Getting a motorcycle for the gas mileage?

[Andrew-Austin]

I'm contemplating selling my vehicle in order to get a motorcycle or street legal dirt bike (off ebay or craigslist or something). Why? Gas mileage.

Can anyone give a ball park estimate on how much I would save on gas? On some random bike forum I saw someone post:

Throw in tires, oil changes and service work and most bikes have just a high cost per mile as a car.

Is that true? Anyone ride a bike around that can give me any feedback?

[asgardshill]

Oh, you'll save a ton on gas with a motorcycle. There's just that little matter of swapping all that steel you used to be surrounded with in your car with ... well, nothing. Here's hoping that everybody you encounter knows how to make a left turn without killing you in the process.

[sidster]

Depending on the motorcycle you get you gas millage will vary. If you
are planning on getting a sports bike, which tend to be high reving, you
won't be saving that much. I get about 34-35 mpg on mine.

Not sure how dirtbikes fair though.

As for tyres, depending again on the type of tyre you choose, they will
last accordingly. If you buy tyres geared towards racing and track
conditions, they will wear quicker than say you get one designed for
commuting.

Over all, I would think you may do better if you were to buy a car with
a good gas millage than buying a bike. Unless of course you want a
bike for other reasons.

Also consider weather. You really don't want to be riding in the rain,
snow or icy conditions. It isn't fun.

Consider how you will be doing your grocery shopping? Is your weekly
grocery shopping list fit in a backpack?

HTH

[acptulsa]

Sidster, I didn't know you were outside the U.S. Are you a Brit? Brilliant!

Andrew, a scooter can return a good eighty mpg while a big cruiser will be as low as thirty. Tires (terribly sorry, Sidster, I meant tyres) may be more expensive than car tires but you only have half as many. Unless you are good at, for example, tuning carburetors, you might find that a motorcycle's high-strung nature leads you to spend a similar amount in maintenance, even though a bike generally uses less spark plugs, always uses less oil, etc. And yes, you will probably also want a car for winter and for the grocery runs.

I personally think the wisest thing in terms of maintenance, fuel savings, the ecology and a host of other reasons is to keep your car but get an electric scooter for short trips (or do as I do and pedal a bicycle on those short trips). Refusing to drive your car on any trip or errand where the car never warms up fully and becomes efficient will save you quite a lot.

[raystone]

BMW F650 is the hands down winner for a freeway capable, high mpg bike. 60+ MPG.

Don't overlook the Honda Reflex scooter, 70MPH and 65+ MPG

Both are capable of carrying saddle bags and a rear storage compartment, plenty of room for groceries.

There's also the fun factor...nothing clears your head like a 20 minute ride.

[Andrew-Austin]

Oh, you'll save a ton on gas with a motorcycle. There's just that little matter of swapping all that steel you used to be surrounded with in your car with ... well, nothing. Here's hoping that everybody you encounter knows how to make a left turn without killing you in the process.

lol, yes heres hoping. BTW you need to quit smoking that $#@! can kill you.

Depending on the motorcycle you get you gas millage will vary. If you
are planning on getting a sports bike, which tend to be high reving, you
won't be saving that much. I get about 34-35 mpg on mine.

Not sure how dirtbikes fair though.

As for tyres, depending again on the type of tyre you choose, they will
last accordingly. If you buy tyres geared towards racing and track
conditions, they will wear quicker than say you get one designed for
commuting.

Over all, I would think you may do better if you were to buy a car with
a good gas millage than buying a bike. Unless of course you want a
bike for other reasons.

Also consider weather. You really don't want to be riding in the rain,
snow or icy conditions. It isn't fun.

Consider how you will be doing your grocery shopping? Is your weekly
grocery shopping list fit in a backpack?

HTH

:replying to no specific post:

Yeah, I'm thinking I'd have to keep my car, but doing so would make it more difficult to purchase a bike. Haven't even looked yet but I'm pessimistic about how cheap they can be.

My grocery list isn't extensive, I just shop for myself. But there would still be other reasons why I'd need the capacity of a car. Well I can carpool with friends to things like the grocery store, but not to work.

[american.swan]

The one thing to remember about motorcycles is as soon as you make a stupid assumption, you die.

You must understand no one can see you at all times. and not everyone will follow traffic laws.

The best way to understand this is.....even if your RIGHT legally, you won't be able to argue your case in court while 6 feet under. So with that in mind, it's always the motorcyclist job to be responsible for his/her driving, no matter what the law says.

[Andrew-Austin]

The one thing to remember about motorcycles is as soon as you make a stupid assumption, you die.

You must understand no one can see you at all times. and not everyone will follow traffic laws.

The best way to understand this is.....even if your RIGHT legally, you won't be able to argue your case in court while 6 feet under. So with that in mind, it's always the motorcyclist job to be responsible for his/her driving, no matter what the law says.

Which is why I wouldn't take it on the highway, but just use the access road.

[asgardshill]

BTW you need to quit smoking that $#@! can kill you.

So will being routinely exposed to radiation from various radar and microwave emplacements where some idiot disregarded the red tag and lit them up. Combine that with working in asbestos-contaminated structures and being shot at on a number of occasions. According to my family doctor, I should have died 10 years ago.

Joe Camel sometimes helps keep me from killing others, so I let him hang around.

[pcosmar]

So will being routinely exposed to radiation from various radar and microwave emplacements where some idiot disregarded the red tag and lit them up. Combine that with working in asbestos-contaminated structures and being shot at on a number of occasions. According to my family doctor, I should have died 10 years ago.

Joe Camel sometimes helps keep me from killing others, so I let him hang around.

+1
I am so saturated with chemicals that cigarettes have to take a number and stand in line.
An yet I am remarkably healthy.