Why buy a bike? Other than the inherent freedom, feeling, and arguable bragging rights—most motorcycles are more affordable as an alternative leisure vehicle than, let’s say, a sports car. Not only are they gentler on the budget and offer a unique brand of grin-inducing experience, bikes have always been somewhat easier on the gas. To state the obvious, how soon you top up also depends on your style of riding and commitment to maintenance. Sure, they say hybrid or full-on electric vehicles are the future of motoring… But for the mileage-conscious rider who insists on 2-wheel combustion, here are some of the most fuel-efficient bikes that 2015 has to offer.
Luxury Touring – BMW K1600GTL 40-47mpg
When the BMW K1600GTL came out with its powerful in-line 6, the Paralever shaft-drive bike has become the sports car of luxury touring bikes. Many test riders score it higher than the mighty Gold Wing, and it’s also more efficient by a couple of miles. The Beemer does an average of 40mpg—and while a Harley-Davidson Electra/Road/Street Glide will give you 42mpg pretty consistently (with 4 cylinders less), the K1600GTL has been reported to do up to an impressive 47mpg.
Cruiser – Yamaha XV950 / Star Bolt 50-58mpg
Go smaller to save. A Harley-Davidson 750 gives you 54mpg while the 883 gives you 47. Bigger bikes in the 1100-1300cc range taper out at around 45mpg. In between are the Japanese 900s. The Kawasaki Vulcan can do 47-49mpg, but riders of Yamahas have been noticing a phenomenon. The retro bobber XV950 uses a 942cc like the Star Bolt—the riders of which have been reporting 50mpg all the way up to the mid 60s.
Yamaha Bolt Inner Fender Eliminator Kit 1tp-f16e0-v0-00
Naked – Yamaha MT-07 50-58mpg
Yamaha does it again with the affordable and fun middleweight streetfighter of a bike. It’s been praised for its lightweight agility, versatility, and frugal accessibility. The MT-07’s 689cc inline twin does more than a whopping 50mpg with a 14L tank. The tamer crowd reports that the bike can do as much as 64mpg. A wet weight of just 182kg for the ABS version helps the cause.
Adventure – Suzuki V-Strom 650XT 47-55mpg
The Suzuki V-Strom has always been one of the softcore adventure bikes, but more and more people are starting to swear by it. Adventure bikes—unlike enduros—are usually road trippers first and offroaders second, but should be capable of both. Suzuki responded with the new XT Adventure trim. The V-Strom’s fuel efficiency average of 50mpg is better than the Kawasaki Versys’ by handful of miles. Honda’s NC700X trumps both on consumption and can be considered an entry-level adventure bike as well, but it’s so adaptable that it’s going in a different category.
Maxi Scooter – Piaggio X10 350 Executive 62-72 mpg
The Piaggio X10 350 prides itself in its fuel economy, which rates up to 82mpg, although actual riders report less as is the usual way it goes. It furthers the philosophy of efficiency by offering an ECO button on its handlebar, which reduces consumption by 4-5%. The Executive stands out as especially nice with its brown saddle and satin chrome trim, exuding that luxurious Euro style.
Street Standard – Honda NC700X 64-72 mpg
The Honda NC700X’s 670cc parallel twin has been blowing minds with its fuel efficiency, for that big a displacement. Its geometry inspires people to place it in competition with the Suzuki V-Strom and Kawasaki Versys—but what is it really? Its budget consciousness and ambiguous versatility are its strong suits and not weak spots. It’s part adventure bike with light, but arguably not enough off-road capability unless you change out the tires and a few other things. It’s somewhat a middleweight sport touring bike in its own right at times. To avoid confusion, it is one of the absolute best standards on the market today, and jack of trades master of none? It is the master of the mile-per-gallon.
Enduro – Kawasaki KLX 250S 62-72 mpg
It’s been around for a while, hasn’t changed much, and remains Kawasaki’s flagship lightweight enduro, effectively replacing the KLR. As a true dual sport, it shines on both tarmac and dirt as an easy-to-ride machine. The small displacement and 6-speed can even bring you up to 81mph or 130kph with a fun amount of torque. Nifty modern touches like digital instrumentation and inverted forks sweeten the simple design.
Sportbike – Honda CBR250R 68-85 mpg
Naturally, the smaller the sportbike the more efficient. Sure there are the 125cc and 150cc versions that make what seems like unlimited mileage, but they’re a bit too civilized rather than sporty. The 300cc and 500cc entry-level competitors average in the 60-70mpg range which is still phenomenal, but the super stingy folks just honing their skills will want Honda’s 250. Maximize the miles with less braking while staying in the 5500rpm range and see the results.
Retro – Royal Enfield Classic 80-100 mpg
Originally British, now manufactured in India, and with a new headquarters in the USA—Royal Enfield has been extending their reach to over 50 countries around the world with their steel machines and nostalgic thumper vibrations. The dealers claim 85mpg on their 350cc and 500cc bikes, but reality is a bit more odd. Riders claim anywhere from 50 all the way up to 100mpg. At the end of the day, this just says you can save a ton if you know how.
Scooter – Honda PCX125 96-112 mpg
Almost all new model smaller scooters will make an awesome average of 100mpg, but the PXC125 gets the spot for the sheer amount of buyers who have testified to its fuel economy. Honda’s modular Ruckus/Zoomer appeals to the custom crowd and their Metropolitan scooter is sleek and pretty; both make amazing mileage, but the PCX125 has become one of the best sellers due to its well-rounded practicality.
Winner – Honda Grom 109-122 mpg
The Honda Grom packs a lot of attitude into an amusingly small package. This fun 125cc is a true blue motorcycle fitted with a 4-speed gearbox and manual clutch, and the mileage on it is nothing short of amazing. It already has a cult following with daredevil riders bombing around both the city and countryside, catching eyes and inspiring smiles.
New 2015 Honda PCX150 PCX 150 Scooter Rear Storage Trunk Top Trunk with Mount