$100 a week in gas..I useta not worry about it

Now, with everything I drive a big V/8 and not better than 15 mpg, its starting to cramp my style..I have an 89 Honda Civic that I fixed just to sell that I might drive, but its Japanese ya know!? The Jetta is Sallys car and we've spent more keeping it up than its worth, so let her drive it to Death..the FM that I commute on everyday doesn't have a bike lane so that leaves out the Black Phantom and Whizzer..So, I went to the Harley Dealership the other day...that 1200cc Sportster sure is fine lookin..salesman said I could be onnit for $100.00 a month..it gets 54 mpg. the money that I would be saving on gasoline will pay for the note payment! Hows that for a justifiable reason to get a new Harley..I think if I can get him to throw in a Helmet and the buddyseat its a done deal!....

 

Good by me but ya might want to go a yard and a half and get a little bigger and better ridin' one. Then again if I was a young guy again the sportster would br perfect.

 

I try not to get upset with gas prices. No matter what I am going to have to fork it over anyways to I try to look at it positively. My '07 Silverado actually gets great gas mileage. It said 20mpgs on the sticker and I think I see every bit of that. And I don't even have the "smart" engine that will shut off four cylinders on the thruway. But if your are looking to save a bit, you will be hard pressed to find a more economical form of transportation then a Motorcycle. With that being said I am not trying to save a few bucks in order to risk me having some serious injury while going to and from work. I perhaps would be more then happy to risk it in a nice model a roadster while out and about, but not for something that is as miserable as going to work. I say drive the civic until it fall apart and forget what it looks like. That way when it comes time to fill up the tank on that Hot Rod you have been working on you have some mone to spare and you legs are still intact to mash that gas pedal. Now if you wanted to get the bike to enjoy yourself on than we are talking a whole different game.

 

sportster is a good town bike..not so great for the highway..but than ive been riding the Hogs for so long i forget what it would be like to ride a piglet. probably great on gas, mines not too bad 40 to 45 MPG..if you can keep your wrist out of the carberator.

 

if money isnt a concern...go for it. true, 2 wheels ARE an alternative to this gas thing thats goin on...as much as the "hybrid" craze is if not more. but...

$10K for an air-cooled, 600lb, 78hp pushrod engine is a jip.

Sportsters: THE most frequently posted bike on craigslist yet i havent seen prices go down in...5+yrs. if i see another $10K USED sportster i'm gonna lose it.

 

Im in the same boat, my Galaxie was only getting roughly 10 mpg and I was spending about 100.00 a week in gas as well. I found a 87 VW for 500 bucks on craigslist and in the last month Ive only spent about 80 dollars in gas. I really like the new style sportsters , although If I was looking at a bike id get the new Triumph Bonneville. I got to say my VW isnt real cool to look at but Ill have more money for hot rod parts.

 

Ive got a full dress glide cl***ic and ive got rush slipons and a power commander and a k&N filter and i still get about 38-40 mph with the radio on Remember one thing though.. U need to run mid grade or better so its gonna cost more per gallon and your gonna fill up more often as bikes dont have 20 gallon tanks.. Im all highway to work pretty much 27 miles one way but i make it all back roads home Damn i wish it was spring .
Dave

 

Drive the civic man:
You have it...
It's reliable...
It's cheap...

Don't let yourself be judged by what you get to work in.

Now, if you are just looking for an excuse for a new bike... Honda's are for pansies.

 

I just drive what I want, screw the gas prices. But thats probobly why their so high, cause poeple will just keep on buying it no matter what. I figure that anything that gets at least 10 mpg is good. Now, if I could just find a "cool" car that got 40 mpg........................

Later- John

 

Thats why I bought my 07 bonneville. 8 grand out the door and good gas mileage. Thought about a sportster but the triumph was a little less with comparable specs plus I like the looks better.

 

Here's the thread...now lets get going!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18580

 

Thats what I did after trying to convince myself that as I now live in the USA, I had to ride a HD...






We also have a Blue Korean car that does 40mpg as a daily driver, but its a domestic appliance, so it just gets driven.

 

The Truimph Bonneville looks great I drove a Off/on BMW bike last summer and man it was smooth. But I still like Tiglers idea freeway, driveway or woods!

