Kawasaki Concours Forum

Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: Pfloydgad on March 05, 2012, 07:57:48 PM

Title: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Pfloydgad on March 05, 2012, 07:57:48 PM
Well..........
A lot of discussion about the potential for Summer gas prices, a few discussions are predicting $5 +.
Odviously the jury is still out on the actual pricing, but was wondering if you have given much thought to how it might affect your riding this year. I know it might affect mine, how about you.
Ride safe all,
Greg
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ZG on March 05, 2012, 08:04:38 PM
It will affect mine for sure, I'll ride more! My V10 truck get's 7 mpg...  :'(
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: rcannon409 on March 05, 2012, 08:07:44 PM
I will ride as much as I possibly can.  Even if gas was 10.00 per gallon, I get  a lot of mental benefit from riding.  With oil and good race fuel, I'm close paying 10.00 per  for my yz 250, and its  a bargain.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: BlkBird on March 05, 2012, 08:16:40 PM
Unfortunately the answer is Yes for me.  I will be spending most of my free time repairing other people's vehicles to keep my wife's truck fed.  I already ride the bike almost daily to work but not terribly often on long rides for fun. 
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: tonedeaf on March 05, 2012, 10:09:06 PM
Not mt motorcycle riding, but at over $6 a gallon, my flying is taking a hit.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: VirginiaJim on March 06, 2012, 04:04:20 AM
No.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: zsiska on March 06, 2012, 04:16:28 AM
I already ride almost daily to work.  That won't change.  And as for my once a year week long trip, that will still happen.  I refuse to give up one of my vacations due to gas prices.  I still need the mental relief from work. 
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Conrad on March 06, 2012, 04:42:37 AM
The price has to be paid and I won't let it change how much I ride. So, no.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: W14 on March 06, 2012, 04:52:32 AM
My motorcycle is used for pleasure, higher prices might cause me to use it for more routine purposes
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: gPink on March 06, 2012, 05:00:07 AM
No. If it gets to high I'll start carrying a siphon hose again.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: midnightrider on March 06, 2012, 07:24:20 AM
I ride daily now. But will probably ride even more so the suburban can be parked.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 06, 2012, 07:53:58 AM
It affects my riding...I'll ride more and park my truck more.

Or take Brigittes little car.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/junk/bridget.jpg)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Bosco on March 06, 2012, 08:12:06 AM
Forget the car, take the bike with her on it.  ;D
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 06, 2012, 08:24:13 AM
Forget the car, take the bike with her on it.  ;D

I sold that Zx14, she still has the little car  :D
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Strawboss on March 06, 2012, 12:32:10 PM
It won't affect my bike riding much, but I'll probably ride the scooter and the CB125 more to work.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Gumby on March 06, 2012, 01:05:17 PM
No. If it gets to high I'll start carrying a siphon hose again.

Copy dat....

It will affect mine for sure, I'll ride more! My V10 truck get's 7 mpg...  :'(

Hmmm, new truck maybe?
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Conrad on March 06, 2012, 01:23:23 PM
It will affect mine for sure, I'll ride more! My V10 truck get's 7 mpg...  :'(

7 mpg in your truck?  :o

Is that pullling anything? My Duramax gets 12 and that's pulling a 4 ton 5th wheel man! Not pulling it gets 18 - 22.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ZG on March 06, 2012, 03:12:13 PM
7 mpg in your truck?  :o

Is that pullling anything? My Duramax gets 12 and that's pulling a 4 ton 5th wheel man! Not pulling it gets 18 - 22.

Yep, she get's 7 in town, 7 on highway, and 7 pulling the 5th wheel, don't matter what she gets 7...  :'(
 
Maybe it's just the way I drive it??  :-\  She does pull the 5th wheel nicely up hills at 60 mph though!  :thumbs:
 
If the question of this thread was "will the gas prices have an affect on hauling the 5th wheel alot this summer" my answer would be YES!  :( >:(
 
FWIW though I can't seem to get my ave mpg up over 32.1 on my Connie either, but I also don't do much highway riding...  :-\
 
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/101_0135.jpg)
 
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/101_0137.jpg)
 
(http://i1200.photobucket.com/albums/bb336/jaywilcox/100_0044.jpg)
 
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ZG on March 06, 2012, 03:15:39 PM
Hmmm, new truck maybe?

