Comparing Gas Mileage Across Top Motorcycle Brands
In terms of miles per gallon (MPG), motorcycles are more fuel efficient than cars. They also emit less carbon dioxide into the environment. With the current cost of gas in mind, riding a motorcycle might make more sense for your transportation needs.
Before you make a purchase, consider gas mileage across top motorcycle brands.
Motorcycles and Fuel Economy
The average motorcycle gets just over 55 miles per gallon, although this number can vary by age and design. Semi-automatic bikes get up to 87 miles per gallon and some manual touring bikes get only 35 miles per gallon.
Motorcycle design plays an important role in fuel consumption. Although built to hold a person’s body weight, this can increase drag by as much as one-third. A fully enclosed car does not experience as significant a shift.
Additionally, not all motorcycles have fairings – a feature to improve aerodynamic qualities. Specifically, cruisers and adventure bikes do not feature fairings and tend to get fewer miles per gallon, even before a rider sits on top.
Consider the following breakdown of gas mileage for popular brands and recent models.
Honda Motorcycles
Honda’s newer offerings are more fuel-efficient, like the 2021 Rebel. This single-cylinder cruiser with a 471cc engine offers up to 67 MPG.
Suzuki Motorcycles
Among touring bikes, Suzuki has average to slightly above average gas mileage. Its V-Strom 650, a V-twin-powered bike offering 260 miles on a 4.8-gallon tank, gets about 54 MPG.
Kawasaki Motorcycles
Designed for longer trips, the Versys-X 300 has a parallel twin 296cc engine that delivers 60 MPG. The heavier Vulcan 500 LTD, powered by a 649cc V-Twin engine, gets about 50 MPG.
BMW Motorcycles
The larger BMW F650GS, featuring a 652cc engine and 388 pound weight, delivers 63 MPG. The G310GS features a more adventure-ready design that gets roughly 70 miles per gallon.