How are fuel prices affecting you?

[woodboats]

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Probably not as much as this guy but I certainly find myself using the bike more so than the car/truck.
I have always been a mid-size motorcycle owner with our bikes getting fairly good milage so unfortunatley it will take quite an increase in fuel cost before I would even concider riding the bike less.
If I was thinking of upgrading to a much larger bike I would now be looking at the fuel consumption of the bike where before I really wouldn't have cared so much.
Possibly, on a world scale, we may see some more interesting motorcycles coming online that may reflect the growing worry of rising fuel costs.

I don't get down to the city much but there does seem to be more smaller bikes in use than a few years ago, scooters, lower cc ratings etc. I feel this is a positive move, not only for fuel savings but also helping to have motorcycles more easily accepted as a positive form of transport.
My .02 cents worth.

[Coyote]

I want to get a scooter for several reasons. I could afford a new one so I would know it's service history, it'd be reliable, and of course it'd be a chick magnet. And definitely want to get one for the cheaper petrol costs. I'm pretty sure the fuel saved will make the scooter pay for itself. But if not, the fuel guise is a good excuse to the nay sayers i.e. parents

[fizbin]

I got my learners about 2 months ago for this exact reason.
i drive a subaru GTB or rather my wife now dose. it use to cost us over $140 a week to run it about, i can run my HYO 250 for $27 week to and fro work and we put about $50-$60 in the wagon to run it.
so yeah bike = gas savings don't know why i didn't do it sooner

[Pedrostt500]

I find my old BMW K100 just as exspensive to run as my L200 diesel ute, I find I have to think about the value of longer trips.

[kevfromcoro]

Was just thinking about this.......this morning.....
on a recent trip to asia..gas prices are a little cheaper ...but not a lot.....
but to catch a bus from A to B.....a distance of 250ks is only $8 NZ..
OK i live in Thames.....a bus trip to Aucks is just over 100ks...cost $45.
Think we are getting tucked more ways than one here.

[geoffm]

The economics

My K100 costs about the same to run as my old Toyota Corolla. It is only the free parking that makes taking the bike to work economic.

It is not currently economical to buy a specail commuter bike, with the cost of purchase, insurance, rego, Wof, etc, unless your other bike is a Ducati or something. Add up the costs and comapre to petrol savings and see.
THis might (will) change in the future if gas goes up, or the exchange rate falls as expected.
G

[Boob Johnson]

No real drama for me, I use very little fuel walking down the hall to my office

(got told a real biker would get a mini chopper for that commute)


As anyone with a big bike knows it isn't really any cheaper on running costs when comparing a car. Depending on how far I had to commute I would seriously be looking at a scooter purchase. $2000 brand new for a lil Suzuki or similar.


WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GET A CHEAP CHINESE SCOOTER!!!

The bastard's aren't worth 1/2 what you pay for them. I mate bought one against my advice & 2 months later he wishes he listened



A good purchase:


Either a brand new GN250/SR250 or 2nd hand of either (if needing to travel on highways) or a scooter from a well known maker (Suzi, Kwaka, Honda, Yami etc)

Or another angle, buy a collectable (or even semi collectable) low capacity scooter. Something that at worst will hold its value, much like the original VW Beatle. Nothing more satisfying to own a vehicle, get the use out of it & either get your money back or make a lil on it when sold, sure softens the blow of high fuel costs

[HornetBoy]

I tend to turn down rides alot more than i did say a year ago,and now instead of taking the bike to palmy and back everyday i take the bus -but this is an accumulation of many price increases not just petrol.Certainly without a doubt i use a heck of alot more on fuel than i did in the ute as i never used to go for random drives when i felt like it, like i do on the bike

[Biggles2000]

I recon you haven't seen anything yet as far as fuel costs go. If the govt drops the official cash rate, which they are likely to do soon, the value of the dollar will drop accordingly. Every 10c the dollar drops puts the price of fuel up aprox 20c I will be very suprised if fuel is not $2.40 by Chistmas and $2.80 by this time next year. The govt know this why do you think they are backing down on the carbon tax on fuel. If the value of the $US goes up, ie they get the hell out of Dodge ie the middle east, the price of crude will drop and our fuel price will drop but only a bit as OPEC will want to keep the oil price as high as possible.

I too don't tend to go for recreational drives like I used to. Has anybody noticed that the roads are a bit more empty these days. Also it seems to take me a bit less time to commute to work.

My riding mate has a Honda 600 thingy with two too many cylinders, he goes through as much gas as my HD which is 1000cc bigger. His bike produces more hp than mine, which he uses most of the time but mine is 150kg heavier. Perhaps an RG125 for city use might be fun, dont think I want to ride a moped.

[Forest]

I recon you haven't seen anything yet as far as fuel costs go. If the govt drops the official cash rate, which they are likely to do soon, the value of the dollar will drop accordingly. Every 10c the dollar drops puts the price of fuel up aprox 20c I will be very suprised if fuel is not $2.40 by Chistmas and $2.80 by this time next year. The govt know this why do you think they are backing down on the carbon tax on fuel. If the value of the $US goes up, ie they get the hell out of Dodge ie the middle east, the price of crude will drop and our fuel price will drop but only a bit as OPEC will want to keep the oil price as high as possible.

Ag exports are particularly strong at the moment, so that will prop up the NZD for a while yet. Also the latest inflation figures might hold up the OCR for a bit.

But yes the dollar will drop, and when it does drop the price of fuel will rise like a rocket.

[Ragingrob]

Have started chucking 91 back in the bike rather than 95/96! Not a big difference in price, but still a difference!

[2 wheel madness]

Firstly i have the convenience of a company car so it doesnt bother me too much, but i have never found a bike to be cheaper to run than a car.
After you account for the fact that my bike drinks nearly as much as my 3.5l car (at "normal" riding pace) chews out around 8 rear and 4 front tyres @ approx $3000 to 1 set of tyres on the car @ approx $800 - 1000, costs more to register, maintain and insure.............. even with today's fuel prices it almost make a v8 look cheap to run.

Im sure a smaller bike, 250 etc would be much much cheaper to run but for me the bike is a toy and i therefore providing i can afford it money shouldnt come into it, unless of course its time to upgrade......

[DingoZ]

Fuel prices not affecting me much.. Got to get around somehow...And public transport is not available at the times I need to use it..

But one thing is for sure. I am glad I got rid of my V8 and went to a new v6 c/dore car wise. And I am doubly glad I went out and got a bike. Have saved over $1000.00 in fuel and parking by using the bike, in the six months of having the bike. And I have not put those k's on my car. So it's a win win on more than one score...

[Tank]

We sold the big ass Pertol Land Cruiser just before prices really started going up - it was costing us $200 per week for basic town runs then. Now - it would be over $300. Loved the truck - but bloody happy not to have it now.

What I have found is when filling up - more people ask me "what does it cost to run" than "what bike is that"?

Or anyone talking to be parked up somewhere - the cost of running comes up as about the 2nd / 3rd question.

[Dooly]

Don't really care.
Ca'nt do anything about it if I want to use my bikes or vehicles so don't give it a thought.
Fortunately the missus and I both have company vehicles so fuel is paid for, even in private use.
Having 3 road bikes, a quad, and a diesel Ford Ranger 4x4 as well, it adds up filling them.
I keep 60l of petrol at home, being in the country, so as to fill bikes up before a ride, to save going into town just for gas.
Yesterday I filled the Ranger up with diesel and got 40 litres of petrol for the bikes and it came to $180.
Pricey sure..........but can't do anything about it so........