Bike vs plane

[stingray]

I have to go down to Alva soon and with the higher price of fuel I thought about taking the bike. Here's what I found out.

Plane: 605 miles, 3.5 hrs one way. Total round trip 84 gallons fuel @ $3.85/$4.35 = roughly $350.00.

Bike 84 Goldwing, 835 miles, 14.5 hrs (If I'm lucky) one way. 30 MPG roughly $200.00 again if I'm lucky fuel prices vary so much on the road.

That's 7 hrs vs 29 for only around $150.00 more. Add in food and bev. maybe a nights stay if I get tired...

Getting my PPL was the best thing I ever did. Getting the Bellanca was the second.

Dan

 

[Juliett]

There you go! And that's not even factoring in all of the bad drivers you'd have to share the road with...

 

[Ted]

Yeah, one of the things that amazes me about flying is that, depending on the trip, you not only generally save a lot of time, but the cost isn't always much worse. I flew up to Binghampton to drop off a friend last Sunday, and it was 40 minutes each way vs. 2.5 hours each way if I had driven. 5 hours of driving, even in the Jag, would have cost me more than the hour 20 minutes of flying. Granted this doesn't quite factor in the door-to-door nature of extra time on either end, but I was wheels up at 4:30 PM and back in IPT at 6 PM instead of 10:30!

Now I just need my IR...

 

[rottydaddy]

It's true... most 100-to-500 mile trips work out quite favorably with a light single (although I've never figured it against a motorcycle). The extra $100 or so pays for the fun factor.

 

[steingar]

The bike is still better, especially if you can camp (especially if you can just camp in a field). But bikes leave one very, very tired. Then again, you can always get back on the bike, which is more than be said about the aircraft when limited to VFR travel.

 

[jesse]

It's true... most 100-to-500 mile trips work out quite favorably with a light single (although I've never figured it against a motorcycle). The extra $100 or so pays for the fun factor.

It must depend on where you're at. In the midwest with somewhat average rental rates there is no way it ever really makes that much financial sense. Unless you drive some monstrous gas guzzling SUV that depreciates $1,000 per day and has a $500 loan payment.

 

[bstratt]

And it's just not the cost of gas in the plane - you have to amortize engine life and oil change costs into the equation - but the most difficult thing is to factor in the "fun" factor!!

 

[stingray]

And it's just not the cost of gas in the plane - you have to amortize engine life and oil change costs into the equation - but the most difficult thing is to factor in the "fun" factor!!

I do that, It is just that I do all my own work and do not spend $30,000.00 for a rebuilt engine. You do not have to figure in fixed cost because you have the plane anyway.

I do not travel IFR or night on a bike. Weather is a no go on the bike if it is a no go in the plane.

Dan

 

[Tristar]

It really works out as far as trips go especially if you're looking for a shorter time en route. There is also a lot more to see from above. Although, I believe it's cheaper to buy and keep a bike than an airplane. You can also deal with some weather on a bike better than an airplane (personal and airplane factors depending of course). Both are great, it's all about what you want most!

 

[jesse]

An example for me:

Lincoln, NE - Minneapolis MN

Motorcycle: 868 sm round trip. 21.7 gallons round trip. $80.29
Rental Airplane: 558 nm, 5.2 hours, $545

That is a trip where the airplane makes it quite a bit shorter but the expenses of renting really don't make the numbers work out. I could see how this might change with ownership. But it is hard to beat the $80 on the bike.

 

[n20junkie]

Thats because your renting. I know that you pay for the plane one way or another, but you also pay for a car in the same manner. I have both a car, bike and a plane all sitting, the plane will cost slightly more, but will do it much faster.

 

[silver-eagle]

The utility of the plane is easily demonstrated. I took the plane on vacation. 150 miles airport to airport, and just about 1.5 hours. The Tahoe would have been 5 hours. 10 gallons of avgas vs 25 regular. Plus we used the plane for several hours while there. I'm convinced!
A friend is trying to prove to his wife it would be by taking her on a 125 mile trip to visit her Mom for Mother's Day. While quicker in the plane, she's still not quite convinced. They'll be holding off on buying that CJ (or a C172 for that matter).

 

[dmccormack]

If it was just about money, wouldn't a bus be best?

Bikes seem to be cheaper, but the maintenance costs on my Yamaha FZ1 eat into the 50 MPG fuel savings real quick-like.

Though I'd been faster on that bike than any airplane I'd flown until I flew a Bonanza...B)

 

[Gmaper]

Bikes seem to be cheaper, but the maintenance costs on my Yamaha FZ1 eat into the 50 MPG fuel savings real quick-like.

I don't know about Yamaha bikes but my son-in-law has a beautiful Harley that has a voracious appetite for replacement parts. He recently had to buy a driving light that was $45+ (genuine Harley ) and a rear tire for $126. He has about 13K miles. His maintenance costs seem to be a lot higher than my Honda car. He gets 35-40 mpg which is markedly better than his full-grown diesel truck but he does get wet when it rains. But fun counts for a lot.

