Motorcycling/tricycling for fuel savings

[Scanner]

Anyone know much about this subject? I googled but didn't get too many informative links.

Here's my situation. . .I sporadically moonlight at a hospital 26 miles away. Well. . .as you all know a gallon of gas is around $3.30/gallon now. . .so roundtrip, that's over a $7.00 loss before getting to work. Okay, not bad, as i Know some who commute 100 miles to work but nonetheless. . .it's an easy drive. It takes 40 minutes by day and 35 minutes at night to make the commute.

It's through the backwoods of S. Jersey (pine barrens) so for the most part, it's an easy drive.

I feel like often I could motorcycle the distance (weather permitting) but the cost of medical bills outweighs the benefits of fuel savings.

Is motorized tricycling an alternative? Is it any safer? Or is it just for old women who want to pedal around a retirement village with a basket of flowers?

Any cyclers out there?

[zakity]

DH has a bike. He has an 80's Goldwing. He gets like 30+ mpg out of it (don't remember the exact number, sorry). He rides it to work when the weather is good. He does the maintenance on it himself. We pay about $100 for insurance a year. Every few years (think he has this one he has for four years and we have it budgeted in for him to buy a new one this year) we invest in a new helmet (he sweats a lot and they start stinking), even with those cotton head things). We also invested a pretty penny in leathers and good boots.

He also rides for enjoyment, but we have kids. He mainly only gets to ride it back and forth to work right now.

[Brokemofo]

I cycle. My bike gets 50 mpg. Full converage insurance like I have on my car in $450 year. i carry very high coverage though. I probably would buy a bike just to save on gas though unless you plan on using a lot for a long time to offset the initial investment. If another car/bus hits you, doesn't really matter if you are on 2 or 3 wheels really, your bummed.

[simpleyme]

;-)......................................

[skydivingchic]

I've never seen statistics comparing motorcycles to trikes in terms of safety. However, I would guess that trikes are not much if any safer than motorcycles. The big problem with motorcycles is that people don't see you because you are small compared to everything else on the road. Trikes aren't significantly bigger than motorcycles, so I'd think it would be the same problem.

I have a 750 cc cruiser style bike and get between 40-50 mpg on it. I've gotten as good as 72 mpg at constant speeds of around 30 mph. For full coverage insurance I pay around $40/month.

I would be very hesitant buy a bike/trike simply to save money on gas. Beside the initial bike purchase, there is insurance and then the cost of a decent full set of gear (I'd recommend budgeting $700-$1000 for helmet, jacket, pants, and gloves). Maintenance on a bike is more expensive than maintenance on a car. I pay an average of $150 per service (service is due on my bike every 4000 miles and cost varies depending on what all has to be done at that service interval). Also, if you live in an area where you can't ride year round, you'll still need a car and have the associated costs.

The bike has been a ton of fun and its been a great way to spend time with DBF on weekends and meet people. But at least for me, the bike is purely for pleasure.

[Brokemofo]

Originally Posted by skydivingchic

I've never seen statistics comparing motorcycles to trikes in terms of safety. However, I would guess that trikes are not much if any safer than motorcycles. The big problem with motorcycles is that people don't see you because you are small compared to everything else on the road. Trikes aren't significantly bigger than motorcycles, so I'd think it would be the same problem.

I have a 750 cc cruiser style bike and get between 40-50 mpg on it. I've gotten as good as 72 mpg at constant speeds of around 30 mph. For full coverage insurance I pay around $40/month.

I would be very hesitant buy a bike/trike simply to save money on gas. Beside the initial bike purchase, there is insurance and then the cost of a decent full set of gear (I'd recommend budgeting $700-$1000 for helmet, jacket, pants, and gloves). Maintenance on a bike is more expensive than maintenance on a car. I pay an average of $150 per service (service is due on my bike every 4000 miles and cost varies depending on what all has to be done at that service interval). Also, if you live in an area where you can't ride year round, you'll still need a car and have the associated costs.

The bike has been a ton of fun and its been a great way to spend time with DBF on weekends and meet people. But at least for me, the bike is purely for pleasure.

Very good advice. Keep the rubber side down.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

The other night when I was out for a walk an electric scooter passed through an intersection at the same time as I did. It was so pleasantly quiet. Our electricity is coal fire generated and nuclear, so in effect the scooter was as well.

[Scanner]

Yeah, I was looking at a Reflex Honda Scooter - $5500. . .it would seem the cost savings for gas at $4.00/gallon could pay off in a relatively short time, compared to buying a hybrid car.

Yeah. . . I know gear is important. . .there's a reason bikers wear leather gear. . .it's akin to why warriors wore leather armor into battle years ago. . .I think I would need an inflatable ballons, like the Mars Lander had

[InDebtInDC]

Originally Posted by Scanner

I feel like often I could motorcycle the distance (weather permitting) but the cost of medical bills outweighs the benefits of fuel savings.

I don't understand. Are you saying that medical bills are an inherent requirement associated with motorcycles?

