The return of the $20 fill-up

[Joey Stalin]

My current weekly fuel cost (at $4.35 a gallon) for commuting based on which vehicle we use. Wife and I get to carpool so that helps tremendously. Commuting on one of the bikes is about as "economical" as I can go. $5 is gonna be bad but not that bad really (in the scope of things).

Camry                            $105
Fiesta                             $70
ST1300                          $52
Versys                            $48
Dodge Hemi Truck          $167

Fuel only sure, but if you count tires @ 2 per 7,000 miles (maybe) @ 150 each, versus 4 tires every....50,000 miles? @ $75 each, the tires really kill the long term economical benefits of riding a bike. Plus, tires come from oil...

[Zixxerpilot]

They get better mileage than a lot of 4 bangers, most V6s, and almost all pickups...if driven normally.  I get 28-30 mpg on the highway with the CC set just getting from A -> B.  Normal commute driving gets me 22-24 mpg.

You aren't joking. My buddy's z06 pulls down 30-32mpg on the interstate making the same commute I do, and my Volvo wagon only manages 25.

We took that thing out and thrashed it mercillesly one day, just playing in the hills. Did some highway driving in between. STILL managed to pull 22mpg average.

[Giaka]

Fuel only sure, but if you count tires @ 2 per 7,000 miles (maybe) @ 150 each, versus 4 tires every....50,000 miles? @ $75 each, the tires really kill the long term economical benefits of riding a bike. Plus, tires come from oil...

Yeap thats where the Fiesta shines. $250 for four tires that last around 40k. ST and Versys tires last 10k and cost $300ish.

[ambientboy]

I'm rockin about 35-40 mpg in my B12 depending on how I drive in the city.  Highway it's about 42-45 mpg.  My car is a Yaris hatchback 5speed.  I get literally 35-50mpg...it's stellar.  But, which one do you think is more enjoyable to use day to day?

[ReSTored]

Don't complain guys.  Right now in the frozen north the dollar is at par and I'm paying $1.28 a liter or $5.12 per US gallon.  They say gas will be $1.45 or $1.50 a liter in a few months.  That's about $5.75 a gallon.

[ambientboy]

No complaints here!  I'm just glad I'm not buying petrol in NZ this winter like I was last winter... around $1.80 American per liter.

[gritsngravy]

I just wonder how high fuel prices have to go to get folks to stop buying and commuting in their full size 4x4 pick-ups with the dually option.       Fair enough I live in cow town and some folks have a legitimate need for such devices but the number of sparkling clean pickemups I see with 5 to 6 FOOT lifts everday on city roads and in my very suburban housing tract is astounding.    

We are all free to do what we enjoy but damn I would think at some point that 8 miles to the gallon big lifted commuting device would not look so attractive.   I know how hard core we americans can be so I'm thinking fuel would have to go to $10.00 a gallon before folks come out of their lifted maxi trucks.  

[Cablebandit]

Perhaps that because gas, as a percentage of income, is still pretty cheap.  Maybe cheaper than in the days of dollar per gallon gas.

[stew71]

People are bitching about the price of gas but are willing to fork over dough for designer bottled water at $2.50 per liter without question.  

Go figure.

[Cricket1]

During the arab oil embargo of the early 1970's, gas hit a record .75 cents a gallon in many parts of the US. If you take that figure from 1973 and run it thru an inflation calculator, it equals $3.83 a gallon today.

[gritsngravy]

People are bitching about the price of gas but are willing to fork over dough for designer bottled water at $2.50 per liter without question.  

Go figure.

Sadly it's just not what we pay at the pump, as fuel costs increase so does food, clothing and shelter.    Can't remember if it was Kruschev(sp?) or some other Soviet cat but one of those dudes made a great point when they said it's not about the nuclear arsenal, it's all about the availability of the food and water supply.  

[Dan K]

Gas has been over $4 in Chicago area for quite some time.

[motomem]

The way I see it nothing can be done to keep gas from going up. The US is exporting gas - or so they say.
The only ways to energy independence is to buy our own energy at a rate higher than the rest of the world or produce energy that can't be easily exported - electric, natural gas, etc.
Am I wrong?

[Giaka]

I just wonder how high fuel prices have to go to get folks to stop buying and commuting in their full size 4x4 pick-ups with the dually option.      

I did the math for a guy last time there was a gas price spike. Based on what he spent on fuel alone per month (lifted 4x4 3/4 ton dodge truck) he could have bought a BRAND NEW civic to commute in and still saved over $400 a month.    During my commute I notice that about every 4th or 5th vehicle is a large truck with nothing in the bed and one occupant. A massive waste of gas and money.

[Cablebandit]

Who cares if they can afford it?

[Meemuh]

I did the math for a guy last time there was a gas price spike. Based on what he spent on fuel alone per month (lifted 4x4 3/4 ton dodge truck) he could have bought a BRAND NEW civic to commute in and still saved over $400 a month.    During my commute I notice that about every 4th or 5th vehicle is a large truck with nothing in the bed and one occupant. A massive waste of gas and money.

That's ME!  

Of course, when I bought mine, gas was 1.30.  Now the truck is paid for and it's too cold & snowy to bike.

[et]

Although higher gasoline prices will affect more than filling up at the pump.
As long as I can afford my groceries, clothing, heating, etc..
I will welcome higher prices.

They way I look at it is; if I have to continually dodge inattentive auto drivers with my motorcycle.
Then I want them driving smaller cars.

I was very happy when Hummer went under.
I had far too many of those cell phone talking hummer drivers cross over into my lane and run me off the road.

Hopefully this gas price hike will get rid of the remaining large SUVs.

[bikerfish1100]

1 thing i know for sure.
i will be teaching a TON of BRC motorcycle classes this summer, with many stating that the reason they want a bike is they "need to save $ on gas".  

not one of them has a clue about tire costs.

[Kneescrubber]

not one of them has a clue...

The fact that they're taking a class gives them a leg up IMHO.

[bikerfish1100]

The fact that they're taking a class gives them a leg up IMHO.

oh, i think its great that they want to learn to ride.
but to save $ on gas? HAH! they will drop several thou, minimum, on a bike and gear, and maybe, just maybe, they will save a few hunnie on gas per year. and spend that same amount on tires.
but, if that's what it takes to get more noobs on a bike......