The usefulness of a two-wheeled motorcycle for SHTF has probably already occurred to you if you already own one. Even when circumstances are tight and the rule of law breaks down, motorcycles offer several benefits over bugging out long term in a car.

The good news if you don’t have a motorcycle or a licence is that it’s not too late to get started. Auto Trader is great places to get cheap used bikes, and CBT classes can be found in most parts of the country. 

The ability to ride a motorbike efficiently falls under the category of prepper skills, but it requires a lot of time and effort, especially if you have never ridden one before and need to take it off-roading with a heavy bug out bag on your back. 

People who assume they can just get on a motorbike and ride off into the sunset when the time comes will be disappointed. You need to know how to handle it as well as conducting basic repairs.

Even in the event of an impending crisis, motorcycles for SHTF events where you need to get away from a location fast and clean remain a crucial mode of mobility for survivalists like yourself. Below are seven reasons why you should own a motorcycle in the UK for survival.

A Quick & Agile Escape Vehicle

In times of crisis, evacuating cities and other densely populated locations can be difficult due to the numerous hurdles that must be overcome. People in their cars choke up motorways rapidly because they all want to leave at the same time.

A motorbike makes traffic jams and other major obstructions much less of an issue though. Small gaps on the road are no problem for your motorcycle. It can easily manoeuvre past larger vehicles.

A motorbike is also useful when dealing with human difficulties, such as those who are anxious to steal your automobile. A motorcycle’s path is more difficult to impede or evade would-be car thieves and supply robbers.

Easy To Store

In the UK, storage can be a problem especially if you live in the big cities with limited space. Put your bike in the garage if you don’t want it to be stolen in a bad situation.

Motorbikes that aren’t in garages can be seen easily, and this makes them easy targets for people who want to get away but don’t have a good way to get there, perhaps they don’t own a car of their own.

People who ride motorcycles don’t have this problem. They can be kept almost anywhere with some level of safety whether it’s in a garage, metal shed or outbuilding. This way they are much less likely to draw attention that you don’t want.

As long as there is enough vegetation or other material like a ghillie net to cover your bug out vehicle, you can just hide it on the side of the road or a few metres into a woodland laid on its side so nobody can see it. Cars on the other hand can’t be hid so easily.

Cost-Effective Purchase & Maintenance

Motorcycles are a lot cheaper than cars. Over the next few years, the cost of a new car is likely to rise even more as well as the prices of petrol and diesel. Prices for used cars have risen even faster than new ones. Meanwhile, entry-level motorcycles are substantially less expensive.

They can range in price between £1,000 and £4,000. Used models might be comparable or much less expensive. There are also dirt bike variants available for roughly £500-£1,000 or thereabouts, which are ideal for off-road bugging out.

In addition to being substantially more affordable, motorbikes are also easier to repair and maintain than automobiles as a lot of their parts are external instead of tucked away under a hood. Motorcycles are easier to fix than vehicles since they have a smaller engine and fewer moving components.

Maintaining a motorbike should not be an issue if you take the time to study the parts (a simple manual for your specific bike in your bug out bag will suffice) and you should have the ability to fix it with a handful of spare parts such as brake and clutch kits, spark plugs, wrenches, socket sets and duct tape as well as zip ties.

Highly Versatile

This is entirely dependent on the sort of motorcycle for SHTF preparedness you possess, but with the exception of the most specialised sport bikes, most two-wheeled vehicles should be able to handle most road conditions very well.

Pavement, gravel, dirt, and (if you have a dual-sport or dirt bike) even mud should not be an issue, allowing the prepper to go through a variety of terrains swiftly. Many bikes may be modified with tank bags and saddle bags, allowing the rider to carry substantially more gear.

Motorcycles have obvious restrictions, but other from that, they make a wonderful addition to any prepper contingency plan. They give another alternative for mobility after a disaster or possibly a TEOTWAWKI scenario, and whether you need it to fly through road traffic or take it cross-country through off the beaten track paths, a motorbike will serve you well.

What’s more, most motorbikes can carry two people, so if you have a family of four then two motorbikes will suffice if you need to make a speedy getaway.

The Speed Factor

Motorcycles for SHTF situations are excellent scout vehicles because of their mobility. Even the heaviest and slowest bikes can readily outrun most automobiles who may be limited by road conditions.

This does not pose a difficulty for a motorbike rider who can just weave around the barriers of a road block, or outrun a police vehicle chasing you by taking the nearest route across a field or small path where they cannot follow.

There is little chance that a group of criminals will bother to pursue a rider while they are skilfully manoeuvring a motorbike around tight bends and roads.

Easier Mechanical Repairs

Troubleshooting a motorbike engine, or even dismantling one to replace a part, is comparatively straightforward compared to performing the same process on a new car with electric wires everywhere.

Most motorcycles can be disassembled in less than 30 minutes, allowing you to have access to the whole engine and fuel delivery system. Motorbikes require fewer repairs and upkeep than cars.

Oil changes, in contrast to more complex auto repairs, are basic enough that the average car owner can perform them without the assistance of a professional technician. Motorbike repairs are also less expensive than automobile repairs.

Gasoline Efficiency

Motorcycles are known for their exceptional fuel efficiency. With a typical tank capacity of 10-20L and a fuel economy of up to 50 mpg, a small amount of local riding may be accomplished on a single tank.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to having a motorcycle for SHTF events as they are smaller than vehicles offering them more flexibility in terms of fuel consumption. While a bike’s engine does not have to work as hard because of its smaller size, a car’s engine does. When it comes to moving though, it consumes less gasoline.

Fuel efficiency is roughly 60 mpg for the average commuter bike. That’s a lot better than most passenger vehicles, including those that are hybrids. Compared to a car, a motorbike consumes far less gasoline on lengthy excursions. In addition to saving money at the pump because the fuel tank on a motorcycle is smaller, there will be fewer trips to the gas station to begin with.

Carrying a single 10L plastic jerry fuel tank will give you many more miles with a motorbike when it comes to fuel storage compared to a car, so you’ll need to use much less in your preps, and the holes in these specialised motorbike fuel tanks means you can tie it on to your panniers. 

Summary

All vehicles can be an advantage in disaster situations, but a motorcycle for SHTF has the ability to go pretty much where it wants, uses less fuel, can be repaired easily and don’t cost as much as cars.

Having a motorbike in your prep arsenal would be advantageous to you, but remember it doesn’t have the storage capacity of a car or van, so if it’s your only mode of transport, make sure your bug out location is always well-stocked in advance.