buying large items - granted this will only occur infrequently.  I just don't like the idea of having to rely on other.  (Especially, after they agree to take me - then at the last minute flop out!  Grrr, that shit makes me so mad!!).

Plus, the interns don't do much... What if I wanna go camping?  Or go to Lake Tahoe, or to Las Vegas, Death Valley, etc.  So much to do... but only with a car!  So far the interns have only bought enough cars to barely fit all the interns... no room for camping equipment or luggage.  Plus, I can't keep organizing events for everyone!  I end up having to take complete responsiblity & often time end up paying a little more out of my pocket!  That's not cool! :(

But then again the problem is.... how do you meet people to do things with?  Like native californians!  (especially, since most of the interns don't do much in term of entertainment).  I wanna go out... I want to do things!  My dreams are big... and if no one's in I'll do it myself! 

So now... should I get a pickup truck? 

Bike Pros:

• Easy in traffic, cause lane splitting is legal ;)
• Excellent commute to work & pretty low on gas (I think).
• Insurance should be pretty decent on the bike I have now.
• I get to gain more experience driving a 600cc bike (plus it looks hot)
• I've done most of the services... Maybe just got to change my tires (& brakes which hopefully they'll do for free; instead of a free 2nd oil change).  This will cost like ~$200-300 (hopefully less).

Bike Selling Pros:

• Once the body work is replaced (& brakes replaced) the bike will be in excellent selling condition.  I'll hopefully be able to make the money I spent on it back.

Truck Pros:

• Convience on isolated tasks (i.e. camping, out of city excursions, infrequent large ticket items).

Or maybe I could do both?  I mean I only spent $4500 on the bike.  Some most interns spent like $8000 on a car.  What if I get a pickup for $4000?  Both of them will be investments, cause I will sell them back after my internship!  But I'll probably lose $1000 or so on the truck.  And probably $1000 on the bike.  (Both for wear & tear).  But think of all the convience I would have!  I could do both... ride & drive!  Plus, what happens in winter... when it starts raining here (ha ha NO SNOW - Torontonian suckers!!)   I'll have my pickup! 

So say I completely loose 1 of my investments.  Say I only make $5500 back from the sale of both, later on.  Would that $3000 + $1000 (insurance for both) be worth it?  Is that kind of money worth the convience?  Atleast, I would know that I could do whatever I wanted & not have to rely on anyone else (which is important to me).  I could have the best of both worlds! 

But is it worth it??