The Motorcycle Industry?

Robert's a better writer than he was a racer...

 

This a certainly a problem here in TN. I've told several people to find parking lots for practice and offered to help anyone that wants me to. No takers so far but most I've talked to seem to be taking a slower and careful approach other than the sportbike stunter wannabes.

 

PLUS the cost of, and insurance and maintenance on the additional two-wheeled vehicle while you're still maintaining the same on your existing SUV/Truck.

BUT if you already own the truck outright, and you carry minimum insurance on it (assuming you have a reason to keep a guzzler on the road - racing for instance) and you purchase and ride the (in my case 66 MPG) gas sipper, then it appears to me that it's a very good thing. At the time, I bought mine (April 2007) I calculated that it would pay for itself in a little over three years. Since then the price of gas has gone up around 32% and my break over point is much closer in time.

 

I think in many peoples' case that the fuel prices justify something they wanted in the first place. They save enough on fuel to make the payment on the motorcycle they couldn't afford before. It's not a savings overall for a bike that expensive.

Now a used old KLR you might have some overall savings. :up:

 

I can't find the link, but Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters is already trying to divert funds for rider education to some sort of ad campaign to encourage helmet use. :down:

 

I also save money commuting on the bike by using race take off tires. Therefore, if I race more, I save more! :up:

 

yup dealrs here in florida are sold or selling out of small displacment bikes

 

actually, the dually just got paid off, so i'm rolling in money by not having that payment or fuel bill every month.

 

600 miles per week x $4.70/gallon @ 18mpg = $156 per week in diesel

$156 x 4 = $624 per month just in diesel

car payment $418
600 miles per week x $3.87/gallon @ 29mpg = $80 per week in gas

$80 x 4 = $320 in gas per week

$320+$418+ $60 insurance = $798 per month to own and drive a new car instead of $600 for diesel alone.

$798 - $624 = $174(less than $200, like i had said earlier)

stick to racing Clubman cheater bikes.

 

I think his point is that you are spending almost $200 more per month to get better mileage. And trying to be smarmy while doing it.

 

Getting better mileage = $200.

Riding a bike instead of driving a truck = priceless.

 

Yeah but he bought a car.

 

Nobody said Chad wasn't ghey.

 

Well then, that's just retarded. Never mind.

 

with all the cool math i've learned on this board today, i just dumped my whole stock portfolio after today's market crash, so i could buy it tomorrow at a lower price than i previously owned it. not quite as smart as saving on gas, but smart. whadda you guys think?

 

In an effort to save Chad some money I will do him this favor. Give me $1K and in return I will give you $100. See, I will be saving you money since you have less money to spend on worthless things.

 

thats nothing. i just saved myself some more money by trading chad my clubman national championship cheater bike for his clubman motard so i could save on tire costs. motards are good on tires aren't they?

 

I'm all for people riding but I think it is a false economy most of the time. One of the big things people often forget is the cost of tires. I would guess that an average bike goes through tires every 10k miles vs say 50k for a car.

Like Mr. Thompson I also work in the aircraft industry and things are going great for us. I attribute most of that to the dollar being down; most of our sales are going overseas.

 

damn there's some money savin' goin' round here.

yall some smart bishes.