This is why we ride

[the Ferret]

Crikey! Motorcycle.com's got in on this too ...

https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/how-to/...e-44594233

This I disagree with..

"Motorcycles can put hybrids to shame when it comes to economy.... For a couple thousand dollars, and relatively cheap insurance, you’ve soundly beaten the high price of transportation.

....when you factor in tires & mounting, brakes, spark plugs, valve adjustments, air cleaners, chain and sprockets, all just routine maintenance on a motorcycle, and don't forget the expensive riding gear required for a motorcycle.... a car, any car, beats a motorcycle by a wide margin

Ride a motorcycle because you like to ride, not because you " think" it will save you money, because it won't

[pdedse]

Crikey! Motorcycle.com's got in on this too ...

https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/how-to/...e-44594233

This I disagree with..

"Motorcycles can put hybrids to shame when it comes to economy.... For a couple thousand dollars, and relatively cheap insurance, you’ve soundly beaten the high price of transportation.

....when you factor in tires & mounting, brakes, spark plugs, valve adjustments, air cleaners, chain and sprockets, all just routine maintenance on a motorcycle, and don't forget the expensive riding gear required for a motorcycle.... a car, any car, beats a motorcycle by a wide margin

Ride a motorcycle because you like to ride, not because you " think" it will save you money, because it won't

This I disagree with..

"Motorcycles can put hybrids to shame when it comes to economy.... For a couple thousand dollars, and relatively cheap insurance, you’ve soundly beaten the high price of transportation.

....when you factor in tires & mounting, brakes, spark plugs, valve adjustments, air cleaners, just routine maintenance,and don't forget expensive riding gear required for a motorcycle.... a car, any car beats a motorcycle by a wide margin

Ride a motorcycle because you like to ride, not because you " think" it will save you money, because it won't
I conducted one long-term study for my graduate school masters' thesis. It lasted two years: one year to set-up the study "correctly" and another to actually do the study and draw some signficance from it. Painful. The results depended a lot on statistical analyses. While the stat models used were beyond my comprehension as to why one model vs another was used, the way a study should be set-up stayed with me to some degree.

IF the goal of a comparison between a hybrid car and a motorcycle is: "which is less expensive overall?", the parameters are too broad for the comparison to make any sense, there are too many factors at play: initial cost of each, ability of one mode to take 1-4 people vs the other takes 1 (occasionally 2), maintenance of each, repairs, fuel consumption, insurance, longevity of ownership, resale value at the end of ownership, and likely others.

A meaningful comparison might be: "which is cheaper to commute 30 miles round trip per day, M-F for 48 weeks during the course of one year?" and limit it to just fuel consumption. You'd have to recognize that you're ignoring all the other underlying factors mentioned above, but at least you could come up with a number. As soon as you bring in one mode's advantage over the other not related to fuel, then you've got a biased comparison.

If you wanted to make an overal comparison, then you'd have to have the constant of time and distance and then add up all expenses related to each, and you'd have to control for the hybrid car's abiltiy to carry multiple passengers. Example: 5 years of ownership, 1 driver/rider over 95% of the time, both vehicles travel 40k miles:

1. Total cost for the hybrid purchased new, ALL related expenses, subtract selling price and you have a number...

VS.

2. Total cost for bike purchased new, ALL related expenses, subtract selling price and, again, you have a number.

And then the comparison ought not to be just one car vs one motorcycle, but rather 100 (or 1000) hybrid cars vs 100 (or 1000) motorcycles, all of the same type. The larger the sample number, the greater reliability of the comparison.

If you don't set clear parameters and control for factors that skewer results, the comparison quickly becomes non-sensical. And tests as outlined above are not done that much because it's too difficult to undertake. And what would the results be used for? Therefore, buy a hybrid? Therefore, buy a motorcycle? I think the person reading the motorcycle article referenced has already made up his/her mind.

So, I do agree with most of The ferrets' conclusion: "Ride a motorcycle because you like to ride, not because you " think" it will save you money, because it won't".

I would change the last part to: "not because you "think" it will save you money--it might--but that's not really why you want the motorcycle, now, is it?"

