Fuel to the fire
By: Web Editor
Dear MCM...Lots of bike magazines are now spouting the merits of fuel consumption figures to be displayed when choosing a bike.
Why? If you buy a 1300 -1400cc bike what mpg do you expect to get – possibly comparable with your car at home perhaps? I get between 60-70mpg from my Honda Transalp and that’s with high-speed motorway riding as well as urban riding.
Many of the bike tests I’ve read have said fuel consumption on the particular bikes they were testing was poor, but not stating the mpg. The same was said about the Transalp: I’m sure if they are thrashed they will be, but how many of us can thrash our bikes with little or no consequences?
Most people will tend to be reasonably careful when out riding, so will get good mpg. It only takes two fill-ups to work it out; most people will be pleased at what they get. If magazines do publish mpg figures will it deter anyone from choosing their dream bike? Mpg is not the only point of owning a bike is it?
Wayne Barks,
via email
3 Responses to “Fuel to the fire”
toastmuncher Says:
October, 8th 2011 at 08:22 am
I found this form for scooters mpg, http://hallicino.hubpages.com/hub/MPG-Guide-The-Fuel-Economy-Of-250-Top-Selling-Scooters but can find nothing for 'proper' motorcycles.
Cornwall Commuter Says:
September, 20th 2011 at 03:24 pm
I currently commute to work on a 125 scooter. Originally I thought I would use it rarely but now find that I would like to use it outside of work. However, the top speed and service intervals would make this impracticable.
For me MPG is a major factor in owning a bike compared to a car, along with overall running costs.
Thus in the next year or so, I would like to buy something bigger, with good mpg and reliability. I am fairly careful at riding but I would like magazines such as this to give accurate info on commuter bikes say around 650cc.
It would be rather expensive to buy a bike and have to fill it up a couple of times in order to check the mpg and then find out that there was another bike that more fitted the criteria.
If I go to whatcar or the DVLA website I can find out the info for cars, why cannot I do this for bikes?
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Redrider Says:
November, 19th 2011 at 07:23 pm
If fuel consumption is an important factor in buying a motorbike then the FUELLY website may help. Basically it allows owners to record their vehicles fuel costs and mileage and so it works out the fuel consumption. Visitors can then look at individual models of motorcycles as a group or individually so you can see overall fuel economy.
Check out Black Beauty my Honda Deauville which I refer to as a scooter with gears. Ultra reliable with 50-60 mpg economy.