Ever have one of those choices that could kill you in the long run?

Ok, have you ever had the opportunity to do something that you've wanted to for a long time but circumstances have changed just enough to where you kinda have second thoughts? I'll explain.

I have ridden motorcycles for most of my life. It all started in my childhood on dirtbikes. After a few years of riding the trails and climbing hills, I graduated to dual surface riding. That's both off road and on road riding for the laymen. After several years I shifted to just street bikes, with the occasional borrowing of a dirtbike to go out and jump stuff and play like a dare-devil like I did when I didn't have a car. Basically, I have owned several bikes of differing makes and models and surface applications. I love to ride. I feel safe and confident on a bike and I don't take crazy chances or try stuff I am not absolutely sure I can do. I am a safe driver. I do not worry about wrecking.

For one reason and another, it has been several years since I have owned my own bike. I have still ridden occasionally on borrowed bikes for the random weekend cruise/afternoon getaway. It has essentially been slowly killing me not to be able to ride as often as I want, but I didn't want some piece of crap to ride/wasn't able to put down the dough to get what I wanted.

Well, now I have the opportunity to purchase a bike of my very own again. Like ,Now, within a matter of days. IT is not the bike of my dreams, but it is a really nice bike and I could be well satisfied with it for at least a few years. Here it is. . . . . a slightly used Suzuki Intruder 800. . . .












While I could afford it, I choose not to go into serious debt for the bike that I ultimately want due to certain fiscally sound reasons and plans for the near future. Here it is. . . . a Harley Davidson 1200 Custom. . . . . approximate increase in finacial output of $9000 including accessories not shown.











This brings up two very unique questions.

1. Do I wait possibly as much as 3 years to get the bike I ultimately want or go ahead and get one that will do for the next 4 - 5 years (delaying my eventual ownership of what I want for as much as 2 or 3 years). I am leaning towards the bird in the hand train of thought.
2. Now that I have a daughter, do I chicken out and become a girl and not ride everyday for fear of getting killed by some moron who doesn't see me and therefore runs me over/pulls out in front of me? Statistics are not really good for motorcycle accident survival/escape from serious injury. Of course, the data is a little skewed because of the influx of inexperienced riders over the last several years. Ultimately, I'm not really too worried about it, like I said before, I'm a safe driver and very aware of my surroundings. Defensive driving saves lives! Again, leaning towards getting it because I am a man and men are supposed to be manly and not worry warts. That's why we have wives. . . . . to do the worrying. My delimna is, do I choose MY satisfaction over the added worry that I put my wife through because I am on a bike for 80 miles a day, in traffic where I average seeing 1 or two wrecks/accidents a day (mostly fender benders - though on a bike, a fender bender usually results in at least a couple of broken bones, sprains, traction, and the like and 4-6 weeks of medical leave). Would that make me a bad husband and father?

So basically, there is a pretty even chance that I will soon be the owner of a slightly used motorcycle that may eventually be the death of me. I'd like your thoughts please.