The first thing we need to say is that many people choose a motorbike over a car simply because they enjoy the buzz of riding. If you love motorbikes than the practical pros and cons are not going to interest you that much. However, if you cannot decide whether a bike or a car should be your principal means of transport it’s interesting to take a look at the positives and negatives of bike ownership as opposed to car ownership.
The aim of this article is to compare owning a bike to owning a car. You will be able to see that there are pros and cons, some of which depend on the type of bike you are looking to own. Let’s take a look at these positive and negative aspects of bike ownership.
The cost of running a bike compared to a car
If you search the Internet for advice on whether a motorbike is cheaper to run than a car you will find conflicting information. This is because different people have a different perspective. You will see the mpg for a bike quoted from around 45-90. If you take the more conservative of these figures than it really is not that much different to what many average cars can manage. There are bikes that are more cost effective from a fuel point of view but there are also high performance bikes which use more fuel than many cars.
On the whole, you can purchase a decent bike for a lower price than you would pay for a car of the same standard. If you search for an expert in motorbike sales you should be able to get a good deal. However, there are also good deals to be had when buying a new car. You cannot make a generalisation as each case is different. The same applies to bike insurance which is often cheaper but can be higher depending on the type of bike being insured and the driving history of the owner.
Other pros and cons of owning a motorbike
Cost is not the only factor when it comes to deciding whether to purchase a car instead of a bike. Here are some other points to take into account.
- The weather can be a positive or negative. If the weather is good it can be a great feeling to be out on a motorbike. If the weather conditions are bad the experience is less pleasant and can be more hazardous than if you were driving a car.
- It’s a lot easier to make a motorbike stand out by customisation than it is to do the same with a car.
- Bikes can be more practical as riders can navigate through gaps in traffic that car drivers cannot. Parking spaces are also a lot easier to find.
- If a bike is involved in a crash with a car, the bike rider has a lot less protection than the car driver.
As you can see, deciding whether a bike is a better purchase than a car is not an easy thing to do. At the end of the day, you should do your research and make a decision on which you think is the best fit in your life.