The two-wheeled vehicle might not be the obvious choice for practicality at a first glance. This is largely because most people have and still predominantly use four-wheeled vehicles as a means of transportation, thus leaving a lot of room for misinformation. Luckily for you, we are here to set the record straight! Two-wheeled vehicles are not only a more practical option these days (as you’ll see later on), they are also far safer to drive. Without further ado, let’s dive into aspects that win the case for two-wheeled vehicles as a more practical and safer option.
It’s more affordable
Two-wheeled vehicles are more often than not way less expensive than owning a car. While many people need some sort of a motor-powered vehicle to get around, most would opt for a two-wheeled vehicle because it’s more affordable than getting a car. Yes, some sports motorcycles cost more than an average car, but they are always used for special purposes, and even a used motorcycle is less expensive than a used car. By some statistics, a motorcycle can (in the case where it’s new, and in the case where it’s used) cost about 50% of the price of a car. In addition to the average low-cost, two-wheeled vehicles have less expensive maintenance than let’s say cars do. Cars have all sorts of crevices and parts that need regular maintenance, and the cost of this can add up. Not to mention the regular servicing prices. This is where two-wheeled vehicles earn their keep and win the case of being more affordable since there are fewer parts that need to be taken care of. We’ll discuss in detail some additional ways how two-wheeled vehicles are more practical by reviewing their efficiency and how convenient it is to have them later in the article.
You’re more alert and safe
While it’s not uncommon for car drivers to get carried away because being inside a four-wheel vehicle offers some form of security from being shielded from direct impact, being on the road is a much more serious ordeal for two-vehicle drivers. This is why motorcycle drivers are more alert on the road than an average four-wheel driver. In addition to a more overall caution, some added aspects make two-wheeled vehicles safer on the road. This aspect has to do a lot with the fact that being on a motorcycle offers a much better view of the road. Since four-wheeled vehicles, especially trucks, are notorious for their blind spots, motorcycles have none. While some might say that two-wheeled vehicles don’t have a windshield which can compromise their view of the road, motorcycle windscreens can easily take care of this. Wind deflectors, motorcycle windshields as well as touring windshields make the ride safer during racing and enjoyable during city travel. Nowadays, motorcycle windscreens can be found for any type of two-wheeled vehicle, making it more affordable and even safer to use a two-wheeled vehicle than other means of transportation.
It beats the traffic
One of the foremost reasons why two-wheeled vehicles are a more practical option these days is because how many hours people spend stuck in traffic is alarming. This number can be as high as 200 hours per year, which amounts to almost five full days lost per year. To speak more plainly, that’s almost a whole week out of a year in traffic! Surely, there must be a better way to get around than to do so moving inch by an inch in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Luckily, this is where motorcycles swoop in to save the day (or better said, to save five days per year). As many studies have found, during peak hours, commuting is as high as three times faster in metropolitan areas by motorcycle than by car. Further studies have also shown that motorcycles go as far as to reduce the average travel times for all participants in traffic by just having 10% more motorcycles on the road. Talk about practical! If you get stuck in traffic often, you might want to consider these stats because that’s a whole lot of time wasted, that can otherwise be avoided with more practical vehicles. Ultimately, you can even decrease the commuting time for every other participant in traffic.
They are much more efficient
In addition to being generally much more affordable than their four-wheel vehicle counterpart, two-wheeled vehicles are also more fuel-efficient. In simpler terms, this means that they take up less gasoline to operate and that they also get better mileage. If we’re talking about mid-sized motors as a point of reference, they average about 30-60 mpg, which of course, depends on whether the drivers ride their motorcycles on the interstate or in town. A car would get only about 30 mpg by comparison, regardless of whether it’s driven on the highway or in the city. In addition to better mileage, motorcycle insurance is also considerably lower than car insurance is. Let’s discuss all the factors that make this possible. First and foremost – it’s important to have a good driving record to make this possible. If this is the case, the amount of insurance for your two-wheeled vehicle will average at about a couple hundred dollars a year. In the meantime, a person who owns a car will pay significantly more – easily over a thousand dollars a year. Good mileage and generally lower costs of everything – from maintenance to insurance are the two ultimate factors that make two-wheeled vehicles a more practical option these days.
As it’s crystal clear by now, two-wheeled vehicles take the win when it comes to both practicality and safety. Since safety is a number one priority on the road, this should be taken quite seriously. In addition to safety, two-wheeled vehicles are extremely practical because they offer better mileage than cars, have lower insurance, and are generally way less expensive to purchase. Ultimately, motorcycles are a great option for beating traffic, which has become an increasing problem especially since recent studies have shown that people spend up to a week per year stuck in traffic.