Save Money Riding a Motorcycle Instead of Driving a Car

With gas prices going up, it’s time to ride your way to better savings.

Fuel costs are high, and (unfortunately) they are probably going higher. So, while you could drive around in an inefficient car, spending all of your pocket money on gas, we think a better (and more fuel-efficient) solution is riding a motorcycle.

Riding the right bike can save you thousands of dollars per year, not just on the gas price! A good motorcycle insurance policy and lower upfront costs make owning a motorcycle easier on the wallet than buying a new car.

We use our bikes for the daily commute and couldn’t be happier about having even more reasons to ride.

But the common question we get is: is it worth it?

For us, the answer is a resounding yes, and not only because we save lots of money on gas. Here are a few ways that motorcycles beat out the competition in the automotive industry.

1. Fuel Efficiency

The first breakdown comes from straight fuel economy. With a motorcycle, you can go much, much further for less. Coming from the most neutral party imaginable (the U.S. Department of Energy), the average motorcycle gets 44 miles to the gallon while cars clock only 24 mpg and trucks a measly 17 mpg.

Incredible fuel consumption is even more clearly on display if you are looking for a new Harley-Davidson. Our brand-new, tricked-out adventure touring bike, the Harley-Davidson® Pan America, beats out the competition with 46 miles per gallon, and the Sportster S (many riders' first Harley-Davidson) boasts an average of 49 miles per gallon!

If fuel costs are your number one concern, looking at a different type of bike could yield even more remarkable results. Some smaller displacement engines claim a wild 150 miles per gallon.

It also doesn’t hurt that the difference in fuel usage means that motorcycle tanks are smaller, meaning that each stop at the pump will result in significantly lower totals.

The potential savings in gasoline prices alone are enough to pay for a luxury gym membership or a short vacation.

Motorcycles - 1
Cars - 0

2. Cost of Insurance in 2022

The cost of insurance coverage is another wild card in many potential riders’ decision-making processes. Ultimately the price of insurance will depend on where you live and the type of coverage you select. Still, even looking at the average numbers for 2022, you’ll halve your insurance payment by switching to a motorcycle:

The average car insurance is $1,630¹, while the average motorcycle insurance is only $721².
In addition, the cost of motorcycle insurance can be reduced even further for different riders based on your driving history and the type of bike.

Learn more about how much motorcycle insurance really costs by reaching out to one of the insurance specialists at Harley-Davidson® Insurance Services today.

Motorcycles - 2
Cars - 0

3. Buying a New Ride

Fuel and insurance discount savings aren’t everything. Often the cost of a new motorcycle is more affordable than that of a new car.

If you are looking to buy a new car, don’t expect it to come cheap. This year the average new car price has already shot up from last year and is sitting at $47,000³.

If you want to cut out gasoline altogether and go for an electric car, you are looking at an average price of $56,500⁴!

And once again, purchasing a motorcycle comes out on top in the savings department. The average for a brand new motorcycle across all major brands is only $16,000⁵.

The cheapest brand new car on the market is still $14,500, whereas there are a plethora of great motorcycles from longstanding brands that can be found for under $5,000.

Motorcycles - 3
Cars - 0

4. Looking at the Used Market

Even if we take it to the used market, motorcycles still come out on top. According to Kelly Blue Book, the average used car still sold for $28,000!

The used motorcycle market starts at around $3,500 and goes up. But you have no idea how the bike was treated or even if routine maintenance was regularly done. If you want more peace of mind in your purchase, we highly recommend the Harley-Davidson® Certified Pre-Owned program.

You can buy knowing that every H-D Certified™ pre-owned motorcycle is thoroughly inspected and reconditioned by a certified H-D technician and is backed by a limited warranty. With this program, you can own your own legend.

Motorcycles - 4
Cars - 0

5. The Intangibles of Riding a Motorcycle

There is much more to riding than saving money on fuel costs and auto insurance. As it turned out, science agrees. Even getting out to ride a couple of miles will positively impact your mental outlook.

Studies have shown that daily motorcycle riders are significantly less stressed and less anxious than car drivers.

So next time you are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic in your car, consider how happier you could be on two wheels. And if you live in California, where lane-splitting is legal, how much faster you could be at your destination.

Motorcycle - 5
Cars - 0

Conclusion

That’s it for us—a five-round knockout, where motorcycles clearly show why they are more cost-efficient than cars.

Sure, new or used motorcycles are less expensive to buy, insure, and fill up. But, for us, the most important part of owning a bike is that it makes us happier.

We would say you can’t put a price on happiness, but in this case, you can.

Sources:

¹https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/insurance/how-much-is-car-insurance
²https://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-of-motorcycle-insurance
³https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a38748092/new-car-average-sale-prices-47100/
⁴https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eight-straight-new-vehicle-prices-mark-another-record-high-in-november-2021-according-to-kelley-blue-book-301442015.html
⁵https://motorcyclehabit.com/heres-how-much-a-new-motorcycle-costs-with-real-examples/