[maat55]

Originally Posted by Scanner

Anyone know much about this subject? I googled but didn't get too many informative links.

Here's my situation. . .I sporadically moonlight at a hospital 26 miles away. Well. . .as you all know a gallon of gas is around $3.30/gallon now. . .so roundtrip, that's over a $7.00 loss before getting to work. Okay, not bad, as i Know some who commute 100 miles to work but nonetheless. . .it's an easy drive. It takes 40 minutes by day and 35 minutes at night to make the commute.

It's through the backwoods of S. Jersey (pine barrens) so for the most part, it's an easy drive.

I feel like often I could motorcycle the distance (weather permitting) but the cost of medical bills outweighs the benefits of fuel savings.

Is motorized tricycling an alternative? Is it any safer? Or is it just for old women who want to pedal around a retirement village with a basket of flowers?

Any cyclers out there?

I bought a Honda Rebel 250 last april and rode it till aug., then upgraded to a suzuki 800 that I am selling now. If I had my rathers,I would have stayed with the honda for the gas mileage(75) instead of the suzuki(43). It depends on the speed you intend to travel.

I believe the economy and gas prices are going to lead many to live close to their jobs. I would, but for now I'm married to a financial moron. One of these days, I will have to force the move on her, as usual.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Darn, maat55, I am glad for you that we can all be anonymous here. But force? If reason doesn't work, then perhaps there is a psychological problem to address. Now I'm glad I'm anaonymous, too.

We need wind up scooters! Wind up the rubber band engine by doing your exer-biking / spinning. Then install that tightly wound band in your wind up scooter when you need to arrive somewhere sweat-free, and off you go! But you got your excersise in the air conditioned privacy of home, probably while watching TV....'scuse me I gotta go meet with a patent lawyer. Dibs!

[InDebtInDC]

Originally Posted by Joan.of.the.Arch

'scuse me I gotta go meet with a patent lawyer

You've just published your invention. No patent for you

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Okay then, I'm not telling about my urban hang-glider dive towers public transportation system. If you live far from work, though, you'd better not be afraid of heights.

Scanner, I saw a woman today riding one of those pedal trikes. I've seen the recumbent one and the upright ones, but this one was semi-recumbent and looked way uncomfortable. Knees had to almost tuck up under the chin at the top of the pedal revolution.

[Brokemofo]

Originally Posted by maat55

I bought a Honda Rebel 250 last april and rode it till aug., then upgraded to a suzuki 800 that I am selling now. If I had my rathers,I would have stayed with the honda for the gas mileage(75) instead of the suzuki(43). It depends on the speed you intend to travel.

I believe the economy and gas prices are going to lead many to live close to their jobs. I would, but for now I'm married to a financial moron. One of these days, I will have to force the move on her, as usual.

Just curious wny you bought 2 bikes in less than a year and are now selling the 2nd one too. I'm pretty sure i know why you sold the Honda, but why sell the Suzuki?

[maat55]

Originally Posted by Brokemofo

Just curious wny you bought 2 bikes in less than a year and are now selling the 2nd one too. I'm pretty sure i know why you sold the Honda, but why sell the Suzuki?

My original reason for buying the honda was to save money. The honda was very efficient, but boring as hell. The suzuki, to me, turned into more of a toy than an investment.

I traded the honda for the suzuki and have decided to sell the suzuki to help build money, for a down payment on a commercial property. The lower gas mileage with ins. and upkeep, makes it less of an investment.

If gas prices get out of hand, I may be forced to buy another bike like the honda or move out of the burbs, closer to work.

Honestly, if the bike doesn't get bought this weekend, I may just keep it. There's a guy who wants to see it tommorrow and i'm not that excited about it. With the possibillity of much higher gas prices, the investment is looking a bit better.

[InDebtInDC]

I've been riding sportbikes for years. The only thing I can tell you is that learning to ride is not as easy as learning to drive. Riding is a tough sport. You don't choose the sport. It chooses you.

Each person who rides can write a whole book about their own philosophy on riding, and their own struggle to learn the sport.

I recommend taking the basic rider course as a first step: Motorcycle Safety Foundation

After you take that course, you will know if you want to ride or not.

Sitting around speculating will not get you the answer you want. If you have any specific question about riding, please post up. I always want to help out a new rider.

[skydivingchic]

I agree with DC - if you think you may be interested, take the MSF course first. You may spend a few hundred dollars to take the course, but you'll probably learn something and its cheaper than buying a scooter/motorcycle and then figuring it out it isn't for you.

[maat55]

Riding a motorcycle is a little spooky starting out, if you haven't done it in years. But you quickly get the hand of it. You have to be very observant of the rode conditions, such as: moving animals, dead animals, water, flying debree and all those idiot's driving cars.

[Scanner]

Yeah, I don't think it's chosen me. . .it was just speculation because my drive is so rural, straight, and uneventful usually.

[Brokemofo]

Originally Posted by Scanner

Yeah, I don't think it's chosen me. . .it was just speculation because my drive is so rural, straight, and uneventful usually.

"uneventful" until that deer suddenly appears in front of you.