Petrol prices..........would you now consider a motorbike?
Discussion
seriously considering fixing up my bike again and using it. Though I'll have to re-take my CBT. 100mpg as opposed to 30mpg, and insurance that is 10x cheaper. with journey times that are relatively unaffected by rush hour/traffic (might add about 5min extra, but thats about it). Highly tempting.
Oddly I wondered thisjust this mornong, but more to avoid the stationary traffic on the M3.
Answer is no for me, but mostly because I broke my knee last year and the injury is a commonish one amongst motorcyclists, so I wouldn't want to risk doing it again.
Can see the appeal though, with traffic congestion so bad AND fuel costs so high.
M
Answer is no for me, but mostly because I broke my knee last year and the injury is a commonish one amongst motorcyclists, so I wouldn't want to risk doing it again.
Can see the appeal though, with traffic congestion so bad AND fuel costs so high.
M
The main reasons I did my DAS were
a) I just wanted to know how to ride a bike
b) to see if i liked it
c) If above were sucessful, to reduce my commuting time.
My daily driver does 31mpg on my commute of 40 miles a day and that doesn't bother me at all. If I can't use it and need to use the dog cart that does 21mpg then it would be a bit on the expensive side and would influence the decision. What spoils my commute is that after the great fun 20 minutes of little used country A & B roads I hit the city and spend 25 minutes in crawling traffic. I'd say a bike would cut that crawl down to 10 minutes, possibly less. It would certainly make it consistant which it currently isn't due the the moronic mothers in the 4x4's randomly blocking roads and that really appeals.
It will be interesting to see if I start to "get" biking once I have my own bike, as even riding home (45miles) cross country without the ear peice just keeping up with the instructor, I didn't enjoy the journey like i'd have done so in my VX220 - cars are definately still the passion for me not bikes.
Oh and I really, really hated riding the 125cc before getting on the bigger bikes. After passing the CBT I was ready to not continue. The instructor realised this and on saying i've passed said go get the 400 and we'll go for a quick spin - world of difference.
a) I just wanted to know how to ride a bike
b) to see if i liked it
c) If above were sucessful, to reduce my commuting time.
My daily driver does 31mpg on my commute of 40 miles a day and that doesn't bother me at all. If I can't use it and need to use the dog cart that does 21mpg then it would be a bit on the expensive side and would influence the decision. What spoils my commute is that after the great fun 20 minutes of little used country A & B roads I hit the city and spend 25 minutes in crawling traffic. I'd say a bike would cut that crawl down to 10 minutes, possibly less. It would certainly make it consistant which it currently isn't due the the moronic mothers in the 4x4's randomly blocking roads and that really appeals.
It will be interesting to see if I start to "get" biking once I have my own bike, as even riding home (45miles) cross country without the ear peice just keeping up with the instructor, I didn't enjoy the journey like i'd have done so in my VX220 - cars are definately still the passion for me not bikes.
Oh and I really, really hated riding the 125cc before getting on the bigger bikes. After passing the CBT I was ready to not continue. The instructor realised this and on saying i've passed said go get the 400 and we'll go for a quick spin - world of difference.
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Wednesday 5th January 09:20
I have two bikes and most weeks do 150 mile journeys - I get about 60mpg out of a K1200.
I regard motorcycling as a passion. It carries risks and requires far more skill, concentration and devotion than drving any car.
I don't think its that cheap when you add in all the extras - helmet, decent all weather gear, tyres servicing etc etc.
I would never recommend anybody take up motorcycling to save money. Do it because you have always wanted to and love it.
I regard motorcycling as a passion. It carries risks and requires far more skill, concentration and devotion than drving any car.
I don't think its that cheap when you add in all the extras - helmet, decent all weather gear, tyres servicing etc etc.
I would never recommend anybody take up motorcycling to save money. Do it because you have always wanted to and love it.
Edited by balls-out on Wednesday 5th January 09:39
*Al* said:
With ever increasing petrol prices, would you now consider buying a motorbike?
No.Or at least not any more than I would have done previously. I've ridden 'learner' bikes and scramblers before and getting a big bike has long been on my 'things to do when I have more time and money' list. But it was lack of those two things that prevented me from taking it further, not the cost of the petrol.
I do think bike manufacturers need a major rethink of their mainstream models. Comparing power to top speed shows that, however poor the CD or a bike, the CDA is much lower than a car and they're obviously a lot lighter. I can't see why it should be difficult to produce a motorbike that does 200-300mpg on the combined yet still has enough power to keep up with traffic cycle.
i have several bikes. one specifically for commuting.
