My Tires cost as much as gas per mile?

[savantelite]

My NT has is costing me more than I expected.

I once beleaved that my motorcycle was going to save me money. $50 miles a gallon on $4 gas is only $0.08 per mile! Whoo Hoo I thought. Untill last week a more veteran Cycler noticed my tires. As a Pickup and car drive my whole life I was under the impression motorcycles too ran 40,000 miles. At less than a $0.01 a mile Tire cost was a non-issue when they were lasting that long. But the veteran Motorcyclist shook his head. 4000 to 6000 on the back and 4000 to 8000 on the front. My mouth dropped. I calculated out the new cost of mounted tires to $450 then devided the cost by miles to end up with $0.08 per mile! I am spending the same on gas as tires! Doubling my cost per mile I have since started to search for other hiddin costs.

But even with the new cost. Driving a car is a ride and Riding my NT is still an adventure.

 

[Phil Tarman]

"Cheap" is an excuse for riding that is totally disconnected with reality. I'm now down to about $.09/mile for my farkles.

Some of us try not to even think about what riding costs us. But it is an adventure worth having.

Just don't think as much!

 

[EX Winger]

My NT has is costing me more than I expected.

I once beleaved that my motorcycle was going to save me money. $50 miles a gallon on $4 gas is only $0.08 per mile! Whoo Hoo I thought. Untill last week a more veteran Cycler noticed my tires. As a Pickup and car drive my whole life I was under the impression motorcycles too ran 40,000 miles. At less than a $0.01 a mile Tire cost was a non-issue when they were lasting that long. But the veteran Motorcyclist shook his head. 4000 to 6000 on the back and 4000 to 8000 on the front. My mouth dropped. I calculated out the new cost of mounted tires to $450 then devided the cost by miles to end up with $0.08 per mile! I am spending the same on gas as tires! Doubling my cost per mile I have since started to search for other hiddin costs.

But even with the new cost. Driving a car is a ride and Riding my NT is still an adventure.

Take a long look at the milage most are reporting here in the forum; You wont feel quite so bad. The figures you list are way low for tire milge unles you are really hard on them , or running on very aggressive chip sealed roads all the time.

Eldon

 

[Lorien]

The OEM tires might go away in the 6 to 8k range but I think that most are seeing much better milage on replacement tires-in the 10-12k range. My Dunlop RoadSmarts look like they will go +12k for instance.

 

[vzshadow]

Keep those tires properly inflated and you'll extend their life.

 

[EX Winger]

So true as Rick has said it so well.

 

[tawilke46]

I don't even want to know what my total cost and cost per mile might be. Ignorance is bliss on this. That $60 burger might be $120!
I'm just going to enjoy the bike and the ride!

 

[savantelite]

Just imagine what your car would look like if you farkeled it out as much as your bike!

 

[savantelite]

I'm now down to about $.09/mile for my farkles.

Thats hilarous!

 

[stupidmonkey]

I've calculated it to about 10 cents a mile on the bike to about 22 cents a mile in the car. The filling up of gas still costs much more in the car and I get about the same tank mileage from both. The new tires I'm putting on for my Iowa trip should last me 12K. I also take into consideration I can use the HOV lane which saves me many minutes of my commute in the mornings and afternoons.

 

[charlie b]

I figure it was either continue commuting with the truck (18mpg diesel) or buying a car to commute. Bike was/is much cheaper.

Tires? Must not have bought hi perf tires for a sports car. One set on my WRX went a while 18000 mi

And Rick, some of us do drive 100 mi to have lunch in a car...if it is the right car.

Oh, and if you think farkles on a bike cost a lot....

A bike is so very cheap to own, there isjust no comparison.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Just imagine what your car would look like if you farkeled it out as much as your bike!

I'd be surprised if you could find $4000 worth of farkles to add to a '99 Buick Century.

 

[RedLdr1]

Phil,

One trip to the custom tire and wheel store can run more than $4k... I see junkers with 22 inch, or larger, "rims and rubbers" all over Atlanta... If the owners would put as much money in to repairing the car as "blinging" it out it might run, and stop, a bit better...

 

[savantelite]

I'd be surprised if you could find $4000 worth of farkles to add to a '99 Buick Century.

Thats funny

 

[charlie b]

I'd be surprised if you could find $4000 worth of farkles to add to a '99 Buick Century.

No wonder you love your bikes so much

 

[vacanefan]

I'd be surprised if you could find $4000 worth of farkles to add to a '99 Buick Century.

Yes, there is: 2 more '99 Buick Centuries named Farkle One and Farkle Two. (and a good bit of parts for Farkle Three)

 

[Chuck 500]

You guys are right. MC tires don't last as long as car tires. With gentle riding (and a lot of straight roads) I got 12,500 miles on the OEM tires. I relaced them with Bridgestone BT023s which now have about 13,000 on them and still look very good. For MC I guess I get exceptional mileage on tires.

 

[Rich]

Actually, for certain particular situations there can be significant savings and advantages. A good example is a period when I often commuted into Seattle.

1. Parking. I got monthly parking permits in garages for 1/2 the cost of a car. In some areas one could park a bike for FREE with no such possibility for a car.
2. Ferry Tolls have always been way less than for a car. Depending on which route you're talking hundreds of dollars per month these days for frequent riders.
3. Ferry preferential loading. If they haven't dropped the loading gate yet, you'll almost always get on "this" ferry, instead of waiting 30-60 minutes for the next one. Plus there are provisions to allow you to bypass the auto ferry lines, making it more likely you'll arrive at the loading point before the gate drops AND the likelihood you get loaded before all the cars. In the latter case you also get off first, as well.
4. You get to ride in HOV lanes. At some times and locations this can cut your commute EACH WAY by 20 minutes.

Around here there are numerous riders who ONLY ride their bikes when commuting. They may save themselves hundreds of dollars and many dozens of hours each month over using a car.

 

[Chuck 500]

While the overall costs may be close, I find the bike is a savings in weekly "out of pocket" costs.

1. HOV lane is free v. $6 per day in the car.
2. Parking is free v. $25 per day in the car (company pays but it is a consideration)
3. Bike gets 50+ mpg v. car at 30- (I can commute bot on one tank but the car tank is three times the size)

Of course, the bike is WAY more fun (maybe as much fun as you can have, legally) even in this heat.

Keep the shiny side up,

Chuck

 

[WVRider]

I got just over 7000 miles on my OEM tires equally. I installed Pilot Road 2's on it and now have over 8000 miles on them and they hardly look worn. Have to admit though that about 2500 to 3000 miles of that is likely interstate I'm sad to acknowlege. I'm with you though it is the adventure portion I'm after regardless the cost.