Sitting at the traffic light you glance out of your window to the magnificent sight of chromed steel and hot rubber rumbling beside your “cage”. The light changes and the rider accelerates through the gears, the ultimate symbol of freedom on the road. You have visions of Harleys dancing in your head.

Motorcycles have increased in popularity in recent years. Leading the charge are 40 and 50-something newbies who may never have thrown a leg over a Harley much less a 750 cc crotch rocket. Some folks get the bug for motorcycling and never look back. Others, realizing that they are uncomfortable or feel unsafe on the road, sell their new bike; evidenced by the abundance of low-mileage bikes in the motorcycle want ads.

If you’re a prospective first-time motorcycle buyer, you probably have a certain bike in mind. You’ve been to the dealership and studied the brochures. You’ve got a picture of your dream bike on the wall of your office cubicle. You’ve got the dream. Now, not to put a damper on your dreams but it’s a good idea to check out some of the reality as well:

Motorcycles for economical travel

If one of your reasons/justifications for buying a bike is that it will allow you to commute or travel cheaply consider this:

Most motorcycles do get relatively good gas mileage. A Harley Davidson Superglide can typically return 45 mpg. Smaller displacement bikes can do even better. So far so good. But motorcycles burn up tires much faster than cars.

You can expect to get 6 to 8 thousand miles from a motorcycle’s rear tire, and 10-12 thousand from the front. A car can go 40 to 50 thousand miles before changing rubber. If you calculate the cost of replacement tires (and installation) with your mileage estimates, you’ll find that for every dollar you spend in gas, you will also spend a dollar in tires (unless you sell the bike before you re-tire).

Insurance costs for motorcycles

Of course you’ve got to have insurance and it can be pricey depending upon where you live, the size and type of the bike you ride, and your driving record. If you pay cash for your bike and are willing to take some risk, you can get by with liability alone. Still you are looking at a minimum of two to three hundred dollars per year. That may not sound like much, but based on miles traveled, the cost per mile is substantial.

Motorcycle Accessories

A bike unadorned with at least a few accessories is uncommon. Riders tend to personalize their bikes with add-ons for comfort, safety, and style. Many cruiser riders spend small fortunes on chrome accessories only to sell the bike and reap little return on the adornment. Often more comfortable seats are required for longer rides and then there are helmets, tank bags, boots, and safety apparel. It’s notoriously hard to resist buying gadgets for your baby.

Maintenance for your motorcycles

The chief maintenance items for motorcycles are oil changes and valve adjustments. V-twin bikes like Harleys have an advantage over some bikes in that they have hydraulic valves, which don’t require regular adjustments. Some sport and sport-touring bikes have multi-valve sets ups that require a certain level of skill to perform.

These bikes also have lots of plastic to remove to get to the valves meaning that, unless you are handy with a wrench, valve adjustments can cost anywhere from $150 to $400 depending upon your bike’s mechanics. It’s well worth asking about the valve adjustment schedule before making your bike purchase.

Riding motorcycles is a rewarding and enjoyable activity that people of all ages can enjoy. Just remember that you’ll need a little more cash on hand after you buy your bike!