Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Motorcycle, you're going to need consumables before the first oil change is due on the car.
Motorcycles are expensive toys, sure SOME can get good fuel economy, but they all eat tires at 5 or 6 times the rate of a car/truck/suv, most use a chain and sprocket for the final drive which will only last about 30k miles (on average, if cared for). The happiest motorcycle owners are those who do it for the joy of riding, not for an unobtainable/nonexistent cost savings.
Just as a point of reference, I've been riding for 25 years and a MC mechanic for 15. I have records for my 2 personal 4-wheeled vehicles over the 11 years I've owned them... my 2001 Jetta TDI beats the snot out of any/all motorcycles when it comes to most efficient way to get around (it's not quite half the cost per mile, including purchase price).
Motorcycle, you're going to need consumables before the first oil change is due on the car.
Motorcycles are expensive toys, sure SOME can get good fuel economy, but they all eat tires at 5 or 6 times the rate of a car/truck/suv, most use a chain and sprocket for the final drive which will only last about 30k miles (on average, if cared for). The happiest motorcycle owners are those who do it for the joy of riding, not for an unobtainable/nonexistent cost savings.
Just as a point of reference, I've been riding for 25 years and a MC mechanic for 15. I have records for my 2 personal 4-wheeled vehicles over the 11 years I've owned them... my 2001 Jetta TDI beats the snot out of any/all motorcycles when it comes to most efficient way to get around (it's not quite half the cost per mile, including purchase price).
Assuming similar initial quality, similar mileage, similar weather, etc.
No fair letting the motorcycle hibernate in a nice garage for 5 months per year, no fair leaving the motorcycle behind just because it's raining or snowing or cold or dark.
Their engines are designed for higher performance, so engine rebuilds would be need to be done
Mellow riders can go a good while on tyres and chains. I have 22,000 miles on my DR650 and still on the second tyre and second chain. The tyre is about done, but the chain has another 10,000 miles easy.
I do not own a cage (car)
Honda created the NC700X to bridge the gap between cars and MCs.
Look into her.
8,000 mile valve adjustment that does not need the fuel tank removed.
80mpg if you ride her like a Old Man in a old pick up truck.
Plenty of low end torque to get you going when you need it.
17" tyres for agile handiling and 5.4" front suspension and 5.9" rear for jacked up city roads.
21 liter storage compartment for your brown bag lunch.
87 octane fuel.
About the same range as most small econo cars. It is around 225-295 miles.
$7,499 MSRP. Used one can be for $5,000 with very low miles. Think less than a thousand.
Great commuter.
The negatives are being destroyed by a cage
not being able to carry as much gear as a cage.
Prep time to commute. So you do not gain any time advantage on average. Unless it is Cali.
OP. I am not sure if you are from Europe. The NC750X is even BETTER than the 700. Honda imoroved fuel economy, made her smoother and spread out the gear ratios.
Last edited by Lucky_Town; 04-24-2015 at 09:13 AM..
I own a Burgman 650 that I put on 12k to 18k miles a year. I take her to the shop at least five/six times for regular maintenance. Tune up, oil changes, tires, and brakes. I haven't owned a car in ten years. I would say the cost of running a bike, initial cost, insurance, service, is about half of a car. Maybe because I'm at the practical end of two wheeled commuting it's cheaper. My cost on average is about .$0.48 per mile. On smaller scooters it's about half that $0.24 per mile. Not including the cost savings of parking. Cars on average are in the shop for $500 bikes I would say about $250. Tires and brakes cost about the same. Just my $0.02
I own a Burgman 650 that I put on 12k to 18k miles a year. I take her to the shop at least five/six times for regular maintenance. Tune up, oil changes, tires, and brakes. I haven't owned a car in ten years. I would say the cost of running a bike, initial cost, insurance, service, is about half of a car. Maybe because I'm at the practical end of two wheeled commuting it's cheaper. My cost on average is about .$0.48 per mile. On smaller scooters it's about half that $0.24 per mile. Not including the cost savings of parking. Cars on average are in the shop for $500 bikes I would say about $250. Tires and brakes cost about the same. Just my $0.02
Haven't really calculated it. My mileage expense for driving is over $10,000 year. IRS mileage was 56 cents/yr. It doesn't cost me anywhere near that. No repairs or maintenance costs yet as the car is new but my car payment is $300, $200 on gas, $125 on insurance. The car gets used for more than just business use but the standard mileage deduction completely pays for the payments, gas, insurance, and then puts another $3-4k of taxfree income back in my wallet. Some of that will come out for consumables like tires and brake pads and the maintenance but nowhere near $3-4k/yr. Plus the car's still worth something after five years even if you perpetually keep buying a new car as soon as the old one is paid off.
I like my two-wheeled transportation but my car seats four comfortably, has air bags and crumple zones, air conditioning, protection from the elements so forth and so on while getting better mileage and costing a bit less than your Burgman which is indeed on the more economical end. I take the bike sometimes too, mostly because it's more fun and lane splitting is legal and saves a lot of time in Bay Area traffic.
Motorcycle, you're going to need consumables before the first oil change is due on the car.
Motorcycles are expensive toys, sure SOME can get good fuel economy, but they all eat tires at 5 or 6 times the rate of a car/truck/suv, most use a chain and sprocket for the final drive which will only last about 30k miles (on average, if cared for). The happiest motorcycle owners are those who do it for the joy of riding, not for an unobtainable/nonexistent cost savings.
Just as a point of reference, I've been riding for 25 years and a MC mechanic for 15. I have records for my 2 personal 4-wheeled vehicles over the 11 years I've owned them... my 2001 Jetta TDI beats the snot out of any/all motorcycles when it comes to most efficient way to get around (it's not quite half the cost per mile, including purchase price).
Amen to all that. My most economical motorcycle was a 1999 Honda CBR1100XX, bought used and ridden something like 50K miles. End of the line, I'd spent little on maintenance other than a couple valve checks, lots of tires and other consumables, and a couple cam chain tensioners. Not a lot else, nothing ever broke or even wore out. Yet per mile cost was definitely more than my 2007 Toyota Tacoma pickup. I should probably do the absolute math on all of it one of these days, since I have good records for all. Too much work.
Ducatis, and my track bikes (former) are money-pits. The rest I've not held long enough to realize a lot of mid-term value. I commute-ride to escape the traffic beast on Fridays and when weather is just too perfect, not because it really saves anything other than my sanity.
Exception was/is my buddy who commutes into Seattle and has to pay to park. Daily parking for his truck is outrageous, on a motorcycle some fraction of that. He's done the math and the bike is actually an upside, taking the commute from "expensive" to "kind-of expensive". That's a special case, though.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
