Ditching the car .....

[slparry]

Last year, and the year before, I did 2000 miles from MoT to MoT in the car, mainly 'cos I hate sitting in traffic. It's a lovely drive but perhaps being a motorcyclist has just spoilt me for traffic jams.

The RFL was due the beginning of the month so I thought hey what the heck, rather than do what I normally do and just renew it I'll put it on a sorn. Not needed it at all this month so at worst it's saved me a months tax

I got to wondering, bikes have moved from the mobility vehicle of the masses in the 50's 60's and 70's to being expensive playthings. I just wondered if motoring costs are now rising to almost the point where bikes for commuting could soon have a resurgence with the general public? Or does the cost of fuel etc have to bite even further? (so long as they're not the crap things from China). Perhaps this is BMW's reasoning with climbing into bed with that Indian motorcycle manufacturer.

What d'ya reckon guys ?

[tanneman]

Most certainly for the younger generation as the insurance costs is preventing them from buying a car until their 20's. It makes sense to have a cheaper secondhand run around to commute on. You'll have to do the calculations to make up your mind. We do about 6000 mls a year max in the car. I do a similar amount on the GSA and lot less on the 11S. The 2 bikes is bit dearer to run than the car but if the GSA is removed from the picture then the bike is definitely the cheaper option. This taking into account running costs, servicing, tax and insurance.

[Hayden]

I do about 6K a year on the bike, ( alot more if the sun shines at the weekend) commute all year round. the family car does less than 5K!
trouble is I reckon on `loosing` at least 4-5 weeks in Jan/Feb when the roads are just not usable, snow, black ice etc, so I have to borrow a car, for some this is not possible so its easier for some to get a small car for the commute that will at least be able to get there all year round, in theroy!
This being the case then you have to make cost choices, can I use a bike 90% of the time but afford a car as back up?
That said there is Undoubtably more little commuter bikes about, if not all year round..

[ianbcr]

I am the opposite, got both the bcr and tiller out for there mot`s last time I was home, both had only covered 4 miles each since last years mot, at least the bcr has now gone over the 10k mark. missus uses the car for work.

[Bikerhoss]

Despite it being confusing getting a bike licence these days, I think it's definitely the cheaper option for the yoof of today. I notice a lot more 125s and scooters in our neck of the woods over the last year than for several years before that. Pals daughter is just learning to drive, and it'll cost them £850 to insure her for their 14 year old 1.2 Corsa.

I do about 6/8000 miles each on car & bike per year, But then I need the 4 wheel option for our dogs, and the 4x4 capability in winter, One of the costs of rural living I suppose. I do use the bike as much as possible through the winter though, because like you Mr Parry, I hate the queues.

[nab 301]

What d'ya reckon guys ?

Having recently purchased a small car after a long hiatus, the last time I had a car I drove about 500 miles in the previous year.
While it is a bit of a luxury it's great for those icy mornings and awkward packages that won't fit on a bike.
First day I used it I nearly filtered down the outside of a line of traffic .
Get yourself a Seat Arosa 1.0L , you know it make sense , does nearly 40mpg too , despite not sparing the 40 odd horses..

[slparry]

thing is it's always still going to be stuck in jams, whereas the F650 just cuts through all the traffic, and I find the F650 better in the snow than any 2wd car

[Merecat]

I did the riding all year round thing for a few years, first on a CBR 600 and then later on a TDM 850. and TBH it really took the shine off biking for me.
With the the excessive number of cooler months in the year, I used to judge the seasons by how much my fingers hurt when I got to work, and then back home again and I was only doing 15 mile each way!
A biking workmate watched me turn up covered in perma frost and made the comment "Bloody hell! Biking should be enjoyed, not endured and that stuck with me.
So at the first opportunity i got a cheap runabout and the bike now is for warmer days and is enjoyed not endured.
OK I don't do as many miles as it used to but the ratio of smiles to miles is much higher!!

