10 Motorcycle Myths

[RichDoyle]

Harley Riders say the cutest things: "Riding in hot weather with a helmet makes your brain overheat and explode".

 

[kaosbandit]

There are only two types of motorcycle riders: Those that dress like pirates, and those that dress like Transformers.
It's never been laid down.

I've been riding for years, let me take it out for quick one.

Of course I know how to ride in a group.

It ran when I parked it.

I'll meet you at 7am and I won't be late.

I can tell you have "been around the block" a time or two Those are great!

 

[Fred W]

I'm going to say this is a statistical thing. I never wanted to believe it, until I went down. The longer and more you ride the stats are going to catch up. I'd like to know and maybe I'll do a poll to see how many folks have ridden 100K miles and have not been in an accident or gone down. On a bike...

Yeah, like anyone that qualifies for that is going to jinx it by saying so?

From ADV Rider: I can quit any time.

I may actually be guilty of having said that a time or two...

 

[Old Guy]

My all time favorite:

"I'm gonna buy a motorcycle. It'll pay for itself in gasoline alone just riding back and forth to work."

Don't get me wrong. Though it's a myth, I have used it as justification to buy a motorcycle.

 

[petey]

My all time favorite:

"I'm gonna buy a motorcycle. It'll pay for itself in gasoline alone just riding back and forth to work."

.

Hey I've used that on my SO years ago and it worked

...boy did I ever save/spend the money...

 

[Old Guy]

My all time favorite:

"I'm gonna buy a motorcycle. It'll pay for itself in gasoline alone just riding back and forth to work."

.

Hey I've used that on my SO years ago and it worked

...boy did I ever save/spend the money...

A lady at work asked me some years back if a motorcycle could pay for itself in gasoline alone. I told her that when I added tires in the mix my motorcycle was actually more expensive to drive than my car. A few weeks later I met her husband at a Christmas party and man was he pissed

 

[Chuck35]

When I was bike shopping I considered possible gas savings. With OUT tires in the equation it was going to take 10 years.

Now that I know about the tire expense, It's going to take a lifetime to break even.

 

[Bounce]

We lose money on every sale but we make up for it in volume.

 

[wheatonFJR]

A lady at work asked me some years back if a motorcycle could pay for itself in gasoline alone. I told her that when I added tires in the mix my motorcycle was actually more expensive to drive than my car. A few weeks later I met her husband at a Christmas party and man was he pissed

You are bad.

Did you hate the guy or sumpin?

 

[Old Guy]

A lady at work asked me some years back if a motorcycle could pay for itself in gasoline alone. I told her that when I added tires in the mix my motorcycle was actually more expensive to drive than my car. A few weeks later I met her husband at a Christmas party and man was he pissed

You are bad.

Did you hate the guy or sumpin?

I didn't even know him, and his wife tricked me. She started talking about how much money I was saving, and I said "Not so much." Had she said "My husband wants a motorcycle to save gas", I'd have lied for the guy.

 

[Old Guy]

When I was bike shopping I considered possible gas savings. With OUT tires in the equation it was going to take 10 years.Now that I know about the tire expense, It's going to take a lifetime to break even.

You gotta do the math. My Goldwing was actually a tiny bit cheaper per mile because the tires lasted 12,000 miles or so. My ZRX, on the other hand, gets 4000 miles a set if I run a sport touring tire, and gets worse fuel mileage. So it cost more per mile than my truck. Plus, gas was cheaper then. As gas prices have risen it has become more likely that the per mile costs are cheaper on the bike. Then you have to divide the cost of the bike by the savings per mile. For instance, save $.02 a mile and you'll pay for a $10,000 bike in a half million miles or so

 

[AVGeek]

When I was bike shopping I considered possible gas savings. With OUT tires in the equation it was going to take 10 years.Now that I know about the tire expense, It's going to take a lifetime to break even.

You gotta do the math. My Goldwing was actually a tiny bit cheaper per mile because the tires lasted 12,000 miles or so. My ZRX, on the other hand, gets 4000 miles a set if I run a sport touring tire, and gets worse fuel mileage. So it cost more per mile than my truck. Plus, gas was cheaper then. As gas prices have risen it has become more likely that the per mile costs are cheaper on the bike. Then you have to divide the cost of the bike by the savings per mile. For instance, save $.02 a mile and you'll pay for a $10,000 bike in a half million miles or so

In my case, it was true...I had a 2001 Dodge Ram 4x4, with the 5.9 V-8. Gas tank was 26 gallons. Comparing mileage to my 2004 FJR, I was getting the same range on the 6.6 gallon tank, so it was far cheaper to gas up the bike than the truck. When I changed to the 2008 FJR, it had Metzeler tires on it; I got over 10K miles on the first set, so replaced them with the same Metzelers and got about 13K out of the second set, before switching to the Bridgestone BT-023GTs (caught a smoking Cyber Monday deal on them from Bike Bandit a few years ago); they had over 8K miles on them when I turned the bike in last month.

 

[Old Guy]

When I was bike shopping I considered possible gas savings. With OUT tires in the equation it was going to take 10 years.

Now that I know about the tire expense, It's going to take a lifetime to break even.

