Saving Money With a Motorcycle

Pair high gas prices and a serious recession, and what do you get? People looking for ways to cut back on gasoline. Some have taken to riding a bicycle, carpooling or taking the bus where they want to go. Others are switching to vehicles that use less gas. Many of us would love to get a hybrid, or better yet, an all electric car like Nissan's new Leaf. But new cars are expensive. It will take a long time to save enough gas to make it worth the expense. And all of these hybrids and Smart Cars are new. They haven't been around long enough for a used car market to exist. So what has been around a while that uses a lot less gas?

Motorcycles are great for saving gas, but they only work in certain situations. First, a motorcycle can only transport 1 or 2 people. If you're like me, your car only carries one person most of the time anyway. But it's a limitation. If there is ever a time when you want to transport more people, you need to own something other than a motorcycle. If you keep your car and add a motorcycle, you'll save gas when you ride the motorcycle. If you have a car in the family that can be used when needed, maybe you can get away with replacing a car with a bike.

Second, motorcycles are not ideal for riding in bad weather. You may be willing to tough it out in the rain, wind or even snow, but it's not a good idea. It's not as safe as a car, and adverse weather conditions make things that much worse. Not worried? Your insurance company is, and that can affect your insurance premiums. Since the whole point is to save money, you need to think about the overall costs of owning and operating a motorcycle. That definitely includes insurance.

Before you buy a bike, contact your auto insurance company. The price of insurance can vary greatly depending on what kind of bike you ride. If you have a brand new top of the line speedster, insurance costs are going to be steep. Statistically, these bikes get into more accidents and have more claims. So think about getting something more practical than flashy. And if you're willing to buy something used, you might choose to drop the comprehensive and collision coverage, saving you money.