Nope, not in the cards Gumbi, bought her new 12 years ago and am just now hitting 60k miles on her. She's a good rig and has been long time paid off, no car/truck payments for me in this economy!  :)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: gPink on March 06, 2012, 03:25:49 PM

Nope, not in the cards Gumbi, bought her new 12 years ago and am just now hitting 60k miles on her. She's a good rig and has been long time been paid off, no car/truck payments for me in this economy!  :)
Quote
That's why I keep my '94 Dodge. 10mpg uphill, downhill, with the wind, against the wind, loaded or unloaded. 250xxx and still running strong. Can't afford to replace it. You can buy a lot of gas for a $500/month truck payment.

36-40 mpg on the Connie.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Conrad on March 06, 2012, 03:36:59 PM

Yep, she get's 7 in town, 7 on highway, and 7 pulling the 5th wheel, don't matter what she gets 7...  :'(
 
Maybe it's just the way I drive it??  :-\  She does pull the 5th wheel nicely up hills at 60 mph though!  :thumbs:
 
If the question of this thread was "will the gas prices have an affect on hauling the 5th wheel alot this summer" my answer would be YES!  :( >:(
 
FWIW though I can't seem to get my ave mpg up over 32.1 on my Connie either, but I also don't do much highway riding...  :-\
 

Try unhooking the 5th wheel.   :P

Something else we have in common J, the 5th wheel that is. Montanas are nice.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Ron Dawg on March 06, 2012, 07:35:25 PM
ZG, maybe you need to check the air (er..put some air) in your tires.  :o   

My V-10 gets  11-12 mpg around town, 12-13 mpg at the speed limit on two lanes, 9-10 mpg pulling my 30' bumper pull camper (NOT a 5th wheel). That's a much taller hole to punch through the air. 

I plan to ride 90% of the time this summer. It's about 40% now. Thank goodness for a mild winter so far. I get $.50/mi for work driving, but that just barely covers the cost of gas for the Ford. I figure $5.50/gal is breakeven not counting tires and maintenance at $.50/mi.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ZG on March 06, 2012, 08:36:58 PM
Something else we have in common J, the 5th wheel that is. Montanas are nice.

 :thumbs: :chugbeer:
 
 
 
ZG, maybe you need to check the air (er..put some air) in your tires.  :o   

My V-10 gets  11-12 mpg around town, 12-13 mpg at the speed limit on two lanes, 9-10 mpg pulling my 30' bumper pull camper (NOT a 5th wheel). That's a much taller hole to punch through the air. 

I'm just heavy footed RD, I'm sure if I eased up to speed I could get better, but for some reason I just don't, old habbits...  :-\
 
 
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 06, 2012, 09:14:12 PM
ZG, beautiful pics!
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Bob Young on March 06, 2012, 11:02:24 PM
 :)
ZG:
My 2000 F250 V10 is about the same. 10mpg in town,uphill, downhill or over a cliff. But on a road trip 12-13mpg with 430 rear end. Not an economy truck, but I love the ride. Pulls my horses trailers well, too.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Rhino on March 07, 2012, 12:18:13 AM
like others have said, I will ride more.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: mjrfd99 on March 07, 2012, 06:35:42 AM

Nope, not in the cards Gumbi, bought her new 12 years ago and am just now hitting 60k miles on her. She's a good rig and has been long time paid off, no car/truck payments for me in this economy!  :)
Same here.  OMG on the prices on a new truck. i'm not sure I could afford my own truck now.
A new one w/ same equiptment would be $50-60k  :yikes:  Now that buys alot of diesel  fuel!
Our Connie has saved us alot is gas $$$ during my 120 mi r/t commute for the 6 yrs before retiring.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 07, 2012, 08:04:30 AM
I may take out the reliable 60 MPG HONDA more heh

