Is a motorcycle frugal

[Cuau]

So we have only one car, and I have to ride the bus with my little one to school and daycare. In summer, is no biggie, but right now with the cold, my dh is worried about us all the time. He is insisting on getting a moped or motorcycle for him and then letting me drive the car. Is this frugal at all. I guess as far as gas, it is but how about insurance and manintenance

[ShaggyDaddy]

If he buys a harley Davidson Fatboy... NO
if he buys a super fast sportbike... NO
If he buys a used 250-500cc street/highway bike absolutly yes it is frugal, but only if he rides it.

Most people who own Motorcycles think they are going to ride them, but they just don't. It is not comfortable, it is not safe, it is not climate controlled, it is not easy. If he is ready for that then go for it.

A 250CC Honda Rebel is $3600 brand new and 50-60MPG. Add the proper gear and you are talking $3800 for 50MPG and a brand new vehicle that has a honda power plant... 100,000 miles is possible on the motor with regular oil changes, but 100,000 miles is A LONG WAY on a motorcycle.

Now if you consider that the bottom of the line cruiser from Honda is $3600, imagine what you could pay for a 5 year old one. I bought a 500CC Honda cruiser for $300 and it had 5,000 miles on it (I had to do a 2 hour $30 repair on it) .

Keep in mind if you are doing this to be frugal, then be frugal about it... there are $40,000 motorcycles (harleys) and there are $3,000 motorcycles.

Personally if I were the mototcycle type, I would buy a cheap used honda, and I would not scrimp on protective gear.

If you budget $500-$1000 for a used bike, you can get pretty much anything you want. And if you wait for a deal you can get a great one.

Insurance for me was $15 per month when I was 18 years old.

[kdabbler]

Very well said ShaggyDaddy.

And let me second ShaggyDaddy's suggestion about NOT skimping on the safety gear. At a minimum, buy a full face helmet (unless he's getting a moped that can't break 15 mph), buy the good gloves, buy a REAL motorcycle jacket that has hard-sided or semi-flexible pads for elbows and back and be sure he's wearing boots. Riding a motorcycle, it's not a question of if you're going to go down, but when.

There are lots of great deals on used bikes to be found. If he does go the ultra cheap route and buys someone's long unused crotch rocket, be sure it gets a thorough check up by an experienced mechanic and spend the money on buying new tires.

That brings me to another cost to figure into your annual spending. Depending on your dh's mileage and where the bike is being stored (indoors or out), you may need to figure buying a new pair of tires each year. Like cars, motorcycles work best when they're replaced in pairs.

You have me dreaming about getting mine back - no need to pay for parking, no long waits in the back to back commuting exodus in my town (I used to split lanes ), the looks of admiration from strangers when they see a chick on a bike...

But to return to the topic of whether it's frugal or not. It is frugal if you are looking to buy a second vehicle for the household. Because it will be slightly cheaper to operate and will open up family logistics because you could be in to different locations at once and not depend on a bus schedule.

Former 1985 BMW R65 and 1983 Honda 450 owner
Motorcycles and toddlers just don't mix in my life at the moment.

[ShaggyDaddy]

Originally Posted by kdabbler

(I used to split lanes )

Splitting lanes is legal and encouraged in California. There are many signs that inform cars to share the lane with lane splitting motorcycles. However, if there is an accident, the lane splitting motorcycle will be deemed responsible. But of course just because it's legal doesn't mean it is safe.

[~Megan~]

dh has one and before we moved far from his work he drove it everyday to work. He didn't have to pay parking like a car, the gas was about $9 a month, insurance was the same. His came with a maintenance package so there wasn't maintenance to worry about.

I think it was a good choice for us.

He does also use it for fun, taking drives to pretty places. And sometimes to take himself to Dr's appointments, or to his parents', etc

[starling&diesel]

We've got one we use from May-Sept for my DP to commute to the next town where she works. Otherwise, we have a truck, which uses waaaaay more gas.

However, check your insurance rates where you live. Depending on how your area is for MVA's, that will affect your costs. We live in a mountain region with a high crash rate, so her insurance is closer to $100/month, even with her 43% off Perfect Driver discount.

Along with the safety gear you're not going to scrimp on, you might consider investing in a heated vest and making sure the bike you buy has a windshield. Makes all the difference in terms of how long the riding season will be for your household.

That all said, I worry about her on the road ... not because of her, but because of everyone else and how the majority of drivers pay no attention to how their driving affects motorcyclists.
I'm a paramedic, and in my experience Car/Truck/Semi/Deer/Guardrail vs. Motorcycle calls rarely have happy endings.
Carefully consider where DP will be driving, what the collision stats are for that area, and his riding ability (newbie?) ... and be sure to factor those in too when considering how frugal this will be need to be in order to keep your mind at ease.

[Smokering]

Currently the only 'family vehicle' we own is DH's motorbike. We probably need to get a car before the baby's born, but we're both resisting--we hate cars, not to mention the expense.

DH's motorbike (an FZ6) was more expensive than a car, even second-hand. Plus there's the gear--we must have laid out around $1000 for helmets, leathers etc. Possibly more? I dunno. Not cheap, anyhow.

BUT, it costs very little to fill up, and that's a huge bonus these days. Plus, parking is free--there's always somewhere a bike can park. (And yep, he lanesplits. I think it's legal in NZ, and it isn't particularly dangerous if you know what you're doing). Plus, there's a joy and freedom to motorbike riding you just can't get with a car. (Although there's also a certain joy and freedom to being able to wear a skirt if you want, or put your hair up in a non-helmet-proof style... but still).

