Best MPG motorcycles and mopeds

I am wanting to get a two wheeled vehicle for commuting around town next year and need something with excellent mileage so I can convince my fiancee why I should...

I WANT a motorcycle but am not sure if she will accept that and may have to settle for a moped.

What are the most efficient mopeds and motorcycles? Unfortunately, I am in an area where craigslist doesn't yield many results of either and traveling to Minneapolis is necessary to find decent deals.

Motorcycle: I would like something semi sporty such as a CBR250/Ninja 250, I have seen some stuff on the internet about F650 BMW's being very efficient, reliable and inexpensive to maintain, is this true?

Mopeds: I would like something semi cool looking with the best MPG possible. Looks are secondary...MPG is not.

Things I would like to know about suggested mopeds/motorcycles: Realistic expected MPG Average price High or low cost of ownership (DIY?) Where is a good place to buy one?

Scooter?

My dad had a "big block" scooter... Vespa 200. (most are smaller) he use to average about 80 mpg

The new Honda NC700x is rated at 73mpg. http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/10/18/honda-nc700x-road-test/

You don't really buy a motorcycle for fuel consumption - while they might use less fuel, the cost of other consumables, the more frequent oil changes with more expensive oil and the not-exactly-cheap gear eat up a lot of the savings.

I do commute by motorcycle and yes, it's nice to get 55mpg like I do, but if I was after the fuel savings I'd buy a 1st gen Insight. You ride a bike because you want to, and the fact that it doesn't cost much more to commute on one and might even cost less is just an added bonus.

In reply to BoxheadTim:

I understand that...but I do want one and need justification for it!

73 mpg is awesome! Anything on the used market that would get near that?

I got around 60mpg out of a DR600. The smaller Yamaha dirtbikes like the 250s are supposed to get around 70mpg.

TBH, if you want a bike, you want a bike. That's justification enough in my book.

Seriously, you can't justify having a bike on "rational" grounds. Not gonna happen. A smallish scooter, maybe, but not any bike bigger than 125cc.

Even an Yamaha R1 will net you 45-55 mpg all day long. I got up to 85mpg on my 2001, no problems.

J

I've seen early, used Brammo and Zero electric motorcycles going for less than $3K. Doesn't get much more efficient for local commuting!

Bryce

I get 50 mpg on a 1983 CX650ED that I paid $700.00 for and I don't ride it gently.

I can handle 3 quarts of 15W40 rotella and a filter twice a year. It's not that expensive really.

It's only expensive if you want it to be.

Buy a water cooled Honda. After the apocalypse, the only things left will be cockroaches and water-cooled, shafty Hondas.

This is what it looks like:

Sporty enough for me, I've put the lower primary drive from a CX500 in it to give it more bottom-end. It tops out at 100mph now but it pulls like a freight train. I can run down bigger bikes in the stoplight 500 with it.

You folks didn't get them in the USA , they were Canada, UK and Japan only.

You can have it's GL650 sibling and still get the same mileage with the stock gearing: I have the Interstate version of this as well.

Shawn

My Yamaha Majesty is a 400cc scooter that will run all day at highway speeds, comfortably, without breaking a sweat, and give you an honest 65mpg. As a bonus, it's automatic-no shifting-just twist and go, so should the FTWTP (female that wears the pants) ever decide to try it, it will be easy for her. A clean, low miles one can be picked up for under $2500. Liquid cooled, too.

Most any bike will get 50 mpg. Both my DL650 and the departed KLR650 did that handily. For substantially more mpg you're going to be looking at smaller displacement bikes. FI will always be more efficient than carbs as well.

One of the most popular beginner bikes out there is the Honda 250 Nighthawk. Stupid simple, easy to ride (used in many motorcycle safety courses) and because it's a beginner bike they get sold pretty quickly as people desire something with more power.

The Ninja 250 is an excellent bike also, but not sure on the mpg they get.

If you're considering mopeds (which frankly I think are stupid; if you're going to ride, just get a proper m/c and be done) then a 250-350cc bike is what you should look at. Twins will be far smoother than singles; you'll thank me later.

