Published on April 27th, 2013 | Looking for the latest list? CLICK HERE for Gas 2’s Best Fuel Efficient Motorcycles You Can Buy in 2016! Unlike my general disdain and subtle aggression towards street-clogging cars, overly smug Prius drivers, and bloated “crossover” SUVs, I’ve never hidden my love of 2-wheeled motor vehicles. In addition to being cheaper, faster, sexier, and (I am wholly and utterly convinced) safer than 4-wheeled “cages”, 2 wheelers are generally greener than conventional cars, making fuel-efficient motorcycles a great alternative for environmentally conscious commuters who aren’t afraid to get a little wet every now and again. It seems like I’m not alone in feeling that way about the more fuel-efficient motorcycles out there, either! Earlier this week, the Chicago Tribune posted their (rather poorly researched) “top 10” list of fuel-efficient motorcycles. I’ve included their choices, below, and added of few of my own, as well. See if you can guess which ones are mine in the comments, at bottom.

Honda’s new NC700X delivers up to 64 miles per gallon, and some owners are reporting even higher fuel economy, thanks to the bike’s available automatic keeping the low-speed/high-rpm antics to a minimum. Honda’s smaller-caliber CRF250L sips gently at the gas, getting a reported 73 mpg. BMW’s F650GS is a big-bore, single-cylinder street bike, but it gets (what the Chicago Tribune calls) “little-bike mileage” with a claimed 63 mpg rating.motorcycle repair bellingham Yamaha’s hulking 1300cc V Star touring bike goes a long way towards proving the old “it’s not what you ride, it’s how you ride it” theme. motorcycle store toms river njThe big, loping V-twin makes big power at WOT, but has a tiny appetite for fuel when it’s lazily cruising along, getting a reported 78 mpg!motorcycle salvage yards rochester pa

Suzuki’s retro TU250X is just as fuel efficient as any of its 1960s predecessors, but has much cleaner emissions and modern brakes that would’ve make it a real track day contender 40 or 50 years ago. The entry-level Suzuki gets nearly 80 mpg. Kawasaki’s small-bore version of the popular Ninja street racer series has many of the visual styling cues and cornering chops of its track-ready bigger brothers, but gets 77 mpg.motorcycles for sale in merced Like Honda’s all-road capable 250, above, Kawasaki’s dual-sport KLX250s model performs on and off-road, and gives back at least 70 mpg.blue spiderman motorcycle helmet for sale Despite a few examples having been found fossilized in Jurrasic-era rock formations, the immortal Honda Rebel continues to be a hit with younger, newer, and smaller riders. used bikes for sale asbury park nj

The little Rebel is easy on the wallet, with an MSRP under $3000 and an 84 mpg fuel economy rating. Suzuki’s popular DR series of motorcycles are capable of both on-road and off-road travel, and gets an estimated 68+ mpg. Pretty Much any Royal Enfield The classic Royal Enfield road bikes are still built the old way, in India, by hand, and are fully new interpretations of the old English Enfield designs. used bikes for sale asbury park njThe bikes look like a million bucks, and get as much as 85 mpg from their torquey, single-cylinder power plants. Vespa’s retro-style, steel-bodied scooter may not “count” as a motorycle to you, dear reader, but its powerful 125 cc single, CVT gearing advantage, and lightweight construction mean it will leave most of the bikes in the list above in the dust from 0-30 mph, where city traffic lives. It may not be quite available to ride home, but you can definitely buy this bike today … just don’t expect to take delivery before Thanksgiving (but what a thing to be thankful for!).

Expect the 55-ish mph Vespa to get over 90 mph when it arrives in showrooms later this year. Let’s get one thing out of the way: if you don’t like this bike, then you hate America, Jesus, and probably cheddar cheese. This is the cooler-est 250 cc bike you can buy, and even though every ounce of your true biker spirit will want to call this a poser sack of Chinese crap, but get up close and you won’t be able to. The people involved are genuine enthusiasts, the build quality is excellent, and the look, the feel, and the pitch are dead-nuts-on. This is, in my opinion, the second best physical object 3500-ish US American dollars can buy, and it gets well over 80 mpg. If not liking Cleveland Cyclewerks’ Misfit means you hate America, then not liking Genuine’s Stella means you hate yourself. A nod to Vespa’s classic 70’s-era PX scooters, this 150 cc low-emissions scooter features an honest-to-goodness MANUAL transmission, as well as a host of go-fast goodies and customizing options available through Genuine’s captive parts-house, Scooterworks.

Except for my old Honda Ruckus, this is the only bike I’ve ever ridden that got waves from Harley riders (read: accountants and dentists), crotch-rocketeers, and Key West scooter trash alike … and this bike has enough juice to pull some serious road-trip duty. This low-emission, recycled-steel-bodied bike gets over 140 mpg.Photos: the Chicago Tribune, Cleveland Cyclewerks, Genuine Scooter Co., Vespa.The winter is over and the temperature is rising. Rather than enjoying the longer days, though, many of us spend our mornings and evenings driving in busy traffic, air conditioning set to maximum as we creep back and forth on the daily commute. Or, worse, on public transport, sat (or more likely stood) for hours in cramped, sweaty conditions. There is a more palatable alternative, an affordable and enjoyable way of commuting: on two wheels. Here is our guide to some of the most popular commuter bikes you’ll see around our cities. Honda CBF 125 £2600 Weight 128kg, seat height 792mm Honda’s CBF 125 isn’t the most exciting or sexy bike on the market, but it’s shockingly cheap to run, making the Honda one of the most affordable commuter bikes to own.

