Totally new to motorcycles.  Don't own / ride yet.  Thinking of how I want to sell it to the wife.  Anyway, I was looking at some sites online but noticed that most don't include any kind of mileage information.  Any idea where I can get some gas mileage estimates online?  Thanks all.  

No idea, but I have a Honda Shadow 750 and I run between 55 and 65 MPG depending on how I ride.  

HAHA- I'm working the same angle! So far here's what's got my wife warmed up to the notion : FIRST, it was the mileage.  My friends who ride all report 50 mpg & up for normal commuting. SECOND, remind her that cruisers are built for just that: CRUISING. They're not designed to run 145   . Most of them perform best at 65-75 mph, so there's ABSoLUTELY NO CHANCE you'd be out racing your bike... Third: try selling her on a used one if money is an issue in your house: "I bought it used for $4000. If we don't like it, I'll sell it used for $4000. Nothing to lose. " My wife has been diametrically opposed to motorcycles for nineteen years; I'll be getting mine in the next couple of months, whenever just the right one turns up. Best of luck to you!
Mark  

Hi all. Just had to jump in with my two cents. I'm returning to the brotherhood after a 30 year hyatus. It was my wife who sugested I get a bike. We were come home one afternoon and athere was a '84 Yamaha Venture on the side of the road. My wife says there you go, we can afford that, what do you think. Well I'm not researching used bikes and I take the Motorcycle safety course in June. I still haven't bought a bike but I'm leaning towards the late 80's Goldwings and Ventures. I plan on using the bike to commute about 40 miles each way. The gas milage angle is what is helping me convince my wife I should get a bike.  

While it makes a great selling point to say 40+ mpg, the sad fact is a helmet is at least $100, tires are about $300  each(installed) every 10k or so. Then throw in monthly payments.
(don't let the other see this post)..

If you can totally get rid of the car, and insurance, you can make a case. Bikes are a little cheaper to insure.

That being said (among friends), the real reason to own one is because it is fun. It puts a smile on our face that we might have missed otherwise. These days, there are far too few people with smiles. Also, where I worked, the foreign workers who lived in the city tended to commute on bikes. Didn't need garages at the apartment, they squeeezed in to the parking lot at work, and since they were going back in a year, a low invewstment.

If I remember right, late '80s is still the Gl200. 4 Cyl, a little top heavy if you aren't watching out. Otherwise, very nice, inexpensive, and still a lot of parts and accessories available.  

Actually I've done the math over and over and it will save you some dough.  I'm driving 80-90 miles per day to work and back so buying my C50T is going to save me some money.  Helmet and first service were free.

You buy tires and maint. for your car as well, though when you are riding the bike you are saving wear and tear on your car while doing it.

Though I did buy mine for fun.

In 12-48 months when gas is over $10 a gallon you will see the light.    

Actually, I had a car that did 40-50mpg (not hybrid) 13 in wheels, so, tires were $40 apiece ($160 plus installation) every 50,000 miles.

My last 2 bikes, and, my wife's bikes, seem to indicate $300 per wheel, installed, every 10-15k. Math says the bike is going to cost 2400 in tires over 60k. The car cost about 300. To be fair, my current car cost about $800 for new tires, and gets about 22mpg.

It's hard to argue much of a cost savings on the long haul. You still have to make up 1600 in savings over 50,000 miles.  

That's quite a bit for tires.  You should shop around.  I usually get mine online and even with shipping save quite a bit over local stores even after having them mounted.  Tire Kingdome hates me.    And I get better tires than they sell.

Most of the time your replacing the rear before the front so there will be a price variance there as well.

My VW Gti rolls on 17" 205 40 low profile tires so there are allot of variables to consider as far as pricing the differences out.  I’m probably going back to the stock 13” tires when gas goes over $6.  

Trust me--if you want to save money, buying, insuring, and maintaining a motorcycle is more expensive than putting the miles on your car, unless it is an outrageous gas guzzler (in which case the you should trade it in on a 10 yr old civic if you want to save money).

Motorcycles are not a rational purchase.

They are, however, a lot of fun.

Since adolescence--first my parents, and then my wife, were very much opposed to the idea.  I finally realized 3 yrs ago at the  age of 38 that I did not need anyone's permission.  