BoxheadTim wrote: You don't really buy a motorcycle for fuel consumption - while they might use less fuel, the cost of other consumables, the more frequent oil changes with more expensive oil and the not-exactly-cheap gear eat up a lot of the savings.

Not really the case if you buy a scooter for the right price

We call it a BWS 50, but I think Yamaha calls it a Zuma in the states. Almost 100 mpg, and practically zero maintenance.

In reply to Zomby Woof:

That's why I wrote "motorcycle" .

He didn't, but OK.

Not really the case if you buy a CBR125 for the right price (I paid $1000 for a 3 yr old one).

100 MPG, oil changes once a year with diesel 15W40 from Walmart. I don't see the problem

But I know what you're saying.

I have a Ninja 250, 06 so its carb. I never ride it easy but I AVG 58 beating the mother berkeley out of it. It rarely comes off the throttle stop. My buddies ER6N (naked ninja 650) gets 48 also beating it to death. So much bigger, more power and under the circumstance of hooning, gets close mpg wise. we are close to the same weight

Just as an FYI for those of you looking at super high mileage vehicles, be it a motorcycle or scooter or car, when you get into that realm of gas mileage you should really be looking at it from another angle: Gallons per 100 miles, or Gallons per ## miles.

Remember, the increase from 40 to 50 mpg is the same as the increase from 14 to 15.

My nx125 got 70MPG riding it wide open....hell my modified 170+ HP k1200s gets close to 50 (tbh I have to try pretty hard to get that)

FWIW as far as fuel economy goes. Four of us went for a long ride through Washington State on Friday. We did about 450km in a day.

Bikes were:

Early 70's Kawasaki KZ900,

Early 80's Moto-Guzzi California II (about a 950),

1983 Honda CX650E

1984 Honda GL1100

Guess who got the best mileage?

The 1984 Goldwing. (the rider is Dutch so that may have been a factor)

He managed about 56mpg on the trip.

Mine was next at 52, then the 'Guzzi and the Kawasaki.

If you have to convince her that something you WANT is worthwhile, you might be shopping for the wrong lifestyle accessory... just sayin'.

Ninja 250's and the CBR250 are sporty and efficient, but small in size and may not fit well if you're a bigger person. Its a problem most of the small displacement beginner bikes have as it makes them less intimidating, but ruins their ergo's for someone my size (6', 200-220 pounds).

Dual sports are a good place to look for a first bike. Most are slow overall and struggle to crack 100mph without significant downhills and tail winds. Most have great around-town grunt and power, plus sit you up high, making it great for picking your way through traffic. Most get reasonable gas mileage, and most are dead simple to maintain and cheap to operate. KLX250, WR250R, CRF250L, DRZ400, even a Suzuki DR650 or Honda XR650L.

I have a Yamaha 09 XT250 and it will get out of its own way handley up to about 55 or so. It will then make its way to 75 reliably. I think that it will manage at least 65 mpgs in aggressive driving.

I forgot about the EN6R. Cool bike. Ill have to add that to my list of future possibilities.

Zomby Woof wrote:

I did not think that we got these guys in the US. I have never seen one on the road out here in California and there are swarms of small displacement bikes being used daily.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

I don't think we did......then again, we were never supposed to have the NSR honda racebikes on the streets either, but there are a few around here.

The aprilia 50cc motorcylce we do get here, but I think they cost more than the 250cc class entry bikes. There is also the "Motorcycle for Rukus owners" coming soon from honda, 125cc Honda GROM(Thats such a E36 M3ty name)......

You should buy the drz400 (mine) in the open classifieds and get 60+mpg easy! (probly more if ridden sensibly, but why would you go and do something like that?) If I remember correctly epa was like 75mpg

The secret to happy motorcycling on the street is to pretend everyone that can pull out in front of you is going to until you are fully past them then repeat. Do not assume that anyone is not completely retarded or careless, pretend every light is green in every direction (except the direction youre traveling). If you have little to no experience, buy a dual sport and learn to ride in the dirt, where you can master the control of the bike without traffic, then take a rider training corse, then ride on the street. Bikes arent inherently dangerous, stupid people in cars are to motorcyclist though. You just have to be on point all the time.