 

[Ted]

Ultimately a lot of it is for the fun factor, of course, not to mention the time savings. Do we end up spending more money flying? Of course, but it's because we want to fly.

Either way, spending the same amount on fuel flying vs. something else is pretty nifty.

 

[dmccormack]

I don't know about Yamaha bikes but my son-in-law has a beautiful Harley that has a voracious appetite for replacement parts. He recently had to buy a driving light that was $45+ (genuine Harley ) and a rear tire for $126. He has about 13K miles. His maintenance costs seem to be a lot higher than my Honda car. He gets 35-40 mpg which is markedly better than his full-grown diesel truck but he does get wet when it rains. But fun counts for a lot.

This bike has been nearly flawless -- parts replaced so far have bee tires, chains, sprockets, brake pads.

Maybe it's simply an indication of how I ride...?

 

[stingray]

An example for me:

Lincoln, NE - Minneapolis MN

Motorcycle: 868 sm round trip. 21.7 gallons round trip. $80.29
Rental Airplane: 558 nm, 5.2 hours, $545

That is a trip where the airplane makes it quite a bit shorter but the expenses of renting really don't make the numbers work out. I could see how this might change with ownership. But it is hard to beat the $80 on the bike.

Go to a Harley dealer and rent the bike also, then get back to me. You will take the plane every time.

Dan

 

[dmccormack]

Go to a Harley dealer and rent the bike also, then get back to me. You will take the plane every time.

Dan

LOL..

I don't know about Harley's, but after doing 917 miles in One Day (Birmingham, Alabama to Pittsburgh), the 2 day recovery time (hands in permanent grip mode, back angled forward, nether parts sore, etc, etc) makes flying a WHOLE lot more fun on those longer trips....

 

[Ted]

LOL..

I don't know about Harley's, but after doing 917 miles in One Day (Birmingham, Alabama to Pittsburgh), the 2 day recovery time (hands in permanent grip mode, back angled forward, nether parts sore, etc, etc) makes flying a WHOLE lot more fun on those longer trips....

If you ride an FZ1, that is why. It is not a bike for long trips, even though masochistic folks will ride them for days on end. My back simply will not allow long trips on a sportier bike. I've gone on rides that are a half day to a full day long. That's too much on the bikes I've owned. I personally need some sort of back support, but I have scoliosis (also known as "I would be 6'2" if my back was straight, but I'm probably 6' - 6'1" because it's not) and that screws up all kinds of seating positions.

To me, the only way to participate in any sort of Iron Butt-esque competitoins is with one of the bigger cruiser/touring bikes. Harleys, GoldWings, etc. are much better for these kinds of trips. The FZ1 (or the Bandit 1200 and Interceptor 800i that I've owned) really do not have the ergos for doing that comfortably.

 

[bstratt]

I have done it all - I co-own a plane, I own a Harley Heritage Softail Classic and I have rented Harley's as well. With me it comes down to the mission statement - do I just want to kill a day having fun in the local vicinity I'll jump on the Harley - if I have to go to Minneapolis on business and time is important, I'll fly myself - if I only have a long weekend but want to ride a bike through Death Valley and Yosemite, I'll fly to Vegas and rent a Harley.

Usually with me at this stage of my life, my time is worth more than my money - when I retire and that has turned I imagine I'll be spending a lot of time on the Harley!

 

[Larryo]

All,

We are comparing apples to oranges... but fun.

When I met my cousin in North Dakota, he came on his Gold Wing and I came in a Baron (from FL).

I used as much gas as he would use in several months.... but...
I carried 4 people, rain didn't stop us made it in one day and was comfortable when I landed. He took and week, and did some camping/motels, etc. I also carried enough bags for a two week trip to Alaska.

Both fun, but really different missions.

NOW, I used to carry my Honda in the back.... best of both worlds. Need to fire that thing up again.....

 

[Cap'n Jack]

An example for me:

Lincoln, NE - Minneapolis MN

Motorcycle: 868 sm round trip. 21.7 gallons round trip. $80.29
Rental Airplane: 558 nm, 5.2 hours, $545

That is a trip where the airplane makes it quite a bit shorter but the expenses of renting really don't make the numbers work out. I could see how this might change with ownership. But it is hard to beat the $80 on the bike.

Jesse- thanks for the numbers. I'm doing this exact trip WX permitting sometime soon.

At 80 MPH, it takes 10.85 hr round trip, which I doubt I could maintain in a car. This means I get there, 1/2 one day looking around, 1/2 the next, then I go home & I'm tired from the trip. In the plane, I get most of a day both days of a weekend to look around and I'm still mostly fresh when I get home.

The car is still cheaper and no rental car needed in MSP but a lot of time is used seeing lovely NE, IA, and MN.