Mick

[nab 301]

At the end of the day whatever works for you , I've never found filtering to be possible in heavy snow what with ruts / slush etc. The time saved on the bike is easily lost if you have to spend 6 weeks in a plaster cast

[boxerscott]

[quote="slparry"]Last year, and the year before, I did 2000 miles from MoT to MoT in the car, mainly 'cos I hate sitting in traffic. It's a lovely drive but perhaps being a motorcyclist has just spoilt me for traffic jams.

The RFL was due the beginning of the month so I thought hey what the heck, rather than do what I normally do and just renew it I'll put it on a sorn. Not needed it at all this month so at worst it's saved me a months tax

I got to wondering, bikes have moved from the mobility vehicle of the masses in the 50's 60's and 70's to being expensive playthings. I just wondered if motoring costs are now rising to almost the point where bikes for commuting could soon have a resurgence with the general public? Or does the cost of fuel etc have to bite even further? (so long as they're not the crap things from China). Perhaps this is BMW's reasoning with climbing into bed with that Indian motorcycle manufacturer.

What d'ya reckon guys ?


Use your bus pass Steve

[Blackal]

.

The RFL was due the beginning of the month so I thought hey what the heck, rather than do what I normally do and just renew it I'll put it on a sorn. Not needed it at all this month so at worst it's saved me a months tax


What d'ya reckon guys ?

Buy 6m tax in beginning of May - have use of bike through end of October.

Buy 1st June - valid until end of November.

Hard to say whether you'd get more use out of the bike in May or November?

I've held off taxing my GS until 1st June - on that probability

Al

[Twinspark]

Before I got a car licence, I ran through these kind of calculations.

My conclusion was that unless you want an exceptionally dull bike like a Honda Dullville, then a smaller car will always be cheaper to run.

Even a thirsty car can be cheap in comparison with a bike - my MX5 costs me £180 to insure, 1 oil / filter change a year (call that 25 quid), the tyres seemingly last forever (6k miles and half a dozen track days on the same set!) and brake pads are something like 20 quid for a front set. It only does 30-35mpg - but then, I don't think my Boxer does an awful lot more anyway.

Also consider that the MX5 only cost me a grand - you don't get much bike for that kind of cash.

[cornishflat]

Its a question I,ve asked myself many a time. I juggle between car, 1100s r80 and cycling to work pretty much as the mood and weather takes me. Although as I get older the winter rains soon have me reaching for the car keys, its not that the weather frightens me I just can,t me arsed to dress up and with the car looking at me from the carport is all too easy.
With petrol prices still on the up I,ve thought about a small commuter bike but then its another tax, mot etc, and so it goes on.

[rhobgoblins]

When I started riding bikes in the late 70's it was a choice you made because it was by far the cheaper option and everyone did it before progressing on to four wheels. For some, like me, the bug caught and I've had a bike ever since.

However, it's no longer the cheap option and to run a large bike today probably costs the same as a small car, particularly now that fuel consumption on cars has improved so much - my heavy lumbering C5 estate uses less fuel than the S, only costs £150 a year to insure fully comp and £130 tax. I couldn't do without a car for practical reasons and do about 12k/6k a year between bike/car although over the last winter I've probably used the car far more than ever before because of the crap weather.

The government should be encouraging people on to bikes to ease congestion not making it so difficult to obtain your licence that many don't even try. I commute into the centre of Bristol every day and it's great that the bus lanes have been opened up to bikes but no provision has been made for what to do when you actually arrive. Looking around, there are so few designated bike parks - the authorities just don't think.

[Gromit]

With 2 young children, for us having a car is mandatory - and living in the country (with a virtually non-existent bus service) having 2 cars is equally important.

Bought a little Pug 107 3 years ago and it costs virtually pennies to run:

50mpg
£20/yr road tax
Tyres - £200 for full set, last 25k miles.
£140 insurance

And it's hilarious to drive...and has a great heater.

Even a very dull motorycle can't compete with that...and we don't get traffic jams up here, except when the Lincolnshire Safety Car is deployed (the slow tractor).