Governments such as ours here in Canada are continually investing in massive public transit infrastructure. They are so invested in this particular cause that they spend further money in attempting to convince us that public transportation is - as the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) likes to call it - ‘the better way.’ It’s no secret that many times the best way to get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ may be by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. However, this is not feasible for a large segment of the population; it’s just too impractical. A motorcycle, however, is, in fact, ‘the better way.’ Here is why:
A basic adult Metropass will run you just under $150 per month, and this is in the hopes that you do not require any extra passes such as the Presto card that is necessary for neighbouring cities in the GTA, like Ajax or Brampton. When you multiply this by seven riding months, and you’re looking at $1050 in total, plus the extra time that it is taking you to commute daily, it becomes clear that it can get better than that.
Depending on your commute and lifestyle, you can buy a limited-speed motorcycle (scooter, or a ‘Vespa’) for roughly $1500 brand new. If this is not your cup of tea, you can also go for an entry-level motorcycle such as a 250cc for under $4000. This may become a bit tricky if you want to travel on the highway, so in this case, you may want to start looking at bikes that are 500cc and higher. These bikes can be found for a starting price of as low as $5000 brand new. Several decent candidates for commuting can be found for under $14000 brand new. This is much cheaper than your average economy car. If you want a motorcycle for commuting but do not want to spend a ton of cash and are somewhat mechanically inclined, you can find a great deal on used bikes on websites such as Kijiji or Craigslist.
The fuel economy on motorcycles is unbelievable when you compare it to several of the available compact cars in the market. Averaging 7.8L/100km is something that is not very uncommon in the bigger bikes. If you go down a notch or two, you may even see crazy numbers, such as 2.3L/100km. I know it sounds unreal, right?
Maintenance, unlike in large vehicles, is cheaper and more accessible to the average consumer. With some guidance from your friend YouTube, you can do virtually all the maintenance that a bike requires. Oil and filter changes, wheel balancing and changing, carburetor jetting - you name it, you can do it! The cost of maintaining your motorcycle will be significantly less than what you would spend on a car.
On another note, there is a large misconception about motorcycle insurance in Ontario. Yes, Ontarians pay up the… well, you know… for anything related to transportation and insurance. However, if you are an adult with a clean driving record, riding an average motorcycle, your premium may, in fact, surprise you. A 25-year-old, with little experience, driving a 400-750cc motorcycle may pay somewhere around $140/month in insurance. There are several insurance companies and brokers that will happily quote you, so it is better to check with them for accurate information before making a buying decision.
Let’s face it - Toronto loves motorcycles! You can access the carpool lane, have free street parking (where cars have to pay), can find easily accessible designated street parking for bikes, and the perks go on!
So what do you say? Grab a bike, and we will see you on the commute!
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