Actual costs to run a bike as a commuter

[riffer]

Been a bit of talk about whether its cheaper to run a bike or car as a commuter vehicle. Now, I don't pay for parking on my bike (wouldn't with a car either) so that's out of the picture, but I keep pretty good records on the RF900R.

Here's the past four years running as an Excel spreadsheet.

Anyone else have similar figures? I'd like to compile some information on this to help with bike parking information.Motorcycle TCO 2011.xls

[bogan]

I don't keep comprehensive records like you do, but think I can cover the major stuff from memory. And I, like many others, do all the servicing myself which saves a huge amount.

Fuel $10pw (18km round trip 5 days) or 480pa
oil and filter, 100pa
tyres 500pa (inc fitting)
parts gaskets/chain/sprockets/clutch/fluids/etc $300pa
orc 600pa for wof plus rego now init?

course that commuting probably accounts for less than half my yearly km, so may be over-serviced for commute only.

also worth noting that my commute can be (and is) done by scooters, which you could drop 450 off orc and 2-300 off tyres.

and today I brought my electric in anyway, for that the fuel cost drops to around $20pa, and rest to scoot levels

[Eyegasm]

Crikey Riffer...

On yer bike lad, 45,000k since 08'...

I do not have exact figures like yours. but can quite easily calculate what it would cost as a commuter. Alas, I ride to flamin much and do not care to much about the cost of it...

For a 13,000km yearly commute it would be close to $3500.
+Parking of $600.

But I do about 40,000km+ per year so it is just absorbed.

P.S. I go through tyres at a hell of a rate due to the Wainuiomata Hill has shit in the road for additional grip which likes to chew my tyres...

[The Pastor]

who gives a toss

[cheshirecat]

Sold me Rangy (it ended up growing moss and weeds) and now just use my '94 VFR. Not done exact cals but back of an envelope stuff (like a politician) but the bike is quite resonable to run. Servicing done my self and no need to do valves yet after 65,000k (115k on the clock) so it's just tyres at two and half sets a year (30/35k a year), pads every 40k, oil (the RR operated a highly efficient constant loss system) and rego which is similar to a larger car. Fuel around 40/45mpg Honda against the 12/20mpg RR so no comparison, but RR somewhat better off road and really good for dealing with tailgaters. (Had lots try and two rear end me with no damage to RR but er lots to TG's)

Against a small car no, but the VFR gets more use and resale value is liable to be better as an ongoing classic and really good build quality. Nothings gone wrong on it for three years except for hella plus 90 bulbs every 8k

Really gain with cheap to run reliable bike with it's convenience of traffic and parking and of course the fun factor - I love traffic conjestion, the more the better, but thats an ex London DR speaking

[YellowDog]

who gives a toss

I think there is an expectation that a bike should be cheaper to run than a car.

In my case this is not the case and whilst I get more Ks per litre of fuel out of my bike, I spend so much more on other things.

Perhaps the comparison is not fair. My 2ltr Toyota costs bugger all to run and needs very little maintenance. I could run it into the ground over the next 5 years and it would give the illusion of costing me even less.

If I was comparing my bike with a high performance sports car then I suspect that the bike would be far cheaper to run.

[Gremlin]

I don't keep track of the commuter, but its a hornet, so gas and services every 6000km is pretty much it (and cheap services at that).

I guess you have to think about whether you factor time savings in... I do 15k a year all over the city for work... its a lot of time saved.

[Dave Lobster]

It's not just about the cash cost.
My wife and I commuted for a couple of years on a Burgman. Very good on petrol (72+mpg). Servicing cheap too. When we sold it and bought a car (I picked up a 28 day ban, and she can't ride), we did a quick count up.
We didn't/don't pay for parking on either a car or a bike.
Until you take into account the depreciation on the bike, we were well ahead. If we'd kept the bike for a few more years, and used it until it died, we wouldn't have 'lost' so much on it.
However, the biggest winner was in time. Leaving at seven, it took us half an hour to get to work on the bike. To do it in that time in the car, we need to leave at six in the morning. Leave at seven in the car, and it easily adds an hour on to the journey time.

[SPP]

With your meticulous attention to detail you should be a PM

I thought I’d be saving money buying a bike as well. It's become an obsession rather than a way to get around.

[CookMySock]

Theres no way I'd take the car when I can take the bike. But $30 a tank of gas does $300 km, is much cheaper than the little diesel car. I burn a set of tires a year in the car ($400) as well as the bike ($450), servicing is similar cost on each. Less likely to get speeding tickets on the bike - go figure! Can take the long way to town and get there the same time as the car!

And of course, belting around on the bike is 5x10^17 times more interesting than sitting on the park bench in the car.

[Howie]

interesting topic this. AS it depends so much on what bike, what standard of maintenance it is kept at and if you have the skills to do it yourself.

A few years ago now I ran a CX400 E as a commuter bike for about 6 years, didn't use it for much else, maybe two or three rides a year over the Wairarapa. It cost bugger all to maintain (just materials), was gentle on tyres/ shaft drive, and an understresed v twin engine. out of the three vehicles I was running it was the cheapest by far.

How many of you on here buy a bike to use mainly for commuting purposes? versus using the bike you buy for your biking interest for commuting to get more use out of it and justify the expense of owning it?

[superman]

Ninja 250R, definitely for my commute. 115km round trip per day, bike gets 24km/l. About half the cost of driving car to the nearest train station and buying a ticket to the city. The amount saved is useful for rego, oil and rear tyre.

So really with Ninja I end a little better off, however trips are much much quicker which is of great benefit. Especially for early mornings

I imagine when I upgrade to a ZX6R it won't be quite as... beneficial. But who can put a price on sheer blissful joy.

[Sable]

GB400s are like scooters to run except they seem to eat chains. X7s and FZRs are heinous.

[Gremlin]

How many of you on here buy a bike to use mainly for commuting purposes? versus using the bike you buy for your biking interest for commuting to get more use out of it and justify the expense of owning it?

boss provides one for work? Cheap for me to run...

[Blackshear]

Bike costs me about $45 to go strictly to and from work each week, just a smidge under 300km.

Never owned a car so I really wouldn't know how that compares, but I know my mileage is shit.