Car choice for motorcycle enthusiasts

[Roper_imp]

I like driving my Father-in-law's Thunderbird convertible. Of all the cages I've driven, it comes closest to the two-wheel experience. In bad weather, my F-150 becomes my daily driver. We have an SUV with third row seating because I still have four kids at home. My 17 year-old son drives a 17 year-old Ford Focus. That's a pretty fun car to drive.

When you think of how many people a car can haul, motorcycles have pretty bad fuel-per-person ratio. On the flipside, their fun-per-person ratio is so much better

[the Ferret]

[quote='Tev62' pid='286710' dateline='1611750454']


It is a total dilema. The only solution is to go back to walking, cycling and sailing

I've read that Martha Washington complained about pollution (pre gasoline,)

Early man did not take care of the planet as well as we do, they threw their trash down where ever they were. Not in a garbage can. Not in re-cycling centers or dumps, just where ever they were when they finished with something. Modern man at least make SOME effort, although I am still amazed when I drive down the street and see litter. Who doesn't know by now you shouldn't litter. And my goodness the number of cigarette butts on the ground since they took ash trays out of cars...and who doesn't know at this point that smoking is bad for you? We knew that in 1964 (over 1/2 century ago.. pre CB 750K0 in fact) when the surgeon general started putting warnings on cigarette packs. Care to guess how many cigarette butts are thrown on the ground every year on this planet? (according to google 4.5 TRILLION)

I live by a river. The number of plastic bottles left behind after the water crests the bank during a flood would astonish you.

[bflint]

I love my 2000 Toyota Echo because it fits nicely on the side of the driveway ... Calif two-car garage is really a one-car + two-bike size. However, I am looking at a truck to replace the bitty Echo, but may have to park on street PS... would love to have that Fiat Spyder.

[Gone in 60]

Wow, Bflint. (summoning my Obi Wan Kenobi voice) "Toyota Echo. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time... a long time." That's a good city car, which begat the original Yaris. Which got axed a few years ago, transferring the Yaris name to a small Mazda platform, which just got axed in 2020. Another good, little car that is no longer available in the U.S.

Interesting that the conversation is going to electric vehicles. The guy I was speaking with in my friend's yard, who determined that "Motorcycle owner=truck owner" is an electric enthusiast. He currently has two Tesla Model 3s, which from what I read recently, is the best selling passenger car in California right now. I'd welcome an electric, but for my situation, with a car being a secondary, occaisional form of transportation to a motorcycle, the current prices of electrics would make it a tough choice.

[Henrik_imp]

It is likely that early man did not take as good care of our earth as we do now, but there are so many more of us today! The primary problem is global population...

As for EVs, I believe that batter charged ones is really not the best long term solution. Hydrogen powered ones is a much better solution as it does not require the heavy and expensive batteries. Also, the way we use vehicles does not really need to change since it is just a question of filling up with hydrogen instead of petrol. Now I know it requires electricity to extract hydrogen, but this can actually be achieved in a much greener way by going more towards solar power etc. Imagine gas stations with solar panels producing their own hydrogen for example. This would even take away the costly process of refining and then transporting the petrol to all those gas stations.

I am looking forward to seeing this technology to make its way to motorcycles as well.

[the Ferret]

Wow, Bflint. (summoning my Obi Wan Kenobi voice) "Toyota Echo. Now there's a name I haven't heard in a long time... a long time." That's a good city car, which begat the original Yaris. Which got axed a few years ago, transferring the Yaris name to a small Mazda platform, which just got axed in 2020. Another good, little car that is no longer available in the U.S.

Interesting that the conversation is going to electric vehicles. The guy I was speaking with in my friend's yard, who determined that "Motorcycle owner=truck owner" is an electric enthusiast. He currently has two Tesla Model 3s, which from what I read recently, is the best selling passenger car in California right now. I'd welcome an electric, but for my situation, with a car being a secondary, occaisional form of transportation to a motorcycle, the current prices of electrics would make it a tough choice.

I am not interested in an electric truck or car... because first off I don't care about cars/trucks, but mainly because I don't have much time left on this earth to worry about my carbon footprint in a 4 wheel vehicle of any kind.

I do have some interest in an electric motorcycle because it would be fun/convenient not to fill up every other day like I do now and just be able to unplug and ride a small loop everyday for basically free (except for tires).

HOWEVER and this is a big however, downsizing to a Honda NC750X which gets 80 miles to the gallon and costs $8K new vs a Zero SR/F which costs $19K new.

How many miles would I be able to ride the NC paying $2.50 a gallon for gas before the cost would balance out? Knowing it also cost $ for electric to charge the Zero? I can tell you since I have done the math and if I did it correctly it's 342,000 miles.

And on the Zero I could go no further than 40 miles from the house (80 miles round trip) while on the NC I could ride unlimited miles from the house with 10 minute fuel refills available everywhere.

Plus the Honda dealer is 9 miles from the house, the Zero dealer is 100 miles from the house, meaning I would need a trailer if it were to need any service and a couple of trip to drop off and pickup.(so figure 400 miles in the 19 mpg truck)

I have ridden both and could live with either I think.

$8K



$ 19K



Is there really a choice? (maybe in California lol)

[Gone in 60]

I dunno, Ferret, but I do see a few Zeroes in California. There's a Zero dealer near my house, and I ambled over there on Saturday, since Mrs. Gone was working and I was bored. As usual, they slapped a helmet on my head and sent me for a test ride. It was nice, and for my 12-mile commute, ideal. But $19K for a bike that offers the performance of a $6K 500cc machine? Nahh...

[the Ferret]

Heck even on my FJR a liquid cooled, 1300cc, 144 hp, shaft drive I-4 cruise missile with fairing and bags which gets 52 mpg and cost $14,500 new I can ride 93,500 miles for the difference in price @ $2.50 a gal.

Electrics are just unrealistic at this point.

Now if the Zero SR/F was $8K... then... I would have to pause and give it some serious thought.

[Jfro5687_imp]

Agree about population being a huge issue. I clearly remember being in Secondary school in a Geography lesson and the teacher telling us about the world population being on its way to 4.5 billion. That would have been mid 80’s. It’s now about 7 billion isn’t it? That’s massive growth in such a short time.

[peterbaron]

Heh, heh, do not think that global, greedy oil companies will give up their profit...long road.