What is your cost per mile.

 A lot of cagers are getting envious about MC and scooter gas mileage.  However,
our two wheel vehicles tend to need a lot more maintenance.  My bike needs new
tires and  a major tuneup every 10,000 mile . At $4.00/gallon  I estimated that
my 55mpg bike cost per mile was approximately  16 cents (I do not work on my
bike).  For comparison, I estimated that  an economy car averaging 30mpg cost 15
cents per mile.    I am curious to know what others' cost per mile are, not
including insurance, registration or any other fees/fines. Please state whether
you use a mechanic or do it yourself.

Thanks.

Ben  

 

Try figuring that out for a trackbike that gets 20 something MPG and goes
through $300.00 tires every few days, and it costs $180.00 just to get on
the track.
Then figure the loss of income for the day and the cost to get to the track
and back.

ouch!


--
Andrew
00 Daytona
00 Speed Triple
71 Kawi H1
05 Kiddo

 Ben Kaufman wrote:


Unless you compare *all* the costs of owning both a bike and a
car, what is the point?  In the real world we have to pay insurance
and registration or we won't be able to ride on the street for very
long.

I have to have a car during the winter months anyway since it gets
well below zero Fahrenheit and a bike just doesn't work well in ice
and snow even if I was willing to brave the cold which I am not.

I ride because it's fun.  I don't give a whole lot of thought to
what it costs.  I know I am not saving money by riding my bike
vs. taking the car since depreciation, tires, oil, filters and
maintenance are all more expensive per mile.  And as I said, I
will still own a car whether I have a bike or not so there's
only a very small marginal saving in gasoline cost per mile which
is overwhelmed by the other fixed and per-mile cost.  Google for
Adny's posts about why nothing bigger than a 250 could possibly
save you money vs. a car.

--
'07 FJR13AW  '01 SV650SK1  '99 EX250-F13  '98 ZG1000-A13
OMF #7

 Mark Olson wrote:

Oh hey, this reminds me.  If you decide to get a PCIII for the FJR I got
a map for it I'll pass along.  It really helps take the edge off the
abrupt throttle response.  Gives it a nice strong midrange too.  And the
best part is I can get upper 40s all day long.  I just averaged 49.2 mpg
on the highway 70-75 mph two up on my way over to Columbus on Sunday.
It only gets mileage that good on premium fuel however.  That's OK,
because it makes a lot of metallic ping noises hard on the throttle in
when it's hot if running the cheap stuff.

 

whether

 I am interested only in the cost of maintenance per mile driven because
Insurance rates can vary greatly by  the rider's age/history/group discounts etc
and the cost per mile for insurance will fluctuate greatly depending upon  how
many miles a particular riders does. OK, in retrospect I should have made the
subject "maintenance cost per mile"

I too am interested in ride for the fun of it, not the economy.

Ben