How Much would u reckon it costs to ride

[454697819]

14 000 miles a year

Not taking into depreciation or fuel just plain running cost, consumables and servicing.

Want to start commuting again, and that will been budgetiung properly so the cash is there for things like tyres & servicing. Bare in mind this is an XJR or simmillar?

Price for ride in ride out tyres and dealer servicing ever 6000 miles.

iv got so far

Tyres 14 000 / 5000 = 2.8 sets (worse case) = @ £180 a set £504
Servicing 14 000 / 6000 - 2.3 services @ £180 a service = £414
Chain & Sprockets 1 per 14 000 = £120 (fit myself)
Road Tax @ £70?? per year
1 low speed spill - Lump Sum - £200

Thats a Stagering £ 1308 thats £109 a month in running costs.

Now realistically i can do this cheaper by serving myself and fitting a scotoiler,

buit suddenly budgeting an extra £109 a month for riding makes it expensive?

Any thoughts other that stop whining and buy a car?

[wyntrblue]

i still think riding is cheeper and more fun than a car could ever be

[Ceri JC]

14 000 miles a year

Not taking into depreciation or fuel just plain running cost, consumables and servicing.

Want to start commuting again, and that will been budgetiung properly so the cash is there for things like tyres & servicing. Bare in mind this is an XJR or simmillar?


Look at it this way; although the running costs are higher, the initial purchase price is significantly less than an equivalent model car. That's where the main saving is made. Also, whilst a prang is indeed more likely on a bike, it's usually a great deal cheaper to fix (and you can DIY it) than when it does happen on a car.

I don't understand why you've included road tax as part of the cost. Is it a track bike at the moment? In any event, you'd need road tax in a car which would probably cost more.

I'd agree with you re: the scottoiler. Personally I think you'd be mad not to buy one for that sort of mileage (ideally with a touring resevoir or lube tube).

As to an XJR or similar, I don't think I'd commute on a big naked. If I was prepared to incur the higher running costs of a big bike for commuting, I'd get a pan or something like that. Have you considered keeping the big naked as a weekend bike and getting something a bit more economical (divvy 900?) as a commuter? I know there's the additional initial outlay, but I think in the long run (unless insurance is v. pricey for you) it'd work out a bit cheaper.

[TSM]

Stress on public transport vs a ride, err ile take the ride.

But anyway, some things with your costs, remember its 2 fronts to a rear usaly, more or less. Servicing is variable with oil/filter changes being done by yourslef. For £120 get the C&S fitted by a shop.

Now go to the rail website and work out how much a yearly train ticket to & from work would cost, i am sure its probably way more for much less satisfaction..

[Baph]

Pretty much as you said numbers. I've just covered 15,000miles.

Most expensive service the bike should have is the 15k one, and that's been quoted at £160 all in (valve check, more if it needs adjusting).

If you're fitting chain & sprockets yourself, £104.

Tyres, I get about 7-8k from a rear, a little more from a front (Z6's). Rear is £115 fitted, front is £80 fitted (ride-in ride-out). £160 if I buy them as a pair at the same time (which I never have done yet).

So my working out comes to approx the same as yours, just a little under. Lets throw in fuel at 90p/ltr. I personally get around 130miles to a tank, and put about £12 per tank. That's 12.03miles/ltr (or 48mpg ish). 14,000 miles would take me 1163.07 litres, which is £1046. £87/month in fuel.

I'll use your figures plus fuel, which makes a budget of £196/month approx.

Should I commute in my car? Would it be more cost effective? Well, I tried that for a few months, and I was putting £20 of fuel a day in the car!! That's £608/month in fuel only!! The bike (when you factor in servicing, tyres etc) is about 1/3 the cost of ONLY putting fuel in the car!! Then add to that the cost of tyres for the car, servicing etc etc, and OMG!!