Never done the full maths but the costs are:
£700 purchase price
£25 year Ins
£33 tax
12,000 miles of use involves
£100 tyres
£40 pads
£50 oil
It does approx 70mpg on my journey which is a mixture of 50% NSL single and duals, and 50% 30/40/50 limits.
15ltr tank does approx 230 miles so at todays price about 8ppm.
So my 40 mile commute costs £3.20.
If i use the car (which i have been since end November) it does 27ish mpg.
So the same daily cost of petrol is 21ppm and £8.40.
Therefore every day i use the scooter i save myself a fiver
Hmm reading that, i best dust it off!
Never done the full maths but the costs are:
£700 purchase price
£25 year Ins
£33 tax
12,000 miles of use involves
£100 tyres
£40 pads
£50 oil
It does approx 70mpg on my journey which is a mixture of 50% NSL single and duals, and 50% 30/40/50 limits.
15ltr tank does approx 230 miles so at todays price about 8ppm.
So my 40 mile commute costs £3.20.
If i use the car (which i have been since end November) it does 27ish mpg.
So the same daily cost of petrol is 21ppm and £8.40.
Therefore every day i use the scooter i save myself a fiver
Hmm reading that, i best dust it off!
To try and address some of the points being raised by the thread:
1. "I'll look like a twot."
Chances are that you probably already look like a twot but people are just too polite to say. Indeed, wearing a full-face lid may improve your sex appeal.
2. "Any bike worth having isn't that economical."
My Fireblade (1,000cc) is a hell of a lot more economical than my GSX-R600 (600cc) was. You can happily slot it in sixth and pootle at 60mph whilst returning nigh on 60mpg without too much of a problem.
3. "I'll die."
This isn't an absolute truth. There are even some type of accident where you'll be safer crashing on a bike than you would in a car (but that's a whole other thread just waiting to happen).
Bikes actually make quite a lot of sense as a commuting tool, depending on where you live. You generally won't burn away petrol sitting in traffic jams, you can use most bus lanes and parking is free and easy in most cases.
I think all proper petrolheads need to at least try a bike. It provides you with an experience that just isn't matched by cars; a more three-dimensional experience and will often make you see the roads in a whole new light.
1. "I'll look like a twot."
Chances are that you probably already look like a twot but people are just too polite to say. Indeed, wearing a full-face lid may improve your sex appeal.
2. "Any bike worth having isn't that economical."
My Fireblade (1,000cc) is a hell of a lot more economical than my GSX-R600 (600cc) was. You can happily slot it in sixth and pootle at 60mph whilst returning nigh on 60mpg without too much of a problem.
3. "I'll die."
This isn't an absolute truth. There are even some type of accident where you'll be safer crashing on a bike than you would in a car (but that's a whole other thread just waiting to happen).
Bikes actually make quite a lot of sense as a commuting tool, depending on where you live. You generally won't burn away petrol sitting in traffic jams, you can use most bus lanes and parking is free and easy in most cases.
I think all proper petrolheads need to at least try a bike. It provides you with an experience that just isn't matched by cars; a more three-dimensional experience and will often make you see the roads in a whole new light.
Rawwr said:
I think all proper petrolheads need to at least try a bike. It provides you with an experience that just isn't matched by cars; a more three-dimensional experience and will often make you see the roads in a whole new light.
I think every driver should probably try every form of transport that they share the road with (or at least the common ones) in order to understand them better.I only had a bike licence for my first 5 years on the roads, through snow/ice/winds etc. In the summer it was a pleasure, during the winter it was just miserable, really quite depressing.
I have had my bike licence for nearly 20 years, it came to a point 6 or 7 years ago that i decided there was too much traffic and that i couldn't get the kicks i needed on the road without putting myself at serious risk of injury or placing my licence at high risk.
So i went for track bikes only, brilliant move and have enjoyed every trackday i have done.
The realisation only hit me a couple of years ago though that, i consider myself to be very lucky to still be alive and relativley undamaged after many years of riding bikes on the road.
No matter how many times i hear the argument that bikes are not dangerous, it's other road users not paying attention etc i think back to my previous experiences and it's quite obvious to me that smaller road contact patches, greater exposure to other road users/road furniture, lack of visibility to the lesser talented drivers of this world all add up to make biking on the road a considerably greater risk than driving my car.
Saying that though you really have to go a long way to beat the rush of riding a bike as fast as you dare on a track, that is just a phenomenal kick.
I have had my bike licence for nearly 20 years, it came to a point 6 or 7 years ago that i decided there was too much traffic and that i couldn't get the kicks i needed on the road without putting myself at serious risk of injury or placing my licence at high risk.
So i went for track bikes only, brilliant move and have enjoyed every trackday i have done.
