New Ride!

TheBackRoads

Hey all,

Just thought I'd drop in and show you my new more energy efficient ride. So far its a blast to ride. Yamaha WR250X.



So far averaging 53 MPG.

Beats the Jeep at 14.5 MPG!

8) TBR

BB.

Re: New Ride!

jealous...

-Bill

ggunn

Re: New Ride!

BB. wrote: »

jealous...

-Bill

In Minnesota? I would not be jealous in February! ;^)

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

haha, it'll be my spring, summer, fall ride. :-) So far has been a great purchase, saving me lots of gas for my 37 mile commute! Now if I could just quit buying aftermarket parts for it :roll:

drew4justice

Re: New Ride!

You need to shut off the lights on your car.

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

I actually snapped that pic when my mom was pulling into the garage, you can kind of see her head outline haha. So no worries drew! Anyone else ride motorcycle?

solar_dave

Re: New Ride!

TheBackRoads wrote: »

I actually snapped that pic when my mom was pulling into the garage, you can kind of see her head outline haha. So no worries drew! Anyone else ride motorcycle?

I ride having a pair of Harleys. Well I did until I dropped one on my left leg and broke the fibula just above the ankle, requiring a plate and 7 screws to repair. That was in April and I am still hobbled by it. Starting to think it may never be right again. Been looking at conversion kits to make it a trike. Missed Sturgis this year and don't want to miss another one if I can help it.

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that accident, I hope you heal up! I've seen quite a few bikes this summer with the trike kit. I was on a vacation once to the black hills during sturgis and that was intense. Looked like a good time! I don't think my supermoto would fit in

solar_dave

Re: New Ride!

TheBackRoads wrote: »

Ouch! Sorry to hear about that accident, I hope you heal up! I've seen quite a few bikes this summer with the trike kit. I was on a vacation once to the black hills during sturgis and that was intense. Looked like a good time! I don't think my supermoto would fit in

Something tells me it will be a long time coming. You can just see the fracture around the third screw from the top as a darker line.

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

OUCH!!! Well don't give up hope! You can do it!

sub3marathonman

Re: New Ride!

solar_dave wrote: »

Something tells me it will be a long time coming. You can just see the fracture around the third screw from the top as a darker line.

Oh, so I guess that's not "just a flesh wound." Thankful that it wasn't a Vincent Black Knight you dropped. But yes, hopefully you'll be feeling better soon.

I stopped riding my Honda Rebel when the yearly fees got so high that they offset any savings, and also the Prius was getting better mileage too.

rollandelliott

Re: New Ride!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/09/mythbusters-motorcycle-emissions.html

interesting spin on it.

solarvic

Re: New Ride!

IMO you you don,t save much money by driving a motorcycle compared to a car that can get at least 30 MPG or more. You drive a motorcycle because you like it and enjoy it. Had motorcycles for over 35 years. Most motorcycles don,t get much over 45 MPG and most less than that. Tires cost double the price and don,t last much over about 8,000 miles. Repairs and maintaince is lots higher and just about any part you buy for it cost tripple or more than a car. Motorcycle engines usually take about the same amount of oil and needs changed more often. :Dsolarvic:D PS that is a nice bike you have there.

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

Indeed that is an interesting spin on motorcycles! I enjoyed it tho. While your right, I'm probably not really saving money with added vehicle costs it is for the pleasure. Now when you compare driving my Jeep vs my Motorcycle, I think it will save me some cash. On the Jeep, its a lot of maintenance, 16 spark plugs, diff fluid, x-fer case fluid, tires for stock rims, tires for 22's, 8 quarts of synthetic oil, 19 gal gas tank etc etc... while on the bike, its a 2 gallon tank, 1.5 quarts of oil and tires wont be too expensive if i do all the work. But what do I know, I'm young

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

However I suppose I could add up everything I spend on both vehicles a year and divide it by miles that would be the true test....

jeffkruse

Re: New Ride!

I just watched the last episode of Mythbusters. They showed that motorcycles emit far more pollution than cars do per mile driven. Cars emit more CO2 but motorcycles emit far more other nasty stuff.