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/Honda%20650%20XL/20110521-20110521-DSC_0018.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/LR/20110419-DSC_0076.jpg)

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/LR/20110419-DSC_0061.jpg)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Pokey on March 07, 2012, 06:02:22 PM
Nope.....and both of my 2 wheel toys run on premium gas.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Ron Dawg on March 07, 2012, 06:28:44 PM
That IS a nice rig. When I saw the trailer, I thought you probably had a 4.30 or 4.10 rear. I bought mine to tow sometimes and drive around most times, so I got the 3.73. I've often worndered why they didn't put a two speed rear in these trucks. I've also wondered why we don't have the option to buy a small diesel in a 150.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Excavator on March 07, 2012, 07:31:38 PM
My duramax duelly will be parked in the driveway more which means the C14 will collect more miles this year.

My wife's GMC 4X4 was just traded for a little BMW328i, got tired of parking that truck at the gas station.   :banghead:
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Jeremy Mitchell on March 07, 2012, 07:49:09 PM
I will keep riding every day since my Expedition only gets 10 mpg and my wife's CX-9 only gets around 18 mpg in town.  The 5.4 is a boat anchor!  Anemic performance and horrible economy.  But it is fun when I take the family fishing or camping.

(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/IMG_1238.jpg)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Pfloydgad on March 07, 2012, 08:13:07 PM
We have gas @ $3.64 here in Springfield, Ohio. But that was at 6pm, who knows what it is now. But when I filled up the bike this afternoon I was on the oposite side of the pump from a guy filling a big Ram 2500.
I stopped at $14.00, he had to use 2 different cards to fill his tanks. Seems $75 is all each card will allow per gas purchase. His final bill was $152.00, and he said that happens every week with his drive to work and back. I told him to get a nice small bike and see what he can save, he said that idea didn't fly with his other , not better half. It was everything I could do not to ask him what size pants she wore, but he was already depressed from his fill-up. So I played nice.   :yikes:
Just ride safe out there,
Greg
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Bosco on March 07, 2012, 08:26:01 PM
My wife's car gets better mileage than my connie. So for long trips we will take that.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: dvitous on March 07, 2012, 09:07:02 PM
My '99 wrangler clocks in at about 16.5 mpg on average.

My last job was 60 miles round-trip.  Doing the math, every day I could take the bike to work instead of the jeep saved me an easy $10 in gas cost.

Not that I don't take the bike as often as I could anyway... but I just like to rub that stat in the faces of my non-bikin' coworkers  ;D

It might make me chance the weather more, or take it on stupid-hot days mebbe....
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: zsiska on March 08, 2012, 04:29:27 AM
I will keep riding every day since my Expedition only gets 10 mpg and my wife's CX-9 only gets around 18 mpg in town.  The 5.4 is a boat anchor!  Anemic performance and horrible economy.  But it is fun when I take the family fishing or camping.

(http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m245/flygirl5485/IMG_1238.jpg)

I love our Expedition as well, but the mileage sucks.  I will say that the 5.4 is an anchor also, but I have 150K miles on mine and have had no major problems yet (knock on wood).  The plugs are a pain in the ass to change.  I am hoping to get 200K miles and then break down and get a new used vehicle.   
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Jeremy Mitchell on March 08, 2012, 05:31:52 AM
I love our Expedition as well, but the mileage sucks.  I will say that the 5.4 is an anchor also, but I have 150K miles on mine and have had no major problems yet (knock on wood).  The plugs are a pain in the ass to change.  I am hoping to get 200K miles and then break down and get a new used vehicle.

Mine has 174,000 miles and hasn't shot a plug yet (knock on wood).  The previous owner had the transmission replaced and I replaced nearly every part on the suspension.  I will be going back to a Chevy after this thing get retired.  Every Ford I have owned has either been unreliable or needed tons of maintenance. 
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Two Skies on March 08, 2012, 08:09:33 AM
My C-10 is my go to vehicle anyways for transportation, so higher gas prices won't affect it's usage much.  My C-10 gets 45 MPG average, compared to 16 MPG or less for my trucks.  It'd be nice to have a working car in the 30+ MPG range, but I can't aford a new one so there you go...