The factor which has most contributed to my family becoming relatively more accepting about my riding is the fact that I take safety seriously.  I ride with all the gear, all the time; keep the bike well maintained; and operate it within my comfort zone.

Started off small and worked my way up, and very glad I did it that way (ninja 250 to sv650 to triumph sprint rs).

Of course it is impossible to completely eliminate risk--this is a motorcycle we are talking about.  You makes your choices and you takes your chances!  

Trust me, I understand the perception of risk.
My parents had their will written that if I died within 5 days of their death, (my estate) would loose 1/2 of my share. No such provision was there on my brother.

My parents admitted it was there because I rode a motorcycle.

Of course, they BOTH smoked. Talk about jacking the risk of early death.  

OK, back to the gas issue.  Most of us would have bought or are buying a bike anyway, so the added payments(paid cash for mine), insurance, and maintenance are going to be there regardless of why you bought it.  

If you are buying one for the sole purpose of saving gas and plan on keeping your car then of course it's not going to save you because of these added expenses.

I'm averaging right around 50mpg on my bike. 6'3" 240. And I'll be commuting as much as possible on it.  

I agree. We buy them because they're fun. We come up with elaborate stories to convince people it was a "sound investment". My parents knew it was about me having some fun, but, being old school, they felt like they couldn't quite condone it.

You're doing well at 50 on the C50. I had a VN800, and depending on the riding, I ran from 43 to about 52. 43 was what happened when I went faster than 75.  

I own a 2004 Volusia Intruder and the mileage is 48 miles to the gal. at speeds under 60 mph... I like to ride at 45-55 mph.  

I have to chime in.  I bought my boulevard c50t in October and told my wife that it will save gas.  It's over $4 a gallon for 87 octane here now and it was a great choice.  My other option was to continue to commute in my V-8 4 wheel drive pick-up that got 12-16 MPG.  Now I'm getting in the low 40's.  My job requires me to occasionally travel between sites.  I get reimbursed $.505 a mile.  I usually get $100-$200 a month in mileage.

Environmentally I'm reducing my CO2 emissions by about 66 pounds a day (only considering the commute).  It's a great deal all around.  I've ridden 7500 miles since I got it in October.  At $4 a gallon, that is a savings of $1445.19.  I paid about $500 in upgrades and maintenance.  I'm still way ahead.  

Environmentally...My estimated CO2 emissions on my bike during that time were 3,837 pounds.  My truck would have given me a hypothetical amount of 11,786 pounds.

As far as insurance goes...My house, 2 cars and bike are all insured by AAA.  They wrote me a check for $100 when I added my bike.  I didn't really notice a difference in my monthly rates.

Disclaimers:
The money saved would have been less remarkable at a lower gas rate, but I think $4 a gallon for california is pretty accurate for the next few years.  I don't actually know my mileage on my bike but estimate it to be in the low 40's.  I'm using frbock's lowest reported gas mileage from above.  The dollar figures will change if you use 91 octane gas.  The CO2 math is based on 22 pounds a gallon.

Honestly, motorcycles do make a heck of a lot of sense unless you already have a car that gives great gas mileage.  I went to a dealership this weekend and the stuff the bikes that are selling are the 250cc sport bikes and scooters.  The kawasaki dealer said he's getting 5 inquiries a day on the 250 ninja.  Unfortunately, I honestly believe we may approach $5 a gallon next summer.  

I'm afraid $5 is gonna be pretty dang optimistic for next summer. By 2010, we'll be PRAYING for $5.00 a gallon gas. You remember all the b1tching that went on in 2006 when it hit $3? How about in 2004 when it hit $2.00?

I got really lucky- my ride since '95 has been a Chevy pickup with a 383 ci stroker in it, built by a genius who gets the best there is out of his engines. It gets 22 mpg and I have been thrilled!

Bringing this discussion back around to bikes, though: I checked the average mileage on the first thousand miles on my Vulcan 900. Now I'm a giant by most people's standards: 6'3" and 350 lbs. But my bike, driven sensibly, has averaged 47.6 mpg, and the truck sits in the driveway now saving a few bucks in insurance & registration. But the big deal is that is saves me a hundred bucks for every thousand miles. That's kinda cool, I think.
And all I give up is the subwoofer massage!