Motorcycles: The forgotten form of Sustainable Transportation.

Not too long ago, my brother completed his Chopper, this is my brother with his bike. It recently won an award for paint and was also a runner up for best custom chopper. It was also recently featured in "Horse" magazine. My brother is the machine shop foreman at West Coast Choppers so Motorcycles are essentially his life, like Landscape Architecture is mine.

With a closeness to motorcycles in the family and myself being so close to the landscape, I find that motorcycles are almost always looked over and forgotten. It is not uncommon for a motorcycle to get about 50 miles again, often times more than that and sometimes less. There are four types of street motorcycles, the cruiser, The standard, the sport and the touring bike. A chopper is almost always a cruiser your typical Harley (of more artistic), a standard (or naked) bike is a very basic motorcycle usually a throw back to the 70's or 80's, and a sport bike is also known as a crotch rocket (think speed).

If more people rode motorcycles fossil fuel consumption will be reduced and with a higher concentration of motorcycles on the road a heightened awareness of bikes from drivers would develop. Most motorcycle-car collisions are because the drivers of cars are unaware of the motorcycle, they often forget to look carefully when scanning the road.

If public transportation is not a viable option (as it often isn't in the Greater Los Angeles area) a Motorcycle or Scooter is another economical and environmental solution to hasty transportation.

So please, while you're out there, be aware of motorcycles on freeways, and all other roads. While you're at it, be aware of bicyclists as well. SHARE THE ROAD! My brother has already been in at least three motorcycle accidents. I'd hate to lose him because of some negligent driver. Remember, he's helping reduce greenhouse gasses AND keep the cost of gas down, he's your friend and he's my brother.