You gotta do the math. My Goldwing was actually a tiny bit cheaper per mile because the tires lasted 12,000 miles or so. My ZRX, on the other hand, gets 4000 miles a set if I run a sport touring tire, and gets worse fuel mileage. So it cost more per mile than my truck. Plus, gas was cheaper then. As gas prices have risen it has become more likely that the per mile costs are cheaper on the bike. Then you have to divide the cost of the bike by the savings per mile. For instance, save $.02 a mile and you'll pay for a $10,000 bike in a half million miles or so

In my case, it was true...I had a 2001 Dodge Ram 4x4, with the 5.9 V-8. Gas tank was 26 gallons. Comparing mileage to my 2004 FJR, I was getting the same range on the 6.6 gallon tank, so it was far cheaper to gas up the bike than the truck. When I changed to the 2008 FJR, it had Metzeler tires on it; I got over 10K miles on the first set, so replaced them with the same Metzelers and got about 13K out of the second set, before switching to the Bridgestone BT-023GTs (caught a smoking Cyber Monday deal on them from Bike Bandit a few years ago); they had over 8K miles on them when I turned the bike in last month.

True in my case as well now. It appears that with current fuel and tire prices my FJR is about $.09 a mile cheaper to operate than my V8 pickup counting tires and fuel only. So it'll only take 116,000 miles for the bike to pay for itself

Of course, taxes, licensing, insurance, etc. sort of foul that up.

 

[Geezer]

Pickup truck or large car:

100000 miles / 15 mpg * 3.50 per gallon = $23,333

+ 3 sets of tires * 500 = 1500

Econo car would be about half for both fuel and tires.

FJR or similar motorcycle:

100000 miles / 35 mpg * 3.50 per gallon = $10,000

+ 10 sets of tires * 400 = 4000 ( buying from a discount tire seller and allowing for labor to install the tires )

An econo motorcycle would be less for both fuel and tires.

So, if we only look at only fuel and tires then a motorcycle is less expensive to use.

Insurance normally is less for the motorcycle.

Add in other maintenance and the advantage becomes smaller. Motorcycles require more frequent attention and pars are generally more expensive.

Add in the fact that I always took the long way home when commuting and the cost per mile stays the same but the miles on the motorcycle goes up.

And then there are the farkles.........

Overall, I'd say that you could save money by riding rather than driving, but you probably won't.

 

[wheatonFJR]

If I was looking to save $$, taking up an FJR and motorcycle touring probably isn't the first thing I'd think of.

However, if I was looking to scratch a life long itch to see the world from two wheels, then the FJR is just what the doctor ordered to bring in the excitement, the wonder, the camaraderie, the scenery, the adrenalin, the adventure...

I couldn't give a crap if it's cheaper to drive than my car...

 

[Old Guy]

Overall, I'd say that you could save money by riding rather than driving, but you probably won't.

Yeah. In most cases that'd be true, but it'd have to be motorcycle OR car. For many years, I drove an old beater car in bad weather and relied on a motorcycle for most daily transportation. That was sure cheaper than having a nice car, but my wife always had a nice car -- one in the family was fine.

The people I'm talking about don't plan to get rid of their car; they plan to buy a motorcycle and pay for it in fuel savings alone. And you'll note these people never want a 250 Rebel, and it truth, most of them won't ride more than a few thousand miles a year.

 

[Geezer]

Overall, I'd say that you could save money by riding rather than driving, but you probably won't.

Yeah. In most cases that'd be true, but it'd have to be motorcycle OR car. For many years, I drove an old beater car in bad weather and relied on a motorcycle for most daily transportation. That was sure cheaper than having a nice car, but my wife always had a nice car -- one in the family was fine.

The people I'm talking about don't plan to get rid of their car; they plan to buy a motorcycle and pay for it in fuel savings alone. And you'll note these people never want a 250 Rebel, and it truth, most of them won't ride more than a few thousand miles a year.

You are right. I remember when my Dad was thinking about getting a scooter and he told everyone that he wanted it so he could save money on trips to the golf course. I just smiled. He never did buy the scooter.

 

[RichDoyle]

With respect to cost savings, you do need to know what you're comparing the gas mileage to. The FJR is basically a wash with my Prius and loses on tire cost. But comparing the FJR with my Tacoma Pickup fuel cost is a radically different matter.

BUT there is also considerable cost saving for those of us who live on Whidbey Island in ferry tolls for any bike vs. any car/truck. Several dollars for each trip. Double for a round trip. So in a heavy commuting environment, the bike definitely picks up an advantage. Lots of commuters here (numerous Boeing workers live here on the island) ride their bikes to/from work all they can. A dirty bike is a badge of honor among us. And then there's the preferential loading for bikes as well as HOV lane privileges. A no-brainer.

 

[RossKean]

My bike definately gets better mileage than my 6 cyl Honda Accord and even with the added tire cost, the bike should save me money. Unfortunately, the 7 mile commute home after work on a nice day seems to take 60-80 miles when I have the bike. I put a lot more gas in it in the run of a year.

 

[Old Guy]

My bike definately gets better mileage than my 6 cyl Honda Accord and even with the added tire cost, the bike should save me money. Unfortunately, the 7 mile commute home after work on a nice day seems to take 60-80 miles when I have the bike. I put a lot more gas in it in the run of a year.

Ah, yes. The old navigational malfunction.