New models start at £2600 and Honda is quoting an astonishing 130+ mpg. That means £10 worth of fuel could, in theory, last you over 150miles, which is more than most weekly commutes within inner cities. Combined with cheap insurance, and not forgetting you can ride the CBF on L-plates, it’s very tempting. BMW R1200GS £11,395 Weight 238kg, seat height 850/870mm Made famous by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s travels around the globe, BMW’s GS is the iconic adventure model, the Land Rover Defender of the two-wheel world. Despite its size and bulk the GS is used by many city workers for commuting, and as a way of escaping city life at the weekend. On the plus side, as a city bike the big GS sits high above traffic, and is laden with rider aids such as traction control, ABS, and semi-active suspension. It’s not the ideal city commuter due to its size and weight, but is still a favourite with many. Moto Guzzi V7 Stone £6999 Weight 179kg, seat height 805mm Moto Guzzi is synonymous with building exotic, attractive bikes but, like most Italian designer brands, its products are usually expensive.

That isn’t the case for the new V7, however, and because it develops less than 47bhp it is compliant with the new A licence laws. This makes the Guzzi a surprisingly appealing city commuter; it’s also easy to ride, with a low seat, relatively light weight and a wide spread of power. If you want a stylish, retro bike with a bit of Italian flair look no further. KTM 200 Duke £ 4199 Weight 129kg, seat height 800mm You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of KTM, because they are better known for off-road bikes. However, in 1996 they crossed over to producing fun, funky road bikes. This is what the Austrian bike firm have done with the KTM 200: it’s quirky, light, learner-friendly and economical. The bikes are actually made in India, and although the standard-fit tyres are rather poor, they can easily be changed by your local dealer. Not as economical as bikes like Honda’s CBF 125, but more stylish and fun to ride. Kawasaki Ninja 300 £4799 Weight 172kg, seat height 785mm Despite its sporty and aggressive appearance the Ninja 300 is actually learner-friendly (A2 compliant): its bark is worse than its bite.

Even your motorcycling friends will make the mistake of thinking you’re on a full-blown sports bike, when actually you’ve paid a quarter of the price and are enjoying a simple city commuter. Top speed is still a respectable 110mph and 0-60mph takes less than 10 seconds, but you also get brilliant fuel economy from the parallel twin motor. Honda CBR500R £4950 Weight 194kg, seat height 790mm New this year and, like the Ninja 300, designed to mirror its larger siblings - in this case Honda’s CBR600 and the legendary Honda Fireblade. Despite its muscular looks the CBR is easy to ride and learner-friendly thanks to the A2 licence laws. There are three closely related models to choose from, which all share the same 500cc parallel twin engine, frame, wheels, brakes and suspension, but are styled slightly differently. The CBR500X is the same price but styled to appear more like an adventure bike and the CB500F model has a top headlight cowl instead of a full fairing, giving it a desirable street racer appearance.

Honda Goldwing GL 1800 £24,499 Weight 421kg, seat height 740mm The large Goldwing is probably the most inappropriate commuter bike on the planet. This is the bike you see at seaside resorts around the UK, laden in lights and sometimes flags; it’s the ultimate in comfort and long-distance touring and obviously makes no sense around town. However, it’s still quicker around town than a car, and you get a radio and CD changer. Vespa GTS Super 300 £4095 Weight 158kg, seat height 790mm We had to include a Vespa in this guide - the brand is famous the world over for producing iconic scooters and European cities are littered with them. Many people still think of Vespa scooters as unreliable, smelly machines that are hard to start and ride; noisy little things with two-stroke engines. That is no longer the case and the GTS Super 300 is the complete opposite. As well as having a reliable 278cc four-stroke engine, it’s well built and surprisingly nippy. It will even cruise along the motorway at 70mph comfortably.

Now you can have the Italian style, without the downsides. Triumph Bonneville £6399 Weight 225kg, seat height 740mm The iconic British Bonneville was re-released by Triumph in 2000, then updated in 2006 with an 865cc engine. It takes insipration from the original T120 Bonneville that was a hit for Triumph back in the 60s and 70s and although it may appear old-school, dummy carburettors hide a modern fuel injection system and there are disc brakes that actually stop you quickly. The Bonnie is an easy, comfortable bike to ride, thanks to its low seat, wide bars and good riding position. The parallel twin engine offers decent performance and is economical. You don’t have to be an oily rag Triumph afficionado to own a Bonneville: these days it’s a lovely, simple commuter bike. Suzuki Burgman 125 £3465 Weight 159kg, seat height 735mm Not all scooters are Italian, and they don’t have to be buzzy two-strokes ridden by youths with hoodies. Suzuki’s Burgman is a more refined scooter, matching its larger siblings the 400 and 650.