My brother is going to sell his bike and I've got the notion to buy it from him. Its a 2003 Honda Shadow with a windshield and pipes. How many of you have toyed with the idea of buying a motorcycle? It would cost me $5,500 now, but saving miles on the truck and gas would make up for it in about 3-4 years. His bike averages about 50-55 mpg, and I put on 200 miles for work each week. I could ride from April thru September. The problem is, I'm spending money to save money. That $5,500 could go in the fuel tank for 2-3 years.
What to do.

 

At $3.00 per gallon
Motorcycle gets 55
truck gets 15
200 miles per week
bike only April- september
$5,500 capital outlay

Seven calendar years riding to break even.
(not including extra ins and tags, taxes)

 

Getting even more technical, what about the miles I won't be putting on the truck! If I ride 200 miles per week, which I understated, short trips and what not, more like 250. But 200 miles x 4 weeks equals 800 miles. That 800 miles x 6 months of riding equals 4800 miles. I'll say 5000 for a round number. That is wear and tear on the truck for tires, brakes, just plain miles, that won't go on the truck. Say 3-4 years, that is 15,000-20,000 miles!!!! I average right around 17,000 per year on the truck now. I could cut that down to 12,000 a year.

 

If you have experience with bikes.....GO FOR IT !

If I could affrord a bike, you bet your *** I'd have one. Finance manager (aka wife) has us on a tight budget, just in case we're pregnant.

 

I didn't even think of that.
Five years from now a 60K truck would be worth $1350 more than a 85K truck.

That takes two years off your break even.
Now it's down to five years.

If I was buying a used bike, I couldn't think of anyone better to buy it from than my own brother.

 

I bought a Harley a couple years ago using the same logic...ie riding it to work to save gas and miles on my truck. That lasted about a month. I found myself always needing my truck to haul stuff. Little things like stopping at the grocery store or just about anything else on the way home from work didn't work when I was on the bike. I have bags but didn't want to put them on for around town travel.
I do ride all the time and love to do so, but the riding to work for me didn't work out. You'll love the freedom of the road, though!

 

If your trying to financially justify the purchase it really wont happen. You still have maintanance on the bike more $ per mile cost as far as maintanence and it will also depreciate with the miles that you put on it.

Financialy a new $1200 Moped might work out. But then you have the delima of ride the Moped or drive the truck??? Truck is more comfortable, has AC, Heat, Roof (if it rains), Radio, the list goes on and on. The Moped saves money but is not cool nor comfortable.... HMMM which would I be choosing each morning. Probably the same as anyone else... The TRUCK!

The Shadow = Less gas (IE imediate savings) and is fun. I might would choose that a little more often than a moped, but would still drive the truck more often than it. Except on weekend rides with friends.

 

Maybe you should look into buying a chip for the truck, get more power and better gas mileage (assuming you stay off the gas

Cheaper than $5500, although you have to buy premium gas with the chip...

Just another idea to consider (been thinking about it myself).
I just havent gotten around to doing the math to see how much of an improvement in gas mileage I would need to see for a chip to pay for itself and the more expensive gas.

 

A guy I work with bought some kind of Honda bike using that logic. (Sorry, I'm not very well versed in motorcycles...um, it's not a sport bike, I think it's like 1100-1200ccs, it's not a cruiser...good description, huh? :o )

But hell, he doesn't ride it but maybe two or three months out the year. I'm thinking about buying a used Focus or something to bomb around in, at the rate I drive, I spend about $200 a month in gas for my truck.

 

My father also owns a bike and goes on a lot of benefit rides and what not. It sounds like a lot of fun but I couldn't afford a bike last year. I've got the snowmobile paid for now so its off to buy another toy.
Your right PSS-Mag, I'm trying to justify the purchase. I guess when I bought the sled it was pure enjoyment. $6000 on a snowmobile that gets 9-10 mpg and I ride it for an average of 1500 miles a year. At leaset the bike can be rode for 6-7 months, and will save gas and miles on my truck.

 

Get this one or any other bike for that matter. You will not regret it. Who cares what mileage you get or how much wear & tear you save on the truck. Motorcycles rock, plain & simple. I have two with plans to get more in the future. You really can't compare the riding experience with the driving experience. Don't listen to all the ney-sayers. They simply wish they had one. Even if you don't ride it as much as you want, you still own a motorcycle in the end. I make excuses to go riding.

GO FOR IT!!

KC-10 FE out...

 

I rode my bike all the time to and from work last summer and saved quite a bit in gas....if you really want a bike, I'd say go for it. I was getting 50 miles per gallon

 

Don't get the bike to save money, because you won't. Get the bike becasue you love to ride. Trust me, once you buy the bike you will want to buy everything possible for it (just like your truck). By the time you get done w/ all the extra crome, pipes, performance products etc.......you will not be saving any $$$$$$

 

^^^

True....somewhat.

One word: Discipline.

Treat it like a Geo Metro, or Yugo. It is only transportation. Use the lil bit of money you'll be saving on gas to put in the truck.

I drive over 400 miles a week to and from work. I could save a bundle on gas, and the money I'd save, I could put into my truck.

~BUT~

If you do like Fejes1 said.....your wasting yo time. Once you get a taste of the the sound of the road and wind in your face....It'll be hard NOT to wanna put some cash in your 2 wheel ride.

This is for everyone:

Show LOVE and RESPECT to 2 wheels when your on the road.

 

Amen!