Commuters. What's your MPG means in pounds and pence?

[hodgerydoo]

I am looking for my next commuter bike and comparing the MPG. For example a Honda Deauville reportedly does 50-60mpg and a Honda NC700 does 65-75MPG which is all very interesting but thought to myself what does it actually mean??? In pounds shilling and pence what difference does it make to my monthly outgoings and hence would a cheaper Deauville be a better buy than a newer NC, MPG wise??? (Not looking at all other costs).....So being the sad person that I am I worked it out on a spreadsheet. I thought some of you might like to have a play around with it as well, see attached and have a go.

Just enter the price per litre in your area, the miles you commute (do)in a week, the weeks you don't commute (Jollydays, car days etc) and then play around with the bikes MPG's you want to compare and it will work out the costs for you.

[V_King]

mpg means nothing if you are commuting 1-10 miles. engine barely warms up and sips fuel like mad.
I get anything between 30 to 50 miles less on a fuel tank if I only commute short distances between engine warmups.

50-60 and 65-75 mpg difference would mean nothing in short commutes, unless you do 50 miles commute.

new vs used - I would always go for used bike. two years ago did some calculations, that I would need to do 30 000 miles before I would start saving money on fuel, when I was comparing my 50mpg dominator I had at the moment with cashing out on other more economic bike.

[hodgerydoo]

mpg means nothing if you are commuting 1-10 miles. engine barely warms up and sips fuel like mad.
I get anything between 30 to 50 miles less on a fuel tank if I only commute short distances between engine warmups.

50-60 and 65-75 mpg difference would mean nothing in short commutes, unless you do 50 miles commute.

new vs used - I would always go for used bike. two years ago did some calculations, that I would need to do 30 000 miles before I would start saving money on fuel, when I was comparing my 50mpg dominator I had at the moment with cashing out on other more economic bike.

Good point, and your right the more miles you do the more difference it makes. I do 50 mile round trip each day, minus holidays that's 13,000 a year, if it were a choice between two bikes of the same price the higher MPG would be better financially, that's before accounting for grin factor which could blow it all out of the water. :silly:

[Tonibe63]

new vs used - I would always go for used bike. two years ago did some calculations, that I would need to do 30 000 miles before I would start saving money on fuel, when I was comparing my 50mpg dominator I had at the moment with cashing out on other more economic bike.

A sign of the times maybe?
Done 'the math' myself recently and decided to spend the £3k upgrade money on fuel for trips on my current bike. Ironically the depreciation on the new bike would make it worth the same as my old bike in another 12 months/8000 miles.
No brainer for me.