How to Go Green on a Motorcycle

Many people ride a motorcycle simply for the sense of freedom it provides. Others use a bike for basic transportation because they get good gas mileage. Motorcycles are smaller than a car or truck, handle better in traffic, and some people use them to shorten their commute time. But are they eco-friendly? The concern with saving the environment is increasing every year, and some motorcycle riders are trying to find ways to be environmentally conscious. Following are a few tips on how to go green on a motorcycle.

Improve Gas Mileage

While the majority of motorcycle riders don’t buy their bikes with the thought of saving money on fuel costs foremost in their minds, it is a fact that motorcycles get comparably better gas mileage than their four-wheeled counterparts. That is eco-friendly, as far as it goes. But there are ways of improving the miles per gallon that your motorcycle gets. If you keep your fuel lines free of obstruction by cleaning the fuel filter regularly, your mileage should get better. Keeping your tires inflated properly will not only make them last longer, but boost your fuel mileage as well. Making sure you don’t overload the bike will not only provide good fuel mileage, but will also ensure it handles properly. Avoiding fast starts will also save gas–taking off from a traffic light at a slow and steady pace will give you optimum fuel efficiency. You should also try and ride at a steady pace instead of constantly speeding up and slowing down–it will give you the best fuel mileage possible. Another way to make sure you’re getting the best MPG possible is to keep the bike’s engine in tune.

Electricity Is Your Friend

The green movement in automobiles is well underway with the introduction of hybrid vehicles that use a combination of gasoline and electricity to provide power. There are also cars that are powered solely by electricity. While the technology is in its infancy, the potential is there for a real change in the way vehicles are powered. Recently some motorcycle manufactures have found a way to incorporate green technology into the production of motorcycles. In fact, one manufacturer began production on a motorcycle that would run entirely on electricity, was high-powered, and capable of giving some of the fastest production motorcycles a run for their money. Due to the cost of production the idea was shelved, but the company has continued to produce batteries for use in powering motorcycles. As a result of this company’s research, as well as the research and development of other companies, it is now possible to buy electric powered bikes and scooters. For further information on this developing technology, type ‘electric powered motorcycles’ into your favorite online search engine.

Technological Improvements

As the technology continues to improve, more and more electric vehicles are hitting the streets. The technological improvements in batteries are moving forward quickly, and some motorcycle manufactures are finding ways to incorporate them into the production of their vehicles. A couple of manufactures specialize in the production of small motorcycles and scooters that run entirely on electricity. As the technology improves, more manufactures will undoubtedly find ways of using battery power instead of gas engines.

Go Small, Go Green

Until the electric-powered technology becomes universally and financially feasible, it is possible to go green without breaking the bank to pay for an experimental motorcycle. In fact, you can go green and save money immediately by buying a smaller motorcycle. Instead of paying multiple thousands of dollars for a big, heavy, and sometimes very loud motorcycle, you can opt for a much smaller, lighter, fuel-efficient bike. A 250cc or 500cc motorcycle may not be able to propel you down the highway at breakneck speeds, but it will give you much better fuel mileage than the more powerful, high performance bikes. Some of the smaller bikes are capable of getting up to 75 MPG, or greater, depending on your riding style. Although they’re smaller, bikes of this size are still capable of getting you from one place to another in relative comfort–and you’ll still be able to enjoy the true benefits of riding a motorcycle–the fresh air and sense of freedom that comes with being out on the open road without a metal cocoon surrounding you.