Yes I could of bought a more economical car, but where's the fun in that? :D

EDIT: Don't forget to throw insurance on the heap too, it's still cheaper than just putting fuel in the car. I showed the Mrs the figures when I was thinking of buying a bike, and her response was "Well, when are we going down the bike shop again?" :D

[Sudoxe]

I dare not work it out.
40 miles a day on a speed triple.
Rear tyres? ha! 180 or 190, not cheap and it eats them for breakfast.
Fuel, about 90miles to a tank on a good day through town.
Servicing (done myself, triumph are up there with ducati on servicing costs)
Insurance Ouch!
Roax Tax.

I’d want to just enjoy the bike, rather than worrying about numbers

For the train for me its
9quid a day
Or 36? A week
A hundred and something a month…etc

Dan

[Ceri JC]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the cost of insurance saving you a few hundred quid a year over that for a car. Even a powerful bike costs vastly less to insure than a "normal" car. For younger people this difference is even greater- I could get insured on a 'Busa for less than I could on a decent car.

As TSM says, comparing it to public transport (unless your house and place of work are right in the middle of big cities) is likely to not only be more expensive, but significantly more stressful. Last week I tried using public transport (must be the first time in 3 years!). Absolute bloody joke. 20 minute brisk walk. I arrive bang on time (by their clock, not mine) only to find the train had left a minute early. I ended up having to have another 20 minute brisk walk back home and ended up taking the car anyway. I really don't understand how people outside of London (the one place in this country I use public transport) who use it day in day out cope. I remember when I used to use it as a student, literally one in four times the train would be cancelled or significantly delayed (more than 45 minutes). I don't see how any employer would tolerate that.

[Baph]

I remember when I used to use it as a student, literally one in four times the train would be cancelled or significantly delayed (more than 45 minutes). I don't see how any employer would tolerate that.
Some employers are quite light hearted. In my case, it's getting stopped by the police on the bike.

I can rock up to work up to 30mins late, and no-one batters an eyelid. I'll get the usual "Get stopped again huh?" type comments, but nothing more.

But then, most days, I'm here up to an hour before work say I should be, so it's more a case of swings & roundabouts. I don't care about getting paid for the extra time I choose to spend in the office, and they don't care about me being late. Generally, I'm here & not getting paid for it the way it works out, so they really have no grounds for complaint.

That also helps when it's a sunny day & I call the office with a "mind if I take the day off today?" Generally, the result is positive, unless the workload is silly, and I still get paid for it :)

It's a shame most people (and employers) don't see work the way me & this company do, it makes life so much brighter not having to worry about it all the time.

Sorry for the derail :oops:

[Cloggsy]

Tyres 14 000 / 5000 = 2.8 sets (worse case) = @ £180 a set £504
Servicing 14 000 / 6000 - 2.3 services @ £180 a service = £414
Chain & Sprockets 1 per 14 000 = £120 (fit myself)
Road Tax @ £70?? per year
1 low speed spill - Lump Sum - £200

Sorry to put a spanner in the works, but I've yet to see .8 of a tyre...

However, I have seen .3 of a service from a main dealer :smt104

[454697819]

Pretty much as you said numbers. I've just covered 15,000miles.

Most expensive service the bike should have is the 15k one, and that's been quoted at £160 all in (valve check, more if it needs adjusting).

If you're fitting chain & sprockets yourself, £104.

Tyres, I get about 7-8k from a rear, a little more from a front (Z6's). Rear is £115 fitted, front is £80 fitted (ride-in ride-out). £160 if I buy them as a pair at the same time (which I never have done yet).

So my working out comes to approx the same as yours, just a little under. Lets throw in fuel at 90p/ltr. I personally get around 130miles to a tank, and put about £12 per tank. That's 12.03miles/ltr (or 48mpg ish). 14,000 miles would take me 1163.07 litres, which is £1046. £87/month in fuel.

I'll use your figures plus fuel, which makes a budget of £196/month approx.

Should I commute in my car? Would it be more cost effective? Well, I tried that for a few months, and I was putting £20 of fuel a day in the car!! That's £608/month in fuel only!! The bike (when you factor in servicing, tyres etc) is about 1/3 the cost of ONLY putting fuel in the car!! Then add to that the cost of tyres for the car, servicing etc etc, and OMG!!

