Cost to own a motorcycle

**sinned** · 28th September 2010, 19:19

I always thought running a bike was costly but didn't know how much until I added it up. That little jaunt on a Sunday costs a lot more than the flat white or lunch.

My running amounts to a bit over 10,000kms per year and I will probably keep this bike for 5 years. Excluding the cost of money invested the bike is costing me around $6000 a year. Here are my calculations of cost per 1000kms on a 10,000km year:
Front tyre (12K) $18.57
Rear tyre (8k) $41.25
Services (6k) $85.00
WOF $4.00
Insurance $78.00
Fuel $109.00
Registration $57.80
Loss on sale est $160.00
TOTAL $553.62 per 1000kms.
Plus other little expenses; helmet, gloves, gear, chains, broken stuff etc.

It is cheaper to drive the car.

Do the sums - it may drive you back to 4 wheels

**Quasi** · 28th September 2010, 19:28

Sorry Sinned - its not about the dollars for me and never will be. My beautiful Ducati gives me grins, pleasure, heart stopping moments, has found me new friends, reconnected me with old ones, kept me sane, kept me alive, given me memories of people, places, of LIVING. Those things can never be about dollars, never be accounted for with pluses and minuses on a ledger.

Forget about the dollars - just enjoy the sheer power and beauty of each and every ride.

**BoristheBiter** · 28th September 2010, 19:32

Originally Posted by Quasi

Sorry Sinned - its not about the dollars for me and never will be. My beautiful Ducati gives me grins, pleasure, heart stopping moments, has found me new friends, reconnected me with old ones, kept me sane, kept me alive, given me memories of people, places, of LIVING. Those things can never be about dollars, never be accounted for with pluses and minuses on a ledger.

Forget about the dollars - just enjoy the sheer power and beauty of each and every ride.

What else is there left to say?

**Maha** · 28th September 2010, 19:32

I once had concerns about the cost involved in owning and running a bike (cheaper transportaion my arse) but no longer. I simply love the bike I own and what it costs me to enjoy it to the fullest, I am more than willing to pay.

**Cloggy** · 28th September 2010, 19:33

And you are calculating on getting a lot of mileage out of the tyres. Mine last half that long and my bike costs more per kilometre in tyre rubber than it does in fuel.
In short, the 675cc bike cost much more to run per kilometre than the 3.8 litre family car. But I knew that from the start and hence will not complain about it as it is not the primary mode of transport.
Now the little Scorpio is a different story, cheap as chips in fuel, tyres, insurance and maintenance. $14 in gas for two weeks of getting to work. Me likes a lot.

**munster** · 28th September 2010, 19:33

Totally agree with Quasi.

Now sinned, please delete that post before my wife sees it . . . . .

**Grumpy** · 28th September 2010, 19:34

Originally Posted by sinned

Do the sums - it may drive you back to 4 wheels

**kave** · 28th September 2010, 19:41

It really depends on the bike. Big, powerful and highly tuned sportsbikes go through gas, tires and various other consumables at a massive rate of knots, but then the running cost of a MV Agusta F4CC would still be less than the running cost of a Ferrari. The cost of running a Honda CB400 would be cheaper than a Toyota Corolla and a Honda Dio would be far cheaper to run than your standard sub $1000 uni student car. Comparing apples with apples, two wheeled transport is far cheaper to buy and run than the four wheeled equivalents.

**dogsnbikes** · 28th September 2010, 19:50

Originally Posted by sinned

It is cheaper to drive the car.

Do the sums - it may drive you back to 4 wheels

2 x bikes = 4 wheels ...sums done

**SMOKEU** · 28th September 2010, 19:51

My bike has saved me a shitload of money since I ride heaps instead of driving the cage.

**Squiggles** · 28th September 2010, 19:56

Originally Posted by sinned

It is cheaper to drive the car.

Of course, apples to apples so perhaps compare it to a campervan?

And where do you get ya wof's at $240 every 6 months????

The sums on a GN250 iirc.

Front tyre (20K @ ~300/set) $15
Services (Oil + Filter every 6k, valves every 12k) $20.00
WOF $6.40
Insurance ($3.40 a month for 3rd) $4.08
Fuel $72.00
Registration $40.56
Loss on sale est $0
TOTAL $158.04 per 1000kms.

**Ghost_Bullet** · 28th September 2010, 19:59

When I owned a little 200cc comute, I would say it was hell cheaper than running a car for work purposes, and was great for the soul... the value of a happy soul is priceless.

Now riding the mighty Griso, mainly for just ridings sake rather than having to, great fun, and yes much more money gets sucked keeping things on the road... but again... very very happy soul... priceless.... high operating costs are then negligible.

Love to ride, and ride to love it.

**sinned** · 28th September 2010, 20:16

Originally Posted by Squiggles

Of course, apples to apples so perhaps compare it to a campervan?

And where do you get ya wof's at $240 every 6 months????
.

I made a bit of an error there - annual wof for a new bike

**ducatilover** · 28th September 2010, 20:35

Quite interesting, I spent a small amount of time doing the sums.
I ended up with Dihatsu Mira as small bike equivalent (On paper, not buying one)
But, regardless, I'm poor as hell so I've decided to sell the cage to get a 250-400ish toy. Mind you, the cage at 16mpg is a wee bit hungry.

**Corse1** · 28th September 2010, 20:41

Originally Posted by dogsnbikes

2 x bikes = 4 wheels ...sums done

Seriously though if I added the cost like sinned has I may feel a little depressed and thats not the reason why we buy bikes.
Exactly the opposite. If Ididnt spend the money on bikes it would probably go on all the pills and Doctors to keep me sane from a high pressure job. Its a great release for me and the sense of freedom and enjoyment I get out of it is well worth it.

I'd hate to be on me death bed wishing I had indulged in motorcycling. You only live once as they say

I also tell the wife that having a company car allows me to spend money on bikes