$5.00 per gallon gas strategy

[xcgates]

Originally Posted by Ben Eberle

350 to 500 cc is enough, even on the freeways of Dallas. With huge mega-motorcycles, you find yourself avoiding dirt roads, scenic one laners with low water crossings etc.

The rest of the world will little note nor long remember who owned the biggest, fastest, most customized motorcycle. Without looking, can you name the make and model of cars your neighbors drive? I can't either.

99% of my time is spent in/around San Antonio, on one highway or another. Having a liter bike with plenty of oomph is the perfect bike for that 99% if riding. It can even carry large heavy stuff like racks from Lowes, and lawnmowers.

Now, that 1% of the time I'm following Rod down some god-forsaken goat path, I wouldn't mind a smaller, lighter bike.

[kurt]

I love irony:

15 Times Obama and Top Dems Blame Bush For Gas Prices - YouTube

15 Times Obama and Top Dems Blame Bush For Gas Prices - YouTube

[SL350]

One more thought about gas - we have not considered availability. If the prices goes up that is totally different from supply problems. If the straits were closed it would do both. I could see a scenario with rationing in our future.

[JTM]

Originally Posted by SL350

TU250 is infinitely more road worthy than a mid 60s Honda 305. Think about Pirsig and Zen.

I sat on a TU250 yesterday, that whole bike feels comfortable.

I was also looking at Ninja 250s, 650s, Versys, and CBR250s. I'm not looking for better mileage, I just miss being able to touch the ground.

Originally Posted by Ben Eberle

Without looking, can you name the make and model of cars your neighbors drive? I can't either.

Yep, but I am better at remember what people drive than their names.

[Ben Eberle]

Another nice thing about small bikes is that you can easily pick them up yourself if you accidently drop one in a parking lot.
I had the ZRX go down on me, the side stand wasn't all the way up and when I let out the clutch to go while making a turn, the sidestand switch killed the engine and the sudden engine braking just made me drop the bike. It took every ounce of strength I had to pick that bike back up and my back hurt for days afterward.

[Ghost Rider]

Originally Posted by SL350

I have never understood SUVs for city folks. If you need to carry a lot of people or gear, mimvans get a ton better mpg. With the seats out they can ferry your cycle also. But it ain't cool and it is a free country.

The Dodge Caravan gets 23-24 highway with the 3.8 and it has plenty of go. The 4 probably does much better.

My BIG SUV gets slightly less miles per gallon than my Honda mini-van, but the ride is significantly better in my monster Infinity. Since the big SUV is primarily used for hauling kids to school it is driven much less that the average of 12000 miles a year. It usually only totals 2/3 of the statistical milage, and my Ram 1500 with a Hemi is usually 6000 miles a year. I just take a motorcycle everywhere I can because it is easier to park, and WAY more fun.

[dfwscotty]

I'm in my 40's and now drive the first car I have ever owned. Trucks and Jeeps until now. Had an 03 Wrangler and was stupid for getting rid of that. My previous ride was an 08 Wrangler. Used to think that 18 mpg was good. Past few months that thought was washed away. Got to shopping for something with better mileage. It was my first choice over style or room with cost being the second option. I am 6-2 and was looking at a Ford Fiesta (yea, thats how bad it was). Then I saw a new Ford Focus hatchback drive by one day. I thought they would get a few mpg less than the Fiesta and be several thousand more. I looked online and they got the same mileage as the Fiesta and was not that much more expensive. 34-38 mpg and lots more space for me. It does look pretty good in the dark gray. Yea, it's missing some nice things but its also the first car I bought that was well under $20,000. I'm enjoying the heck out of it. It's really helped with my 70 mile commute. I can really take it easy on the mileage but when I jump on it, its got it where it counts. Payments are easier on the wallet too.

Still ride the bikes to work with 45-50 mpg but it gives me one more option.

[Hood Ornament]

Originally Posted by Ben Eberle

The rest of the world will little note nor long remember who owned the biggest, fastest, most customized motorcycle. Without looking, can you name the make and model of cars your neighbors drive? I can't either.

Kinda of a what you are into thing. I for one have no interest in cars. I've never owned one and I probably never will. So I couldn't tell you what kind of car my neighbors drive anymore then I could tell you what kind of shoes they wear. I could care less. But when it comes to motorcycles that's different.