Yes I could of bought a more economical car, but where's the fun in that? :D

EDIT: Don't forget to throw insurance on the heap too, it's still cheaper than just putting fuel in the car. I showed the Mrs the figures when I was thinking of buying a bike, and her response was "Well, when are we going down the bike shop again?" :D


Fair points

I dont fancy commuting on the XJR, ideally id like to swap to a fazer thou or 600 but as of yet iv not test ridden either... but i cant go to small as the frames get smaller and ill be crippled within 8 k miles.

Other things to consider i guess..

Insurance on a car = £1000 tpft (im 22) whatever i want pretty much... aint gonna be far off that.

The bike however is £550 for an fzs 1000 unlimited miles tpft, i cant afford comp.its (£1100)

Servicing.. Realisitically ill service it myself it will be at least 3 years old so no warrenty issues. lets be honest £75 a time inc sparkys and a filter give or take.

Tyres...

ill buy them over tinternet and take the wheels down to have em fitted.
tyres to be fitted £12 for both. so that makes them about £130 all in.

there are obvioulsy cheaper ways then when i first posted but i was looking into getting a new bike and running it for a year and chopping it in at the end of each year as after 3 years it will have nearly 50k and be worth nowt...? So to keep it dealer serviced and in "top spec" would be pricey!

I dont want something too cheap or "old" as i will need to have faith in its reliability and older bikes start to need more work. a 2000 model fazer 600 with 30k on the clock would have 60k in two more years and just scares me would need "other " work!

lot to think abbout and i dont even have the job yet... but im hoping to commute on the bike wherever i end up. that woudl be nice :D

[454697819]

Sorry to put a spanner in the works, but I've yet to see .8 of a tyre...

However, I have seen .3 of a service from a main dealer :smt104


ya crazy fool its working it out to exact points it would mean i would have the money for .8 of th efinal tyre that year and next year i would have to fund the .2...

and yes dealers to bleerdy point .3 of a service!!!

[Baph]

3 years & 50k miles. I wish!

For me, 18months is likely to be the wrong side of 50k miles!

I was using your figures for distance & time, not mine. I don't want to scare anyone that much!

24k miles a year for commuting purposes, bike as main form of transport, fun time on the bike... you get the picture :)

Any offers on a 3 year old K6 with probably 120k on the clock? :D I'll get it in writing now so that when I sell, it's legally binding :D

[Ceri JC]

Some employers are quite light hearted. In my case, it's getting stopped by the police on the bike.

It's a shame most people (and employers) don't see work the way me & this company do, it makes life so much brighter not having to worry about it all the time.


Yes, I'm also very fortunate with regard my employers' attitude, sounds very similar to yours- a great deal of give and take. TBH, it's the main reason I've stuck around here as long as I have. For most people though, their boss is considerably less understanding and I know people who in spite of supposedly being "salaried" are docked pay if they are in late (for reasons beyond their control such as the bus/train not running).

[DanAbnormal]

Okay, I cover about 17'000 miles per year on the bike. I have kind of worked it out as this:

Oil/Filter every 4'000 miles: £185
Chain Sprockets about 11'000 miles: £170
Spark plugs every 8'000 miles (I'll get 3 lots): £48
Tyres (fitted): 2 rears one front £350 (BT020's or Avons)
Other servicing that can't be done by me: £300

Basically I put away £100 a month purely for the bike running (minus petrol/insurance).

I always get through rears (7-8'000) but my front lasts ages (12'000+). This is mainly due to the motorway work wearing through the middle of the rear tyre, for some reason the front is affected less. :smt104

[ivantate]

My bike costs more to run than the car.
More fuel, more tyres, more fun, more speed.

It does make me think about taking the bike if its a longish journey with no enjoyable bits. Then there is the hassle of keep filling it with fuel, getting the tyres changed, cleaning it.

I guess its a good job I dont think about this often!

[Mogs]

A friend of mine (and Ceri) commutes every day from Cardiff to Bristol, he has V-Strom for playtime, but for the workhorse he rides a Burgman 650, he says he gets great fuel economy, and tyres are cheaper. It’s shaft drive, with loads of luggage space.

A scoot, but the way he rides it there are lots of sports riders who would be hard pressed to cut much off his journey time.