Motorcycle Gas Savings (1 Viewer)

[Cjw_55106]

I have a chance to buy an old, but reliable motorcycle for $1000. Old in that its a 1993, but it has less than 4000 miles on it.

Assuming I get an extra 30 MPG vs driving my car and supposing I use it for 2000 miles a year at say, $2 a gallon for easy math, does it makes sense to say I'd be saving about $165 a year in fuel? Somehow I think it should be more, but I cant wrap my head around it. 600cc

Yes, I realize Id need insurance and maybe other miscellaneous costs that wouldn't make it a "money saver" but I'm just looking at fuel right now.

 

[eoMMan]

No amount of money is worth your life.

Cjw5876530, your life is valuable.

 

[BowieMercs]

Traffic in Northern VA is not bike friendly. I'd pass. YMMV.

 

[stbugs]

I have a chance to buy an old, but reliable motorcycle for $1000. Old in that its a 1993, but it has less than 4000 miles on it.

Assuming I get an extra 30 MPG vs driving my car and supposing I use it for 2000 miles a year at say, $2 a gallon for easy math, does it makes sense to say I'd be saving about $165 a year in fuel? Somehow I think it should be more, but I cant wrap my head around it. 600cc

Yes, I realize Id need insurance and maybe other miscellaneous costs that wouldn't make it a "money saver" but I'm just looking at fuel right now.

Seems like $165 per year won't come close to other costs and after seeing a dead guy at the top of my street growing up, I would never own a motorcycle. He hit one of those brick entryway posts, didn't have a prayer.

 

[Bull Dozier]

I have a chance to buy an old, but reliable motorcycle for $1000. Old in that its a 1993, but it has less than 4000 miles on it.

Assuming I get an extra 30 MPG vs driving my car and supposing I use it for 2000 miles a year at say, $2 a gallon for easy math, does it makes sense to say I'd be saving about $165 a year in fuel? Somehow I think it should be more, but I cant wrap my head around it. 600cc

Yes, I realize Id need insurance and maybe other miscellaneous costs that wouldn't make it a "money saver" but I'm just looking at fuel right now.

How good are you with maintaing vehicles? I had a motorcycle about 10 years ago. Bought it for the fun factor, but also enjoyed the gas savings. Sure was a lot of fun to put $4 in it on Monday and have it last all week.

That said, older motorcycles still need maintenance. Winterizing in MN in necessary. If you aren't good with engines, you'll be paying someone to do this which will wipe out that gas savings real quick.

My bike needed work, and I wasn't handy. Fortunately I had a friend into motorcycles so I brought it over to his house one summer. We spent a bunch of days taking it apart and putting it back together. We had a lot of time for him to tell me about all of his accidents and close calls. By the time it was back together, I never wanted to get on it again (my kids were about 4 and 2 at the time). That was where I first heard the phrase "ifs not if you'll have an accident, but when you'll have an accident." It sat in my garage until I dumped it for a few hundred bucks.

 

[Statcruncher]

I bought a motorcycle specifically to save on gas as my other vehicle is a suburban. It was used but mint and had less than 4,400 miles on it when I got it. The insurance on it is dirt cheap at around $100 a year as I only have comprehensive. The motorcycle gear was around $800 (helmet, summer jacket, winter jacket, gloves, shoes). The bike gets about 45-50mpg and the suburban averages about 16.5mpg. These are actual numbers because I input mileage and gallons into a spreadsheet after every fuel up.

I've put 10,000 miles on the bike and the savings on fuel so far are over $1,200. That being said, most of those savings are from when I first got the bike and was paying $3.75 per gallon. As gas prices dropped so did my savings, the last time I filled up it was $1.45 so those fuel savings are greatly diminished.

Sounds good until you add up all the inevitable crap you have to pay as well. I've given it 4 oil changes so there's another $100 gone. This last winter killed the battery so another $65. New tires plus mounting/installation another $250. Partially repair the damage from when a teenager backed into the parked bike in a parking lot $250. Partially repair the damage from when some jackhole knocked the parked bike over a second time $300. Partially repair the damage from when some jackhole knocked the parked bike over a third time $300.

tl:dr - No one ever saves money by buying a bike.

 

[lod01]

Don't waste your time. Gas is going to be free soon.