It almost seems like a given that high gas prices would be good for motorcycles, after all, bikes get 40 or 50 miles per gallon without even trying and that’s while giving performance far superior to most any car. Smaller displacement bikes driven carefully can get far more. So, everyone will go out and buy a motorcycle, right? Not necessarily.
Longer commuting distances, more variable and extreme weather, the necessity for carrying a lot of extra cargo and other factors can put motorcycles at a disadvantage. Taking those factors into account, the extra cash spent on gas begins to cut into disposable income that could pay for a motorcycle. Or does it? How much higher would gas prices have to go before people have to cut back on luxury or recreational items? Depends on individual circumstances, of course, but I would guess a fair number of motorcycle riders are younger and less affluent and necessities come first. Is a motorcycle a luxury, a recreational item or a necessity? I have a hunch we’ll be finding out the answer to that question soon.
aaron says
if you can handle the desperate lack of performance, the new alloy engined royal enfield bullet “ELECTRA-X” is the sweetest looking 85 mpg thing on the road! if initial quality is as good as they say, and prices are in line with the old lump, we could be in for a retro revival from a completely different crowd!