When I priced the fight several weeks ago on the airlines, it was >$1000 per person direct. A one-stop flight was over ~$360 per person. (Both advance ticketing). From Lincoln, I'd arrive in the PM after a minimum of 2 hours at LNK and actual flying if direct. One-stop flight- the car wins in time & cost. From Omaha-it stretches to 4 hours (1 hr driving, 2 Hr TSA, 1 hr flying- no stops)- the car wins again. If I take the airlines, I go regardless of weather since reticketing costs so much. If THEY cancel due to WX, I get rebooked on the next flight which may not be convenient for this mission. If I cancel or rebook I get dinged whether thay cancel or not

The Cherokee ties or beats the airlines in total time and cost for this trip. any weather that is bad for for VFR flying is bad for touring a city. Business trip- that's another thing altogether.

For this mission (just visiting MSP), I'll take the Cherokee or even the mighty C150 over the car or airlines. Other missions- the airlines, car or motorcycle.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

It must depend on where you're at. In the midwest with somewhat average rental rates there is no way it ever really makes that much financial sense. Unless you drive some monstrous gas guzzling SUV that depreciates $1,000 per day and has a $500 loan payment.

Rental vs. Owning right there. If you own the plane, the fixed costs have to be paid anyway so the gas is the big factor. Renting, you're paying your share of everything hourly and it doesn't work out nearly as well.

 

[dmccormack]

If you ride an FZ1, that is why. It is not a bike for long trips, even though masochistic folks will ride them for days on end. My back simply will not allow long trips on a sportier bike. I've gone on rides that are a half day to a full day long. That's too much on the bikes I've owned. I personally need some sort of back support, but I have scoliosis (also known as "I would be 6'2" if my back was straight, but I'm probably 6' - 6'1" because it's not) and that screws up all kinds of seating positions.

To me, the only way to participate in any sort of Iron Butt-esque competitoins is with one of the bigger cruiser/touring bikes. Harleys, GoldWings, etc. are much better for these kinds of trips. The FZ1 (or the Bandit 1200 and Interceptor 800i that I've owned) really do not have the ergos for doing that comfortably.

Yeah, the FZ is NOT a long distance cruiser by any stretch!

Six hours a day is max for me on that bike...

 

[stingray]

At 80 MPH

You do know that you subtract 10% not add it for average speed right?

Dan

 

[Cap'n Jack]

You do know that you subtract 10% not add it for average speed right?

Dan

Yep- I do. I was just making a best case for the motorcycle which stands a better chance of getting away with it than the car. Besides, 80 mph used to be only 5 mph over the limit when I moved out here a couple of years back. Now I see 55, 60 and 65 MPH signs like I was back in NJ! If they start talking "eminent domain" I think I'll go go back east before the place gets totally ruined!

 

[stingray]

Yep- I do. I was just making a best case for the motorcycle which stands a better chance of getting away with it than the car. Besides, 80 mph used to be only 5 mph over the limit when I moved out here a couple of years back. Now I see 55, 60 and 65 MPH signs like I was back in NJ! If they start talking "eminent domain" I think I'll go go back east before the place gets totally ruined!

It still is not as bad as the new booster seat law, (In a booster until 4'9") That would mean I would have been in a booster until I was in high school.

I love flying. Pedal to the metal with no repercussions. (Who's old enough to remember, "Ain't nothing going to stop us now".) I always think of that movie when I see speed limits that are stupidly slow for no apparent reason.

Dan

 

[gismo]

If it was just about money, wouldn't a bus be best?

Bikes seem to be cheaper, but the maintenance costs on my Yamaha FZ1 eat into the 50 MPG fuel savings real quick-like.

Though I'd been faster on that bike than any airplane I'd flown until I flew a Bonanza...B)

If the only concern was money, a bicycle would be better than a bike and walking might be cheaper yet depending on the relative cost of wearing out tires vs shoes.

There's a curious measure of transportation efficiency that equates speed with cost. IOW if it goes twice as fast for twice the money as something else, the "speed efficiency" would be equal.

 

[jesse]

If the only concern was money, a bicycle would be better than a bike and walking might be cheaper yet depending on the relative cost of wearing out tires vs shoes.

There's a curious measure of transportation efficiency that equates speed with cost. IOW if it goes twice as fast for twice the money as something else, the "speed efficiency" would be equal.

It mostly comes down to the trade between time, money, and enjoyment. Do I have the time to ride a bicycle to Minnesota? No. Do I have the time to ride my motorcycle? Yes. Would I prefer to fly there? You bet. But if I flew everywhere I rode my motorcycle I'd be broke.

 

[stingray]

It mostly comes down to the trade between time, money, and enjoyment. Do I have the time to ride a bicycle to Minnesota? No. Do I have the time to ride my motorcycle? Yes. Would I prefer to fly there? You bet. But if I flew everywhere I rode my motorcycle I'd be broke.

Unless you owned a plane and had to rent a motorcycle.

Dan