RandomJoe

Re: New Ride!

I think riding a motorcycle would be fun / pleasurable, but only if I lived in the middle of nowhere... Watching what goes on in city streets I'd be terrified to get out on one! Hard enough to make sure the phone-obsessed drivers notice me in a full-size pickup!

Of course, I *do* ride a recumbent bicycle around town - just not on the busier main roads if at all possible. At least with a motorcycle I'd have the horsepower to actually get up to speed / get out of the way... Can't do that on pedal-power!

This past summer I noticed a rise in the number of moped riders, I presume trying to save money on gas. It's happened in the past when prices spiked. Unfortunately many of these moped riders are clearly inexperienced at two-wheel transportation, especially when dealing with heavy traffic. I saw someone pay the ultimate price for that in one case - topped a hill in time to watch a pickup dart out into traffic, and a moped rider t-bone the pickup, flip over the hood, and smash his *helmetless* head into the pavement. He didn't survive...

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

*Ouch* that would not be a fun way to go. I wear full gear when I ride. I'm not in traffic (live and work in the burbs) but you still need to be observant of whats going on around you.

solar_dave

Re: New Ride!

Motorcycle riding is all about defensive driving. You have to know what all the drivers around you are doing, avoid blind spots by being able to see other drivers eyes in the mirrors, and keeping a safe distance ahead. Riding with lights on helps. I have been doing this for forty years and can count the really close calls on one hand.

This accident I had was self inflicted in a parking lot at less that one mph.

sub3marathonman

Re: New Ride!

jeffkruse wrote: »

I just watched the last episode of Mythbusters. They showed that motorcycles emit far more pollution than cars do per mile driven. Cars emit more CO2 but motorcycles emit far more other nasty stuff.

While that is true, it's not exactly true. The one detail is that Mythbusters conveniently chose motorcycles under 286cc. The ones exempt from the EPA regulations on larger motorcycles. There is a lengthy discussion about it at Priuschat: http://priuschat.com/forums/environmental-discussion/98496-scooters-motorcycles-can-pollute-90-times-much-suvs.html . I don't know what the outcome would be for more "mainstream" motorcycles of larger displacement.

sub3marathonman

Re: New Ride!

solar_dave wrote: »

Motorcycle riding is all about defensive driving. You have to know what all the drivers around you are doing, avoid blind spots by being able to see other drivers eyes in the mirrors, and keeping a safe distance ahead. Riding with lights on helps. I have been doing this for forty years and can count the really close calls on one hand.

This accident I had was self inflicted in a parking lot at less that one mph.

That must be one extremely heavy motorcycle. Once again, hopefully things are improving. I rode a little Rebel 250, so I didn't have anything like that happening.

But I had been riding for about 25 years, and would have needed much more than one hand to count the close calls on. There are the idiots who pull out without looking, while I slam the brakes on and come to a stop a couple of inches from their car.

There was the truck with bald tires that had a back one blow out, and if I had been riding close would have been hit by the debris. Fortunately I saw that something looked wrong there.

Then there was the open highway, 55 mph, no traffic, perfect weather. I look in the rear view mirror and see some idiot coming up on me at 80 mph. I give the Rebel everything I can, the guy gets right up on the back tire, swerves into the other lane, comes along side of me, and loses control swerving into my lane. I leaned into his car at about 60 mph, with his tire scuffing the boot I was wearing. It threw the chain, and I was able to keep the motorcycle up and coast to a stop on the shoulder. It turned out he was reading a map at 80, and if his girlfriend hadn't screamed he would have run me over. Then it was spectacular to see the ambulance come racing up to where we were, because of course they figured I was laying on the highway. His car did end up with a big dent in the front fender, thank goodness for cheap steel.

