subject: Increase Your Mpg And Lower Your Outgoings By Buying A Motorbike [print this page] If any personal research has ever been carried out into achieving a respectable miles per gallon ratio in a car, it will have become apparent that the MPG, whilst determined largely by the vehicle itself, is affected by a range of other factors. Whilst the same statement applies when using a motorbike, achieving a better MPG is a lot easier as a substantial amount of motorbikes have the ability to achieve a rate that is, on average, twice as good that of a car.
For example, a Vauxhall Astra with a 1.6 engine is generally considered to be able to achieve a figure of 40 miles to the gallon when on a motorway and which will decrease to approximately 30 miles to the gallon when driving short distances, for example, around town.
Now take a look at the Kawasaki Ninja EX250R. The Ninja has been created by Kawasaki since 1986 and is considered to be a very middle of the road Superbike. The most recent model, however, was put on the market in 2008 and is capable of achieving a rate of 70 MPG. Although this may be considered to the official figure, which often relies on perfect (if not somewhat strange) driving habits, even if personal reports of a lower 60 MPG are used, this is still a considerable 100% increase over the Vauxhall Astra.
As tempting as it can be to purchase a motorbike believing that it can achieve this high of an MPG, it has to be remembered that the rate can be affected a lot easier on a motorbike than on a car as there is less room to spread any additional weight around and it is also a lot easier to change the aerodynamics, which can have a substantial effect on the overall MPG.
In addition, whilst a low MPG can make a motorbike affordable, it is not by far the only aspect that should be thought of and there are several other financial factors that need to be taken into consideration when purchasing a motorbike for financial purposes.
Motorbike insurance, for example, is no different to car insurance and is a legal requirement before the vehicle can be taken out onto the public road. Unlike the car equivalent, however, there is not a particularly broad range of motorbike insurance companies to choose from, meaning that it can be difficult to receive an affordable quote.
It may seem like a sweeping statement, but generally speaking by riding a motorbike you can expect to save a substantial sum of money when compared to owning and utilizing a car. It is easier to achieve a better MPG and according to the official figures published on the DirectGov website, both the vehicle tax and MOT test are both significantly less than for the vast majority of cars (with the only exception being cars with a CO2 emission rate of less than 120g/km). It may take a while to get used to riding outside of the confinement of a car body, but if budgeting is an issue and travel is necessary, using a motorbike is definitely the way forward.