[mama kate]

Originally Posted by ShaggyDaddy

Most people who own Motorcycles think they are going to ride them, but they just don't. It is not comfortable, it is not safe, it is not climate controlled, it is not easy.

They do (& often)- They are (if you have the right bike) - They are (it's unsafe CAR drivers & bad decisions/alcohol that cause most bike accidents)- You can be. (leathers, electric warming gear, rain gear) - It can be (with practice & classes)

[captivatedlife]

:

I may be a scooter person (I loved my Kymco...) but I feel the same way. And do not skimp on safety gear.

[mama kate]

To answer the OP's question - yes they can be - It is so much nicer to get a $14 receipt for gas for the week rather than 65-70 when DH drives his truck or 40 for my car

[Emmeline II]

Yes, they can be if you have a bike like what is mentioned above (we do) but, we are in south central Texas and it is too cold to ride in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon. Motorcycles are not a winter ride in most places unless you want to buy all the weather gear. And maintenance on bikes is pricey as well.

[Smokering]

Most people who own Motorcycles think they are going to ride them, but they just don't. It is not comfortable, it is not safe, it is not climate controlled, it is not easy.

Yeah, this seems a little harsh! I've rarely found motorbiking uncomfortable (as a pillion, this is, I don't drive one myself). Putting the gear on in hot weather can be a pain, but once you're on the bike the wind usually cools you down pretty well (and conversely, decent gear keeps you warm and dry in winter). I don't know if that counts as 'climate control', but it's not bad. Also, small point of interest--I used to get carsick a lot, and had a recurrence of that when I was newly pregnant. But I never felt sick on the motorbike--presumably because I was moving with it, not sitting in a jolting vehicle. So actually, for a while there motorbiking was a lot more comfortable than car travel!

'Safe' and 'easy' depend on a lot of factors. DH has crashed/dropped his bike a few times. Only once was he hurt anywhere near seriously (he bunged up his knee a bit), and that was his own silly fault, when he was a newbie driver, for taking an unknown corner too fast. Now he's been riding for years, is extremely competent, and I don't find sitting behind him on a motorbike any riskier than being in a car with my mother (who is a mediocre driver, like most car drivers in NZ). At least on a motorbike when cars do stupid things, as they invariably do, you have a lot of power, speed and manoeuvrability to get you out of a bad situation (and the ability to be thrown clear, if the worst comes to the worst). I'm not sure I'd be prepared to say motorbikes are as safe as cars, but they're not a death sentence either. And driving a motorbike WILL make you a better car driver--DH is of the opinion that everyone in NZ should be forced to get their motorbike licence before they can drive a car, to make the roads safer. (It'd reduce pollution and congestion, too... another plus).

Of course, some of this is probably a tad nostalgic... I haven't been able to go on the back of the motorbike for months now due to pregnancy (the darned jacket won't do up!), and I really miss it. It was a lovely, intimate, bonding thing for DH and me. If your husband gets a motorbike, make sure he gets one that's comfy for a pillion, and make him take you out in the country for a drive sometime.

[mama kate]

DH has been riding almost everyday that it hasn't been drizzling out - even in the cooler weather - he has mediocre at best leather chaps over his dress pants & wears an everyday fleece under a windbreaker type jacket plus heavyn gloves - he says its been a bit chilly - but we have yet to spend $$$ on clothes for riding. He does all his own maintenance so all that it costs him is parts/fluids.

[rsummer]

Yeah, I'm an ICU nurse, and although motorcycles are romantic and save money on gas, if you are going to use one as your daily rider, I would seriously consider long term disability insurance. There are things far worse than death. And I admit that I have a flare for the mellowdramatic, but seriously, motorcycles can be dangerous.

[dillonandmarasmom]

Originally Posted by rsummer

Yeah, I'm an ICU nurse, and although motorcycles are romantic and save money on gas, if you are going to use one as your daily rider, I would seriously consider long term disability insurance. There are things far worse than death. And I admit that I have a flare for the mellowdramatic, but seriously, motorcycles can be dangerous.

I second that. DH has toyed with the idea of a bike again (he's had one a couple of times since we've been together), but I remind him of his accident, the stitches, the road rash, the eeeeewww...sticky skin and bandages...

If he does get one, I would be sure to invest in some really good gear (which actually becomes even *more* enticing to DH).

[CarrieMF]

I've tried encouraging DH to get a bike again. He bought one for $1000, then the helmet. no he never wore proper clothing(though he never went riding with tank tops like I see alot of idiots either). we lived 5 miles from town on grid/gravel roads & his work was on the opposite side of town. He had the bike for a year before a rock hit where the oil goes causing a huge hole & they declared the bike totaled. He sold it for $1800.

He had to pay to get the proper liscence to drive the bike too.

Right now we live a 5minute drive to his work, if he could(and he honestly probably could) get away with it he'd drive his quad to work. He drives his truck instead unless I don't need the car then he takes that. We'd save quite a bit of gas if he got a bike, but he doesn't want to right now. Where his work is, if we moved to an acreage he'd be able to ride his quad to work.

[Herausgeber]

You taking the bus is safer, and I suspect it's cheaper even before you account for the risk you're taking with DH's health and life.