Why are motorcycles losing the fuel economy race?

[ride2fast]

The NC750x is an economy bike *overall* but I think it would be safe to say that the mileage is not the top decision maker for many riders when factoring purchase cost, insurance, maintenance, accessories, etc

Provided you perform all the routine maintenance yourself, i.e change the tire, oil change etc.. Cost is cheaper owning the NC. Also depends where you live. Some states do not require insurance riding a motorcycle.
I commute everyday, rain or shine. (no snow where i live). Commuting on my bike save me 15 minutes day due to lane splitting compare to driving. That's almost a week off a year

Lets not forget therapy cost saving. Riding is the best form of therapy. You never see motorcycles park at a therapist office

 

[Rapturee]

MR, that is the exact reason i parked my CBR and purchased the NC700x! I'm too old to ride in the Sport-Bike position anymore. Then i read a really cool article on the NC700x by AMA Hall of Famer Craig Vetter! I looked into one and was very impressed with the real world MPG. So between the high MPG and Craig's recommendation...i grabbed the first great deal on one i could get!! :{)

 

[Rapturee]

Lets not forget therapy cost saving. Riding is the best form of therapy. You never see motorcycles park at a therapist office

R2f...i have a picture that address that exact benefit!!

 

[Jos]

Knowing I am going to RIDE to work is what gets me up in the morning

I chose the NC DCT for overall confort / price ratio and the fuel economy / low maintenance was a factor too.

And for info the gallon here in France is about 6,5 USD (1,4 € / l). Yikes.

 

[TheIronWarrior]

I don't think I have bought too many farkles for my fiesta but I have spent a ton (windshield, luggage...) on the bike though.

Oh, I completely forgot the Farkle Budget. Cost of bike ownership probably doubles on average when you include that...

 

[lue42]

Oh, I completely forgot the Farkle Budget. Cost of bike ownership probably doubles on average when you include that...

That is something you never want to add up...

Windshield, hard luggage/racks, misc throttle stuff, helmet, sena bluetooth, jackets, gloves, boots, battery tender, center stand, etc...etc.. etc.. easily close to $3000, prob more

I bought an air freshener for the Fiesta once!

 

[Moto-Kafe]

I bought an air freshener for the Fiesta once!

FAIL..........!!!!!! Don't you know an air freshener is considered "Bling" if exposed to the public eye, not a farkle. Sorry.

 

[frog13]

Honda automotive found out the hard way reference cylinder management. .....fail. Automobile manufacturing has attempted this cylinder management nonsense for over four decades ; leave it alone it doesn't function efficiently.
Most "green" aspects are rubbish anyway , a BS concept from Europe..... England / France. Go figure.

 

[MZ5]

Do manufacturers really have to be hit up side the head in order to get them to improve their products? Strangely it sure seems that way from what I can see in the motorcycle market. A motorcycle getting 40mpg is still burning a gallon of gas every 40 miles, and it is still emitting the same polutants that a car is, maybe even worse.

Sadly, the vast majority of available evidence indicates that yes, manufacturers DO have to be hit up-side the head (regulated) to improve anything (other than their profitability?). And motorcycles are gross polluters. Congress, through EPA, is slowly leveling the playing field, emissions-wise, but m/cs remain gross polluters at this point. I'm not sure what would happen, other than a huge amount more whining from people who wouldn't even ride the bikes to see how they liked them, if CAFE-like standards were applied to motorcycles. I don't think the market demands fuel efficiency _too_ strongly, because it's difficult to even get mpg figures out of the major manufacturers on more than a portion of their models.

Personally, mpg _is_ important to me. Nevertheless, I only have to let my brain work for just a second to realize that fuel is not the significant expense, proportionally, for motorcycles that it is for cars and pickups. As others have rightly posted, tires, chains, and sprockets are the big expenses. Valve adjustments and general service costs, too, for the majority who can't or don't want to do their own maintenance work.