 

when your talking about traveling back and forth to work then using an electric vehicle makes sence to me, at .03 cents a mile. heres a site up in canada near where i live that builds and converts vehicles to electric. http://www.canev.com/Conversions/Echo/Echo.html

 

that black and red bonnie is sweet, ive beat my self up over and over about buying one. The current plan is to get one as soon as I sell my galaxie, build some-sort of 30-31 A sedan/coupe/roadster, so I hope they still have that colour choice in the spring of 2012 ha ha

 

Thats why I drive my old beater to work. 23 miles each way, it adds up fast. Cant complain for gettting 24-26 miles per gallon either.

 

I've thought alot about building an electric car as most of my driving is very short trips. A honda CRX fell into my yard last week...1.5 with a 5 speed....now I am thinking more along the lines of Roth's glogehopper but with a better looking body and 4 wheels so it can be considered a car (no helmet)
As far as motorcycles go this honda is OK with me!

 

That's why I retired and no longer have to drive to work...life is great!

 

Think yourself lucky you don't live in the U.K. our gas is $9.50 a gallon !!!

 

I bought it without even riding it!

Lucky for me, I have several local friends with similar bikes, and we have been out on several group rides together, its fun.

 

I'll second that Langy...

although I dont drive the T everyday it still smarts a bit......but what a blast it is to drive it.

Carbon footprint? who cares mines huge!!!!!

 

I drove a number of different motorcycles to work over a 4 year period racking up over 50,000 miles... and two accidents. I really loved commuting on the bikes. It was truly fun each day instead of being a pain in the *** commute. I put 14,000 on (new at the time) 1999 Sportster. I really enjoyed the mpg, the way it handled in freeway traffic, etc. But I repaired it far more than I believe I should have had to. Still, it was a harley and I sold it for more than I paid when I swapped to a Yamaha.
After my last accident (Yamaha), I looked for a cool retro commuter rod. I bought a stock 6 cylinder Falcon for $2500 and have been updating ever since (power disc, electron ignition, freeway gears, etc). I've put nearly 30,000 miles on it and was in Hot Rod last October when they did a story on "Commuter Rods". I only get about 20 mpg, but if I'm going to be in a cage, it's pretty cool.

 

if you want to have a bike buy the harley. the other bikes listed are ok but they do not hold there value like a harley.

just remember the added cost of full coverage on a new bike versus adding a beater car to your insurance.

 

This is totally off topic but I think Harley is working the finance angle when comes to resale, they extend these loans out for so long, up to 8 years and get you such a low payment that people are stuck with the note on these bikes for ever and therefor cant get out from under them for less than they owe, im no investment banker , just a theory.

 

Von Rigg Fink,
I do not believe you would say that....I rode from Maryland to Hondo Texas and back in a week. On a 70 XLCH with a broken starter and Kick only. Rode like a dream at 75-80......ok ok I couldn't feel my *** for a week but you can do more than around town on a Sporty.
Fitysix

 

Thanks guys..thats the real value of the HAMB..all the real life experiences and opinions..it is an excuse to get back on a bike and have some fun..I'm 57 and have alot of experience on bikes, I know how to watch out for the other guy..I haven't been to the Triumph dealer yet, those posted pics are some fine looking bikes, I am liking the holding good resale prices on the Harley though. Not too worried about the "girls bike" thing, most guys I know say the 1200cc Sportster will pull away from their big bikes (and then throw it into a corner)..9.50 a gallon for gas in the U.K.!? there should be rioting in the streets..

 

I rode a 1200 sportster for about 10 miles and couldn't wait to get back on my softail...hell my rigid 750 is more comfortable than a 1200 HD. The market is really soft so why buy new??? You can get a great softail for under 10K and it has probably already got a bunch of money thrown at it in cams,pipes,chrome,new seat (stock HD seats ****)

 

Fitysix..well i would much rather do long hauls on a full size H.D. than a piglet anyday..thats all i was saying..have put plenty of miles on different 80inch H.D.s..and have ridden friends sportsters..just not my bag, nice bikes, Just in my opinion and from what ive read, they were mostly geared toward city riders thats all.

 

rixrex..brewsir makes a very good point about the purchase of a very lightly used Big H.D. they are selling very reasonably now..alot of r.u.b's are getting out from underneath them like they are on fire.

 

Lemme be a little different here........
what about a track-T 4 cylinder to run around in? Hell, I've been wiring 4.3 V6s in older camaros, Novas and stuff as well. They run fine.
Get an old sprint car from the 50's and make it street legal, 4 banger, etc......