The realisation only hit me a couple of years ago though that, i consider myself to be very lucky to still be alive and relativley undamaged after many years of riding bikes on the road.
No matter how many times i hear the argument that bikes are not dangerous, it's other road users not paying attention etc i think back to my previous experiences and it's quite obvious to me that smaller road contact patches, greater exposure to other road users/road furniture, lack of visibility to the lesser talented drivers of this world all add up to make biking on the road a considerably greater risk than driving my car.
Saying that though you really have to go a long way to beat the rush of riding a bike as fast as you dare on a track, that is just a phenomenal kick.
heads on the roadsUsed to commute on a C90 for 8 years. It was a very short commute and I just had the bike to build up no claims. It did 120mpg on a good run, but much less commuting as she never warmed up. She is currently sat in the shed while I wonder what to do with a 20 year old bike with rusted out frame. I now commute on a £20 mountain bike
Commuting doesn't get cheaper.
Bought an 07 K6 SV650s in the summer. The worst I have had is 57mpg around London on Near Years Day, the best nearer 62, that's over around 2,500 miles (don't get much time for riding in the summer). £210 fully comp for 5999 miles and brother as a named rider and £65 to tax. Happy days. Brother gets circa 60mpg on a CBF1000.
No matter what measures we take to reduce the cost of fuel, the government will just crank the tax up to make the cost the same. Repeated blows to head of the current Chancellor of the day would help reduce the chance of this happening
Commuting doesn't get cheaper.Bought an 07 K6 SV650s in the summer. The worst I have had is 57mpg around London on Near Years Day, the best nearer 62, that's over around 2,500 miles (don't get much time for riding in the summer). £210 fully comp for 5999 miles and brother as a named rider and £65 to tax. Happy days. Brother gets circa 60mpg on a CBF1000.
No matter what measures we take to reduce the cost of fuel, the government will just crank the tax up to make the cost the same. Repeated blows to head of the current Chancellor of the day would help reduce the chance of this happening
I have been riding since i was 17(24 now) i now have a GSXR 750 K9 and it tends to average around 40-45ish mpg. I own a Focus ST that averages around half that in all driving conditions. Most cars will struggle to get anywhere near my bike ferrari 430/458, 911 Turbo,etc included. So in effect it has super car performance for supermini purchase price (8k), supermini fuel consumption,super mini tax (£70), free parking, less than supermini depreciation,etc. The only real costs associated with bikes that cost more then a car are the tyres roughly £250 for a decent pair (£150 for a rear) that you will need every 4000 miles or so, although for smaller bikes this will be even less.
i considered buying a better car i.e. M3, RS4,etc but rather then spend an extra £30k new over my car(and lose a lot in depreciation,etc) for very little benefit i decided i would buy another bike to share £4k each (Me and my Dad) and buy a brand new speed triple (old shape SE model) and split the running costs which means it will cost next to nothing(they only lose around 3k in 5 years in depreciation) and i will have two bikes.
In my opinion if you can brave a bit of cold weather and enjoy just going out with no destination or you are commuting( i used to travel from Hatfield to central London in under half hour in rush hour traffic) then biking is definately a viable option(even more so with car costs increasingly going up) not just for cost but for fun factor.
Most of the doubters who suggest you will be killed,etc are just paranoid. Of course crashes hurt but a good rider tends not to crash or they wear proper equipment to negate some of the risk.
i considered buying a better car i.e. M3, RS4,etc but rather then spend an extra £30k new over my car(and lose a lot in depreciation,etc) for very little benefit i decided i would buy another bike to share £4k each (Me and my Dad) and buy a brand new speed triple (old shape SE model) and split the running costs which means it will cost next to nothing(they only lose around 3k in 5 years in depreciation) and i will have two bikes.
In my opinion if you can brave a bit of cold weather and enjoy just going out with no destination or you are commuting( i used to travel from Hatfield to central London in under half hour in rush hour traffic) then biking is definately a viable option(even more so with car costs increasingly going up) not just for cost but for fun factor.
Most of the doubters who suggest you will be killed,etc are just paranoid. Of course crashes hurt but a good rider tends not to crash or they wear proper equipment to negate some of the risk.
Edited by Froomee on Wednesday 5th January 10:27
I commute on my BMW K1200GT daily, whatever the weather (except ice). I have a heated seat, heated grips and a heated fleece. With the fairing and adjustable screen I can ride very comfortably in temperatures below zero. I get 45mpg ish, and that's all stop-start London traffic. Free parking, I can carry most stuff that I need - I took a full-size desktop PC home on the back, if I really need to carry more I can use the panniers as well as the top box.
