Based on a discussion on the DSN KLR650 mailing list, I did a quick back-of-the-envelope computation of the costs to commute on my motorcycle versus in my truck.
| KLR | Truck | |
|---|---|---|
| Gas/gal. | $2.80 | $3.00 |
| MPG | 50 | 16.8 |
| Commute mi/wk | 180 | 180 |
| Commute Time | 0:35:00 | 1:15:00 |
| Tires Last (mi.) | 10000 | 50000 |
| Tire Price (set) | $225.00 | $700.00 |
| Mileage/yr | 9,360 | 9,360 |
| Gallons gas/yr | 187.20 | 557.14 |
| Gas $/yr | $524.16 | $1,671.43 |
| Tires $/yr | $210.60 | $131.04 |
| Oil + Filter/yr | $45.00 | $50.00 |
| Cost/yr | $779.76 | $1,852.47 |
| Time/yr | 182:00:00 | 390:00:00 |
So, running the numbers yields:
| KLR | Truck | |
|---|---|---|
| $ saved/yr: | $1,072.71 | $0.00 |
| time saved/yr | 208:00:00 | 0:00:00 |
Not bad! Of course, you could quibble with a few of the dollar values since this is back-of-the-envelope, but you can't quibble about the time savings—and that's the most important figure to me. Riding my KLR instead of driving my truck to work gives me 208 additional hours every year to spend with family and friends. Either I've figured out how to buy time, or my KLR is my personal time machine.
Oh, and if these numbers are in the ballpark, then the bike pays for itself in less than three years. Sweet!
Hi Blake,
Enjoyed your blog.
I think you left out a significant cost in you truck/KLR cost comparison. Did you sell your truck when you bought the KLR? No?
OK, let’s allow for the “fun factor.” But you should at least account for the additional liability and other insurance cost of the KLR. Where I live the added insurance cost of my KLR really eats into any other savings the bike may provide.
Happy Trails,
Bob
Posted by: Bob Lautner | 2008.02.02 at 09:45 PM