Ready, Set, Go … Green!

Sometimes, less is more. Two wheels instead of four wheels? Yes! A motorcycle or scooter instead of a car is generally regarded to be friendlier to the environment than the majority of cars and SUVs that currently litter our roadways.

Going green is not just a fashion statement; it can be a way of life. Applying “green” thinking to the transportation industry can make a major difference to our planet.

Scooters and motorcycles have several advantages over cars and SUVs, in terms of efficiency and convenience. Joe Linardi of Kahuna Powersports points out that one of the major benefits of two-wheeled transportation is economy. With skyrocketing fuel prices now the norm, filling up a scooter or motorcycle is barely significant in contrast with gassing up an SUV, minivan, or even a car. Filling the gas tank of most scooters involves only a fraction of the expense of keeping a typical vehicle’s tank full. The best small four-wheeled gas burners offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 30, or maybe 40 miles per gallon. Motorcycles can offer 60 or 70 miles per gallon. That’s a substantial saving, which might translate to a yearly winter getaway. For those on a tight budget, the cost of keeping a two-wheeled vehicle in running order is negligible compared to automobiles. Since scooters can be equipped with extra storage compartments and maintain city street speeds, many local errands can be run on one tank of gas or a full electrical charge. Even the most expensive motorcycles on the market today are less costly than your typical economy cars.

Rob Magarelli at Vespa Vaughan is quick to point out ease of use, especially with scooters, which primarily use stepless automatic transmissions (no clutch, no gear shift), as an appealing advantage. Commuting, shopping (short of multiple 12-packs of soda and watermelons), visiting, and completing simple errands lend themselves easily to a two-wheeled vehicle solution.

In many large cities, finding a suitable parking place for a car may involve endless loops around crowded streets or additional fees in a parking garage. The destination may still be blocks away, leaving the driver little choice but to walk.

Depending upon local regulations, it may be legal to park two-wheeled vehicles in city-sponsored bicycle racks or secured with chains to sturdy objects on the sidewalk. Thus, owners can frequently find suitable parking almost anywhere, and are less likely to walk long distances to and from parking locations. A light motorcycle takes approximately one fifth of the parking space of a car.

Insurance requirements for two-wheeled vehicles are usually less restrictive than equivalent liability coverage for cars and larger vehicles, resulting in potential insurance premium savings.

Think about how you can reduce traffic congestion. The size and maneuverability of a motorcycle or vespa would significantly reduce traffic congestion if used by even a small percentage of commuters. Sales of commuter motorcycles are on the increase, demonstrating the frustration people feel about traffic congestion and the lack of availability, or unreliability of public transport. The motorcycle fulfills the role of a convenient and environmentally friendly private transport alternative that can make a contribution towards helping to solve transport problems.

As a former SUV lover and now a motorcycle convert, I understand the benefits of leaving the larger-than
life SUV at home for the summer and getting out there on the open road. I’ll never forget riding my motorcycle on a particular stretch of road and witnessing the majestic site of a resplendent orange sunset directly in front of me, with nothing shielding me from nature. And now, when I ride, I search for the next perfect moment that will be forever etched into the recesses of my mind.