This & ThatVersus
Bike vs CarFears of global warming, a double dip recession, and rising gas prices have many North Americans running away from the gas pumps. We're seeing a rising number of people parking (or selling) their cars and buying motorcycles as a more earth-friendly, convenient, affordable and fun method of transportation.
Before you rush to trade in your Suzuki SUV for a Suzuki SV, let's look at whether or not motorcycles are more environmentally friendly then cars.
Read more: Motorcycles vs. Cars: Which is Greener (MythBusters)
Disk Vs DumbOnce upon a time, someone on the internet stated that there was nothing wrong with drum brakes on a motorcycle: "Absolutely nothing. Plenty of stopping power and no fluid to change and bleed. Rear drum brake has been put in the same basket as carburetors, ancient technology that deserve ridicule." While we respect the drum brake, and the author's right to his own opinion, we felt that in this 21st century it's important to back up opinions with some facts.
This article is a part of our How To Buy Your First Motorcycle series. The previous article looked at how to get your M2 Intermediate motorcycle license. The next article looks at buying gear, new vs. used, and how not to get ripped off.
So you're buying your first motorcycle, good for you! You're probably wondering, should I buy new or used? What are the pros and cons? How long before I outgrow a beginner motorcycle? What fits my budget?
- Air cooled motorcycles run quieter.
- You'll tend to see them more on cruisers as most cruisers typically run at lower RPMs then sportbikes, which tend to be liquid cooled.
- Air cool provides more simplicity, representing one less thing which could break or need to be replaced.
- Liquid cooling rads are sometimes fragile, and external or aftermarket oil-coolers can also be expensive and likely to break in a drop. Air cooled bikes may be cheaper.