Car choice for motorcycle enthusiasts

[Mercurysilver_imp]

My motorcycles are sharing THEIR garage with a 42 years old Fiat Spyder and '06 Carrera S ,both small footprint, so they all go along together well! "Pecking order" well established

The V8 and 6000 lbs boys, Land Rover Discovery and Cayenne GTS don't get that kinda luxury, they live outdoors and are off-road oriented, seeing low miles in that configuration.

 

[Wisedrum]

A Toyota Prius 4 is the car of my choice. It is reliable, roomy enough and has a very low fuel consumption better than my motorbikes. As much as I enjoy riding my bikes I enjoy driving my car. Its automatic transition makes it very comfortable and stressfree to drive. To me it is the best car in the world with its 'space invader strange look'. In Germany it was put out of the market because too less customers would buy a last Prius. So you only seldom can see one out on the streets like our CB here. I like riding and driving rare vehicles which are of good quality and have a good substance to make life with them easy and free of problems. And which can't be found on every corner like a mainstream VW Golf or BMW GS.

 

[Henrik_imp]

I know the car culture is a bit different in Europe, and smaller cars are more the norm. Personally I have always felt that I just don't need a big car, and for those rare occasions that I do (like moving stuff) it is far more convenient and cheaper to just rent a van for the day. Allows me also to get the best vehicle for the job!

Personally my passion for Minis is probably second to motorcycles, and so I just have a number of Minis. An old original one from 1969 shares the closed garage space with my motorcycles, and everything just fits. Under a car port I then have a Mini Cabriolet for my wife, and now a Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid. I bought the hybrid a year ago, and with the covid situation in 2020 meaning that I really only drive short distances around here I have really been ably to cut down on fuel consumption. I filled her up three times throughout the year, implying 90 litres and I did about 6'000km with it.

 

[alprider]

since 20 years now: smart city coupe diesel....that rocks....and here in my hands it needs 2.9l diesel per 100km..... and bcos i ride bikes it has only 100000km now...

 

[Cormanus]

I know the car culture is a bit different in Europe, and smaller cars are more the norm. Personally I have always felt that I just don't need a big car, and for those rare occasions that I do (like moving stuff) it is far more convenient and cheaper to just rent a van for the day. Allows me also to get the best vehicle for the job!

Personally my passion for Minis is probably second to motorcycles, and so I just have a number of Minis. An old original one from 1969 shares the closed garage space with my motorcycles, and everything just fits. Under a car port I then have a Mini Cabriolet for my wife, and now a Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid. I bought the hybrid a year ago, and with the covid situation in 2020 meaning that I really only drive short distances around here I have really been ably to cut down on fuel consumption. I filled her up three times throughout the year, implying 90 litres and I did about 6'000km with it.

That's great Henrik. We are constantly told by our nay sayers that electric vehicles will never be any use in Australia because of the distances people travel and the time it takes to recharge. Turns out the statistics at 30 June 2020 tell us that the average passenger vehicle in Australia travels 30.4 kms per day. Electric vehicles should be no problem for a significant number of people. Me? I can't wait until they're affordable.

 

[Wisedrum]

It's enough electric driving for me to ride a selfcharging full hybrid, that is driven for 56% of all km by its own produced electricity. As long as I'm allowed to drive to all places I have and want to, I'm living in a country as many other full of changes concerning ökonomic and pollution regulations by the government and the EU, I will keep my car. It will last and probably will not fall into pieces and give up as a Toyota. Maybe it will last longer as most likely the CB will also do than my ongoing stay on this planet.

 

[j3gq_imp]

Agree entirely, Corm, I can't wait either ONCE all coal fire plants are taken off the electric grid. Consumers will also have to keep an eye on all foul tricks of salesmen, and the car manufacturer's lobby. Just think hybrids and the way they are used (often as subsidized company cars). 80% of that hybrid fleet is run entirely and exclusively with diesel, hauling around needless 300kg batteries, and raking in tax reductions. Why ? The gas is paid by the company, the electricity would have to be paid by the employee.
Not zero emissions, but zero impact.

 

[Jfro5687_imp]

I run a Vauxhall Diesel estate automatic that’s soon to be 7 years old. Great car but it’s a proper workhorse, wash it maybe once a year at MOT time, keep it serviced though. I cram it full of garden rubbish all the time, have the dog in it, it’s not worth much now and is covered in scratches and small dings but I hope to keep it running for a few more years yet. On the other hand my CB’s are my pride and joy and I get great pleasure opening the garage and seeing them, all colour and chrome.

 

[Tev62]

For as long as any of us drive a ICE motorcycle like the CB (which most clearly is for pleasure purposes rather than as daily slog to work) we can't really purport to be pollution conscious. It might ease your conscious to have a hybrid/full electric vehicle in the garage but you are still essentially a net contributor to pollution.

As for electric vehicles getting much cheaper, I don't know if they ever will. Battery supply is the choke on supply at the moment and current technology needs Cobalt, lots of it. If we are to rapidly expand battery production then Governments are going to have to give the green light to mine Cobalt on the seabed, totally trashing the Marine life that exists there.

It is a total dilema. The only solution is to go back to walking, cycling and sailing and the human species understanding that jetting off on a sunny holiday for €50 on massively polluting aeroplane is a bad idea. I have to say I like the idea of sailing to Spain for my Holiday although I'll be needing a bit more time off work!

 

[Jfro5687_imp]

Yep. I think the human race has pretty much trashed the planet and I have to confess in my own small way I’m playing my part in that too by running a car, m/bikes and a (Honda) petrol lawn mower! I agree that going fully electric solves one problem (zero emissions) but causes others (mining precious metals) and then of course nuclear power plants to supply this demand. We will all be long gone by the time any of this is worked through but my hunch is that in time (and I mean hundreds of years from now) it won’t be wealth in terms of gold and diamonds, it’ll be clean water and air that everyone wants. Total Recall comes to mind.

 

[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]

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.