Higher gas prices definitely affect how often I use my other transportation options, though, so I find myself avoiding using said options whenever I can.  In wintertime though, thanks to my recently implemented no riding in freezing temperatures rule, I have to rely on those more...

I had a bad day on my C-10 with a small patch of black ice that resulted in a trip to the emergency room, and since then I just won't ride in freezing weather of any kind.  It just isn't worth taking the chance again, however small it may be.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Roadhound on March 08, 2012, 09:41:52 AM
It probably won't affect my riding. I might walk a little more for short errands and the like. I'll probably do a little more campsite cooking when I'm on the road.

I switched from a VW Bug to being a full time Motorcycle rider in 1973. I was married back then, my wife made the switch from a 1969 Chevelle V8 to a new Honda Civic. I've always hated spending dollars on stuff you just burn up. I really have a hard time understanding the ideal of driving a vehicle that drinks fuel faster than I drink beer. 7 to 12 MPG ? I could never sleep at night.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ZG on March 08, 2012, 10:24:32 AM
I really have a hard time understanding the idea of driving a vehicle that drinks fuel faster than I drink beer. 7 to 12 MPG ? I could never sleep at night.

Well actually my beer consumption is even worse...  ;)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: tweeter55 on March 08, 2012, 10:33:02 AM
My Impala gets 27-30 & the wife's Neon gets 29-33. The Connie still goes to work with me whenever I can, though. Going to the Dragon & Parkway this summer, so I guess the gas stations will still get some of my $$$'s.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Conrad on March 08, 2012, 10:44:21 AM
My new Jetta gets about the same fuel economy as my C14.

It's a diesel and gets 35 to 40 mpg around town and 45 to 50 mpg out on the highway. Not bad eh? That's not hypermiling either, I can't stand to drive that way.   
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Gearhead82 on March 08, 2012, 11:56:25 AM
A couple months ago I bought a 2012 Mazda 3 Skyactiv Hatchback and I've been averaging about 33mpg with it.  That's pretty much exactly the same as I get with the C14.  So each day this summer when I get up I have to decide if I want to have A/C and music, or if I want to have FUN.   8)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: tweeter55 on March 08, 2012, 12:15:42 PM
My vote is for FUN
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: ManWorkinghere on March 08, 2012, 12:16:00 PM
My wife's car gets better mileage than my connie. So for long trips we will take that.
+ 1

But she likes to ride on the back of the C-10 for day trips.

And yesterday started the riding season for me.  Yay!  My Honda Civic with 38mpg now goes back in the garage until January.  Commuting to work is 35 miles one way, commuting back home is 100+ miles on a good day.  :)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: booger on March 09, 2012, 05:53:40 PM
Won't bother me.  I ride for relaxation.  And that's worth at least $10/gal
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: booger on March 09, 2012, 05:54:47 PM
It affects my riding...I'll ride more and park my truck more.

Or take Brigittes little car.

(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/junk/bridget.jpg)

Shucks, my C-14 gets a lot better gas mileage than my Solstice did.
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 09, 2012, 05:59:56 PM
My C14 gets between 43-45 in ECO mode, no clue what Brigittes red gurlie car gets, I was just sayin'....    :D
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: stevewfl on March 09, 2012, 06:00:54 PM
Best deal for me is to decide on which pair of new shoes to travel in, the green lo or pinstriped hi-tops!

(http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/422662_2975941112188_1071635590_2786935_744640904_n.jpg)
Title: Re: Gas Prices, will it affect your riding ?
Post by: Strawboss on March 10, 2012, 11:31:33 AM
Scooter-100mpg

CB125- 70mpg

KZ550A-50mpg

Bonneville- 50mpg

Concours- 42mpg

2002 Ford Focus- 28mpg overall-35 highway- $36.00 to fillup at $3.62/gal

Kinda obvious I'll be on two wheels a lot more this summer