[STman]

Originally Posted by Hood Ornament

Kinda of a what you are into thing. I for one have no interest in cars. I've never owned one and I probably never will. So I couldn't tell you what kind of car my neighbors drive anymore then I could tell you what kind of shoes they wear. I could care less. But when it comes to motorcycles that's different.

Hold it! You've never owned a car? Seriously? I'm very curious to your age and how you've managed to never own a car.

[DFW_Warrior]

Originally Posted by STman

Hold it! You've never owned a car? Seriously? I'm very curious to your age and how you've managed to never own a car.

I've never owned a car either. Now trucks on the other hand, I have owned three so far.

[Soly]

Originally Posted by DFW_Warrior

I've never owned a car either. Now trucks on the other hand, I have owned three so far.

Same here. I'm on my third truck and I love it (2004 F150 Crew Cab). I bought it new in 2004 and just hit 40k miles last month. Hindsight being what it is I probably would have purchased something more economical, but as it is I don't regret my choice. Now that I have a bike, the truck will be seeing even less mileage per year.

[El Fenix]

I may try to pick up a used truck cheap, and use it for logner trips, grocery runs, in the rain ect. Right now the bike is all I have.

[Hood Ornament]

Originally Posted by DFW_Warrior

I've never owned a car either. Now trucks on the other hand, I have owned three so far.

Yup, nothing but trucks and a couple SUV's. Cars are useless to me.

[DFW_Warrior]

It has always been a one truck, one car family for us. I've got the truck for doing stuff that needs a truck to get done, and she has the car for running around town and doing stuff that needs a car. Then we both have the bikes for doing what bikes are good for.

I like having options....

[Buellboy]

I drive 5000 miles a month for my work as a sales rep. I am a independent rep so I pay my own expenses for fuel, maintenance, insurance, tires, ect. I bought a 30MPG car last July thinking that would "help me" with rising fuel costs. Then bought a GSX1250FA with the "bag deal" thinking I might use that in my work. Then gas prices "really took off" again in Feb 12 so I traded the 30MPG car for a 40MPG one. None of these are turbo's or Hybrids so I am serious about gas fuel efficiency. So far the 40MPG car is beating the bike because of two reasons. I drive way to fast on the bike (lowering the fuel mileage) and the bike just needed a high dollar rear tire at less than 3K miles. The front is wearing weird and may need replacement soon as well. $5.00 fuel is a "no win" for me with pure electrics too as I drive more than 100-150 miles per day and no pure electric vehicle (affordable one under $20K) can go that far yet. What happened to the 50MPG CRX HF of the late 80's early 90's? Are they rated so differently now that no non hybrid can match that anymore? And please, do not even mention Scooters to me as that is just not an alternative for me to use....

[tshelfer]

What happened to 50mpg CRXs? To a large extent, regulation happened to them and other hyper-mile cars. When I was in college (1969-73), a 4-cylinder car weighed anywhere from 1400 to 2000 lbs. Nowadays, 2000 lbs is about the starting place; 2500-3000 is more common. If we had the engine technology of today in the Opel GT of yesterday, we'd have a rocket sled that got 40mpg. Then again, crashes would be less survivable. Everything's a trade-off.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by tshelfer

What happened to 50mpg CRXs? To a large extent, regulation happened to them and other hyper-mile cars. When I was in college (1969-73), a 4-cylinder car weighed anywhere from 1400 to 2000 lbs. Nowadays, 2000 lbs is about the starting place; 2500-3000 is more common. If we had the engine technology of today in the Opel GT of yesterday, we'd have a rocket sled that got 40mpg. Then again, crashes would be less survivable. Everything's a trade-off.

+1
Only thing 2,000 lbs nowadays is a Smart car. Even the new Scion iQ (smart sized car) is over 2,100 lbs. A new Honda Civic can weigh as much as 2,800 lbs. Even my subcompact Honda Fit weighs 2,500 lbs.

When the CRX HF was first released it weighed 1,713 lbs. engine was 62 hp and did 0 to 60mph in about 12 seconds. My Fit is 117 hp and can do 0 to 60mph in about the same time as a 1982 Corvette with 350 cu. in V8 (~8.x seconds). For me I'm very happy to have a safe and peppy car that still returns near 40 mpg.

_

[YoDoc]

Smart car

[Tracker]

Originally Posted by YoDoc

Smart car

Red nose and big floppy shoes not included.

[YoDoc]

I always think of those little plastic cars kids get at a certain age when I see them.