Then there are the ones who see you and still don't care, coming into your lane figuring that you have to slam on the brakes or fall off. I ended up hitting one jerk's PT Cruiser that way. I slammed the brakes on, and touched the car at about one mph. It broke a taillight lens and scuffed the bumper. So the guy calls later and says that he got an estimate for $450. I said that sounded high, when he said that included replacing the rear bumper. From a Rebel touching it at 1 mph. It was about two seconds, while I was just trying to figure out what to say, when his wife yells, "Tell him to make it an even $500." I said something didn't sound right, but I would meet him and see the estimate. It just happened that another place would have done it for one fourth the price, in half the time, but with the scuff on the side of the car that the guy told me had happened in a parking lot, it would end up being about $450. Then he started saying that he needed a rental car for several days and it would be a lot more if I didn't pay him the $500 right then. I said I didn't think I was going to pay for that, and told him to get lost.

I somewhat ended up figuring that I had a successful motorcycle riding journey, and ended up selling the Rebel. Of course, it helped that my Prius with a Hymotion kit is getting about 150 mpg.

solarvic

Re: New Ride!

In Prnnsylvania just about everyone hits a deer at one time in thier life. I have hit 2 separate deer with my motorcycle and 4 other separate ones with cars and pickup. So besides watching for deer, bear and other idiots on the road you need to learn how to be a defensive driver. I quit motorcycleing a couple years ago after a buddy hit a deer and is blind for the rest of his life. Maybe it has something to do with old age too. I still have my voyager and maybe I might get it out next year. :Dsolarvic:D

ggunn

Re: New Ride!

sub3marathonman wrote: »

While that is true, it's not exactly true. The one detail is that Mythbusters conveniently chose motorcycles under 286cc. The ones exempt from the EPA regulations on larger motorcycles. There is a lengthy discussion about it at Priuschat: http://priuschat.com/forums/environmental-discussion/98496-scooters-motorcycles-can-pollute-90-times-much-suvs.html . I don't know what the outcome would be for more "mainstream" motorcycles of larger displacement.

Mythbusters is a very cool show, and I envy them their jobs. That said, understand that it is entertainment that they provide, not science.

I love it when they blow crap up, though. The cement truck was epic!

jagec

Re: New Ride!

Nice bike! I ride a Suzuki DL650. If I keep it under 50 and don't have side bags, it'll touch 60 MPG, but at reasonable speeds it still gets about 50 MPG. And, of course, it's a blast to ride! Here's a blurry picture:


As far as the cost-benefit analysis, I'd put my bike up against most cars. Sure, you gotta change the tires more often, but I probably change my tires about twice as often as I would in a car, and pay about 3/4 as much (assuming that you're actually putting quality tires on the car!). Maintenance is almost zero...this is an incredibly reliable bike, with no malfunctions yet. I rode it 20,000 miles before changing the spark plugs, air cleaner, and tires.

Overall, I'd say that my slightly higher costs in tires/chain/plugs aren't enough to offset the gas savings, particularly, with fuel at almost $4/gallon. And the more you ride, the more you save.

Another factor is insurance. Bikes (assuming they aren't sport bikes) are MUCH cheaper to insure than cars.

That said, there are days when I'm riding in near-freezing rain, with morons doing their best to clip me, when I wouldn't mind a bit more isolation from the outside world. And some days you can't ride at all:


But you simply can't beat riding the backroads in spring on a motorcycle.

BB.

Re: New Ride!

Yea--The Suzuki 650 family attracted my eye a few years ago--Looks like a fun bike (would like road/off road capable version)...

But that is not going to happen while married with young kids.

-Bill

TheBackRoads

Re: New Ride!

That is a nice bike! The V-Strom's are great bikes. I read a thread on ADV Rider about a guy that took a month trip around the US on one with minimal issues. Do you ride all year? I don't think I'll be that adventurous...

jagec

Re: New Ride!

TheBackRoads wrote: »

That is a nice bike! The V-Strom's are great bikes. I read a thread on ADV Rider about a guy that took a month trip around the US on one with minimal issues. Do you ride all year? I don't think I'll be that adventurous...

When I lived in Seattle, I commuted on it year-round. Now that I'm in Baltimore (yes, the bike made the trip on its own two wheels!), I walk to work. But I try to ride it as much as I can when it's not too unbearably humid. The cold doesn't bother me as much as the heat.