Financially I think the Tube would be slightly cheaper, but takes 20 minutes longer on a good day, adds a 10 minute walk which I don't relish much, crams me onto a train with lots of smelly people... I'll stick to the bike!
It's also fun, and gives me a mental break between home and work. I've come off a couple of times, and had some close calls, but if my observation had been better I may have been able to avoid most. If I wanted to be Mr Safety I'd just buy a beige cardigan and a Nissan Micra and stay in.
Financially I think the Tube would be slightly cheaper, but takes 20 minutes longer on a good day, adds a 10 minute walk which I don't relish much, crams me onto a train with lots of smelly people... I'll stick to the bike!
It's also fun, and gives me a mental break between home and work. I've come off a couple of times, and had some close calls, but if my observation had been better I may have been able to avoid most. If I wanted to be Mr Safety I'd just buy a beige cardigan and a Nissan Micra and stay in.
Been riding bikes since I was 17 (now 31).
Same as driving cars.
Economy - depends on the type of bike you have, and how you ride it. My current bike (Piaggio X9 500) is not efficient in the slighest for a 500cc engine, probably returns 45-50mpg if ridden normally. Could quite easily get 60 I reckon if ridden gently and 60mph on motorways instead of 70+
Safety - It is what you make it. I had two accidents in my motorcycling life, one where an old gentlemen decided it was a good idea to pull out in front of me while looking through me, and another where an old gentlemen (who I later found out should not have been outside without a carer as he suffered from severe mental impairment), stepped out in front of me. Since then (both between 18 and 19 years old), nothing and I ride in all weathers. I have learnt lessons from both incidents and was not really injured much. You can either ride like a cockend and risk coming off, or you can ride safely, enjoy it and have no problems. I am fairly patient on a bike, filter where it is extremely safe and I have no interest in racing anyone or ragging the tits off any bike I have owned to "prove" anything. As a result, I don't generally have any problems and I ride very defensively.
As has been said though, if you really are not sure of the idea of getting a bike, you probably should not get one. I really enjoy riding bikes, far more so than driving a car regardless of weather. If you consider riding a bike to be a chore because you prefer your comfort, it is probably not the right thing for you.
Costs -
Insurance - £60 per year
Servicing (including yearly drive belt change) around £120 a year
Tyres - £50 each, usually every two years
Tax - think it was £60 last year
Same as driving cars.
Economy - depends on the type of bike you have, and how you ride it. My current bike (Piaggio X9 500) is not efficient in the slighest for a 500cc engine, probably returns 45-50mpg if ridden normally. Could quite easily get 60 I reckon if ridden gently and 60mph on motorways instead of 70+
Safety - It is what you make it. I had two accidents in my motorcycling life, one where an old gentlemen decided it was a good idea to pull out in front of me while looking through me, and another where an old gentlemen (who I later found out should not have been outside without a carer as he suffered from severe mental impairment), stepped out in front of me. Since then (both between 18 and 19 years old), nothing and I ride in all weathers. I have learnt lessons from both incidents and was not really injured much. You can either ride like a cockend and risk coming off, or you can ride safely, enjoy it and have no problems. I am fairly patient on a bike, filter where it is extremely safe and I have no interest in racing anyone or ragging the tits off any bike I have owned to "prove" anything. As a result, I don't generally have any problems and I ride very defensively.
As has been said though, if you really are not sure of the idea of getting a bike, you probably should not get one. I really enjoy riding bikes, far more so than driving a car regardless of weather. If you consider riding a bike to be a chore because you prefer your comfort, it is probably not the right thing for you.
Costs -
Insurance - £60 per year
Servicing (including yearly drive belt change) around £120 a year
Tyres - £50 each, usually every two years
Tax - think it was £60 last year
Had a Cub 90 which gave me my 50 miles a week commute for about a quid/quid fifty.
Then did full direct access and ended up with a TW125 of all things and did the same for about 2 quid a week.
Moved to Essex, saw all the reports of dead bikers on the roads around Epping Forest and the wife made me sell it.
Not surprising as most drivers round here are too busy being beautiful people with their RR's, Audi's etc, living the dreamworld of adverts and telly and using mobiles or generally not paying attention to anything except their ego's.
The only thing I feel safe in round here is my E38 BMW.
Then did full direct access and ended up with a TW125 of all things and did the same for about 2 quid a week.
Moved to Essex, saw all the reports of dead bikers on the roads around Epping Forest and the wife made me sell it.
Not surprising as most drivers round here are too busy being beautiful people with their RR's, Audi's etc, living the dreamworld of adverts and telly and using mobiles or generally not paying attention to anything except their ego's.
The only thing I feel safe in round here is my E38 BMW.
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