[GoldOxide_imp]

A cage just doesn't get into my fabric-being, unless perhaps I get into a near death incident.

A motorcycle provides this experience without the near death drama.

Notice I did not speak of money here.

[the Ferret]

Good point pdedse

Because I ride my motorcycles so much, I know what it costs to run my motorcycles 100,000 miles vs what it costs to run, say, my wife's Highlander 100,000 miles...

I know that for 100,000 miles on my CB it's going to take 10 sets of tires front and rear (all with mounting charges) Her Highlander 1 1/2 set of tires with free mounting), 2 1/2 sets of chains and sprockets (Highlander none it has a shaft), 5 sets of brakes front and rear for 3 discs (Highlander 1 1/2 set of brake pads for 4 discs), at least 4 sets, even by my lax standards, of spark plugs and air cleaners (Highlander not even 1 set of plugs, maybe 2 air filters) and if you go by spec what 8 or 9 valve inspections at hundreds of dollars apiece on the CB if you can't do it yourself? (Highlander none) ....and we all have experienced the price of motorcycle parts compared to the price of car parts.

I did just rent an Accord Hybrid for a week and averaged 51 mpg (a buddy of mine owns one and has averaged 48 mpg over 3 years)...still less than my CB (57 mpg) and way less than my NC (74 mpg)

Also don't need a $500 helmet, $300 jacket, $300 pants, $250 boots and $100 gloves to ride in the Highlander

Where a car shines, is in it's ability to carry gear and passengers, keep you dry in the rain, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and safer in a crash

Where a motorcycle shines, is in initial purchase price of say $10K for a CB, vs $40K for the Highlander. The $30K diff will pay for a lot of maintenance on the motorcycles. So maybe in the long run the motorcycle is cheaper after all, but I wouldn't buy a motorcycle with the thought of it saving me money during the ownership experience. I'd buy it because it's fun.

therefore I'd say your.... "I would change the last part to: "not because you "think" it will save you money--it might--but that's not really why you want the motorcycle, now, is it?" is right on the money (see what I did there? lol)

[Rocky_imp]

The open air, accelerating and leaning is what appeals to me. Like flying in a plane with no canopy.

Perfect words for the sensations of bike riding.
A few years ago, I had the extreme pleasure of flying in a Stearman open cockpit training plane and it was so much like "flying" on the ground.

[Gone in 60]

The open air, accelerating and leaning is what appeals to me. Like flying in a plane with no canopy.

Perfect words for the sensations of bike riding.
A few years ago, I had the extreme pleasure of flying in a Stearman open cockpit training plane and it was so much like "flying" on the ground.

Perfect words for the sensations of bike riding.
A few years ago, I had the extreme pleasure of flying in a Stearman open cockpit training plane and it was so much like "flying" on the ground.
Me too... except that my motorcycle never drifts sideways when I'm trying to land.

[The Gecko_imp]

Crikey! Motorcycle.com's got in on this too ...

https://www.motorcycle.com/bikes/how-to/...e-44594233

Very nice article, Corm, thanks for sharing ...
It lightened up my late, late shift with little to do but watching dials and needles.

[peterbaron]

Gone, you look like pro pilot

[Gone in 60]

Thanks, Peter... it's a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity, but I enjoy it when I can.

Hey, just thought of another reason I ride! To get out of stupid work chores. The boss sold my shop van a few months ago to save a few bucks, against my protests.

This morning, he Face Timed me and said "Need you to go pick up a piece of equipment."
I turned the phone around and pointed it at the Givi box on my desk. "Will it fit in here?"
"No".
"Sorry, bud, can't help you."

[GoldOxide_imp]

Thanks, Peter... it's a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity, but I enjoy it when I can.

Hey, just thought of another reason I ride! To get out of stupid work chores. The boss sold my shop van a few months ago to save a few bucks, against my protests.

This morning, he Face Timed me and said "Need you to go pick up a piece of equipment."
I turned the phone around and pointed it at the Givi box on my desk. "Will it fit in here?"
"No".
"Sorry, bud, can't help you."

Your superior seems well-connected to you, Gone.