First, let me say that I'm impressed with how articulate you are AND how respectful you are of your parents' opinion. Coupled with what appears to be an excellent work ethic and a solid grasp of how life works (education, etc.), you'll go far. Obviously, everyone here is a fan of motorcycles, so it's hard for us to come up with any negatives, beyond financial constraints. Motorcycles can be an excellent choice for primary transportation but in Canada it means you will get hot, cold, wet (and your stuff will get wet, too), be riding in the dark during spring and fall and in winter you'll be on the bus with the other schlubs. You will learn to identify bugs by taste (or by splatter pattern if you wear a fullface), you will develop an unreasonable hate for plain white vans, taxis, teenage girls with cell phones and anyone who rides a different style of bike from you (hating on scooters is okay because, well, they're scooters). You will have moments of unadulterated joy, followed almost immediately by moments of sheer terror. You will learn more about physics, friction and gravity than you thought possible outside of a classroom. And it will all be worth it. However, as a parent, I have to say that our job is to raise you safely and securely, guide you through all the pitfalls and see you well on to your way into adulthood. Motorcycles interfere with that goal. No parent ever wants to get that knock at the door. It's not something a parent can ever recover from. So please consider their feelings and fears as much as you consider your own dreams and desires.
Yeah, this is a good point. I can remember opening the door and seeing my parent's faces one night, after they saw on the news that a young man on a yellow motorcycle had been killed. They had been convinced it was me, they had been unable to reach me on my crappy cell phone, and I had returned late.
Not trying to be a wet blanket in this thread - I see myself riding for another 30 years at least
