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bikepilot · 02-09-2011, 04:55 PM

I've used motorcycles and bicycles for personal transport and commuting for the past decade+ and quite like them. Just from a fuel and O&M cost standpoint they aren't a huge savings from cars and more expensive than a really cheap car (like my wife's VX), but its much more fun and can have huge benefits - for example free parking and HOV lane access. Just the parking saves me $240/month and HOV access saves me about 15 minutes a day.

I also enjoy riding the bike, even to work and dislike driving cars in traffic, so there's that

I haven't found commuting to spoil the fun at all - whenever I have vacation time I go riding and if the time is long enough I usually find myself in Colorado and Baja.

In general I find maintenance on bikes to be more $$/mile than economy cars, but less than high end performance cars. On my street bikes (mostly sport or sportish bikes) high end chain/sprocket combos cost almost $300, but last 40k miles. Tires last 15-20k miles and cost $350. Brake pads last 20k and cost $100. My wife's civic goes much further on wear items and things like brakes cost less. But it won't go 170mph, go 0-60 in <3 seconds, 60-0 in <110', and is quite a bore to drive so I don't much care

Then there's lots of little stuff - cables every year or two, new riding jacket, boots, pants, gloves and helmet every few years, occasional replacement of bearings here and there, filters, etc.

I do ride 365 days/yr no matter the weather though (live in Boston and NoVA/DC).

02-09-2011, 04:55 PM	#24 (permalink)
bikepilot EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Tampa FL Posts: 49 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	I've used motorcycles and bicycles for personal transport and commuting for the past decade+ and quite like them. Just from a fuel and O&M cost standpoint they aren't a huge savings from cars and more expensive than a really cheap car (like my wife's VX), but its much more fun and can have huge benefits - for example free parking and HOV lane access. Just the parking saves me $240/month and HOV access saves me about 15 minutes a day. I also enjoy riding the bike, even to work and dislike driving cars in traffic, so there's that I haven't found commuting to spoil the fun at all - whenever I have vacation time I go riding and if the time is long enough I usually find myself in Colorado and Baja. In general I find maintenance on bikes to be more $$/mile than economy cars, but less than high end performance cars. On my street bikes (mostly sport or sportish bikes) high end chain/sprocket combos cost almost $300, but last 40k miles. Tires last 15-20k miles and cost $350. Brake pads last 20k and cost $100. My wife's civic goes much further on wear items and things like brakes cost less. But it won't go 170mph, go 0-60 in <3 seconds, 60-0 in <110', and is quite a bore to drive so I don't much care Then there's lots of little stuff - cables every year or two, new riding jacket, boots, pants, gloves and helmet every few years, occasional replacement of bearings here and there, filters, etc. I do ride 365 days/yr no matter the weather though (live in Boston and NoVA/DC).